This blog is front page news!
The May 11, 2006 edition of the Vancouver Sun has an article referenced on the front page that talks about this blog. If there are any Vancouver Sun readers joining us today, welcome! This blog is all about discussing The Da Vinci Code, the claims of Christ and the history of the church. We hope you?ll join the conversation.
Peter McMartin?s article, ?Selling Jesus, with Hollywood?s help? isn?t available online line yet, but it looks like it might be released in a few days. McMartin, a regular columnist for the Vancouver Sun, seems intrigued that while the Vatican has been vocal in condemning first the book and then the movie, Campus Crusade for Christ, Canada is encouraging people to engage with them, notably through this blog.
There is a little confusion in the article. McMartin claims that CCCC spent a great deal of money to convince people to go and see the movie. That?s not correct. We?re not advertising the movie, we’re creating awareness that there’s a place to come and discuss it. Like The Passion of the Christ, which McMartin also references, The Da Vinci Code is a Hollywood blockbuster that has people talking about Jesus in a very public way. CCCC believes that through Jesus? life, death and resurrection, we are forgiven for our sins and we can have a personal relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If people are talking about Jesus, we want to be part of that conversation.
I agree with McMartin?s claim that condemning a movie as immoral often only encourages people to go and see it. Midway through the article he writes, ?there has been the usual religious frothing over the movie?s profane take on Christianity, most notably from the Vatican, which has guaranteed the box office success of The Da Vinci Code by telling people not to go see it.?
Christians have often been accused of ignoring topics, of hiding in churches and refusing to acknowledge the ?outside world?. I don?t think that sounds very Christ-like. In the Bible we read that Jesus was always getting in trouble with those in charge for talking to the wrong people, or being in places nice people weren?t supposed to go. He didn?t avoid culture, he engaged it. He was always ready for a good discussion. If your ideas are solid, if you?re speaking the truth, there?s no need to hide.
There is always a danger in telling people not to see something, do something, say something. Like five-year-olds in a candy store we find it so hard to resist. But there are things in this world a lot more dangerous than a sugar-high, things that really should be avoided. The question is, is The Da Vinci Code one of them?
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I’m closing comments on this post, it’s not quite at an intellectual level anymore.
One day, an english girl smacked me in the face because I touched her toton. That wasn’t nice. I slept like a baby that night.
The movie was so good. I cried when Mr Langdon said to the girl that she was a descendant of Jesus.. snif..
I’m in love with Tom Hanks. This is my kind of man.
It seemed like a great movie but the sad thing is that I didn’t understand it for the most part… You see I’m a chinese man and my English is not so good… But in summary I would give it 4 chinese sticks out of 5.. mm mm page 5.
This is the best movie I ever seen!!!
So Dark the Con of Rotten Tomatoes…
Last night, I eagerly went to watch the DaVinci code movie, despite all the negative reviews and criticisms by the professional critics, despite the fact that at RottenTomatoes.com, the film had a 17% rating (it has since gone up to…
It is taped… and we are doing a series of items…. On Thursday Morning at 6:50AM on CBC Radio One 690 on the AM dial, the show is called the Early Edition.
And on Friday AM, Katherine Monk, the national film reviewer will share with us her thoughts at 7:15AM, she gets an advance look!
Please let me know if anyone else you know may be interested… it is an 8 minute live radio interview in our studios… we are not looking for people to debate. But for people who liked the book for different reasons… in fact probably two. And it is radio so it is like talking on the phone!
Miyoung Lee
The Early Edition
604-662-6499
Sounds interesting, I’m not available but I’d love to hear it when it airs. Do you know when the panel is going to air? Is it live or taped?
Hi Sheldon,
Thanks for the reply, anyone who is interested in the book, and is looking forward to the movie… what was it about the book that has got you anticipating the movie? What are your expectations and hopes for the movie… and people who can comment on the hype and the attention the movie has garnered.
Miyoung,
Are you interested in people who enjoyed the book and the movie but don’t see it as fact?
Hello,
My name is Miyoung Lee and I work for the Early Edition, CBC Radio One’s Morning Show and we are looking at putting together a panel of Da Vinci Code fans who are eagerly anticipating the movie release… if that is you, please call me ASAP!
Miyoung Lee
CBC Radio One
604-662-6499
miyoung_lee@cbc.ca
[...] Last Thursday, an article ran in The Vancouver Sun about how Campus Crusade is promoting the viewing of the movie. So one of our co-authors made a slight correction on our discussion site: There is a little confusion in the article. McMartin claims that CCCC spent a great deal of money to convince people to go and see the movie. That?s not correct. We?re not advertising the movie, we?re creating awareness that there?s a place to come and discuss it. Like The Passion of the Christ, which McMartin also references, The Da Vinci Code is a Hollywood blockbuster that has people talking about Jesus in a very public way. CCCC believes that through Jesus? life, death and resurrection, we are forgiven for our sins and we can have a personal relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If people are talking about Jesus, we want to be part of that conversation. [...]
Da vinci code slap on Christ and A-bomb smile slap on Buddha.
In our subconscious we are rebel against truth and spiritual love. The story of Adam and eves rebellion mentioned in the bible is an effort to explain it. But the non-biblical people also confess it. Jesus explained by the story of the prodigal son that we all have fallen away from heaven rebelling against Heavenly Father?s love.
If we were just a species of animal as atheists declare, we would have been better. They don?t rebel or lie, as they don?t have soul. Our corrupted souls indulge in such intentions and deeds that alienate and disintegrate us in and out. Sin is nothing but that acts of virtual suicide. We get an evil compulsive excitement in those acts. Hating the truth we are going towards becoming lie i.e. eternal death, the hell.
Buddha, Christ, Gandhi and millions of martyrs tried to deliver us from these compulsions. But we vilified and killed them. Still we are trying to vilify them. So we put A-Bomb smile slap on Buddha and Da Vinci code slap on Christ.
India is known as Buddha?s country. Here Buddha, Gandhi and Indian sages preached nonviolence and sacrificing self to save others. But India Govt. in false power craze developed and detonated the A-Bomb, the most violent. Then many celebrated and said that it had made Buddha smile. Not only that they installed the developer scientist as the president of India. He is surely the best guide to mutual A-Bomb suicide.
If we don?t inoculate against these infective sins by confessing the truth, then surely we shall be infected. We must protest against these and practice active Christian spiritual love. We have to say that sex is not love at all.
But Christ?s difference with Buddha is that Christ increases with vilification and cross. No! It is not due to publicity. Heavenly Father increases His obedient loving, forgiving and suffering children. We, the crooked can give only crown of thorns as we have only thorns inside. We can only dare to be vilified with him to increase by Heavenly Father.
I too always enjoy a good debate Elaine! You asked a great question, “I?m wondering how others find faith entering into their thinking process in this conversation.” I think that it is important to have a personal faith.
But as Karen put is so well, ” This work of fiction seems to have the ability to shake up the premise of many peoples faith. It makes people wonder what the truth really is.” Herein lies the important thing….the object of a person’s faith determines whether or not the person’s faith is valid. I can have faith that a car can fly, but if I tried to drive it off a cliff to test that faith, I would be very disappointed. In the same way, our faith must be based on truth. In the case of this debate, I would agree with your comment Cassandra, that “it just gives people who don?t believe this stuff anyway another reason not ot believe? ”
Instead, if people are really searching, they should take this book and then do some serious study from a historical perspective about whether the Biblical account of Christ’s life is accurate or not. I find it interesting that people who have set out to do this, like C. S. Lewis, found instead that His claims to be God were indeed valid. For you historical scholars out there, did you know that there are more historical documents out there to prove that Christ was indeed raised from the dead, than there are to prove the account of Napolean and the Battle of Waterloo?
So the question is, which is true? Do we trust a fiction account that was never meant to be a true story? Or do we latch on to it and make it the basis of our faith or ‘non-faith’?
I have found it good to have my faith challenged from time to time. For me at least, in the end, my faith was strengthened for having been challenged. The challenges clarify and solidify what I believe and why.
I look forward to the discussion which The DaVinci Code book and movie are going to generate. I anticipate that God is going to use it to further His purposes. Lord, where are You going to take this?
I wonder if it shakes people’s faith or if it just gives people who don’t believe this stuff anyway another reason not ot believe?
“…either I believe …. or I don’t”, you say. If it were that simple, there would not be this controversy. People who thought they believed are asking hard questions. This work of fiction seems to have the ability to shake up the premise of many peoples faith. It makes people wonder what the truth really is.
I have always enjoyed a good debate. Looking at an issue from both sides leaves one more rounded in their own thoughts as well as in understanding the other point of view.
I find the information and dialogue here very interesting. I also feel that in the final analysis it will all boil down to faith… either I believe or I don’t.
I’m wondering how others find faith entering into their thinking process in this conversation.
Thanks for providing a place for open discussion.