I'm not watching the Da Vinci Code Movie

[Postmaster]

I won't watch it too heretical for me.

[taijasi]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

I won't watch it too heretical for me.

No concern about it being heretical, here. And I don't know anything about it! Isn't Tom Hanks the Dan Brown dude? Hang on, didn't he write the book? I must be confused. If he's in it, I think I'm already disinterested. But ...

I should at least hit movies.yahoo & read up! The thing is, we already know about the Knights Templar, or at least, we can know. And the info is probably much more accurate. I hate to admit a bias, and perhaps I'll have to, uhh, watch this silly thing just to see if I can "catch the hype." But the whole, Jesus & Mary chain thing, well ... why harp on it? Jesus had plenty of female followers, possibly even the closest of disciples. What am I saying!!! Not possibly, definitely! So what? The Essenes weren't sexists either.

Hang on, I want to argue that the Son of God was a sexist. I mean, isn't God?

Thought so.

cheers,

taijasi

[I, Brian]

Possibly better treated as fiction?

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Possibly better treated as fiction?

That's what screenwriter Akiva Goldsman says here.

``It's a story, fiction,'' Goldsman, 43, said in an interview. ``Speculative fiction is an extraordinarily old form. I don't think any area is exempt from that, any set of beliefs. That's what we do. We imagine.''

[wil]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

I won't watch it too heretical for me.

Funny, same reason I didn't go to 'The Passion'. Most 2 hour movies are made from 2-400 page books...and artistic license runs rampant... Can't imagine all the stuff that had to be made up to create a 3 hour movie from a couple of pages.

Did the 'Last Temptation of Christ' have the same stir?

[flowperson]

Yes it did.

There were denunciations from fundamentalist pulpits, demonstrations outside of theaters, and learned treatises in newspapers and magazines about how "historically" innacurate the film was, even though it was FICTION.

A video store owner even told me he had to take copies off the shelf because of the verbal abuse he suffered from some customers. It was adapted from a wonderful novel by a Greek author, Nikos Kazantzakis. A very good book, better than Brown's, and so artfully taken to the screen by Martin Scorcese. Peter Gabriel even did the haunting sound track

I guess my questions are, if certain Christians are so upset by fictional adaptations and interpretations of a version of the life story of someone who lived 2,000 years ago, why are they ? Is it because no one really knows for certain what really happened back then except through the eyes, memories, and stories of others ? Do we disrespect the learned opinions of the Jesus Seminar so much that we totally disregard its considered verdict that not much of what is in the cannon is factual ? And if the power of belief is so powerful, especially when politicized and used to manipulate the beliefs of others, can false beliefs evolve into having the power to subjugate innocent believers and take precedence over the truth ?

My intuition is that this is the situation, and that we are all left to believe what we will and feel in our hearts is right for us. My intuition is that this is what Jesus intended for us. Everything else boils down to forms of political manipulation and propagandistic brain washing.

Don't think for yourselves. Believe what we tell you. You'll be better off in the long run.... Maybe.

flow....

[Tao_Equus]

Censorship is by far a greater injustice to the intelect of man than any heresy. Self-censorship on the grounds of heresy in a work of fiction just seems to me rather childish, I'm sorry no offence, but thats what I think. The book was pretty awful and I would not pay to see the movie but will probably see it when someone passes me the dvd.

I echo your words on Nikos Kazantzakis Flowperson. A truly wonderful writer. And the film of 'The last temptation of Christ' I consider a superb film too. Probably my favourite religiously themed movie of all time.


What is interesting in the UK about the Dan Brown bandwagon is the amount of effort and time thats gone into rubbishing his 2nd hand assertions. The amount of free publicity he has recieved is quite phenomenal and can only add to the sense that the establishment has something to hide.




David

[flowperson]

Thank you David:

I was about to post an apology for my semi-rant in a relaxation area of the boards. I agree with you that there is a shrillness to all this on both sides that is reminiscent of children screaming for candy in a supermarket checkout lane.

flow....

[truthseeker]

I can't wait to see it tomorrow. I think it's a good work of fiction, and a little controversy is good to get the heart pumping. The best movies are the ones that cause a stir in the general population. Good for Ron Howard!!! Even the History Channel has gotten in on it!

[cavalier]

Originally Posted by seattlegal

That's what screenwriter Akiva Goldsman says here.

Quote:
``It's a story, fiction,'' Goldsman, 43, said in an interview. ``Speculative fiction is an extraordinarily old form. I don't think any area is exempt from that, any set of beliefs. That's what we do. We imagine.''

Ron Howard said pretty much the same thing, the only problem is that this is a movie based on a book which claims to be true.

Just a thought, they say there's no such thing as bad publicity, so could this suggestion of a scandal actually lead to an increase in church attendances?

[taijasi]

Could someone please post, who is familiar with this book, hype, and/or movie, a few short bullet points about what is "most controversial" (I know it's more than just one thing) about Dan Brown's book, and this DaVinci Code thing? I confess my ignorance, and yeah, I could go googling, but forgive me just this once! Either a short synopsis (I read the blurb at movies.yahoo.com), or a few key ideas. All I think I know about right now is the Jesus & Mary Magdalena thing. That's by no means "it," is it??? Right?

Thanks much in advance,

taijasi

[Tao_Equus]

The book is a basic pulp thriller that feels less like a novel than a screenplay for a holywood movie, his intention entirely I think.
He contends in the book that Mary of Magdala had a child by Jesus and that a line of descendents continued down through the ages to the present day. A secret group of people was privy to this information, linked to the Knights Templar, and they were sworn to protect this secret and the Holy bloodline down through the centuries. This group was meant to have several famous people amongst its members, for example Leonardo Di Vinci. Meanwhile a branch of ruthless christians, a part of Opus Day in the book, were intent on finding and murdering this bloodline, presumably to protect the status quo. So its a basic thriller, goody chased by baddy, goody wins.

And thats about it. Much ado about nothing in other words.

Regards

David

[taijasi]

I must say, as a big Knights Templar fan, and also a huge proponent of Freemasonry, I sincerely hope that what emerges (along these two lines) is not pure fluff or outright controversy, but in the very least, something worthy of generating more interest ... and some honest-to-goodness research, Googling included!

I think people should really come off it, and get over the radical notion that maybe Jesus and Mary M. could have a bloodline. This is, imho, mostly just a desire to concretize the symbolism and inner significance (in which I believe) of true Apostolic Succession. The Templars guarded many secrets, and even some of these had their material-enough representations (Lance/Spear, Cup, Ark, and the prerogative to establish the modern banking system). Whether or not dear Leonardo was ever a Grand Master (long, long after Black Friday, when the KT were driven underground), I have never discovered ... but the man was clearly a gifted genius, and I'd say an esotericist - likely enough! I wonder ...

Anyway, at least this kind of film gets us out of the popular cruddy, canned formula types, the cheesy horror flicks, the excessive gore, and all the other stuff that Hollywood foists upon as "entertainment." I think I'm already sold! Shoot, it should be good for a few chuckles, and it even piqued the interest of my politically-conservative, staunch atheist friend. He assures me it's my kinda book, at any rate ...

cheers, and thanks,

taijasi

[flowperson]

Ummmm... as an aside, while I do not recollect that this was mentioned in the book by Brown, some legends have it, and I've read about this in several places, that after the alternative Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and their two children migrated from the holy land under the protection and sponsorship of Joseph of Aramathea (really James the Just); and, after staying a time in the south of France in the Languedoc region somewhat near Marsailles, they eventually ended up in the area of what is now Glastonbury in the west of England.

There is evidently an ancient chapel/church there that commemorates this, and even bears inscriptions to this effect.

Any of you across the pond in "merry olde" know of this ? If so, could you please add to what little I know about this if you can. Thanks.

flow....

[Tao_Equus]

I have read somwhere that Jesus stayed in Britain from when he was a boy till about 3years before his crucifixtion, but never have I heard of a post-ressuerection return. I think the story goes that the Virgin Marys' uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a merchant who shipped Tin ore from Cornwall to Palestine, took the young Jesus to Britain with him. The Doomsday book, a survey or audit of all the lands in Britain conducted in 1086, mentions a parcel of land at Glastonbury exempt from taxes as it was given by the then king to Joseph of Arimathea.
The story goes that Jesus built a house and a chapel on these lands. Also there is a mine in Cornwall, if I remember correctly, that is called Jesus's mine. And the folklore says that the craft of smelting ore to get Tin was knowledge given to them by Jesus.

Thats about all I know tho.

regards

david