The Da Vinci Code, a New York Times Bestseller since it was published in 2003, is used in a class at Bowdoin College called “The Portrait of the Marys,” which emphasizes Mary Magdalene over Mary the Mother of God. If the movie flops at the box office, as current trends indicate it might, the film could become required college viewing as well.
On the 17th of May, the month in which the Catholic Church celebrates Mary, the Virgin mother of Christ, the newly formed Interfaith Coalition Against The Da Vinci Code called for a boycott of the film.
The Coalition has also found one of the most unlikely allies in the fight, the movie critic. The movie has been widely panned after its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Critics have said that it is too long and becomes very boring; two key factors that might cause a decline in audience numbers. Critics have also said that the film will likely hit its goals for the first week or so, but will drop immensely after personal reviews of the movie spread through word of mouth.
Human Life International is boycotting Sony’s Da Vinci Code because it seeks to profit off bigotry, proselytizes Satanism, and undermines the dignity of women,” explained Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, President of Human Life International.
Don Feder of the Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation said his reasoning for the boycott was because “The Da Vinci Code is an insult to my Christian friends and neighbors.”
The film, directed by Ron Howard and staring Tom Hanks, is based on the book of the same name by Dan Brown. The story is about a cryptologist who must find the Holy Grail and protect it from an evil force known as “The Teacher.” The story is filled with blasphemous conspiracy theories, including that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and that she had a child by him and that the Catholic Church covered this up for over two millennia.
“This movie presents a real danger for the average person with minimal knowledge of Church history and Catholic teaching,” argued Patrick Reilly, President of the Cardinal Newman Society. “The Da Vinci Code concerns more than historical truth—it toys with the religious faith of millions, the meaning of life, and man’s salvation. For that reason, most Catholics should go see another movie and avoid financially rewarding Sony Pictures for this one.”
The attacks on Christianity are nothing new. The media has always portrayed Christians as guilt-ridden people who must always push their agenda at all costs. In cinema, the Catholic Church in general has faced attacks including Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ, in which the Devil offers Christ a new life in which he is married to Mary Magdalene. Most recently, Kevin Smith’s movie Dogma caused controversy over the heretical views expressed throughout the film.
“Why is it acceptable to slander Christians generally and Catholics specifically? If Sony profits from anti-Catholic bigotry this May, what can we expect in the future?” asked Fr. Euteneuer.
“Some have rightly argued that The Da Vinci Code offers a unique opportunity for teaching the public about Church history and the Catholic faith. Better late than never! But The Da Vinci Code also represents a threat, because for decades the Church has failed to adequately teach Catholics and the general public about the true history of Christendom and what Catholics believe,” argued Mr. Reilly.
When asked if they thought the boycott would really be successful, Dr. Ted Baehr of Movieguide.org pointed to boycotts of the past that were successful, including the boycott against CBS over the airing of a controversial mini-series about the Reagans.
Austin Ruse of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute stated that he will go see the movie so that he can be completely informed. While he does not believe that the boycott is the best option, he does encourage what he calls a “slow-cott.” A slow-cott would be to see the movie in its third week rather than the opening weekend.
Matthew Murphy is an intern at Accuracy in Academia.
