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The Code is cracked. I&B almost muffs up, but solves the case. Updates


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Daily Mail
Digression
1
Jun 12, 2006
It’s Dan Brown In The Ring
Sad that even educated people are creating this unnecessary hue and cry over the release of The Da Vinci Code, even seeking its ban at one stage (Believe It Or Not, Folks, May 29). Dan Brown, on whose book the film is based, has said nothing detrimental to Christian beliefs. In fact, the novel beautifully glorifies the image of femininity as never before—something essentially required in today’s time. In a masterly way, it projects the feminine as an inseparable part of any religion, age, society, family or community. If anything, Brown deserves applause for his remarkable efforts in underscoring the equality of women.
Dr Sanjay Kapoor, on e-mail

I am surprised that Christians, with their nearly 100 per cent literacy and generally liberal outlook, should have objections to the screening of the film. Is their religious belief so fickle that it would be shattered by seeing a movie? Why are even their religious leaders and wise men panicking? Are they not sure of the teachings that have been handed down to them over generations for two millennia? The first question that comes to any sane mind upon seeing the clergy’s high-profile anti-film campaign is—has the church really been hiding something? Finally, will a married God be a lesser God? Personally, what I feel is he will be a more complete God.
Saroj Chadha, New Delhi

If Hindu scriptures are open for questioning—and I believe they should be—then why not the Bible? Such exercises may lead to digging up some new truths—sometimes even bitter ones. So what?
Anand Vaidya, Leicester, UK

Frankly, since when did this great belief of the Catholic Church in free speech begin? It has the history of having burnt alive Giordano Bruno for proposing that the earth moved around the sun. Didn’t it torture Galileo in the inquisition chamber for his ideas on the solar system? In our times, The Da Vinci Code has spoken about the concept of one God—that of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Of course, this doesn’t prevent violence among them. Good if this great book helps refine our reasoning skills, illuminates and dispels the dark lies, superstition, falsehood, hypocrisy, and perfidy of primitive religious texts that blunt the thinking power of people.
K. Narayanaswamy, Chennai

Trust me, The Da Vinci Code is a below-average Hollywood film mixed with more fiction than facts. We shouldn’t give it any undue importance. Some people always prefer to select provocative subjects for books and cinema so as to earn quick money and fame. The believers of religion should, instead of protesting the work, pray to the Almighty to show these people the right path.
M.B. Baben, Oman

The whole debate over whether or not Jesus married Mary Magdalene is pointless. I would rather remember all the preachings and messages of Jesus than his personal life. Preyoshi Ganguly, Calcutta

Maria Aurora Couto has made some interesting points (No Return to Inquisition, May 29). It nicely highlights how many of us Christians might have ended up overreacting to those "tissue(s) of specious arguments". In the process, we might have portrayed ourselves as an intolerant community. A sad thing to have happened. But to comment that this harks back to the days of Inquisition is in bad taste. It’s not expected from somebody who knows what the Inquisition was all about—the framework within which its powers were exercised. In Goa, the Catholic church is conscious of its bad legacy. Even then, we have our own Dan Browns here. They keep writing a blend of history and fiction, continue to harp on Inquisition every now and then, thus lending ammunition to one’s own opponents.
Francisco Colaco, Margoa
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1/D-4
May 20, 2006
12:01 AM
Dasmunshi's actions I think is more to do with the secular nature of his Govt.
The secularisim as followed by Congress and their allies follows the principle that any protest by a religious or caste community, that can play an important role in voting en bnloc, needs to be pandered to irrespective of how ridiculous their protest may be.
Navdeep Hans
Delhi, India
2/D-14
May 20, 2006
12:02 AM
For two hundred years the christian missionaries, particularly the vatican breeds, went on desecrating hindu gods and goddesses, they invented all sorts of stories to malign the character of Rama, Shiva etc. Now these same people shout about "offense to faith". The wheel has come full circle.

I read the book and saw the movie and found nothing in the movie that was offensive. And it is strange to see christian missionaries arguing about "facts". Forget the code. What about the Bibile? It is a book where both fact and fiction are generously mixed.

A person by the name of Jesus might have existed. But every detail in his life is contradicted in the four gospels. John Remsburg wrote the book "Christ" more than 100 years ago wherein he demonstrated the differences between the gospels on a point by point basis. SO obviously the Bible is a work of fiction(+some facts). Should it not be banned by the same logic?
Ganesan
Nj, USA
3/D-10
May 21, 2006
12:03 AM
There is a book which says that Jesus was not the son of God, that he was not born to a virgin, that he was a prophet alright but only one among the many, that he was not crucified but a look alike. So if there was no crucification, there is no resurrection and ascension-tenets fundamental to christianity.
The book? The Quran. Would people, who are so offended at the idea of a married Jesus, demand a ban on the book that goes against the fundamentals of christianity itself?
Ganesan
Nj, USA
4/D-12
May 21, 2006
12:04 AM
Ganesan, are you equating differnces in various scriptures with commercially-motivated fictionalization of the life of a major religious figure? I am not saying whether it is right or wrong to have Jesus as a subject of a novel, but it is perhaps different from the disagreements between the various Gospels and between the Gospels and the Quran.
Ghulam Y Faruki
New York, United States
5/D-14
May 21, 2006
12:05 AM
"Ganesan, are you equating differnces in various scriptures with commercially-motivated fictionalization of the life of a major religious figure? "

Yes. From a christian standpoint, there is no difference. An offense is an offense.
Ganesan
Nj, USA
6/D-16
May 21, 2006
12:06 AM
Ganesan,

>> "Yes. From a christian standpoint, there is no difference. An offense is an offense."

What kind of an offence are we talking about? A sin? Or a crime? If Luke differs from Mark, has Luke commited a sin or a crime? If so, according to which authority?
Ghulam Y Faruki
New York, United States
7/D-18
May 21, 2006
12:07 AM
Faruki:

" What kind of an offence are we talking about? A sin? Or a crime? If Luke differs from Mark, has Luke commited a sin or a crime? If so, according to which authority? "

First, I did not bring the topic of offense-the bishops did. I just wanted to know if these bishops are offended by something in a mundane book, how much more should they be feel offended about a sacred book which says things that strike at the very root of Christianity? Why is that Quran get a free pass while Da Vinci code gets a beating? If you cannot tolerate the idea of a married Jesus( A jewish prophet was supposed to be married at that time and nothing "insulting" in the idea)then how can you tolerate the idea saying Jesus was not crucified but a look alike which definitely reduces the stature of Jesus? How one becomes an offence and the other does not is beyond me.

As for Luke and Mark-well we know Mark was the first one and Luke(and Matthew) copied wholesale from Mark. So they plagiarised-which is a crime these days- and they told stories and invented stuff that again is a crime for a supposed historian. So yes, Luke did commit a crime of intentionally lying.
Ganesan
Nj, USA
8/D-21
May 21, 2006
12:08 AM
Ganesh, differences in scriptures are theological disputes. Poorly researched and commercially motivated fictionalization of the life of Christ seems to me to be a different kettle of fish. But neither leads to any arrests.
Ghulam Y Faruki
New York, United States
9/D-24
May 21, 2006
12:09 AM
What is a theological dispute? Who is the grandfather of Jesus-heli or jacob?At what hour was Jesus crucified?What was written on the cross of Jesus? Who saw Jesus first after the resurrection?

How does any of these questions become "theological"? It is plain that out of four , atleast three are lying or misrepresenting and there is absolutely no reason to believe any of the four.
Ganesan
Nj, USA
10/D-25
May 21, 2006
12:10 AM
One is a matter of disagreement in someone's theology, whether you believe in that theology or not. The other is a more base and materialistic concoction. I do not think equating the two makes any point, unless one just wanted to disrespect someone else's beliefs.
Ghulam Y Faruki
New York, United States
11/D-28
May 21, 2006
12:11 AM
Pope has criticised the "secularism" of India because there is no freedom for "conversion"!! Hypocrisy at its best. His predecessor went to Latin America and slammed the Protestants as rapacious wolves who are taking sheeps from the catholic fold.
In other words, catholics can convert others to their fold. But others cannot convert catholics to their fold! And this Pope speaks with a straight face about freedom to convert!

Hope this is not a theological question as well!
Ganesan
Nj, USA
12/D-16
May 23, 2006
12:12 AM
naheed...(be Fools be Upon ur Arse)
Dinesh BC
London, United Kingdom
13/D-19
May 23, 2006
12:13 AM
Bible, Koran and Da Vinci are as fictional as each other. To believers they are all factual. Over the BBC heard an interesting arguement (so called scientiifc) ....that there were eyewitness to Jesus and it was documented and then this was equated to Newtons theory....that what was written in document as observed fact was as true as Newtons law. Even if we assume that, there indeed was documentation....of resurrection. Its not the same thing as authenticity of Newtons law. Becuase Newtons laws are repeatable and verifiabl. Thats the test of scientific truth.

Rest of history is fiction. Ditto Da vinci as Koran Ditto Muhamed's legends. Thats why if u dispute Satanic verses, you can as well dispute the heroic victory of Muhammed.

So for the Bishops to insist that Da Vinci agree for putting a fiction sign is show of might!

In any case, even without India, and largely within Christian worlds, the book has grossed 225 million in the weekend. Thats telling, despite all Christian reviewers trying to malign the novel and the movie as much as they could.
Dinesh BC
London, United Kingdom
14/D-22
May 23, 2006
12:14 AM
"The Da Vinci Code" is a thriller, not as good as "Raiders of the Lost Arc", but still very good in parts, and utterly laughable in other parts. It is a bit too long. There is an excellent performance by Ian McKellen. The fantastic central thesis is just that - fantastic. If you don't get too serious about it, you may be able to enjoy this well made movie.
Ghulam Y Faruki
New York, United States
15/D-25
May 23, 2006
12:15 AM
Waiting for the movie to be released in India..

to see if the hype around the product is justified..
shankar
Mumbai, India
16/D-35
May 24, 2006
12:16 AM
why cant we take a movie for what it is,,, a movie?? all said and done this was meant to be an entatiner for viewing once or may be twice and then forgetting it but sadly indian polity didnt think so , and out came a un solicited conttroversy that all but helped put an otherwise shoddy film in the lime light. do i se a secret pact between the congrss and the sony corp.? dan brown,, try cracking this code !
ameetbhuvan
bhubaneswar, India
17/D-39
May 24, 2006
12:17 AM
Once again, India shows how culturally backward it really is. This time, it's the Christians whining about insult to their religiuon, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah. Why on earth can't people in India relegate their religious beliefs to their personal and private domains, instead of demanding that others give a damn? This tribal, unthinking and ignorant allegiance to religious dogma is an anachronism in a country with pretensions to "developed nation" status. It's just a book/movie - if you don't like it, don't watch it.
Rustam Roy
London, UK
18/D-43
May 24, 2006
12:18 AM
Susan Carol Lobo, Professor, Mumbai wrote

"Christians need not see it. It was written by a Christian, and filmed by a Christian and the West hasn't banned it."
Professor ,who told you that The author of Davinci code is a christian?One of his disciples betrayed him.Pls donot make flat statements.by your statement can I conclude that because you made such a comment all the profesors are `MANDOOS
alexander joseph
Munchen, Germany
19/D-39
May 26, 2006
12:19 AM
Mr.Naheed No-Head: " but since Mohammad (saws) & Jesus (PBUH) were messengers of Islam "
What the hell is this "(saws)"?
And how was Jesus the "messenger of Islam" when Islam did not even exist in his (supposed) time? Don't give me that bull-c**p about how Moses preached Islam. It is a known fact that Mohamad copied from the religious lore of Jews and Christians with no compunctions and did a pretty bad hash job of it. Of course Jesus was a "messenger of Islam" - you people will give anyone who disagrees the Salman Rushdie statement - who would want to argue with that!
Adi
XXXXX, USA
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