Posted on 03/11/2006 4:44:38 PM PST by NYer
Washington DC, Mar. 10, 2006 (CNA) - In an attempt to clear up any confusion about Jesus and Christianity that might emerge with the theatre release of The Da Vinci Code, the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Communication Campaign has made available key resources with accurate information about Jesus and the Church.
The documentary “Jesus Decoded” presents authentic Catholic teaching about Jesus Christ. It will be available to NBC-TV stations for broadcast starting the third weekend of May.
The film, produced by NewGroup Media, offers a solid Catholic response to “Da Vinci Code believers,” concentrating especially on the first three centuries of the development of the Church. The program includes interviews with international scholars versed in art, history, and Scripture that help separate Catholic truth from popular fiction.
The Web site for the documentary — www.jesusdecoded.com -- was launched March 9. It includes articles from theologians, media commentators and art experts. Opus Dei will contribute to the Web site.
A booklet, entitled The Authentic Jesus, is also available this month. It, too, addresses questions raised by The Da Vinci Code and presents authentic Catholic teaching about Jesus and his divinity, the New Testament, Gnosticism, women and the Church, and other topics explored in The Da Vinci Code.
The DVD documentary and 16-page booklet are available for purchase. Call USCCB Publishing at 1-800-235-8722.
Be sure to visit the Jesusdecoded web site. It provides excellent rebuttals from several well known catholics on the errors in the DaVinci Code.
This is a good idea.
It is hard to believe that little Opie Taylor (Ritchie Cunningham) turned into a Catholic hater, anti-Christian bigot who hates Our Lord.
I hope Opie's smelly film bombs.
Thanks for the link, NYer.
I enjoyed the Liz Lev article there. She makes Dan Brown look like a complete fool.
The Real Leonardo
By Elizabeth Lev
Along with trashing Christianity, Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code is a veritable museum of errors where Renaissance art is concerned. Art historians have been slow in responding, mostly because it is difficult to know where to start. The novelist’s imaginative notions of iconography may make for best-selling fiction, but they are wildly at variance with what is known about the life and work of Leonardo.
The Da Vinci Code denies Leonardo da Vinci’s identity as a Christian artist, working for Christian patrons and painting Christian subjects. Ignoring the sacred nature of Leonardo’s work, Brown twists the images, inserting them into a tawdry tale of his own making.....
read it here:
http://www.jesusdecoded.com/leonardo1.php?page=1
Anyone aware that on 6/6/06 a movie called "the beast" is going to be released. Its purpose is to say that Jesus is a conspiracy, and that he never existed.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40867
Does anyone see the agenda here with all of these movies?
Evil times have come.
"Does anyone see the agenda here with all of these movies?
Evil times have come."
Yeah, but noone's gonna go to a movie like that, so any "evil message" will be lost due to people being bored.
I mean, seriously - compare box office receipts of "Passion" to both "DaVinci Code" and the movie you reference, combined. "Passion" will crush them, simply because it's a better story.
And art imitates life.
Rome's reaction here is going to make Dan Brown a whole lot of money. Remember how the left tried to squash "The Passion". Anyone who takes their theology from the Da Vinci Code is a fool.
It's a very good website. I really liked her article, too. Anybody who knows even the slightest thing about Renaissance art knows that Dan Brown is an ignoramus, but it is nice to have it all laid out so neatly.
Actually, I think it's a good idea. Rome is not trying to prevent the movie or squash it, but to provide Catholics with accurate information. I think the site will be particularly useful for priests who need to explain to their congregations the strange things that some of them will come back with after they see the movie (which you know they will).
I'm not Catholic, but if someone is a confirmed Catholic and doesn't know any better...
Nice to see the Bishops teaching, though...
Have any of you read the book? I listened to it on CD and didn't find it to be anything but fiction. Pretty good fiction, but fiction nonetheless.
Sadly, I have to admit that there are a lot of Catholics who don't know any better. Catholic catechesis and education used to be great, but it's been in the tank for about 40 years now. Efforts are being made to get back to the basics and improve it, but it's hard to undo so many years of content-free happy talk. There's a whole generation out there that literally has almost no idea of their faith.
Just curious but how did "Passion" box receipts compare to "Brokeback Mountain"?
Thanks for posting Elizabeth Lev's commentary. She is just awesome!
A point well made! Let's pray they actually avail themselves of this site.
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (2004)
$370,500,000 (US total)
http://www.movieweb.com/movies/film/77/577/summary.php
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005)
$78,905,758 (US total)
http://www.movieweb.com/movies/film/57/2457/summary.php
This really does have a comparison problem.
It certainly is accurate in terms of dollars. The Passion took in about 5 times as much money.
But the media support for Brokeback was beyond total. It received front page, TV, radio, award, news anchor, etc. promotion beyond what could be considered reasonable. It simply didn't have to pay for the enormous amount of publicity it received.
All of liberal America actively promoted Brokeback.
One can only wonder what would have transpired with The Passion if Gibson's film had gotten the same treatment.
Nah--- but I did catch Dan Brown on the TV twice. Bunkum all the way to the bank. A religious charlatan.
Yeah, my wife told me she saw Brown on History Channel and he believes his book to be true. This may be a momentus occaison, Mrs. Don-o, but I agree with you entirely on this one.
You 'n' me!
Taking time out from their socialist agenda, I see.
BTTT!
40 years ago, Hollywood turned out such classics as 'The Ten Commandments', 'The Silver Chalice', 'The Robe' and other great religious epics, just in time for Easter. Now they challenge each other to redefine deviancy as normal. They probably don't miss my contributions at the cinema. Then again, based on the numbers you have posted, they don't need to; they are already their own supporters.
"Just curious but how did "Passion" box receipts compare to "Brokeback Mountain"?"
Complete destruction. Hell, the movie about the sled dogs currently out is going to pass the overrated 'Brokeback Mountin'.
bookmark
Great website...I've been checking it out. Nice response to the wackos.
Yeah, whatever happened to good ole Opie? It's amazing to see what he's done with his time once he grew up. I have lost whatever respect I had for Ron Howard from his earlier days.
I think Holly weird is going after the Catholic Church as a backlash to Mel Gibson and his success with the Passion of the Christ.
That is as good a theory as any. They are collectively jealous of what Gibson has done.
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