Cinematical

I know Jean Reno is in the movie, but why does that still from Wasabi keep getting used to represent The Da Vinci Code?

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Well, Christians wouldn't be going to such extremes to clarify things if...

a) Dan Brown hadn't taken so many opportunities early on to express that he actually believes this stuff (he's back-pedaled considerably since then)

and

b) more and more people, Christians and otherwise, started testifying that they keep meeting people who believe... BELIEVE... that the book effectively de-bunks Christianity, without stepping back to do any kind of critical thinking or research.

The public is so eager to believe anything that de-bunks any longstanding belief. Look at the constant succession of films and books that claim to revolutionize our understanding of cultural heroes, determined to drag anybody admirable down to being base. It's not just about the church. It's about the larger audience desire to destroy anything great so that they don't feel accountable or small.

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I think that the Da Vinci code, book AND movie is one big, sad joke.

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The Catholic Church is acting lame. Apparently they haven't learned anything from the latest techniques in demanding religious respect. These letters and press releases do nothing to this corporations. Now, you get a bunch of whackos preaching for the murder of anyone who offends your religion and you get an almost instant reaction. Corporations like Border Books or Comedy Central or the NY Times will either say that they respect your profound beliefs or will sheepishly admit that they are scared and don't want any trouble.

The cowardice and hypocrisy of Sony and the Hollywood studios is so thick it oozes out and stinks up the place.

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Yes, thanks Martha, the book and the movie are FICTION, but Dan Brown prefaced his fiction book with a page full of "facts" that have been debunked as false or misconstrued, and has appeared on numerous TV specials (such as Elisabeth Vargas' ABC special from a few years back) saying that he is a "believer" in most of the fictitious things he wrote.

No, not the albino monk Silas, nor the adventure/chase with Robert Langdon, but he is on record saying he believes in the coverup concerning the marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdelene, that they had a child, and that their bloodline exists to this day. He also believes that the Priory of Sion was made up of famous great thinkers throughout history who took part in the great coverup about Jesus' bloodline, including Da Vinci, who supposedly left clues in his art.

Darrel L. Bock, Research Professor of New Testament Studies at The Dallas Theological Seminary writes in his book "Breaking the Da Vinci Code," about the Priory of Sion: In 1956, an organization called the Priory of Sion registered with the St Julien-en-Genevois bureau of records in France. It's four officers were Andre Bonhomme, president; Jean Delaval, vice president; Pierre Plantard, secretary-general; and Armand Defago, treasurer. Whether this organization continued to exist after the resignation in 1984 of Pierre Plantard, who had become Grand Master, no one knows. The original president Andre Bonhomme made this statement on a BBC special about this mysterious group in 1996: "The Priory of Sion doesn't exist anymore. We were never involved in any activities of a political nature. It was four friends who came together to have fun. We called ourselves the Priory of Sion because there was a mountain by the same name close by. I haven't seen Pierre Plantard in over 20 years and I don't know what he's up to but he always had a great imagination. I don't know why people always try to make such a big thing out of nothing." The claim that the Priory went back to the period of the crusades in highly contested. There was an Order of Sion in this medieval period tied to an abbey, but no hard evidence that the Order ever was tied to the Knights Templar.

These are just a couple of things that Dan Brown twists in his book, once again having erroneously said at the beginning of the "fiction" novel that they were fact.

The reason that the Pope and other Christian groups are concerned is because of Brown's schizo nature concerning the difference between fact and fiction in his book. As a Christian (and yes, I'm one), we are called upon to spread the word of God whenever we can, but never by trying to force it down peoples'. Christians are, given our mission, concerned that people who have read the book but have not yet been given the chance to hear God's word will believe what Brown writes. And before you say that that people are smarter than that, I know personally of one Christian friend who believes what the Da Vinci Code says. This person is not stupid, knows the book is labled fiction, yet was swayed by the "what if" nature of the novel and is convinced of its "truth."

I know the book is fiction, I know the movie is fiction, but I also believe that Dan Brown is more concerned about his pocketbook than if people are mislead.

Yes, there is such a thing as free speech for Dan Brown, but why is it that Christians are ridiculed when they exercise theirs?

Your statment that the book and movie are FICTION has been heard over and over. What's not been WIDELY allowed to be heard on TV or in print,(Bock's book being one of the exceptions) is that Christians know it's fiction, but also know that people will embrace it as truth anyway.

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People are allowed their opinions, their beliefs. What is wrong is when one person's opinion is legislated and enforces by law. There are plenty of Web sites, movies ( the History Channel, for one ) that debunk the claims made by the DaVinci Code. Why is it that Christian groups are making such a fuss over this movie and book? What are you scared of? The Passion of the Christ was fiction, you made no fuss over that, many pagan religious practices ( i.e. Christmas ) were incorporated into the Christian community as their own, even though the Apostolic teaching do not support their existence.

Do you know how your bible was compiled? About scripture that was deemed heretical and thrown out?

In short, while I do not support people attacked the religions of others, I do expect you to do your homework on your own before you defend it. More than that, I do not support one group trying to silence another because they believe differently.

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I love the fact that anytime people are asked to question anything that they have believed since first taught by their parents, they freak out and began taking shots at the person or idea. I am a christian but that doesn't mean that I can't think beyond the box and do more research on the matter than reading a book that "refutes" the idea written by a PRIEST who has everything to lose if faced with the fact that perhaps he has wasted his life by believing in something and not having a family of his own. Are we really such a cynical lot that we can't even explore beyond that. Has anyone watched all of the discovery channel and history channel shows on this subject where they talk to HISTORIANS AND EXPERTS. If you really want to appear to be an intelligent thinker than truly attempt to educate yourself. Taking pot shots at any sort of new idea shows how truly lacking one's faith is. The fear behind these statements are "oozing and stinking up the place". Look beyond, or believe the words from a church that propigated and perpetuated the belief that Mary Magdalene was a whore for years, when we know this is false. Pope John Paul even stated so much, yet I still hear this from "educated" individuals. Grow up, stop being so afraid and please!! try to understand that any sort of "truth" or otherwise coming from this great action adventure book doesn't not threaten christianity. Maybe catholics but not christianity. They are two seperate things. I can be christian and not catholic ok people. Catholics are the ones standing to lose here I guess, but if you truly believe in their teachings then why are you even allowing a BOOK shake your faith so much. Those afraid of a book need to re-evaluate their testimony and faith in their beliefs. That is the problem--bottom line!!!

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Hello!I am very glad to enter your blog.I am Chinese.I am studying in Suzhou University.I have read the book a few days ago.It is very popular in China.I want to know what Americans think of it.I am afraid that my English is poor,so if there are some mistakes in my words,please excuse me.Welcome to talk to me through my E-mail.Hope you good luck.

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"Those afraid of a book need to re-evaluate their testimony and faith in their beliefs. That is the problem--bottom line!!!"brigette

like the bible?

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It is nice that Martha always enriches her blog with plenty of links for selected terms, issues or persons.
In this case, however, I was very curious to read the original public letter to Sony, but unfortunately she did not have the link to provide us. Well, I found it here
http://www.opusdei.us/art.php?p=15075
and was amused with both the contrast, the contents and its typical oriental tone. All very interesting...

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FOLKS, IT IS FICTION, AND NOTHING MORE.

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Would you like people to watch a movie about your father or mother that was a pack of lies and then have the world to see it. Christians always have to take the beating. Try this nonsense with the muslims ,see how far you'll get. Go and pay your 30 pieces of gold and make your moviemakers rich.

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I feel the Church, itself, has caused more controversy than neccesary. I grew up in a very strict, religeous home, and the reason I stopped going to church was due to the actions of the people there. This immediate stance taken to condemn the film is erroneous, in that the book and film do not convey that Jesus was any less the Son of God, only that he may have been a faithful husband and caring father, the example we all should live by. Whether the details are fuzzy or not, it does not affect my faith in Jesus as God in the flesh. It does peak my interest as to the lifestyle Jesus led when he wasn't teaching. However, simple-minded reactionists feel that if Jesus was human and procreated that He may have been less divine, thus undermining their belief system. Understand that your beliefs should lie within His Divinity, and not his marital status. I do not believe that there is enough evidence to support this theory, but it does create a sensational story, based on historical findings and a creative mind.

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