Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Da Vinci plot may get new twist to placate Catholics
Timesonline.co.uk ^ | August 08, 2005 | Dalya Alberge

Posted on 08/08/2005 4:55:49 AM PDT by Antioch

THE film version of The Da Vinci Code is attempting to reduce the offence that the best-selling book caused to Roman Catholics.

Sony Pictures, the studio behind the film starring Tom Hanks and Sir Ian McKellen, is reported to have been so concerned that it has consulted Catholic and other Christian specialists on how it might alter the plot of the novel to avoid offending the devout.

Film officials have held talks with Catholic groups and other organisations despite Dan Brown, the author, insisting that “it’s only a novel and therefore a work of fiction”, The New York Times reported yesterday. The Catholic League is calling for Ron Howard, the film’s Oscar-winning director, to include a disclaimer acknowledging that the movie is fiction. The Da Vinci Code, which is being filmed this summer with locations including Winchester Cathedral and Rosslyn Chapel, near Edinburgh, is based on a novel that has sold 25 million copies worldwide. Among its more controversial claims is that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, a former prostitute, and that she bore him a child. This has been denounced as virulently anti-Catholic and a risible hoax.

Opus Dei, the Catholic organisation, is particularly concerned about its own depiction, because it is a central villain in the book. Its members are depicted acting unethically for the sake of God, the Church or Opus Dei, whereas the organisation is a Roman Catholic institution that adheres to Catholic doctrine and condemns immoral behaviour. “The novel portrays Opus Dei in a completely inaccurate way,” Brian Finnerty, a spokesman for the group, said. “We wrote to the studio, expressing our concern. They sent back a reply that was polite but non-committal; but Opus Dei is completely unlike the portrayal in the novel. “It is about ordinary people trying to find God, not about searching for the Holy Grail. It’s ordinary Catholics trying to come closer to God in their day-to-day activities and it is a mainstream part of the Catholic Church. It’s been blessed by all the Popes since the earliest years.”

The studio has been asked to consider whether the central premise — that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene — could be more ambiguous and whether the name of Opus Dei could be removed.

Condemnation of the book has been widespread. Last month the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales denounced it as logically and historically flawed. In March the Vatican appointed a top cardinal to rebut what it dismissed as lies, distortions and errors.

Carl E Olson, a Catholic and co-author of The Da Vinci Hoax, a book rebutting the The Da Vinci Code, predicted that many religious people would be offended unless the film bears a pale resemblance to the book — which, he accepts, would risk alienating fans. Dismissing the novel as “trash” and “poorly written”, he said that its historical claims could be torn apart. Sony declined to comment .


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Current Events; General Discusssion; History; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: apostate; danbrown; davincicode; movies; novels
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-46 last
To: Servant of the 9
None of those propositions follows from mine.

It is hard to argue that considering they followed directly from your posting...

I usually tend to refute lies (fiction) without worrying about the freudian psychological pseudo motivations underlying what on its face is simply refuting a liar un apologetically... Actions are what count -as in aim & fire rather than aim aim aim...

41 posted on 08/10/2005 2:47:32 PM PDT by DBeers (†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: DBeers
None of those propositions follows from mine.

It is hard to argue that considering they followed directly from your posting...

If you think the follow directly from what I said, rather than through a convoluted series of suppositions, then you really do need to take a course in logic.

So9

42 posted on 08/10/2005 3:07:08 PM PDT by Servant of the 9 (Those Poor Poor Rubber Cows)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: zahal724
You know, if they were going to make his other two books into movies - Deception Point and Digital Fortress - FR would be the complete opposite. Those two books are completely against the government and what happens when they get too much power. But guess what, they are also fiction...If the people here actually read his books, you'd find that they are just fun with nice plot twists.


I read Digital Fortress, and it was anti-Catholic, and a scandal to Christians. The Catholics are soulless automatons, the Cardinal is an indifferent drunk with no concern for human welfare, and the "hero" commits sacrilege by throwing the blood of Christ on the floor, in addition to sleeping with the heroine, to whom he was not married.
43 posted on 08/10/2005 7:06:42 PM PDT by InterestedQuestioner ("Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: zahal724
You know, if they were going to make his other two books into movies - Deception Point and Digital Fortress - FR would be the complete opposite. Those two books are completely against the government and what happens when they get too much power. But guess what, they are also fiction...If the people here actually read his books, you'd find that they are just fun with nice plot twists.


I read Digital Fortress, and it was anti-Catholic, and a scandal to Christians. The Catholics are soulless automatons, the Cardinal is an indifferent drunk with no concern for human welfare, and the "hero" commits sacrilege by throwing the blood of Christ on the floor, in addition to sleeping with the heroine, to whom he was not married.
44 posted on 08/10/2005 7:11:22 PM PDT by InterestedQuestioner ("Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Antioch; Hermann the Cherusker
"No, its fictionalized reality. Fiction is where things are entirely made-up. DISTORTION would be the correct word here...

Dan Brown has proven that distortion is much more effective than fabrication- The DaVinci-Code has a plausibility to the gullible and a gnostic attraction to the reigning culture of narcissism."


Seem to be plenty of people who believe this is a true story. We already have an enormous body of conspiracy theories running around about the Church, and this distortion plays upon a culture that has almost no knowledge of Church history, and no shortage of people trying to argue that the Church was corrupted and lost the true Gospel. I have a buddy who has done evangelical work in a certain non-Christian country where he could get tossed in jail if he's not careful. He's had to wrestle with this conspiracy theory about the Church. Catholicism is illegal/regulated in said country, Dan Brown is not.
45 posted on 08/10/2005 7:23:36 PM PDT by InterestedQuestioner ("Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Antioch; anyone

Beyond Belief
Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1550824/posts


Any connection between 'Beyond Belief' and 'Da Vinci'?

Please respond on the linked thread..


46 posted on 01/02/2006 5:07:12 PM PST by don asmussen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-46 last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson