Sun 14 May 2006
Interesting characterization on reactions to the Da Vinci Code movie in the San Francisco Chronicle today. Listen to the lead in from the story (Some Christians shun, others co-opt ‘Da Vinci’, 14 May 2006) - emphasis mine:
Outrage over “The Da Vinci Code” has spurred some Christian leaders, including the Vatican, to call for a boycott. But its blockbuster success has also triggered some idiosyncratic responses from Christian leaders who say the book’s popularity and the marketing maelstrom around it simply can’t be ignored.
The article goes on to explain that rather than boycotting the movie, some pastors are encouraging people to see the movie in order to learn more about it and also using the publicity to promote a traditional view of Christianity. I found the choice of words “co-opt” and “idiosyncratic”. While I personally don’t have any interest in watching this film, I think that it’s strange to infer that it would be peculiar to suggest such a thing.
While I believe that the book and movie are wrong about the ideas they suggest, it certainly does not mean that one can not learn more about their faith by undestanding these ideas and why they were made.
And as I said yesterday, if you want to learn much more about the Gnostic claims should visit Mark D. Roberts’ writings The Da Vinci Opportunity, How the Popularity of The Da Vinci Code Book and Movie Can Be Helpful to Christians and Others.
The was also an interesting poll included with the artcile. The question:
Do you feel that watching a movie, even if its premise conflicts with your general beliefs, enriches your understanding of the world? And the choices:
- Yes, it never hurts to look at the world from another point of view, even if its artful propoganda. (31%)
- No, just as I may not watch, say, a violent movie, I may not want to see a misguided viewpoint. (18%)
- What, me worry? After all - it’s just a movie — lighten up. (51%)
Actually, I think that a Christian can give any of the answers to the poll and be right. Using this as a way to understand more about your faith can be a good exercise. Deciding that you don’t want to enrich and encourage those who write and promote a story like this is a fair statement to make. And of course, it’s only just a movie.
But I don’t think it’s really fair to simply “lighten up” and ignore this altogether. Popular culture does heavily influence people. It can be a good intellecual exercise to use this book and movie as a context to learn more about true Christianity. But my concern is with the mass audiences who will not go through that process of education and understanding. They may hear the words of the fictional historian Teabing in the movie and treat his words as facts, not imagination. It may just be a movie, but it does carry a message. A sad one.
In the Da Vinci Code world, the wonderful characters attempt solve a mystery and deny the deity of Jesus. And wouldn’t we all really be the losers in that case?
