Dealing with The DaVinci Code - A Strategy to Minimize Its Impact

E-mail ^ | April 2006 | Anonymous

[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.

[Sam Gamgee]

I didn't like the Kill Artist. Silva seems to be following this trend where we have intelligence agents who are questioning the morality of using secrecy to stop terrorists. The book seems to paint the Israeli intelligence in the most evil light.

[AnnoyedOne]

Well, I would not describe it as an "alternate ending" to any of the gospels. No more than the thousands of other books about the history of the Church, etc, that occured after the death of Christ could be said to alternative endings to the gospels. It is a work of fiction, based upon a lot of real historical events, people, and places. A LOT of creative license was taken as well.

I am uncertain as to why any who are not catholic would be upset over this movie, really. The movie is flat out wrong in many ways, but it does touch on some theories that have been around for a long time. The RCC considers the theories about Mary Magdalene to be heresy, but since when do protestants care what the catholic church rules is heresy? Protestantism is heresy.

But as far as Christian doctine and the Bible are concerned, I am unsure how the theory about Christs descendants, even if true, would change anything. How would it invalidate anything that the Bible teaches us? Though it has some pronounced inaccuracies (it IS fiction, remember), I do not recall reading anything in the story that was contradictory to the Bible or undermines Christian beliefs. If Christ DID marry, and the Bible did not tell us about it.. Big Deal. Apparently God did not think we needed to know that.. who are you to second guess him?

[Rockitz]

...a Rabbi must be married (by Jewish Talmudic laws)

Is there a specific reference for this? Thanks.

[AnnoyedOne]

BTW, when I said who are you to question, it was not meaning you personally.. I should have phrased it "who are WE".

[Rockitz]

As I've said in other posts, I have not read the book, but I had assumed that in the DVC:

1. Christ doesn't go to the cross and die.
2. The body of Christ is not ressurected on the 3rd day.
3. Christ does not ascent to be at the right hand of God the father.

All of which are standard Christian theology, hence my use of the term "alternative."

[Hodar]

is there a specific reference for this? Thanks.

Here you go, I must warn you that it is graphic and somewhat sexual in nature. These are Jewish laws, I did not manufacture them, I'm only providing the source

[AnnoyedOne]

The DVC does not contradict any of those things. It professes, if I recall correctly, that when Christ died, Mary Magdelene was with child.

[Rockitz]

Thanks for the correction.

[Hodar]

...but I had assumed that in the DVC:
1. Christ doesn't go to the cross and die.
2. The body of Christ is not ressurected on the 3rd day.
3. Christ does not ascent to be at the right hand of God the father.

These are not mentioned either way, the whole point of the DVC is that there is a 'secret' that has been hidden, defended and sacrificed for over the past couple of thousand years. This book does not question, discuss or disparage Jesus in any way; other than to suggest that 'maybe' he was married and had children.

[AnnoyedOne]

Very interesting link, Hodar, thanks for posting it. I had heard some of these things before, but thats an interesting compilation on the subject.

[AnnoyedOne]

other than to suggest that 'maybe' he was married and had children

Or at least that some, like the Templars, Da Vinci, and possibly the RCC believed it to be true. But even if they did believe it, that does not mean it IS fact.

[truth_seeker]

"I've seen some signs around here (SC) saying all copie should be burned."

Book burnigs in SC? That is not conservative.

I thought it was the whacked muslims that did the religious censorship, not American Christians.

I guess we have our book burners, too. It doesn't present the best face of Christianity.

[Rockitz]

Or at least that some, like the Templars, Da Vinci, and possibly the RCC believed it to be true. But even if they did believe it, that does not mean it IS fact.

I guess that it might be considered, at best, later-day apocryphyl literature that would have been tossed from the bible we know today by Constantine et al?

[fortunecookie]

The fact that The DaVinci Code is pure fiction should give people a clue.

BTTT!

[fortunecookie]

I'm with you. C&D for me, at least. I will find a movie to see that weekend, hopefully the 19th.

I will have my hands full with C, a good friend and I share a lot in common, including faith and religion, but she is absolutely convinced that the movie is truth marketed as fiction for Brown's protection and these are truths that the Church has been hiding for centuries, and finally someone had the courage to air them publicly. We disagree. It caused a brief chill in our friendship when the book came out. Sigh.

[Cyclopean Squid]

other than to suggest that 'maybe' he was married and had children

Or at least that some, like the Templars, Da Vinci, and possibly the RCC believed it to be true. But even if they did believe it, that does not mean it IS fact.

To be fair, when discussing religion, it is all faith and therefore it does not mean that any of it is fact.

[birbear]

Yeah, it was a bit of a fun read, but Brown's previous book followed exactly the same formula

In my mind I get points of "Angels and Demons" and "Da Vinci Code" mixed up, because they are so similar.

I thought "Digital Fortress" was a much more original story. Although I will admit to reading "Da Vinci Code" in record time. I started on a Friday evening and finished on a Sunday afternoon...which for me is quite fast for a novel.

All I can deduce from his works is that he hates Catholics.

I'm not a Catholic. And I definitely don't want to start an anti-Catholic thread. (Or even propose any anti-Catholic comments). There's a unique history to the men and women involved in the Church that doesn't necessarily mesh perfectly well with the tenets of the faith. (which is true of all denominations and religions, I understand.) I think Dan Brown is trying to explore that history in a fictionalized way. He may very well be anti-Catholic. I tend to think he's pushing the envelope into story-telling of some very sacred things. Which, as a Christian, I cringe at. As a writer, I applaud.

[Lakeshark]

Ummmm....let me see......

Could it be that everything written about him by the people who knew him, every historical reference about him says he wasn't married.......and absolutely none say he was.

Don't let such silly things like that get in the way of such deep thoughts.

/sarcasm

[Cyclopean Squid]

History can be rewritten. Sometimes even when its participants are still alive (witness the methods of Stalin and to a lesser extent the media).

[birbear]

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.

Exactly. Those who are secure in their faith, will let this movie roll of their back. Those who don't have any faith, may believe some of the issues for a few weeks and then forget it.

Those that let a movie dictate their faith, well... they have my prayers.