Opus Dei wants changes to The Da Vinci Code
I read in the above linked article that Opus Dei wants the movie to be "changed so that “there aren't references that would hurt Catholics.”"
The following argument isn't very coherant, but I hope it communicates how I feel about this in some sort of meaningful way.
Give me a break! Since when has anyone ever cared about hurting anyone else??? I see Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses portrayed badly all the time. Has anyone looked at the portrayal of the 'stupid Black Southern Baptist' lately? How about Shamanism? Should I even mention popular media's portrayal of Islam?
High ups in the Catholic Church have been given rather sinister portrayals for quite some time, however, with items such as the Crusades, the Inquisition, and collaboration with Hitler, I think the Church might deserve some of that. I've seen a number of works of fiction portraying Opus Dei and other groups in the Church as ...how to say this... viciously zealous in the service of the Church interests, even if these interests don't serve individuals or the world at large. I don't recall this kind of offensive on other such films and books.
Any time that you have a highly verticalized organization, be it a government, corporation or a church, it is open to corruption and evil. People are going to talk about it. Sorry!
I think that Opus Dei should just grin and bear it, unless they choose to actually demonstrate that the portrayal is completely false.
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4 comments:
I totally agree with you, well said.
We care about things that could hurt people. You just have to watch the news and then you'll see what you get when you hurt other people's religious feelings. It's called 'intolerance', nowadays. And if someone starts talking lies about us, and writing a book about those lies, and shooting a movie about those very same lies, and making LOTS of money about it, can't we talk about it, at least?
Pedro,
I think that it is legitimate to have a dialog. However, I do not think that it is right for Opus Dei to demand that the movie be changed.
I agree, it is important to be tolerant. I think that it is also important to draw a line between the common practitioner and extreme fringe groups. For example, I don't have anything against the average Catholic or Muslim, even though I may not always share their beliefs. However, I do have something against extremists, be they Catholic or Muslim or anything else.
It is also important for indiduals to meet other individuals of differing faiths and ethnicities so that there can be a dialog and understanding. In the end we are all people, and I think that it is the responsibility of each individual to educate himself in tolerance.
It is also important for people to be sophisticated consumers of media: People need to be able to watch a movie or read a book, take it as a work of fiction, and do their own research to determine how much truth to assign any of it.
Danny, I'm sorry to hear that you feel that way. It would seem that you had a very bad individual experience (not unlike the individual who gets raped by Catholic priests).
I was raised Jehovah's Witness. However, I chose to stop being a Jehovah's Witness at age 14. My family still loves me, even though my father and brother are still Jehovah's Witnesses. (My mother is not a Witness and never has been. They married when father wasn't a Witness.) I've not had anyone try to hunt me down or anything scary whatsoever. In my experience, Jehovah's Witnesses are decent people who are trying to save you. Sure, it can be annoying to have someone talk to you about the Bible if you're not interested, but they do have your best interests in mind.
As far as shunning, they take First Corinthians 15:33 (Bad associations spoil useful habits) very seriously. If you have "rejected God" after having learned "the truth", then you are seen as a bad influence. Just as you wouldn't let your children hang out with a drug addict, they choose not to associate with someone who is 'addicted to the Satan's world'. Remember, you are talking about your eternal salvation being on the line!
The worst that happens is that Witnesses who know that I used to be one will ignore me if we meet in public. That's fine. There are plenty of other people in the world.
I've never been held hostage. No one I know has ever been held hostage, and I know a number of people who have stopped being Witnesses.
Despite not choosing to be a Witness now, I am glad that I was raised as a Witness. I think it kept me out of a lot of trouble as a kid. Also, since they interpret "hell" as the common unconscious grave of mankind, I have no fear of hellfire. I believe that I will just fall asleep in death and cease to be resurrected when my time here is done.
I never perceived the Witnesses as a cult, unless you consider their devotion to Jesus as devotion to a cult figure.
As far as blood transfusions, I don't know if I would choose to have one or not. The Witnesses do not take them because of the Biblical prohibition on ingesting blood. That's their choice.
I believe that the Witnesses have their beliefs just like any other religion. Some of them I agree with, some of them I don't.
Again, I've never seen anyone harmed by the Witnesses.
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