Despite the best efforts of the Catholic
Church and the panning of the film by most movie critics, large
crowds packed last weekend’s opening of The Da Vinci Code.

The film revolves around the
unraveling of “the greatest cover-up in history’–that the
Catholic Church suppressed its knowledge that Jesus Christ was
a mortal man married to Mary Magdalene (slandered as a prostitute
by the Church) and fathered children with her. Jesus wanted Mary,
not Peter, to carry on his work and that the descendents of Mary
and Jesus live among us to this very day, protected by a secret
society known as the Priory of Scion.

Most of the mainline churches
have denounced the book and the film. Some have even organized
picketing of the movie, like here in Chicago. Responding to the
attacks on his film, Howard declared, “This is entertainment,
not theology.’

It may be, but it touches upon
issues that the Catholic Church would rather remain closed to
public discussion. The Da Vinci Code reveals to many Christians
things that are not taught in Sunday School: that Christianity
became the religion of the Roman Empire because of the political
needs of the pagan emperor Constantine; that there were many
Gospels that were not included in the Bible because they didn’t
serve the needs of the Church; that many of the early followers
of Jesus considered him a prophet but not divine.

The book and movie make you
think about religion, and that’s not something that Christianity
encourages. As one Catholic leader put it, “We are not in
the democracy business.’

The Catholic Church, after
all, is a highly discredited institution these days. It’s still
involved in an ongoing scandal concerning the cover-up of child
sexual abuse by priests. Its half century of decline in North
America and Europe for a variety of easons–its collaboration
with fascism during the Second World War to being on the wrong
side of every social question–has made it a symbol of evil,
corruption and political reaction in the eyes of many people.

Now comes along a bestselling
book and popular movie implying that the whole foundations of
Christianity are a fraud–and Church leaders went wild. Pope
Benedict even toyed with organizing a boycott of the film.

In a country where any critical
discussion of religion is attacked without mercy, anything that
opens up a critical discussion should be welcome. The Da Vinci
Code book has done that, and hopefully the film will widen it.

When asked whether the film
should have a disclaimer saying that it’s fiction, McKellen responded,
“I’ve often thought that the Bible should have a disclaimer
at the front saying, this is fiction.’

http://www.counterpunch.org/allen05262006.html

Popularity: 9% [?]