catholicsphere

I saw this Catholic News Agency story on “The Da Vinci Challenge”. Apparently, Sony Pictures, ahead of the May 19 release of “The Da Vinci Code” movie has created a website to host essays from DVC critics/experts. But, noticable was the lack of Catholics on the list … especially those who’ve published works on the issue, such as Carl Olson and Sandra Meisel, and also Amy Welborn. Here are the sites for “The Da Vinci Hoax” and “De-coding Da Vinci. I mention them because they offer relevant information and important truths that people need to know about this issue.

[UPDATE: (2pm CST): Carl Olson has entered the discussion at Amy Welborn's blog down in the comboxes. I'm guessing he'll have some commentary on Ignatius Press' blog, Insight Scoop, soon.]

[UPDATE: (4pm CST): Just received an email reply from Carl Olson. (Thanks, Carl!) He has now posted his thoughts and reaction on Insight Scoop. And here is an excerpt that I totally agree with:

I don't think that boycotting the movie or telling people they shouldn't see it is going to evangelize. But warning people about spiritual and intellectual dangers doesn't have to be solely motivated by the desire to evangelize; rather, it should be motivated by the desire to spare them from intellectual pornography that they might not be able to adequately handle. Giving people living water is one thing. But telling them that they need to wallow in dirt before you show them how to shower is quite another...

Definitely give this stuff a read.]

I read the book after checking it out from the local library about a year ago … and I agree with the critiques of it. My personal opinion is that it was a “page turner” but it lacks historical soundness. Fine, it’s fiction. However, in discussions with co-workers about it (even some Catholic ones), when they speak about it, they speak as though this represents some historical truth. And, that’s what makes things dangerous; the “ignorant and unstable will twist” these things, becuase of their “itching ears”. Even though it should not represent a stumbling block to those who truly believe, it is something which may mislead the unchurched and non-believers.

I’ve viewed the trailer for the movie, which has the tag line “Seek the Truth”, and it looks very visually appealing — as most of Ron Howard’s movies are. But, the book and movie base themselves upon premises that should be offensive to Christians — and Catholics in particular — as pointed out in this Catholic Answers Special Report:

• Jesus is not God; he was only a man.
• Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.
• She is to be worshiped as a goddess.
• Jesus got her pregnant, and the two had a daughter.
• That daughter gave rise to a prominent family line that is still present in Europe today.
• The Bible was put together by a pagan Roman emperor.
• Jesus was viewed as a man and not as God until the fourth century, when he was deified by the emperor Constantine.
• The Gospels have been edited to support the claims of later Christians.
• In the original Gospels, Mary Magdalene rather than Peter was directed to establish the Church.
• There is a secret society known as the Priory of Sion that still worships Mary Magdalene as a goddess and is trying to keep the truth alive.
• The Catholic Church is aware of all this and has been fighting for centuries to keep it suppressed. It often has committed murder to do so.
• The Catholic Church is willing to and often has assassinated the descendents of Christ to keep his bloodline from growing.

While it offends me, it isn’t going to harm what I believe, nor is it going to change it. Christians should not patronize that which seeks to gain fame and fortune by misrepresenting and mythologizing their heartfelt beliefs. And, you can (and should) be prepared to speak about it — without having to read the book, or see the movie — since the ideas contained within can be discussed independently of the story that wraps around it.