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The media furor surrounding
The Da Vinci Code has, not surprisingly, deteriorated into the usual
story line – Hollywood vs. the Church, freedom-of-expression fundamentalists
vs. religious fundamentalists. We all know the script. There are the
Defenders-of-the-Faith, the conservative Christians and traditional
Catholics protecting the sanctity of their religion against the heresy and
blasphemous premises of the film (and book) – that Jesus married Mary
Magdalene and they had a child creating a blood line that still exists. Of
course, the defenders-of-the-faith express outrage at the “cultural elites’”
ongoing disrespect of Christianity and call for bans and boycotts.
On the other side are the
Freedom-of-Expression-Purists who are equally outraged that anyone might
want to force their beliefs on others or want to curtail artistic rights.
They are dumbfounded at the inability of people to see the difference
between fact and fiction. In the end, isn’t this a
tiresome and banal battle between these two outraged “victim” groups?
It’s a shame, because
embedded in this polarity there’s an enlightening conversation waiting to be
had. But maybe it’s not too late. Maybe there still time before the
attendance numbers are counted to bring to the table the important
questions; to invite the millions of people – religious and secular – who
did or didn’t see or read The Da Vinci Code – to the same table.
What does the popularity of
The Da Vinci Code say about our desire for meaning and spiritual
connection, our views about organized religion, our feelings about family,
our understanding of divinity and our fears and even more important our
hopes about religion? Wouldn’t it be more
religiously appropriate for outraged Christians to be a little more secure
about their faith? Is it really possible that a fictional crime thriller
could undermine a 2000 year old religion and throw its followers into a
crisis of faith? Is there even something spiritually profound that The
Da Vinci Code may be evoking? Perhaps they ought to ask, “How would
Jesus react” to millions of people engaged by the thought that Jesus was
married and fathered a child? Might we discover Jesus saying something like
“Your deep desire and enjoyment in seeing me married and with a child
reflects your ever deeper longing for me to be more real in your life and
your yearning for the unconditional love of a father and a mother. Let’s
talk”.
Wouldn’t it be more
intellectually sophisticated for our outraged freedom-zealots to be a little
less self righteous about how a movie (even if it’s based on a novel) that
accuses the Church of a misogynist conspiracy held together by a murderous
group of conservative Roman Catholics might be a bit offensive to people of
good will and deep faith? Wouldn’t it be more productive to reflect on the
more challenging emotional truth the popularity of The Da Vinci Code
may be evoking? Perhaps they ought to use their power of deconstruction to
think about why we so enjoy and are entertained by challenging our inherited
traditions and undermining our established institutions. Perhaps we would
discover that underlying all of our artistic efforts is an ever deeper
desire to genuinely believe. As the players in this
predictable controversy continue perpetrating their culture war, perhaps we
who simply enjoyed The Da Vinci Code and those of us who simply
refused to see it can get together, admit that we’re tired of the same old
polarities, and start a new conversation. Maybe that would unlock an even
more powerful code. To join the conversation at Spirit and Story Talk, click here.To access the Spirit and Story Archive, click here.To receive the Spirit and Story column by email on a regular basis, complete the box below: |
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