Copernicus III: The Da Vinci Code

In their latest attack on the First Amendment, it seems the Roman Catholic heirarchy is taking notes from liberals on the Second Amendment. Like the liberal claim that the right to keep and bear arms is only for the militia, perhaps Catholics are stating the freedom of speech and of the press exists only for religious bodies. From Reuters:

In the latest Vatican broadside against “The Da Vinci Code”, a leading cardinal says Christians should respond to the book and film with legal action because both offend Christ and the Church he founded.

If people actually start to win such suits, I’ll expect a major attack on South Park next.

posted May 7th, 2006 by Stephen Gordon
  • http://www.caucusscandal.com Galileo Galilei

    The Catholic Church should talk!

    I didn’t get a fair trial either.

    For example, there were no jurors!

    They didn’t tell me what the charges were. They said; “You know full well what the charges are, Galileo!”

    They slapped me with an 8-count indictment, including count # 2, which said the preface was in the wrong font.

    Its a good thing John Milton came to visit me while under house arrest in 1638. Milton decided freedom of the press was a good thing, and wrote a book about it, AREOPAGITICA, in 1644.

    http://www.florin.ms/milton.html

  • Sandra Kallander

    I’m a legal assistant who worked on the DA VINCI CODE (that means I filed contracts and know some stuff I can’t tell you, but which isn’t that interesting anyway). I haven’t seen it, yet.

    I notice that big movies are targeted for their ability to piggy-back press coverage for a cause. The studio spends millions of dollars to build publicity, and groups take the oportunity to use that machinery to tout their own cause.

    Often, the connection is as flimsy as you would expect from people who haven’t seen the movie.

    If it was really about the content of a movie, it’s simple to tell your friends not to see it. But if you want the publicity, you must attack it in a press-worthy manner.

    What the cardinal quoted really wants, is respect for his faith. He doesn’t speak for everyone. Frankly, I think he should ignore people who trash his faith unless he can discuss it with them one on one, or he can try reaching out in other positive ways. You can’t force respect.

  • Terry

    You can’t force respect nor can you force morality. These have to come individually from the mind and heart. Thankfully the gov’t still doesn’t have control over these.

  • Stephen Gordon

    LMAO GG

  • http://www.lpgeorgia.com Trevor Southerland

    I won’t be suing, but I’ll take the advice of the Vatican and not see the film. I don’t like wasting $9.

  • Scott

    I love this. Only by showing the hippocracy of the system can we bring reform. Everyone knows this case will never go anywhere, but it will make people think twice before passing laws banning “hate speach” or trying to censor cartoons deemed offensive to muslims, because it may end up being used by the religious right…

  • jeffrey smith

    Presuming the film follows the book in depicting Opus Dei as a criminal organization–as opposed to depicting it as the extreme authoritarian organization which it seems to be in fact–libel suits would be in order. But apparently this cardinal isn’t calling for that, and anyway it’s a bit late in the day as far as the DaVinci code.

    Not that I have any intention of seeing the movie. I tried to read the book, and got disgusted with it on all levels. Not only did he take most of it from Bagient and Leigh, the writing is atrocious. At least B&L knew how to write.

  • http://www.caucusscandal.com Giordano Bruno

    Copernicus and Galileo had it lucky.

    I was burned at the stake in 1600, and they even clamped my mouth shut!

    They muffled me.

    PS

    Angels and Demons is better than the Da Vinci Code.

  • http://www.caucusscandal.com Socrates

    At least I had 501 jurors.

    TRIVIA

    What do Galileo, Jesus, and Socrates have in common???

    These are the three most famous trials in history, and all were victimless crimes.

    That should tell you something about human nature.

  • http://www.unionsbuerger.de unionsbuerger

    Dieser Film hat die Kirche Saint Sulpice in Paris gefüllt. Eine gute Nachricht für unseren Papst.