Opus Dei Holds Out for 'Da Vinci' Changes

[brooklynite]

ROME - The conservative Roman Catholic group Opus Dei said Tuesday it had no intention of calling for a boycott of the upcoming film "The Da Vinci Code," but said it hopes the much-awaited film could still be changed so that "there aren't references that would hurt Catholics."

In a statement released in Rome, Opus Dei said Sony Pictures still had time to make changes that would be appreciated by Catholics, "particularly in these days in which everyone has noted the painful consequences of intolerance" — an apparent reference to violence in the Muslim world sparked by the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

The film, starring Tom Hanks and scheduled for a May 19 release, is based on the best-selling Dan Brown novel, which portrayed Opus Dei as a murderous, power-hungry sect. The novel contends that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had descendants, and that Opus Dei and the Catholic Church were at the center of covering it up.

...snip...

"'The Da Vinci Code' offers a deformed image of the Catholic Church," Tuesday's statement said, adding that the statement was issued because the organization had received many questions about the upcoming film.

Sony reiterated its view that "The Da Vinci Code" is a work of fiction.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060214/ap_en_mo/opus_da_vinci_code
- - -
I think the more they complain about this, the more publicity they give to the movie. Wouldn't true "true believers" with a strong sense of faith not be swayed by a fictional adventure story?

[Copperred]

1. Dan Brown owes his success to Holy Blood Holy Grail

If there ever was a case of "lifting", this is it...

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=Michael+Baigent&ie=UTF-8

[Wind Dancer]

3. I think the authors have filed suit against Dan Brown.

I don't know the status or details but read this story months ago.

[SPKrazy]

19. However, Da Vinci is FICTIONAL Whereas Holy Blood, Holy Grail Claims

to be non-fiction

I don't think that Dan Brown ever said he came up with the ideas on his own, but the story is a Dan Brown novel straight down the line.

[Pacifist Patriot]

25. I've read both. Since Holy Blood Holy Grail claims to be

non-fiction I don't see where the authors can be upset if someone uses their hypotheses as a resource for a novel. Now if they want to renege on their claim to scholarship....

[Atman]

2. What's wrong, not enough naked boys?

Hey, Catholic church...it's a movie based upon a book, a work of fiction. If you think a movie will damage your reputation any more than child-molesting priests do, you have some really effed-up priorities!


Don't you have poor people to help or something?

[RoBear]

7. LOL!

:rofl:

[DemBones DemBones]

10. Hey, Atman, the statement was issued by Opus Dei, NOT by

the Pope or on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church. Opus Dei objects to the way it was portrayed in Dan Brown's poorly written book. Unless you've been a member of Opus Dei, you don't know what the group is really like, and neither do I. But I seriously doubt that Brown's portrayal is anywhere near reality.

I KNOW that a book that portrayed a Jewish or Muslim group in such a bad light would be attacked at DU but far too many DUers delight in attacks on anything related to Catholicism. That's anti-Catholic bigotry, pure and simple.

[Atman]

12. I flat-out disagree with you.

At least, on the anti-Catholic bigotry part. As for the issuer of the statement, you have a valid point. However, you cannot really extricate the two. While all Catholics are not Opus Dei members, all Opus Dei members are Catholics, as I understand it.

I am from a Boston Irish Catholic family. I'm no outsider poking fun. I think the woes and the stereotypes and what you want to portray as "bigotry" towards the church are well deserved, as it was the church at the highest levels who allowed the foundation of the stereotypes to be laid and perpetuated.

I respect your opinion, and your defense of your church. But I disagree with it.

[Leopolds Ghost]

28. "your defense of your church?" Sounds like embittered ex-Catholic talkin'

If you or someone you know was abused or excommunicated by a priest, take it out on the diocese, sure, but the Catholic church has had other problems over the years, like, oh, condoning state violence and repression. That's why I am skeptical of the idea of a unitary Catholic church in the first place (I'm not Catholic but I am somewhat religious).

[peacetalksforall]

29. DUers delight in pointing out hypocrisy. That's what is # 1 with me

because that is one excellent way people are going to wake up.

We need to point out the hypocrisy of everything.

I say Dan Brown took as many facts, legends, history, and code science as he could and WOVE a wonderful tale. I judge a novel on what I learn. This one stands out.

What did I learn about Opus Dei? Only, that this was fiction and that I am now about to go out and learn more about them. Because I don't believe in malevolent secret societies or secret societies in general in our generation. I can't comment about other generations. We're supposed to know better.

I believe the separate doors which I understand is true is a great starting point. It is repulsive to me.

Tell me if there is any Opus Dei liberal or progressive person in the traditional American political sense. They are all ultra-conservative as near as I can tell and they get a face and a voice on right wing tv in the U.S. of Corporations.

Raised Catholic, but unable to defend ultra-conservatives in secret societies whose voices I've heard on right wing tv delivering repulsive (to me) propaganda.

Why does any society have to build a multi-million building when some people only have a house on a shopping cart and others get flattened in more ways that one?

[rkc3]

4. Would someone please tell the nutters that it's a fucking book?

[truebrit71]

13. BINGO!!!!

Nailed it in ONE sentence.... :rofl:

[rkc3]

16. Thanks - nice to get one right every now and then.

[truebrit71]

32. LOL!!!

:rofl:

Rarely bloody happens for me!!!!

[Name removed]

5. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. If I wanted to write something that would actually hurt the church, I

would write about priest who chronically abused small, defenseless children and the Vatican who helped sweep the dirt under their robes.

[brooklynite]

9. Um, I think that's already been done...

Now doing 8 shows a week on Broadway

[mitchum]

18. Or just write an accurate history of the original corrupt multi-national..

corporation.
The "reforms" of Vatican II really don't occupy much space on that time line.

[glitch]

8. If Opus Dei is against this movie I may have to see it in the theater.

And buy the dvd later.

[adwon]

11. Wee

While I find Opus Dei to be quite strange, almost perverse in their dedication to self-flagellation, they're not wrong for pointing out that the premise behind this movie is garbage. I don't look forward to explain that, in addition to the fact I don't worship Mary, the Catholic Church isn't an Illuminati-style bunch out for global domination.

The biggest reason this movie is a load of shit is that it's a rehash of old conspiracy theories with the word 'Jew' taken out and 'Catholic' inserted. I can't wait to see The Secret Protocols of the Elders of Rome. I just hope they spice it up this time.

[AntiFascist]

30. I have to disagree...

although much of Opus Dei may not be pure evil, take a look at the overlap of Opus Dei and Knights of Malta, also P2. Then consider the origins of the CIA, how many at the top were members of Knights of Malta, also the vast wealth of intelligence which the Vatican has, supposedly. As for the Da Vinci Code controversy, this is only distracting from the very real problems we are facing today with the religious right screwing with our political system, all the way from election fraud through trying to bring about the End Times and establishing a new world theocratic order for the next 1,000 years.

[MiniMe]

14. Its FICTION, get a grip Opus Dei

[Bridget Burke]

15. What idiot would actually believe....

That an organization founded in the last century was responsible for hiding the fact that Jesus had a wife & kiddies? Wouldn't they have had older roots?

Of course, people do believe some cockeyed stuff about the Catholic Church.

Most recent scholarship about Mary Magdalene shows that she was an important disciple whose role was de-emphasized by the Church. Making her fit the role of Mrs. Jesus is not as demeaning as confusing her with a prostitute & a madwoman who also appeared in the New Testament. But she was quite a bit more.

[FreedomAngel82]

23. Right

You can get that through bits and pieces of symbolizm with Mary. I saw this great documentary on the History channel about Mary and while they didn't claim to know everything with Mary you can get some bits and pieces through the Bible on her. How Jesus really respected and loved Mary (maybe not romantic love but just love like a good friend) and she traveled around with him and she was the first to see him risen and the like. It was really good. Try to find it if you can. There was a gospel book about her that was kept out of the Protestant Bible we know today for whatever reason. I wish we could read that!

[Bridget Burke]

33. Was the documentary "The Real Mary Magdalene"?

It is part of the Ancient Evidence series, narrated by Adrian Brooks. Each show looks for the "truth" behind various Bible stories. Biblical scholars & historians explain various viewpoints & some of the results might displease Fundamentalists.

The re-enactments were filmed in Morocco, I believe. The actors do NOT look Swedish--unlike so many Bible stories.

http://shopping.discovery.com/product-53617.html?rel_productId=53614

The Mary Magdalene episode was excellent.

[Roland99]

17. It's a FICTIONAL movie based upon a FICTIONAL book

Oy vey.

[Bridget Burke]

20. And the FICTIONAL book was based on "Holy Blood, Holy Grail"

--a sophisticated intellectual exercise posing as non-fiction.

Unfortunately, Da Vinci's Code was last year's choice for the Dreadful People Who Read Only One Book Per Year. They corner you at parties & insist on recounting each plot point. Without a background of reading such "dull" subjects as history, myth, legend & abnormal psychology, these folks take things all too seriously.

The article mentions that Opus Dei was NOT boycotting the movie. While they hoped for script changes (fat chance!), they were also going to try to educate the public. Opus Dei is not nearly as interesting as some claim. My memories of Saturday Catechism classes with the good old Baltimore Catechism would disappoint those who imagine the RC Church is a weird, exotic, all powerful institution.

[Roland99]

22. Well, that was but one book. There were several others.

[FreedomAngel82]

24. I've never heard of "Holy Blood, Holy Grail"

What is it about??

[Pacifist Patriot]

26. It was published in 1982 and was released with a claim to

scholarship. It does make for an interesting read but their work is either easy to debunk or unable to be substantiated. Doesn't mean it is 100% fabricated but who knows what the truth is. They've taken their academic knocks for certain.

Their hypothesis is that Jesus' crucifixion was staged and he survived and fathered children. Perhaps he and Mary Magdalene escaped to France and his bloodline started the Merovingian dynasty of French kings.

It pulls in a bunch of secret societies: Prieure de Sion, Knights Templar, Freemasons...

It's been at least twenty years since I read the book but I remember the Cathar heretics were involved somehow.

Essentially the search for the holy grail is actually the search for Christ's bloodline.

San Greal = Holy Grail

Sangre Real = Royal Blood

I enjoyed the book but I honestly don't know if it should be in the religious history or fiction section of the bookstore.

[Bridget Burke]

27. It's a book that reveals the shocking truth about Jesus!

He married Mary Magdalene. She & the kid (or kids) moved to what later became France. The blood line of Jesus has continued in certain European royal lines. A mysterious group has kept this secret, but dark forces work against them.

Written by Michael Baigent, Richard Liegh & Henry Lincoln, the book was quite a success in the 80's. Rather than shout the "truth," it was dense & suggestive. Interesting bits of history were interwoven--the Cathars, the Templars & mysterious goings on in various weird old churches. Except the historical details aren't quite accurate. The Priory of Sion--keepers of the secret--were later revealed as jokers with a Surrealist bent.

www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440136482/sr=8-1/qid=1140034683/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-8003467-1033556?%5Fencoding=UTF8

I enjoyed it but didn't take it too seriously. Dan Brown did & got rich!

Perhaps you can catch "The Real Da Vinci Code" on cable. This inquiry into the story explains a lot--with quite a bit of wit. Tony Robinson is the host--better known as Blackadder's Baldric.

www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/W/weirdworlds/da_vinci_code/index.html

[FreedomAngel82]

21. A film hurts their feelings

maybe they don't have much faith. As a Christian myself I know my faith is strong and has grown a lot through my years from my personal studies and experiences with spirituality. A tv show or movie or someone debating and questioning etc. isn't bad. Even King Solomon said in Proverbs you should always check things out and not blindly follow someone. I like watching different documentaries on religion whether my own or someone else's. I find it all fascinating.

[peacetalksforall]

31. The heart of all the debate is the bible. (Or Bible if you prefer).

I was taught dual lessons -

believe in the gospels and epistles that come from the New T. and
believe in the lessons, plus
think for myself.

These were all disparate lessons. I ended up not trusting the bible/Bible.

I can believe that they limited the authors when they handed it to us to believe.

Now, some say that Theodoro (of Justinian and Theodoro) had all references to reincarnation taken out of the bible/Bible.

That would be a fiction/non-fiction book and movie I would like to read and see.

But, now I have to learn more about Newton, Botticelli, Da Vinci and the others. I love and accept the hint and suspicion that they considered other authors in the story of Jesus. I have to see for myself.

[HereSince1628]

34. What would hurt Catholics? Mortification of the flesh with the cilice!

Emotionally and physically!