Nothing to fear from 'Da Vinci,' says Catholic activist

WorldNetDaily ^ | 5/20/06 | WorldNetDaily

[wagglebee]

A leading Catholic activist is telling Christians their worries, building for months, over yesterday's release of "The Da Vinci Code," have been wasted on an "inane," "slumbering," "anti-climatic" movie that "fails to persuade" and flounders more on its poor quality than its anti-Catholic theology.

Bill Donohue

"This was one of the most inane films I have ever seen," said Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, after viewing the movie on opening day.

"It takes forever to get going, and even when it finally does, it fails to sustain the momentum," he said. "Indeed, it somehow manages to revert back to its original slumbering style, delivering one of the most thoroughly anti-climatic endings ever to grace the screen."

The theater was packed, said Donohue, but at the end only three or four people clapped and an equal number hissed. "Most just walked out in a zombie-like fashion, eerily mimicking the characters on the screen."

Donohue's experience mirrored that of an audience of critics who panned the movie earlier this week at its Cannes premiere. The Associated Press reported that some walked out of the theater in the closing minutes and others hissed and whistled while credits rolled.

Variety, the film industry's bible, called "Da Vinci" "a stodgy, grim thing," in an online review this week.

"Nothing really works. It's not suspenseful. It's not romantic. It's certainly not fun," wrote Stephen Schaefer of the Boston Herald.

Donohue agreed.

"There are too many symbols and too many arcane codes," he said, "but the real reason the movie fails is because it lacks suspense, is hopelessly melodramatic, and is way too long. The few times the audience laughed was due to a quip made by one of the characters. These moments were much appreciated – it broke the boredom."

Last month, Vatican official Archbishop Angelo Amato asked Catholics to boycott the movie based on Dan Brown's best-selling book. In the novel, Brown claims Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and still has living descendants – a secret the Catholic church has been covering up for centuries.

Donohue never joined the boycott chorus but sought, unsuccessfully, a disclaimer on the film that its story was fiction.

"As for the anti-Catholic nature of the movie, it is a credit to Ron Howard that he softened the edges," said Donohue. "To be specific, the conversation about the divinity of Christ, and about religious belief in general, was portrayed with greater sensitivity to Christians than was depicted in the book. But in doing so the film may have lost some of its punch. I say this not because I would have preferred a more in-your-face style, but because it simply happens to be true."

Scene from "The Da Vinci Code."

The vice chairman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Catholic Initiative for Enlightened Movie Appreciation, which had rated the film as "disturbing" because of its portrayal of the origin of Christianity and its attacks on the Catholic Church, echoed Donohue after seeing the film. Mario Sobrejuanite said the movie "is much subdued" because its attack against the Catholic Church is "lesser."

"The treatment is very different. There are lots of elements in the film not found in the book," he told the Baguio Sun-Star, a Philippine paper. Nonetheless, he added, "it directly antagonizes our belief."

"I am mildly appreciative if [Howard] softened the story a little," said Donohue. "But frankly, what matters to me most is that the movie is being regarded as such a bomb that only a fool would believe its thesis."

[wagglebee]

It's comical how badly things are going for this movie.

[wagglebee]

Ping.

[RedBeaconNY]

It's comical how much the Christian community overreacted to this obvious farce of a movie.... but who am I?

[Bosco]

Actually, I think the Christian community that I am involved with have been exceedingly decent about the whole thing. There are teaching series, pamphlets available, radio interviews given.

Compare if you will, the Muslim reaction to some cartoons about Mohammed. That, RedBeacon, is an overreaction.

Didn't see that from Christians with the "Piss Christ" or "Dung Mary".

Christians are told in the Epistles to "be ready to give an account for the faith that is in you", and this is a great opportunity to do so if one is ready to give an account. TDVC is just a murder mystery wrapped around a very old Gnostic heresy.

Heresies attack either the Divinity or the Humanity of Jesus, but the Bible maintains that Jesus is BOTH, making Him the only one able to pay mankind's sin debt. Jesus was crucified for our transgressions, but raised because of our justification before God.

That's Good News, eh?

[cricket]

Agree there is nothing to fear. . .and posted such elsewhere. . .but think the greater fear here belongs to Hollywood and Libs et al. . .

Do think the 'abject disdain' being expressed by Cannes or Hollywood elites; and their 'protest too much' publicity underscores their own denials of Faith and a real fear that 'something' will resonate here.

Despite the lack/gaps of scholarly credibility perhaps. . .the film nonetheless, frames 'Faith' itself as 'credible'..

Think these 'anti-Faith/anti-Christian critics are 'protesting too much'. . . and the film itself informs as to the real reasons why. . .

[Invincibly Ignorant]

29 million on its first day? How bad is that?

[ecurbh]

29 million on its first day? How bad is that?

Well, it's 3 million better than The Passion of the Christ did on its first day. ;~D

[bornacatholic]

What a weird perspective. I try and imagine the ADL reviewing a movie based upon lies about Judiaism and having the ADL focus on the acting and not the content. I think the ADL isn't that clueless.

[Bernard]

"Most just walked out in a zombie-like fashion, eerily mimicking the characters on the screen."

That probably hadmore to do with spending 2 1/2 hours in a movie, plus coming attractions, plus...

That's a long time to sit.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

The Passion opened on a Wenesday. You are comparing apples and oranges.

[Salvation]

Keep praying for more of the same.

[Seamoth]

All the Da Vinci code has done is to expose just how spiritually uneducated & how weak in faith the Western Civilization has become. Quite a tragedy, really, particularly because Christianity is being replaced by hedonism.

[Zionist Conspirator]

What a weird perspective. I try and imagine the ADL reviewing a movie based upon lies about Judiaism and having the ADL focus on the acting and not the content. I think the ADL isn't that clueless.

Since when has the ADL been concerned for Judaism? The ADL has made a mission of attacking the actual contents and teachings of the Jewish religion by labelling them "chr*stian."

To the ADL "anti-Semitism" means remarks about banks and noses. One could deny or (chas vechalilah!) blaspheme HaShem Yitbarakh from morning till night or declare the Holy Torah to be a tissue of lies and the ADL wouldn't hear a word about it. The only theological crime that exists in the ADL's wordview is to declare that chr*stianity has superseded Judaism, and considering the "reactionary" tone of the "old testament" (of which they are so ashamed) one can't help but wonder why they aren't grateful to have that theocratic "albatross" assumed by someone else.

Not long ago ultra-radical Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong attacked the very notion of a "chosen people" and urged that the story of the Exodus be read from an "Egyptian perspective." Did the ADL make a single peep of protest?

It is truly amazing to me how chr*stians can believe that the contents and teachings of Judaism are more respected than chr*stianity. It is true that Jews as an ethnic group have been largely off limits for criticism (with the exception of Jews in Israel, of course) because of the Holocaust, but the actual contents of the Jewish religion are now and always have been subjected to more ridicule and attack than any other religion. Considering the role chr*stians have played in spreading the blasphemous notions that the Holy Torah is mythology or the product of the late redaction of earlier source documents one can't help but feel that there is a certain justice in this Da Vinci Code business.

Liberals (especially liberal Jews) would be in quite a quandary if the actual contents of Judaism were once again reassociated with the Jewish People. And bringing that situation about is why I'm on this forum.

[FJ290]

Considering the role chr*stians have played in spreading the blasphemous notions that the Holy Torah is mythology or the product of the late redaction of earlier source documents one can't help but feel that there is a certain justice in this Da Vinci Code business.

Excuse me, but this is way off base. How could Christians think the Torah is mythology? According to one of your own Jewish websites it contains the same books in the Old Testament that Christians revere!

Tell you what is mythology, the Babylonian Talmud. Care to explain the blasphemy against Christ and His mother in that work? Is that okay in your opinion? What sort of justice should be done by God over that? In another thread yesterday you told us that it was the Da Vinci Code was Divine justice against Christians, so tell us, what Divine justice exists for the Babylonian Talmud?

[Zionist Conspirator]

Excuse me, but this is way off base. How could Christians think the Torah is mythology? According to one of your own Jewish websites it contains the same books in the Old Testament that Christians revere!

Have you read any Catholic Bible (complete with nihil obstat and imprimatur) of the last century? Even the most conservative commentators accept evolution and the documentary hypothesis and insist the first eleven chapters of Genesis were adapted from pagan mythology, G-d forbid! Or go to any "conservative" Catholic apologetics site (like that of Keating or Fr. Peter Stravinskas) and you will see they all accept these liberal blasphemies!

Tell you what is mythology, the Babylonian Talmud. Care to explain the blasphemy against Christ and His mother in that work? Is that okay in your opinion? What sort of justice should be done by God over that? In another thread yesterday you told us that it was the Da Vinci Code was Divine justice against Christians, so tell us, what Divine justice exists for the Babylonian Talmud?

First of all, I am not Jewish. I am a Noachide from a Fundamentalist Protestant background. Second, since neither Orthodox Jews nor Noachides accept the assertion that J*sus was an incarnation of G-d, how are they guilty of blasphemy? What is the true fundamental assumption, that J*sus is G-d or that the Torah is G-d's Word? Naturally it is the latter because the Torah was already in existence and being observed for a thousand years before chr*stianity existed. Therefore the claims of chr*stianity have to be measured against the already-existing Word of G-d, and if it fails the test (which it does), then it must be rejected. By assuming from the outset the position you are arguing toward you are committing the logical fallacy known as "affirmation of the consequent." I thought Catholics were ultra-sophisticated rationalists?

And THIRD, the Babylonian Talmud is the form the Jewish Oral Tradition that had existed since Sinai took when it was frozen into written form. It is in other words the exact equivalent of your Church's own tradition and magisterium. It is because you Catholics hypocritically attack the Mosaic Oral Tradition (implying that the ancient Jews were supposed to be sola scriptura, which is absolutely impossible since the Oral Tradition is absolutely essential in order to observe the Torah or even transmit it in writing) that G-d punished you with the Protestant reformation, which took your own arguments against Jewish tradition and aimed them at yours! If you are so against unwritten tradition, then give up your own! But no, Catholics insist on preaching Judaism to the Protestants (demanding they accept an unwritten tradition) and Protestantism to the Jews (demanding they give up their tradition which dates from Moses on Mt. Sinai)! Is any greater hypocrisy possible?

And by the way, welcome to the Bible Belt!!!

[FJ290]

First of all, I am not Jewish. I am a Noachide from a Fundamentalist Protestant background.

That explains it all then, no need to say more concerning your apparent hatred of Catholics and your misunderstanding of what we believe.

And by the way, welcome to the Bible Belt!!!

Excuse me? What do you mean welcome to the Bible Belt? If you checked my profile it says transplant from South to North. I am originally from Atlanta, Georgia and live in the North now.

Have you read any Catholic Bible (complete with nihil obstat and imprimatur) of the last century? Even the most conservative commentators accept evolution and the documentary hypothesis and insist the first eleven chapters of Genesis were adapted from pagan mythology, G-d forbid! Or go to any "conservative" Catholic apologetics site (like that of Keating or Fr. Peter Stravinskas) and you will see they all accept these liberal blasphemies!

Yes, I've read a Catholic Bible from the last century, but I stick with the Douay Rheims and I stick with God created the world in 7 days. I'm a very Traditional Catholic. Please don't hold the Catholic Church's feet to the fire over this though. There are many Protestant denominations that are accepting of evolution too and there are plenty of Jews that accept it. You've got a lot of people to settle a score with so guess you better get busy.

I suggest however that before you pigeonhole a certain group of people like Christians and Catholic Christians, you might want to explore the possibility that they don't all meet your preconceived notions.

And THIRD, the Babylonian Talmud is the form the Jewish Oral Tradition that had existed since Sinai took when it was frozen into written form.

Whatever.. it is a compilation of books that have been added to over the centuries. You didn't answer my question did you? I asked you why is it okay for the Babylonian Talmud to trash the Lord Jesus Christ and His mother? There are historical documents proving this fact. Instead, you come back with more attacks against Catholics.

Let me ask you this. What is a Christian doing calling yourself a Noachide? Christians don't follow the Jews as if we're some second class citizens. There is neither Jew, nor Greek... remember that? Here's what you have basically agreed to do:

Noachide Laws

From that website it states this:

"If a Gentile wishes to accept the full responsibility of the Torah and the 613 commandments, he or she can convert and become a Jew in every respect.

The Lord Jesus Christ freed you from those 613 traditions of men and left us with His Commandments.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Excuse me? What do you mean welcome to the Bible Belt? If you checked my profile it says transplant from South to North. I am originally from Atlanta, Georgia and live in the North now.

Please forgive my dyslexia.

Yes, I've read a Catholic Bible from the last century, but I stick with the Douay Rheims and I stick with God created the world in 7 days. I'm a very Traditional Catholic. Please don't hold the Catholic Church's feet to the fire over this though. There are many Protestant denominations that are accepting of evolution too and there are plenty of Jews that accept it. You've got a lot of people to settle a score with so guess you better get busy.

I don't know how long you've been at FR or how many of my posts you've encountered, but I have been busy fighting evolutionism and higher criticism for seven years, and sometimes I feel as if I'm the only one doing so!

Whatever.. it is a compilation of books that have been added to over the centuries. You didn't answer my question did you? I asked you why is it okay for the Babylonian Talmud to trash the Lord Jesus Christ and His mother? There are historical documents proving this fact. Instead, you come back with more attacks against Catholics.

What is the difference between the Talmud and Summa Theologica? They're both post-Biblical books! They both represent alleged sacred oral traditions (one from Moses, one from the Apostles). Contrary to your prejudices, it is not self-evident that the claims of chr*stianity are true. My position is that it is the Mosaic Tradition and not the "apostolic" one that is authentic and from G-d. Do you disagree with this? Very well, you disagree. But why do you act as if the Mosaic Tradition, as contained in the Talmud, is self-evidently inferior to the so-called "apostolic tradition?" I accept the MOSAIC tradition, including what it says about J*sus, Mary, and chr*stianity. So? You accept what the chr*stian tradition says about Jews. We're both doing the same thing here. Yet you act as if the superiority of chr*stianity to Torah were "self-evident." It is not.

Let me ask you this. What is a Christian doing calling yourself a Noachide? Christians don't follow the Jews as if we're some second class citizens. There is neither Jew, nor Greek... remember that?

I am not a chr*stian. Chr*stianity in all its forms is a false religion. The Torah G-d gave Israel is ETERNAL and non-Jews, though allowed to convert fully to Judaism (they are not required to do so) are bound by the Noachide covenant G-d gave Noah after the Flood. THIS is the true religion for all non-Jews regardless of their ethnicity, culture, or what beliefs they were reared in.

Perhaps you did not understand that when I said I was a Noachide I meant I am not and can no longer be a chr*stian. I said I am from a Fundamentalist Protestant background, not that I am a Fundamentalist Protestant.

The Lord Jesus Christ freed you from those 613 traditions of men and left us with His Commandments.

Now you have unthinkingly descended once again into hypocrisy. Since the 613 Commandments are found in the actual text of the Torah they cannot be "traditions of men," unless you are saying (as liberal Catholics do) that the Torah is a compendium of primitive pagan mythology. And once again, do you not hear the echoes of Luther and Calvin in your attack on "traditions of men?" At least the Protestant founders attacked actual man-made traditions and did not limit themselves to attacking authentic Biblical rituals and commandments!

I will point this out one more time and I'm sure once again it won't penetrate into your mind. I'm from a Fundamentalist Protestant background. I never understood the Catholic attacks on BIBLICAL laws and rituals (from which chr*stianity as "freed" us) while simultaneously defending post-new testament doctrines, commandments, and rituals against the identical charge of Protestants!

If I want to be "free," why would I not skip over Catholicism and choose Protestantism, which would free me from masses, confessions, and rosary beads as well? Because Catholic traditions are older? Well, Jewish traditions are older than Catholic ones! How can you defend Catholic extra-Biblical traditions and not at least understand (if not agree with) the Jewish defense of their extra-Biblical traditions?

Catholicism/Orthodoxy preach Protestantism to the Jews and Judaism to the Protestants, but they don't seem capable of even understanding the charge.

[FJ290]

Perhaps you did not understand that when I said I was a Noachide I meant I am not and can no longer be a chr*stian. I said I am from a Fundamentalist Protestant background, not that I am a Fundamentalist Protestant.

Okay, I apologize for the misunderstanding, my fault there. I suppose I made some assumptions because there are Protestant denominations today that have Gentile members who go around claiming they are now Jews. I have a friend who is from a non-denominational church that does this. I thought you might be from a sect like that.

What is the difference between the Talmud and Summa Theologica? They're both post-Biblical books! They both represent alleged sacred oral traditions (one from Moses, one from the Apostles).

You are still NOT anwering my question regarding the blasphemy against the Lord Jesus Christ and His mother that is contained in the Babylonian Talmud. Sir, this is called skirting the issue. I guess you don't have an answer. Fine. Your silence speaks volumes.

Now you have unthinkingly descended once again into hypocrisy. Since the 613 Commandments are found in the actual text of the Torah they cannot be "traditions of men," unless you are saying (as liberal Catholics do) that the Torah is a compendium of primitive pagan mythology.

I've descended into no such hypocrisy. As a Christian, this IS what Christ taught us. As a former Protestant, you should know that Jesus left us with His Commandments for eternal life. The discourse between the rich young man is a perfect example:

"And when he was gone forth into the way, a certain man running up and kneeling before him, asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may receive life everlasting?

And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? None is good but one, that is God.

Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, bear not false witness, do no fraud, honour thy father and mother.

But he answering, said to him: Master, all these things I have observed from my youth.

And Jesus looking on him, loved him, and said to him: One thing is wanting unto thee: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

Where did Jesus mention the 613 commandments of the Torah in that exchange? Where did He say that you had to follow those to have eternal life?

But why do you act as if the Mosaic Tradition, as contained in the Talmud, is self-evidently inferior to the so-called "apostolic tradition?" I accept the MOSAIC tradition, including what it says about J*sus, Mary, and chr*stianity. So? You accept what the chr*stian tradition says about Jews. We're both doing the same thing here. Yet you act as if the superiority of chr*stianity to Torah were "self-evident." It is not.

Huh? I simply did a comparison. You have voiced with glee that the Da Vinci Code is some sort of divine justice against the Catholic Church and against Christianity for some "claims" about not respecting your Torah. I then asked you, should Divine justice be wrought against the Jewish people for the blasphemy contained in the Talmud against the Lord Jesus Christ and His mother. ANSWER me please or stop beating Catholic Christians over the head with this utter nonsense.

I don't know of which you speak about Mosaic tradition against Jesus, His mother and Christianity. When the heck did Moses speak against Jesus Christ, His mother or Christians? Moses actually foretold of Jesus' coming and did so with reverence and humility.

Oh so now you admit that you accept the "Mosaic Tradition" as contained in the Babylonian Talmud about Jesus Christ, His mother, and Christians. Fine, I see where you stand and it is in total contempt of Him and His followers. Want to know what Christian tradition that I follow concerning the Jewish people? That you also are loved of God and that He wants to gather you in His arms as a mother hen would gather her chicks and you would not let him! He's still waiting, He still loves you, and there's still time to return to those open arms.

[Invincibly Ignorant]

I've descended into no such hypocrisy. As a Christian, this IS what Christ taught us. As a former Protestant, you should know that Jesus left us with His Commandments for eternal life. The discourse between the rich young man is a perfect example:

Why do you not observe 7th day Sabbath as Jesus and the rich young ruler did then?

[Nihil Obstat]

Thanks for posting that discourse with the rich young man. Isn't that great?

"And when he was gone forth into the way, a certain man running up and kneeling before him, asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may receive life everlasting? And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? None is good but one, that is God.

*(Jesus wanted the young man to recognize that Jesus was God.)

Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, bear not false witness, do no fraud, honour thy father and mother.

*(Then He lists the commandments that pertain to our relationships to fellow humans, but not God directly.)

But he answering, said to him: Master, all these things I have observed from my youth.

*(So Jesus shows the rich young man what he is lacking:)

And Jesus looking on him, loved him, and said to him: One thing is wanting unto thee: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

*(to follow Jesus to the Father.)
*(my personal interpretation)