Lies, Damned Lies and Dan Brown: Fact-checking Angels & Demons

Catholic Education Resource Center ^ | May 22, 2009 | STEVEN D. GREYDANUS

[bdeaner]

I’ll be spending my money elswhere than on this dumb movie, or Dan Brown’s popular fictional tripe.

[domenad]

How does one fact-check a fictional movie?

[MAD-AS-HELL]

btw, I understand that this latest movie is actually more sympathetic to the Catholic Church than the last one, according to what I heard from Michael Medved.

[bdeaner]

How does one fact-check a fictional movie?

Obviously, you didn't read the article.

[bdeaner]

You post is offensive and bigoted.

[Jackson57]

You seem to have a problem with the Catholic Church ...

[Jackson57]

When the author states that details in his book are factual you check THOSE FACTS ... odd that you miss the obvious there.

[goodwithagun]

I assumed that the book was fiction from front cover to back, so I assumed that when he claimed things as facts they were fictional. I also don’t believe in Oz or Hogwarts, but it would be pretty cool if they did exist.

[goodwithagun]

Or bho at Notre Dame.

[Antoninus]

If you are a moron, that’s who. The knee jerk reactionary Catholic church is more annoyed by Dan Brown’s books than they are with their pedophile priests.

Forgive me, but your opinion is that of a drooling moron.

[agere_contra]

How does one fact-check a fictional movie?

Good question.

Fortunately this isn't a fictional movie. This is a real movie. It's in the cinemas. And it makes assertions which can be compared with reality.

"Syriana", "Rendition" and many other films make assertions which are not true, and which are offensive. Are you OK with those?

[Antoninus]

I assumed that the book was fiction from front cover to back, so I assumed that when he claimed things as facts they were fictional. I also don’t believe in Oz or Hogwarts, but it would be pretty cool if they did exist.

Cool. In that case, I'm going to write a novel about how you are an inbred hick and your family is a bunch of ill-smelling scum cannibals.

But don't worry, it'll all be fiction.

[Hodar]

I guess I must be confused. I'm positive that I found this book listed under “Fiction”. What's next, are we going to do some ‘fact finding’ on Star Wars, Predator, Tom Sawyer, Tom Clancy novels and the wonderful Bourne series?

If you don't want to read the books, then don't. If you don't want to see the movie, then don't.

The more you protest, the more ‘free advertising’ you give those you consider to be an enemy. If you simply take the advice that came from the Vatican, and ignore this nonevent; it will become a nonevent. The more you caterwaul and howl, the more people will go to this movie to see what all the hoopla is about.

[CharlesWayneCT]

It would not be an overstatement to say that Brown's writing is the worst prose style I have ever encountered in a popular edition, with the possible exception of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series.

Ouch -- collateral damage alert to Twilight Fans!!!

[DieHard the Hunter]

> I’ll be spending my money elswhere than on this dumb movie, or Dan Brown’s popular fictional tripe.

A wise choice. Invest what you would otherwise have spent on Brown’s books on Navy Rum. It’s a wise investment and you will get much more enjoyment out of it.

I wish I did!

On the upside, I haven’t seen either of Brown’s movies, so there’s still some Navy Rum to be had!

[Catholic Canadian]

You seem to have a problem with the Catholic Church ...

Don't worry.....we've got our eye on him.....mwahaha.

[Little Ray]

Ummm, its fiction? Like the National Treasure movies and the Indiana Jones movies?

[agere_contra]

Are you OK with us doing ‘fact finding’ on “The Day After Tomorrow” and “Fahrenheit 911”?

If a film makes assertions about the real world: whether veiled in fiction or not, those assertions can be critically examined.

If Darth Vader had turned to Princess Amidala and said “BushHitler invaded Naboo for oil”, would that be ok with you?