Fact or Fiction.... or Fact?

With all the hubbub surrounding the release of the movie "The Da Vinci Code" I just had to respond. It seems that many in the Catholic church are up in arms over the film which is based on the runaway bestseller that has topped the charts for months. For those of you who have not read the book, seen an advance preview of the movie or have been living in a cave for quite sometime, the book, in a nutshell is about the search for the truth behind a theory regarding the very foundations of Christian religion. I don't want to give too much away since not everyone will want to have the story ruined before they experience it. But having read the book, and with the intention of seeing the movie, I just had to put in my two cents.

Many in the Church and affiliated organizations are calling for a disclaimer to be added to the beginning of the film that will state that the movie is based on a work of fiction and should not be interpreted as being true. The author of the book, Dan Brown, has stated repeatedly that the book itself if fiction based on historical documentation. That's a non-denial denial if I ever heard one. That's like saying, "I didn't steal the car, I took it without permission or even knowing who the owner was." Many believe that the masses will see this movie and automatically assume this to be the truth, after all, the movies are the end all be all truth behind everything. If that were the case then we should use the Hubble Space Telescope to check out a galaxy far far away and see how Luke Skywalker and company are doing. We should be able to go to some morgue or laboratory in New York and see King Kong's skeleton.

The bottom line is that it is a movie, it is a work of fiction and it doesn't need to be blatantly spelled out for people. From my understanding, organizations in the book, such as the Opus Dei, are not depicted very accurately but then again when have the movies been totally accurate? If we're going for a fair shake for every color, creed and culture then I would ask Steven Speilberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford to record a new introduction to "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" in which they explain that the 'Hindus' depicted in that film are not Hindus at all but members of a small and obscure sect, the Thugees, that died out hundreds of years ago. I can't tell you the number of times I still get asked if I eat snake or monkey brains. The only thing I do use to my advantage is the 'fact' that Mola Ram had the power to take someone's heart out of their chest. Don't mess with me man, your Tiger Style Kung Fu is no match for my Cricket Style Mola Ram!

We are now in such a sensitive society that we can't do or say anything in public without the fear coming from some sector. Say anything and you're bound to offend someone. Who knows, maybe my line about the Thugees will offend someone who is trying to revive the cult. Even if that's the case, I will still stand by what I said. That didn't represent my whole culture yet many people believe it does and many of us have been dealing with that depiction for years now. Who knows... maybe in time it will finally die down. In the meantime what can we do? The movie is coming out on Friday whether we like it or not. I don't think that at this point the studio will cave to the wishes of the protesters out there. They can do little at this point to stave off the onslaught that will undoubtedly occur once the movie opens. What they can do is open up dialogue regarding the characters and situations and storyline. Some priests have said that this movie can serve the purpose of starting dialogue regarding the true tenets of their religion. A very valid case. I used "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" as a means of trying to educate others with misconceptions. In all cases, the only way this education will work is if the 'mis-informed' party is interested in seeking the truth.

Will "The DaVinci Code" offend some people? Most assuredly. Will the movie be a success? Most assuredly.... well... with all this hype aren't you going to go see it? Will it raise questions and spring desire to seek the truth? Most assuredly. Will people actually go out and seek the truth? Not likely... at least not until Dan Brown or another author writes about "The True Da Vinci Code". Will the Thugees come after me? Most assuredly... that's why I'm brushing up on my 'heart extraction' skills!