84 replies to this topic

[forumreader]

I'm content to join in the Catholic boycott of the film.

[QUOTE] The official, Archbishop Angelo Amato, yesterday asked the crowd at a Catholic conference in Rome to boycott the film, which opens May 19. He called the best-selling 2003 book "stridently anti-Christian ... full of calumnies, offenses and historical and theological errors regarding Jesus, the Gospels and the church."

Amato is the second-highest ranked official at the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which Pope Benedict XVI led for more than 20 years before succeeding Pope John Paul II last year. [QUOTE]

For those who feel compelled to see this movie, I highly recommend reading "De-Coding DaVinci: The Facts Behind the Fiction of the Da Vinci Code" by Amy Welborn. It is an informative and easy-to-read book which provides the "other side of the story," so to speak. And you don't need to be Christian to read it.

[bishmasterb]

Are there any organized non-Catholic, Christian boycotts of the film? While the Catholic church is criticized heavily in the book, the story contains some of the same issues with Jesus that upset people in The Last Temptation.

[mylo]

I think it will be the biggest grossing movie this year... I can't even think of anything that may come close.

What? You mean Mission Insane-asylum III isn't drawing the crowds?

I'm content to join in the Catholic boycott of the film.

Really? I always thought the book was FICTIONAL

Edited by mylo, 13 May 2006 - 09:02 AM.

[Farley]

The book is PURE FICTION, but there are some references to historical documents, etc. There is such an organization called Opus Dei in existence and some do question the secretness of the organization. So that Opus Dei exists is a fact, the characters in the book who belong to Opus Dei are not factual.

http://www.odan.org/...is_opus_dei.htm This is just many of the web sites (both pro and con re: Opus Dei)

It is a fact that the Pope's have endorsed the secret society called Opus Dei.

[forumreader]

Opus Dei is not a "secret society," though it is somewhat controversial. Brown has used an enormous deal of poetic license to create a false picture of Opus Dei to accommodate his fictional writing.

If anyone is interested in an objective look at Opus Dei, I recommend John L. Allen, Jr.'s book, "Opus Dei." Allen is an acclaimed journalist who has covered the Vatican for many years. It's a very interesting book which is written for an audience which is not necessarily Catholic.

Really? I always thought the book was FICTIONAL

Fiction is a very effective way of influencing public thought.

Catholics and other Christians with a good understanding of faith and history should have no problem differentiating fact from fiction in this book/movie. The problem is that many people who will see the Da Vinci Code do not have such an understanding and will most likely walk away with misunderstandings about the Church.

Are there any organized non-Catholic, Christian boycotts of the film?

I don't know if there are other organized boycotts. However, other non-Catholic Christian leaders have spoken out with concerns about and some opposition to the film. I also recently read an article written by a Muslim leader who is concerned about the film.

[Cookie]

Catholics and other Christians with a good understanding of faith and history should have no problem differentiating fact from fiction in this book/movie.

The majority of Catholics and Christians (in general) do not have a good understanding of the faith to begin with (they just know the basics).

Most have not read the Bible cover to cover even once in their entire lives, many of those that have interpret it literally, and/or derive one of numerous interpretations of the scriptures.

Da Vinci Code is fiction, and while it's true that there may be factual elements, why confuse people, just take the whole thing as fiction or you can read Bart Ehrman's "Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code: A Historian Reveals What We Really Know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine"

He is also the author of "Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why" so those that think they do know Christianity well, can get an even better education.

Bart Ehrman chairs the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is an authority on the history of the New Testament, the early church and the life of Jesus.

He is also the author of 19 works including:

- Lost Christianities: The Battle for Scriptures and for Faiths We Never Knew
- Lost Scriptures: Books that did not make it into the New Testament
- The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration

Ehrman has a strong background in Evangelical Christianity, having attending both Moody Bible Institute and Wheaton College (B.A., 1978), his personal beliefs have shifted over time. Ehrman now considers himself an agnostic.

He earned his M.Div. and Ph.D. at Princeton Theological Seminary. It was here that Ehrman began to reject some of his evangelical upbringing, especially as he wrestled with the details of the text of the New Testament.

He served as President of the Society of Biblical Literature, Southeast Region; book review editor of the Journal of Biblical Literature; and editor of the Scholar’s Press Monograph Series The New Testament in the Greek Fathers.

He has appeared on A&E, the History Channel, CNN, and he has taped several highly popular lecture series on early Christianity and the history of the Bible for The Teaching Company.

[forumreader]

Nice post, Cookie.

Welcome to the Forum!

[Farley]

Most ministers -- Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox -- are not concerned about their own members losing faith or getting carried away with The Da Vinci Code. They're concerned about everybody else.

"I'm concerned that people will begin to marginalize who Jesus Christ is in history and marginalize what the bible means," Farrington said.

That's why Sunset Christian Church is spending four weeks examining the book to equip its members with answers.

Many Christians fear this work of fiction threatens to deliver a spiritual cancer and are finding unity in the battle.

The film opens worldwide, including in the Sacramento area, on Friday, May 19.

http://news.yahoo.co...lo_kcra/3465213

Can you say "ridiculous"!

[bishmasterb]

I can't wait to see it; it looks great. My son and I will be there next Friday night.

[Farley]

America's evangelical Christians who see "The Da Vinci Code" as Bible bashing at its worst are taking a cue from Hollywood to attack the story as well as capitalize on the hit novel's impending movie version.

Largely forgoing boycotts or protests, leaders of Christians who believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible are turning out professional videos with titles such as "The Da Vinci Delusion" and "The Da Vinci Deception Experience."

They are designed to show the perils of blurring fact and fiction in Dan Brown's bestseller and take advantage of the reawakening of interest in the Bible it and the upcoming movie have caused among faith seekers.

"A boycott at this point would not do any good. When you have a tsunami coming it doesn't help to build a wall," said Dr. Erwin Lutzer, pastor of Moody Bible Church in Chicago.

http://news.yahoo.co...angelicals_dc_2

[cw68]

America's evangelical Christians who see "The Da Vinci Code" as Bible bashing at its worst are taking a cue from Hollywood to attack the story as well as capitalize on the hit novel's impending movie version.

Largely forgoing boycotts or protests, leaders of Christians who believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible are turning out professional videos with titles such as "The Da Vinci Delusion" and "The Da Vinci Deception Experience."

They are designed to show the perils of blurring fact and fiction in Dan Brown's bestseller and take advantage of the reawakening of interest in the Bible it and the upcoming movie have caused among faith seekers.

"A boycott at this point would not do any good. When you have a tsunami coming it doesn't help to build a wall," said Dr. Erwin Lutzer, pastor of Moody Bible Church in Chicago.

http://news.yahoo.co...angelicals_dc_2

Completely off topic, but the Moody Bible Institute is beautiful.

[nhardy]

I will definately go see Harper Lee's new movie.

Steve Guttenburg has a new movie out?

[melloguy]

Are there any organized non-Catholic, Christian boycotts of the film? While the Catholic church is criticized heavily in the book, the story contains some of the same issues with Jesus that upset people in The Last Temptation.

I've heard of one church buying all the seats for one showing so they can discuss with its members the facts/fiction in the movie.

Our church, Bayside, is advertising in the theaters before each showing and will devote services next weekend to "Breaking the Da Vinci Code."

Here's the website that will be advertised in the theaters:

http://breakthedavincicode.com/

The church looks at this as an opportunity for outreach. According to the website:

"We’ll separate the fact from the fiction in a dynamic message by Ray Johnston. We’ll also have resources available for you to take with you, because the questions raised by The Da Vinci Code can launch a lifelong journey of discovery."

[Farley]

I've heard of one church buying all the seats for one showing so they can discuss with its members the facts/fiction in the movie.

Our church, Bayside, is advertising in the theaters before each showing and will devote services next weekend to "Breaking the Da Vinci Code."

Here's the website that will be advertised in the theaters:

http://breakthedavincicode.com/

The church looks at this as an opportunity for outreach. According to the website:

"We’ll separate the fact from the fiction in a dynamic message by Ray Johnston. We’ll also have resources available for you to take with you, because the questions raised by The Da Vinci Code can launch a lifelong journey of discovery."

This makes much more sense than boycotting the film.

[cw68]

This makes much more sense than boycotting the film.

Seriously. What a great way to use current events as outreach and educational tools.