I beg to differ.
Posted on 04/11/2006 3:41:19 PM PDT by Rockitz
WHAT ARE YOU DOING MAY 19TH?
May 19th is the date the Da Vinci Code movie opens. A movie based on a book that wears its heresy and blasphemy as a badge of honor.
What can we as Christians do in response to the release of this movie? I'm going to offer you the usual choices -- and a new one.
Here are the usual suspects:
A) We can ignore the movie. ........
The problem with this option: The box office is a ballot box. The only people whose votes are counted are those who buy tickets. And the ballot box closes on the Sunday of opening weekend. If you stay home, you have lost your chance to make your vote heard. You have thrown your vote away, and from Hollywood's point of view, you don't count. By staying home, you do nothing to shape the decision-making process regarding what movies will make it to the big screen.
B) We can protest. ........
The problem with this option: It doesn't work. Any publicity is good publicity. Protests not only fuel the box office, they make all Christians look like idiots. And again, protests and boycotts do nothing to help shape the decisions being made right now about what movies Hollywood will make in the next few years. (Or they convince Hollywood to make *more* movies that will provoke Christians to protest, which will drive the box office up.)
C) We can discuss the movie. We can be rational and be ready with study guides and workshops and point-by-point refutations of the lies promulgated by the movie. ........
The problem with this option: No one's listening. They think they know what we're going to say already. We'll lose most of these discussions anyway, no matter how prepared we are, because the power of story always trumps the power of facts (why do you think Jesus taught in parables?!). And once again: rational discussion of history does nothing to affect Hollywood's choices regarding what movies to make.
But there's a fourth choice.
D) On May 19th, you should go to the movies.
Just go to another movie.
Save the date now. May 19th, or May 20th. No later than Sunday, May 21st -- that's the day the ballot box closes. You'll get a vote, the only vote Hollywood recognizes: The power of cold hard cash laid down on a box office window on opening weekend.
Use your vote. Don't throw it away. Vote for a movie other than The DaVinci Code. If enough people do it, the powers that be will notice. They won't have a choice.
The major studio movie scheduled for release against DVC is the DreamWorks animated feature Over the Hedge. The trailers look fun, and you can take your kids. And your friends. And their friends. In fact, let's all go see it.
Let's rock the box office in a way no one expects -- without protests, without boycotts, without arguments, without rancor. Let's show up at the box office ballot box and cast our votes. And buy some popcorn, too.
May 19th. Mark your calendars now: Over the Hedge's opening weekend. Buy a ticket.
And spread the word. Forward this e-mail to all the Christians in your address book. Post it on your blogs. Talk about it to your churches. And let's all go to the movies.
sorry about that........
Ya know...after reading the book, I studied more of the Bible.
people I work with believe "JFK" was gospel truth and that "The Day After Tommorow" wasn't just Algore's
wet dream and thanks to Michael Moore, banks really do hand out firearms to new checking account clients,so I suppose anything's possible.
The powers that be took notice and didn't care about the success of the Passion of the Christ. Why would they care now whether people see their movies? As long as they themselves feel good that is all they care about.
I'm going with choice (A).
The gnostics are all gone.
I've heard stories of people who have strayed from the Church pick up this book and question the Christian faith because of what this book says.
I shudder the thought of having to explain away to God my reasoning for ignoring these lost souls.
All the hubbub about the book and now the movie. I couldn't care less. If it effects someone's faith their "faith" wasn't that strong to begin with. People tend to believe what they want to believe, anyway.
It's a movie of a novel. It's entertainment. I don't see why it bothers you and if you try to "deal with it" you only call more attention to it. All I will say about that now is remember "The Life of Brian."
Well than you talk to them about it when they have questions. I've seen some signs around here (SC) saying all copie should be burned. It's like the Harry Potter fiasco, don't these people realize that by overreacting to a FICTION book we are giving it credibility and drawing attention to it.
So hwo come you're not "dealing with" the impending theatrical release of the movie of "The Celestine Prophecy"?
Quiet over there, Big Nose :)
"I shudder the thought of having to explain away to God my reasoning for ignoring these lost soul"
Well, by your reasoning, God made them stupid! I don't think He'd hold that against you.
Birbear --
All it took for me was a 2-hour, WELL-documented special on the Discovery Channel to tell me that Dan Brown was full of septic tank contents. Yeah, it was a bit of a fun read, but Brown's previous book followed exactly the same formula. All I can deduce from his works is that he hates Catholics.
The book has been on the best seller list for years in hardcover.
It is unlikely that whatever impact it has had is likely to be reflected in poor attendance for the upcoming film.
I was given the book as a present something like 3 Christmases ago. I thought it was stupid and likely just a passing phenomenon. Years later I am still astonished at it's popularity.
The movie will do well, and I'll never understand exactly why.
Yeah, because if people "stray from the church", that makes them apostates, right? They shouldn't be able to do that! Off with their heads!
You're the one that said they're stupid, not I.
I beg to differ.
An EXCELLENT response to it. So it is possible that the movie has redeeming value after all. If it inspires people to learn more about the Bible, and is examined with critical minds, then it is for the good.
The problem, perhaps, is that not all people DO look at such a movie with critical minds... but it also seems to me that any who are so little educated in theology as to be seduced by such a movie, are probably already among the lost, so little harm is done by the movie there.
Some churches are teaching members how to refute the false claims put forth by Dan Brown's novel. Mine is
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.