Cardinal urges boycott of Da Vinci Code

Houston Chronicle ^ | March 16, 2005 | Reuters News Service

[todd1]

VATICAN CITY - The cardinal leading the Vatican's charge against The Da Vinci Code urged Catholics today to shun it like rotten food and branded the bestseller "a sack full of lies" insulting the Christian faith.

[todd1]

It is good to see someone from the Vatican standing up against this book.

[wrathof59]

I agree, but it's kinda late?

[TheBigB]

I hope he goes after that bastard behind "Simple Abundance" next!

[Grendel9]

It's a NOVEL! Next We'll have some idiot digging
around the glass pyramid in Paris looking for clues!

[razoroccam]

Two years too late.

[Clara Lou]

The book is entertainment. I read it months back because a friend said that it was a good read. It is a fun read, sort of the way the Indiana Jones movie about the Tabernacle was a fun movie. Doesn't mean I believed it. I think the issue with the "Da Vinci Code" is being blown out of proportion. I can't see that making a movie of it is a big deal. But that's just my opinion.

[11th Commandment]

Two things: Again the vatican is slow to respond to the culture. Another Christian Organization already has 2 books on the subject; and since this is late- it will mean another 500,000 in book sales over the controvesy.

[RexBeach]

Does the book not say on its dust jacket somewhere that it's a "historical novel" or a "novel"? What's wrong with that?

I add, though, that many of my non-Catholic friends urged me to read "The DaVinci Code" because it would help me to "question my faith." Now why would I want to do that if I adore my faith? I, in turn, posed this question: "If I urged you to read a book because it would help you question the love you have for your children, would you read it?" Honestly.

Vatican's a mite late on this, however. I'd say that horse left the barn a long time ago, and it's kinda late to try and shut the barn door.

[tfecw]

The Vatican has a history of standing up against books.

They haven't had a good ol fasion book burning in quite a while. I'll bring the smores!

[Pyro7480]

Catholics = Nazis, in your worldview?

[the OlLine Rebel]

I think the problem is not so much whether it says it's true or not, but the impression it gives.

This is true of basically every piece of "fiction" put out in the public. Happens in movies all the time. It helps to give certain impressions, even if it's nothing but a "fanciful" made-up story.

There are enough dumb people in the world who would believe stuff like it, or allow it to sow the seeds of such belief as more discussion of Christ maybe having children crops up.

Impressions are important, whether the author intended to change all church history or not.

[tfecw]

Show me where I said that?

That's right you can't. I was just saying that I remember catholics doing a bit of the ol book barbecue. Yes the Nazis did it. If you want to make the correlation go right ahead.

I'm not comparing the Catholics to Nazi's. I'm pointing out the Catholics have a history of censuring materials they don't agree with.

[Pyro7480]

I was just asking for a clarification. I wasn't making an accusation.

I don't remember who said it, but to paraphrase, "Error has no right to exist."

[Eva]

I read the book, and found it to be poorly written with a juvenile plot line, poorly developed characters and frankly boring. I couldn't read more than four or five pages without falling asleep. The idea that DaVinci's mirror writing was a secret code is laughable. I can remember reading about the mirror writing in the Scholastic Journal, years ago, while waiting in the Doctor's office with my kids. I think that it's actually scary to think that so many Americans think that this is a well written book.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I'm sure non-Catholics do too. In fact they've been into suppressing Catholic things from way back.


Regardless, I hate the old tired liberal insinuation that any criticism of a book/movie is the same as confiscating and "burning" books.

Freedom of speech goes both ways. Criticism of "speech" is just as much a right as the original "speech" itself.

[the OlLine Rebel]

The cardinal at least acknowledged regretfully as much.

[tfecw]

Sure. I'm not too many people at FR has a world view of Nazis=Catholics. I could be wrong about that one though.

I have no problem with anyone boycotting the book, or any book. I happen to hate Dan Brown with a passion mainly because he's a mockery to every writer before him and he lies to his readers.

"Error has no right to exist."
If we take out the word "Error" and replace it with "books that are false and misleading" (which I'm sure you are referring to) we clearly see that in America the above statement is 100% false. It has every right to exist.

[Pyro7480]

Mainly, I'm referring to religious and moral error.

[Clara Lou]

I think that it's actually scary to think that so many Americans think that this is a well written book.
"Scarey," eh? You are obviously easily frightened. I can only imagine the feelings that real causes for concern like 9/11 must have created for you, sensitive and discerning as you are.

[Cato1]

Silly Book, Silly Premise, but a little late for the Church to say anything about it. Most people know it is fantasy because they are like children who only soak in what they are prepared to know. Most people hardly know L DaVinci, art, theology, etc... The more you know the more you think people pick up. Most people I talked to who read the book have forgotten about it. I think it is a mistake to make a big deal over it.