Christians distressed by The Da Vinci Code-ready to refute...

[katty]

cont'd: http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0322/p13s01-lire.html

That's the task facing Christians already distressed by Dan Brown's wildly popular novel, "The Da Vinci Code," and his claim that the thriller is based on historical facts.


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COURT CASE: 'The Da Vinci Code' author Dan Brown (top) is involved in a copyright-infringement lawsuit brought by two authors, including Michael Baigent (bottom).
PHOTOS BY AP

With sales of more than 40 million, the book has become a cultural phenomenon. Unless the copyright-infringement trial in London (which now awaits the judge's decision) brings an injunction against use of the material, the May release of the film starring Tom Hanks will surely magnify its global impact.

Rather than organize protests or boycotts - steps taken in the past against controversial films - Evangelicals and Catholics instead are mobilizing "truth squads." They're producing books, websites, TV documentaries, DVDs, and study guides. Some hope to use the film as a "teachable moment" that could turn the occasion to their advantage.

"Our task is to be the missionary to the unbelievers," says the Rev. James Garlow, pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, Calif. He's developed a four-phase strategy for churches leading up to the film's release.

[pocket]

1. one load of hogwash against another

who cares.

[GoneOffShore]

18. Especially as the book was just so badly written

Brown writes like Robert Ludlum on Lithium.

The DaVinci Code lost me about three pages in when the detective left the "hero" alone with the body. Talk about willing suspension of disbelief - Brown is such a hack. The "novel" is written like he was looking for a screenplay option from the get go. The characters are badly drawn, the plot is absurd, and the "historical facts" embroidery. I cannot believe that anyone is taking this thing seriously. It would make a good comedy though, if it was rewritten.

[walldude]

22. Finally gave in and am reading it now...

almost done. I agree with almost all of what you say except for the historical angle. There is no denying that the guy did alot of research on this. I'll give him that. I also liked what he had to say about the church and sex. Beyond that I'd have to agree with you and Stephen King the guy is a hack writer.

[mr blur]

32. You are absolutely spot-on!

It's a appallingly-written piece of garbage.

[warrens]

2. Leave it to the know-nothings

It's FICTION. Got it, nimrods? FICTION. It's made up. Even more than the Bible. It's FICTION. gad, they're embarassing.

[AndyA]

3. The Christians are distressed by "The Da Vinci Code"? WTF?

They need to be distressed about their professed Christian leader who is killing thousands of people, lying, cheating, stealing, and basically giving Christianity a bad reputation around the world. They need to focus on the important things, not a stupid book!

They endorsed the man, they now need to make right the wrong they helped inflict upon mankind.

[katty]

4. amen!

[Initech]

5. Hmmm... they seem to forget the fact that the book is sold in FICTION

Yeah, completely ignore the fact that there's a war going on and that "Christians" on the news media (I'm talking O'Reilly, Robertson, Falwell...) are making their religion look bad. Let's all focus our concentration on this fictional novel! Yeah, that's what is tearing up our country!

[400Years]

6. it won't be fiction to many of the people who go watch the movie

remember if it's on the screen it is more real than what they see in real life.

and these idiots know that, at least.

[Initech]

7. Just like Passion Of The Christ?

[400Years]

9. this point was made in the book F 451

to so many people if it is on the screen then it is more real
why do you think people are incredulous about things that you tell
them but as soon as they see it on TV they accept it at face value?

[Bridget Burke]

12. But Dan Brown claims it was "based on history"....

No, it was based on "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", which weaves a fascinating story including many obscure historical facts. Of course, the facts don't fit together in the way the HBHG authors intimate. And the Priory of Sion is a surrealist joke; the authors finally admitted they'd been fooled. Since they sold their book as non-fiction, their case against Brown is pretty weak. But they'll sell more copies & the movie will get even more publicity.

From the article: Yet people agree, too, that the novel appeals because it offers a different way of seeing Christian tradition, particularly issues of patriarchy and women in the early church. This appeal has helped spur new subcategories in the publishing business, Ms. Garrett says, with each season bringing new books on Mary Magdalene and on what's now called "alternative Christianity."

Let's hope some of Brown's fans do some deeper research. The topics mentioned aren't exactly new. Current Magdalene scholarship depicts her as an important disciple of Christ--neither a repentant prostitute nor Mrs Jesus.

[AbbyR]

8. How very odd

I loved the book - I went to the web and did other research as I was reading it, just to find out what was real, what the organizations mentioned really did, to look at paintings - the book was a real learning experience.

What about the word "fiction" do these folks not get?

I have no hatred of Christians - I'm sort of semi-Christian myself...well, more of a Deist - but they can be so silly. Well, I guess we all can.

[Nikki Stone 1]

10. This is the appropriate battlefield for the Fundies. Fiction vs Fiction

Would that they could restrict themselves to fictional battles only.

[Skidmore]

11. It's a freaking NOVEL...

Or does that count for anything? Did they get their undies in a bunch about the Exorcist? It's a freaking novel!

These people need lives.

[Swamp Rat]

13. My first thought as well

GET A LIFE! :eyes:

[MadHound]

15. Yes, they got their panties in a wad about The Exorcist

The also got them in a wad about Life of Brian, Pretty Baby, and a whole host of other movies I can't remember. My take on it is that the fundies just really like the feeling of wadded up cloth inserted in their rectum, but hey, that's just me:shrug:

[Nikki Stone 1]

16. The Life of Brian? Who could hate that wonderful movie??

Blessed are the cheesemakers.

:)

[Aristus]

14. The pastor of my church has a few words to say about "The DaVinci Code"

every Sunday; and none of them are good. I just wish I could tell him to knock it off. The world is filled with real problems that real Christians should be focusing their energies on.

[Agnomen]

17. so what's stopping you?

stand up during sermon and tell him to knock it off and worry about real world instead of work of fiction.

[laheina]

19. I feel the same way.

The last time I was in church, an evangelical church where the pastor is family friend, the entire sermon was demonizing the Jesus Seminar. Most of what he said was either deceptive or not true. But the worst thing about it was that he and I, both having graduated from the same religious studies program, were prolly the only two people who knew what the Jesus Seminar meant. It seems like there are so many other things that he could have used that time for.

[Ioo]

20. Your Faith must be real shaky if you fear a book...

I mean really, it is a book.

[Kailassa]

21. I'm distressed at what "Christianity" had done to spirituality.

More and more these days I'm finding the company of intelligent atheists more congenial than that of fellow believers.

[pdxmom]

23. These are the same people that want to ban Harry Potter and

any other thing that might not quite fit their little world view. They are also the ones who didn't step forward about the Mohammed cartoons being offensive.

Let them mobilize their "truth squads". It's a freakin' novel! It's not about truth. It's a damn story.

[Maine-ah]

24. It's freaking fiction!

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

25. plenty of room on the money train for the churches

they're cashing in, too.

[happydreams]

26. The "sacred feminine" is what these Christo-fascists are really

pissed about. How dare women be placed on an equal footing with men!

The Christians want women to serve as baby factories, unless they are rich and can fly to another country or pay their doctor a little more to perform an abortion for themeselves or their kids.

I am a man who loves women and women are at their best when they are equal partners.

PNAC specifically suggests that Christianity is used as an opiate for the masses while the leaders should not adhere to its principles, but only appear to adhere.

[AnnInLa]

27. bingo!

I enjoyed the book on so many different levels.

What does it say about the state of organized religion today that this particular book appealed to so many people around the world? Why is organized religion so afraid of this particular book, even knowing it is fiction? Why the freak-out? Absolutely fascinating to think about.

[happydreams]

29. I read it too and liked it because it really does strike at sexism

on a fundamental level. :hi:

[Clark2008]

28. I'm a Christian and it didn't bother me!

Oh - I think they mean fundie nuts, not Christians.

[DemGirl7]

30. On the fundie shows they are flipping out over it

I've come across serveral fundie shows in past weeks where they were just getting their panties in a major knot over it, and advertising some stupid videos & books denouning it and so forth. But you know fundies, they will get pissed at anything that will bring in the big bucks from their stupid lemming-like followers even if its just a work of fiction.

[Neil Lisst]

31. one line of attack is valid, one isn't

It's fair to say this is an old tale that has been told many times by others before this author.

It's not fair for Christians to attack him for alleged plagarism. That's strictly a matter between and among those authors with a stake. It's irrelevant to the arguments the Christian community should be making. The story can be attacked without attacking this author personally, and that is my point. Attack the story, not the bona fides of the guy who told it. It's fiction, stolen or not.

[Warren DeMontague]

33. Robert Anton Wilson and Umberto Eco were talking about all this

decades ago. It's taken that long, I suppose, for it to filter down to the consciousness of the Tom Hanks n' Oprah set.

These fundies should be grateful for something like this to potentially pump some interesting energy, eroticism, and vitality into their crusty-ass, 2 dimensional, sunday-school version of theology.

Except fundies' minds don't work that way. Oh well.

*Yawn*