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Cardinal urges [hypocritical] legal action against Da Vinci Code
Rooters.com ^ | Sun May 7, 2006 10:13am ET | Philip Pullella

Posted on 05/07/2006 8:05:47 AM PDT by dhuffman@awod.com

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - In the latest Vatican broadside against "The Da Vinci Code", a leading cardinal says Christians should respond to the book and film with legal action because both offend Christ and the Church he founded.

Cardinal Francis Arinze, a Nigerian who was considered a candidate for pope last year, made his strong comments in a documentary called "The Da Vinci Code-A Masterful Deception."

Arinze's appeal came some 10 days after another Vatican cardinal called for a boycott of the film. Both cardinals asserted that other religions would never stand for offences against their beliefs and that Christians should get tough.

"Christians must not just sit back and say it is enough for us to forgive and to forget," Arinze said in the documentary made by Rome film maker Mario Biasetti for Rome Reports, a Catholic film agency specializing in religious affairs.

"Sometimes it is our duty to do something practical. So it is not I who will tell all Christians what to do but some know legal means which can be taken in order to get the other person to respect the rights of others," Arinze said.

"This is one of the fundamental human rights: that we should be respected, our religious beliefs respected, and our founder Jesus Christ respected," he said, without elaborating on what legal means he had in mind.

A transcript of the documentary, due to be screened in Rome later this month just before the release of the film version of the best-selling book at the Cannes Film Festival, was made available to Reuters.

The book, written by Dan Brown, has sold more than 40 million copies.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: beheaddanbrown; catholic; christianjihaad; church; davinci; davincicode; frtheocrats; hypocrisy
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To: Lunatic Fringe
FReepers made fun and ridiculed muslims over their claims of "blasphemy" by cartoon artists.

I think most of the ridicule was directed at the paragons of "journalism" who had no problem mocking Christianity but caved like a house of cards when faced with a threat of violence. Also, a lot of Freepers were rightfully concerned about Moslems getting special treatment

And to point out the obvious, the Cardinal is not demanding anybody's death unlike the Imans.

Actually, he may just be demanding equal -- rather than special -- treatment under Italy's laws. See may last post.

No American cardinal is demanding criminal prosecution of Dan Brown.

121 posted on 05/07/2006 2:12:35 PM PDT by Tribune7
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To: maine-iac7
Which is why Leonardo and other artists/writers of his time used codes - in Leonardo's day, there were boxes into which people could anonymously drop someones name, accusing them of a crime that would bring them before the Inquisition. If you didn't want to become a human marshmallow, you were very careful

I thought you had to be at a Priory of Sion meeting today. Look, Leonardo was NOT hiding secret codes about Jesus in his works. It's a fantasy. Get over it and get back on your meds. And he wasn't afraid of the "Inquisition," either. Try getting your history from some reputable sources.
122 posted on 05/07/2006 2:42:14 PM PDT by irishjuggler
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To: trashcanbred
It has at its disposal the Vatican Archives that is filled with documentation and proof about the early beginnings of the Church.

Why "hide" this "proof?" Why not distroy said "proof?"

123 posted on 05/07/2006 2:42:43 PM PDT by It's me
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To: mrhansen

There wil be no "death" of Catholicism.


124 posted on 05/07/2006 2:44:15 PM PDT by It's me
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To: DustyMoment
Dan Brown doesn't claim that the Da Vinci Code is anything but a work of fiction...

Actually, I have never heard, seen or read where Brown states, unequivocally, that the Da Vinci Code is a book of fiction.

Can you point me to where he said it is fiction?

125 posted on 05/07/2006 2:49:06 PM PDT by It's me
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To: Lunatic Fringe
Because that would mean that Jesus had sex, which any Christian will tell you is dirty and sinful. (/s)

Oh brother! (Eyes rolling)

Your ignorance is showing.

126 posted on 05/07/2006 2:54:18 PM PDT by It's me
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To: longtermmemmory

I was surprised by National Treasure, since they did not put Freemasonry in a poor light as typical in films. It was a fun film to boot.


127 posted on 05/07/2006 2:54:52 PM PDT by thebaron512
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Comment #128 Removed by Moderator

To: drhogan

The Illuminati is another organization that got bad press by the government were it was founded and still has not shaken the bad press (if it even exists anymore).


129 posted on 05/07/2006 2:58:10 PM PDT by thebaron512
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To: irishjuggler
Try getting your history from some reputable sources.

Okay, I'll bite. What do you consider "reputable" sources?

130 posted on 05/07/2006 3:06:08 PM PDT by jess35
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To: Lunatic Fringe

Oh, that's right. The Church was born, disappeared after the death of the Apostles and revived with Martin Luther. Or perhaps with your individual "prophet." No point in carrying the discussion any further.


131 posted on 05/07/2006 3:06:12 PM PDT by livius
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To: jess35
What do you consider "reputable" sources?

How about Encyclopaedia Britannica? Or academic history books written by scholars at legitimate universities? Heck, practically anything is a more reputable source of history than Dan Brown's novels, Holy Blood, Holy Grail and other pseudohistorical trash of their ilk.
132 posted on 05/07/2006 3:19:12 PM PDT by irishjuggler
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To: dhuffman@awod.com
i doubt if any records anywhere, in the Vatican secret archives, or wherever, could prove any of these points one way or another. my impression from reading historical works about Jesus and the early church is that the documentation from the early period is pretty slim. there is the New Testament and a few historical references.
Belief in Jesus as the Son of God is based on faith, not on historical records.
the Church (or churches) will go on, the debates about Jesus will go on, but Dan Brown will be forgotten within a few years after he publishes his final novel.
i tried reading his earlier novel, but i would not call him a "gifted" writer, and i put it down out of boredom.
133 posted on 05/07/2006 3:38:53 PM PDT by drhogan
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To: dhuffman@awod.com

Uh oh- I think Harry Potter should contact his lawyer!


134 posted on 05/07/2006 3:42:26 PM PDT by richmwill
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To: livius

Hey pal, there are all kinds of people in the world. But in your mind there are only Christians and Muslims, I guess.

If there is one religion in the world more ridiculous than Christianity, it's Islam.


135 posted on 05/07/2006 3:51:27 PM PDT by Lunatic Fringe (http://ntxsolutions.com)
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To: It's me
Can you point me to where he said it is fiction?

Well, you might try checking where in every book store the book is found. Hint: It's not in Theology, Non-Fiction, or History. I would think that if an author penned something that he wanted to present as historical or non-fiction, then THAT is where the book would be found

136 posted on 05/07/2006 3:53:28 PM PDT by The Coopster
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To: irishjuggler
And he wasn't afraid of the "Inquisition," either. Try getting your history from some reputable sources.

Having been accused and faced the inquisition himself - (charges dropped) and also living in a time when scientists were also imprisoned/killed - and he also delving in inventions - he would have been unwise not to have been afraid -

137 posted on 05/07/2006 3:53:40 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." LINCOLN)
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To: irishjuggler

If there is anyone who is deceptive in this whole thing, it's the Catholic Church convincing their followers that Brown's book is presented as fact.


138 posted on 05/07/2006 3:56:25 PM PDT by Lunatic Fringe (http://ntxsolutions.com)
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To: All

For all the rabid Catholics and non-Catholics alike...

Ephesians 4:29-32

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.


139 posted on 05/07/2006 3:58:37 PM PDT by The Coopster
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To: NoControllingLegalAuthority

the key words here are
"The fictional story "


140 posted on 05/07/2006 4:18:19 PM PDT by Tiberius109
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