Link to Opus Dei priest blogging about the "The Da Vinci Code

[papau]

Link: http://davincicode-opusdei.com/


The article says that any similar offense against Islam or Judaism would not be tolerated..."It seems that you can use falsity against Christianity and there is a high level of social acceptance. We have an intellectual class that has lost the idea of primacy of truth." - Do the folks at DU agree?

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-davinci17may17,0,3419742.story?track=tottext

From the Los Angeles Times
Vatican Officials Grappling With 'Da Vinci Code'
The release of the movie adds to the urgency of those who challenge 'Dan Brown's fiction.'
By Tracy Wilkinson
Times Staff Writer

May 17, 2006

ROME — An Opus Dei priest is blogging http://davincicode-opusdei.com/ about the "The Da Vinci Code." A cardinal is hinting at lawsuits. Another church official praises the flamboyant plot as a great thriller. Still others worry that generations of Catholics could be ruined by it.

<snip>

Father John Wauck, an American priest with the Opus Dei prelature, said "The Da Vinci Code" was laughable from start to finish, a comedy of errors that "defies serious reading." But the impact of the story is something else altogether. Wauck believes that the popular appeal of the book underscores the failure of the organized church to adequately educate its followers. Release of the movie, directed by Oscar winner Ron Howard, only adds to Wauck's sense of urgency.

"The cultural phenomenon is very important and must be taken seriously," Wauck said. "It shows our ignorance over art, history, theology, scripture … and that's not Dan Brown's fault, that's our fault, the fault of the church, of priests and parents who aren't teaching the truth."

Wauck spoke Tuesday at the presentation of a documentary titled "The Da Vinci Code: A Masterful Deception," which offers a range of critical voices, including art historians, scholars and religious leaders. Although the documentary-makers, including Italian journalist Mario Biasetti, said they were not working on behalf of the Vatican, the film is clearly the latest effort by the church to debunk Brown's work.<snip>

[nickinSTL]

1. give me a break...

:eyes:

It's FICTION! Why the hell can't some people understand that?

[mtnester]

2. Lawsuits? It's an effing MOVIE, it is a work of fiction made for big

screen entertainment.

Watch it or don't watch it.

I honestly do not get this broo-ha-ha.

[Cyrano]

3. Dear Opus Dei: I'd like to say this. ITS A FUCKING MOVIE.

[Union Thug]

4. Oh Boo-Hoo... Get over it.

This doesn't sound very liberal of me, but I don't have much tolerance for religious whack-jobs of any persuasion. Marx was right - religion is the opiate of the people. Question it and the their whole world unravels. Of course, this atheist may be a bit biased.

[shain from kane]

5. It's not fiction. It's the divine word of God. A modern day revelation

from the Supreme Being.

[al bupp]

6. Methinks that they doth protest too much /eom

[bluethruandthru]

Those who feel so threatened by this work of fiction

must not have alot of faith in their own - and others - beliefs. Do they really think this MOVIE (again, a work of FICTION) is going to drive people away from Christianity in droves?

[Barking Spider]

7. Where is the rant about...

...child abuse by Catholic clergy?

...atrocities in Darfur?

...starvation around the world?

I'm glad the Church has its priorities in order.

[Bridget Burke]

20. "Social Justice Ministries" of the Galveston/Houston Archdiocese

That would be my diocese if I were currently a believer.

www.diogh.org/socialjustice.htm

This is not "news"--don't rely on the media to supply 100% of your information.

[pointblank]

8. "Still others worry that generations of Catholics could be ruined by it."

That statement alone speaks volumes.

The Catholic Church needs people to give money so that they can keep building bigger churches and the higher ups can line thier pockets and protect child molesters.

No people = No money.

They could care less about people's actual faith. They see dollar signs drifting away.$$$$$$$$$

[warrens]

9. Which is it, masterful or laughable?

Anyone who takes the Bible literally and can call this laughable has a real disconnect going on in their brain. Anyone who knows anything about Xtian history knows the Bible was thoroughly rewritten through the ages, and that it is now a garbled mess of inaccuracy and politically derived revisionism. If it was ever true.

Just because some other religions might act like lunatics when their beliefs are dissed or challenged doesn't make it OK for Catholics to go ballistic over what is a work of fiction, and a fairly entertaining one at that.

And if a major world religion can be taken down by a work of fiction, its beliefs must have been pretty shaky to start with. Which is my view.

[Bridget Burke]

14. The Catholic Church does not take the Bible literally.

For "Biblical Inerrancy"--look to the Fundamentalists.

[JDPriestly]

10. Spiritual truth is universal and always true.

The historical details will always be open to debate. Did Jesus really wear sandals? What color? Who cares? The teachings of Jesus are true because they make sense no matter what you think about all the stories told about Jesus' life and death. Do away with all that extraneous stuff, and you have spiritual truth. If, after devoting their lives to their religion, these opus dei people haven't realized that, I just feel sorry for them.

The Da Vinci Story is just that -- a story. It was made up. That can probably also be said about a lot of other stories that are generally believed to be true. It's impossible to know which ones. Catholics and Protestants don't even agree as to which books deserve to be in the Bible, much less about the details of all the stories related to Christianity.

The whole controversy is just silly.

[Bridget Burke]

11. Father Wauck is not asking for a ban or a boycott.

But he's using the film as a reason to start discussions. From above, for those who only read the Headline:

"The cultural phenomenon is very important and must be taken seriously," Wauck said. "It shows our ignorance over art, history, theology, scripture … and that's not Dan Brown's fault, that's our fault, the fault of the church, of priests and parents who aren't teaching the truth."

Wauck spoke Tuesday at the presentation of a documentary titled "The Da Vinci Code: A Masterful Deception," which offers a range of critical voices, including art historians, scholars and religious leaders. Although the documentary-makers, including Italian journalist Mario Biasetti, said they were not working on behalf of the Vatican, the film is clearly the latest effort by the church to debunk Brown's work.

I've seen Da Vinci Code "debunkings" from obviously non-religious sources. And at least one priest quoted in the article spoke positively.

Since when is starting a blog the same as burning at the stake?

Of course, the film is based on a novel--that is, "fiction." But some readers think it's the Gospel Truth.

[Kagemusha]

13. That father may not be, but that cardinal quoted before sure was

He was saying along the lines of, "I won't TELL you to pursue a boycott or a ban, because that would look bad, but if you're a Good Catholic, you know what to do."

Real. subtle.

[Bridget Burke]

15. The Church is not monolithic.

There are different responses from different priests, cardinals & laypersons.

[Kagemusha]

16. There's a concerted concious effort to not look monolithic.

I imagine the truth is somewhere in the middle.

[misternormal]

28. I've seen books written to debunk the DaVinci Code...

... But I recognize few of the names of the authors... What a chance to make a few bucks... I can't blame 'em.

[Kagemusha]

12. Ever heard of "free publicity"?

Seriously, people keep telling me they can't believe that the Roman Catholic Church could be any more determined to ensure that The DaVinci Code gets as widely seen as possible by keeping the issue hot and fresh...

[misternormal]

30. This smacks of the Big Deal over "The Last Temptation of Christ"... n/t

[yellowcanine]

17. I don't think the Catholic Church has much standing to be criticizing

Brown for peddling a fictional story about religion. Seems to me the Catholic Church has peddled a few of their own over the years.

[Bridget Burke]

18. Read the details of the latest Opus Dei outrage!

May 11, 2006
Opus Dei & Knights of Columbanus Controlling Northern Ireland's Water Supply?
Posted by daev

Allegations that a cross-border body is being run by a Catholic organisation have been levelled by an Ulster Unionist politician. The claims about Waterways Ireland, which has its headquarters in Enniskillen , were raised in parliament by Lord Laird.

He said members of staff within the public body believed it was "now being run" by the Knights of Columbanus, an Irish Catholic lay organisation.

He also stated that this arrangement may have the backing of Opus Dei, the conservative Catholic grouping that features in the best-selling conspiracy novel, The Da Vinci Code.

www.blather.net/zeitgeist/archives/2006/05/opus_dei_knights_of_columbanus.html

Yes, daev treats the story satirically--as he treats just about everything. But the site supplies links to prove that this IS a real news story.

[papau]

29. Hatred of the religious- or of those of the wrong religion - is very real

and affects all cultures.

I suspect atheists are viewed as the "wrong religion" rather than a "no religion" by those that "hate" them.

The anti-Catholic hatred seems to be increasing of late.

It is really hard to sell tolerance when everyone is trying force you to hear/believe/accept/agree with their enlightenment - including their atheist enlightenment if that is where they are coming from.

[Bridget Burke]

41. Someone on an Irish board I occasional frequent....

Was inspired by this "news story."

He envisioned disguised Catholic priests, sneaking over the Border at night. Their plan: Blessing all the water in the North. Surely, Unionists will explode if they come into contact with Holy Water.

(This board is based in the Republic. All posters so far regard the story as hilarious.)

[papau]

43. Folks think the Orange do not have Holy water? - the jokes point is

perhaps "blessed by the wrong religion" - and indeed when I thought of it that way, I smiled.

Pointing out the ridiculousness of intolerance via a joke is not all bad - IMHO.

:-)

[Yavin4]

19. If Opus Dei Can Sue A Movie, Then I'm Suing George Lucas for Runing...

Star Wars. Your honor, George Lucas ruined Star Wars for me, and I want some money.

[mtnester]

23. I am with you, I intend to sue those who reviewed "A Life Aquatic"

and said it was a good movie...my husband fell asleep during it, and I woke him at about the halfway point and said " do you think this movie sucks as bad as any movie you have ever seen?" His yes answer prompted me to say "let's go, I cannot take ONE more minute of it"

Do you think I could get pain and suffering too?



Note - never was I more disappointed in a movie in my LIFE as that one.

[Peace Patriot]

21. God, the arrogance of some of these Catholic prelates continues to amaze

me! No humility. No remorse for millions of witchburnings of old mother herbalists and freethinkers and Goddess worshipers. No regrets for 2,000 years of violations of Christ's teachings. Zero understanding of their lopsided "truth" of God favoring men and God wanting male priests because they have a prick like Jesus did. (The late pope said almost exactly that--women do not physically resemble Jesus, so they can't be priests.)

And now some of them want Islamic law, 'christian' style: state enforcement of their twisted ideas, and, no doubt, stoning of errant women, and hanging for gays.

Well, I hope Ron Howard makes a better movie of it, than Dan Brown made the book. It's a once over lightly book, with thin major characters. But it seems to be stirring people up, and, if it leads them to the original, pre-Roman-patriarchal, Christian teaching that WE ARE ALL EQUAL, then it's all to the good.

Christianity took a hard right turn in the 5th Century, about as far from Jesus and the earliest Christian teachings as possible--and has never corrected itself. Now the correction is coming--the realization that God is both Man and Woman--and these dinosaur patriarchs had best open their hearts and minds to THAT truth, or they will be committing a grave error against Truth itself AND against God. They have a lot to answer for. They should be down on their knees in penance. They claim "authority" back to St. Peter. Do they also claim, and will they also acknowledge, the crimes, and lies, and sins of the Church back to St. Peter? Beginning with their 5th century lie about St. Peter?

Well, some are doing so, and have done so--but not the bulk of the dusty, musty, fetishistic hierarchy, which clings to fascist ideas and fascist money. In a test of real Christianity--the equality of women, and of the reality of God the Woman--I think they will crumble into egotistical ruins like the Roman Empire itself.

[nmliberal]

27. What's the 5th century lie about St. Peter?

I loved your post, btw.

[papau]

38. The site "Jesusneverexisted" refers to Rome/Peter/Pope mother church logic

as a 5th century lie - so I suspect that is what the poster is referring to.

[Peace Patriot]

46. The 5th century is when they burned all the other, older gospels, among

them, the Gospel of Mary, a fragment of which survives and was discovered in this century at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, sealed into a jar and buried in a cave 1,500 years ago. (It's the oldest dated gospel and in it Mary Magdalen is clearly the spiritual leader of the Apostles, and is acknowledged by them to have been the only one who really understood his teachings.*) These texts were burned, and the people who believed in them were relentlessly persecuted by the 5th century "fathers." But even more importantly, the 5th century is when bishops first started calling themselves "patriarch," started formulating rigid doctrine, allied themselves with the Roman emperor to enforce rigid doctrine with the sword, and chose only certain gospels as "orthodox" (the so-called "synoptic" gospels--those approved by some of the vilest men the Church as ever called "saints" and "fathers), and, I am convinced that they invented and interpolated the supposed words of Jesus, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church." That statement is so out of character for Jesus--who had zero interest in creating a hierarchical organization--and is so odd and out of place in these four stories of Jesus (what we call "the New Testament") and so well suits the powermongers of the 5th century church, that I am sure they made it up. THAT is the basis on which the Pope purports to speak for God--this supposed lineage back to St. Peter. I think it is bogus, and this damned lie of the 5th century "fathers" has haunted Christianity ever since, and has turned its institutions--especially the Roman one--into oppressive, woman-hating male cabals. That is NOT what Jesus intended. The earliest Christians were egalitarian, and lived communally.

*(For more on this gospel, see Elaine Pagels "The Gnostic Gospels".)

[Raster]

35. Love. Your. Post!

I would be doubled over with laughter at the Da Vinci brou-ha-ha if it were not such a crying shame.

[al bupp]

44. You hit the nail on the head!

But now tell us what you really think.

[GreenArrow]

22. God forbid someone writes a bestelling novel

about the witch hunts and turns it into a major motion picture. Why, it could give people a wrong idea about the Church and turn people away from the faith!

Father Wauck: "The cultural phenomenon is very important and must be taken seriously," Wauck said. "It shows our ignorance over art, history, theology, scripture … and that's not Dan Brown's fault, that's our fault, the fault of the church, of priests and parents who aren't teaching the truth."

Methinks he misses the irony of his statement, particularly the last clause.

[Skidmore]

24. So if the book and movie are so "laughable" and such a "comedy of error",

why don't the just ignore it? It is even more laughable that churches would waste so much energy and resources on a work of fiction.

[rniel]

25. he said "generations of Catholics could be ruined by it"

Damn I sure hope so.

[BrotherBuzz]

26. This Wauck dude wears a cilice...and flosses his teeth!

<snip>

The words “pain is good” are not whispered, said or sung by anyone while using the cilice and discipline (which does not involve kneeling on the floor). Another fabrication.

What Silas does with his whips and chains in Dan Brown’s novel is not simply an exaggeration. It is prohibited in Opus Dei. Moreover, the words “pain is good” are – as far as I can tell - not St. Josemaria’s words, but rather Dan Brown’s. Indeed, one of the many mysteries of The Da Vinci Code is why Brown would bother inventing a rather banal line like “pain is good” and falsely attribute it to St. Josemaria, when there are countless better lines that he really did say. Why not use, for instance, “Blessed be pain. Loved be pain. Sanctified be pain…. Glorified be pain!” (The Way, 208). Now that at least sounds like a decent mantra. In any case, the one thing St. Josemaria didn’t say is “pain is good.” Another fabrication.

There seems to be a general misconception floating around that when Christians practice corporal mortification, they are seeking a satisfying sensation – some kind of spiritual high. This is plain silly. There is nothing here to savor – no more than one savors abstaining from meat on Friday. I’m sorry to let people down, but the practice of corporal mortification is not some ecstatic love-affair with pain; it’s much more prosaic than that. There’s nothing ritualistic about it. We don’t even say, like Silas, “Castigo corpus meum” (Ch. 2) - which, to Dan Brown’s credit, is a fairly apt quotation (1 Corinthians 9:26)… but, alas, not something that members of Opus Dei say. Another fabrication.

After years of wearing the cilice and using the discipline, I can honestly say that it’s frequently experienced as a “nuisance”; a fair bit of the mortification comes from simply taking the trouble to do it. In fact, my impression is that members of Opus Dei have a rather businesslike approach to mortification: it’s not much of an adventure; it’s a job. It’s uncomfortable, and it hurts a bit. End of story. We have other fish to fry. As far as the disciplines are concerned, I’ve spent more time and drawn more blood flossing my teeth.

<more>


http://davincicode-opusdei.com/?p=97

[MadHound]

31. I guess that this true believer in one work of fiction

Doesn't want another work of fiction horning in on his turf:eyes:

The Christian faith, both Protestant and Catholic, is so up in arms about this work of fiction. God forbid that anything or anybody criticize their own work of fiction.

I think that this priest is protesting too much. What Fr. Wauck, can't stand to have a fictional book calling your faith out on it's own fictional base? Afraid that too many people will start asking too many tricky questions?

[knitter4democracy]

32. Opus Dei is a messed up group, not mainstream Christianity.

I haven't read the book, don't care to, and probably won't see the movie. I only know Opus Dei from having taught in a Catholic girls school they were trying to take over. I taught with a religion teacher who was in their ranks (at least was seen attending their meetings and was ultimately fired for teaching their teachings, not what he was supposed to teach), and with two teachers they got fired who were re-hired after a huge blowup over sex ed.

They are rich, they are powerful, and they are crazy. That guy can sue me now, and I won't mind--they don't like the light of day, and a lawsuit would be public.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

33. What is it those pinheads don't understand about the word, "fiction"??

[shadowknows69]

34. As much bitching as there is going on

makes me think the church actually does have something to hide. when does the movie come out again so I can give dan brown and tom hanks my 10 bucks? thanks religious freaks. I was wondering what book to buy next too.

[AX10]

36. Opus Dei is a Satan worshipping Cult.

[leftofthedial]

37. My mythology is bigger than your mythology

we can not tolerate fiction! it is dangerous for people to have thoughts! As soon as I'm done flogging myself and tightening this barbed wire around my thigh, I'm gonna burn Dan Brown at the stake!

And that's the "truth"!

[Tansy_Gold]

39. ". . . any similar offense against Islam or Judaism would. . .

. . . not be tolerated."

Who is he kidding? The Catholic Church itself has committed far worse crimes against Jews, against Muslims, against pagans, against women, against just about everyone except, well, the Catholic Church. And the rules they have to officially -- if not practically -- evict/excommunicate those who don't toe the line are a form of oppression. "Sorry, fella, you're not good enough to be one of us, so you'll just have to go to hell for all eternity."

As others have said, Dan Brown's book is a light, silly adventure tale. It doesn't set itself up as a theology any more than Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon or Anita Diamant's The Red Tent. I read it in an afternoon, picked up on the Baigent anagram in about four seconds, explained the background to a lot of friends who hadn't read HB, HG (or any of the subsequent works by Baigent, Leigh, and/or Lincoln), and had no real interest in seeing the movie. Since I don't like putting any more money in the pockets of the already-wealthy than I have to, I probably won't go to the theatre to see it (unless boyfriend insists) but I may rent the DVD when it comes out, just for curiosity's sake.

It's not that The Da Vinci Code is true or not; as a work of "fiction" it's intrinsically false. But the fact that it resonates with people, the fact that it is making them think of alternatives to their "faith," the fact that it is making them question the received knowledge -- that's what really scares the Church, because as other DUers have said, it threatens their power/money base.

Tansy Gold, who will now go looking for her other Baigent/Leigh/Lincoln books which are still packed in boxes on the front porch even though she's been in the new house for over a month. . . . . . . .

[seemunkee]

40. So how DO you debunk fiction?

Would that be the same as proving faith?

[Arugula Latte]

42. All these religious nuts have the same theme. Bible Fiction: A-okay.

Anybody else's Fiction -- No-no.

Shut the fuck up, you whack jobs at Opus Dei. The planet has suffered from your silly religion for centuries.

[Orsino]

45. Shows that adherents of *any* religion...

...can be blind fools unwilling to acknowledge the difference between fiction and nonfiction.