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THE INSIDE HISTORY OF THE
ISRAEL LOBBY
Former top
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by the Zionist lobby; how Israel bent LBJ, Reagan and Clinton
to its purpose; how Bush's White House has been the West Wing
of the Israeli government; how Washington's revolving doors send
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Council and the Pentagon's Office of Special Plans. For all who want a
true measure of the Lobby's power, the Christisons' 8-page dossier,
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Put a Disclaimer on the Bible, Not the
DaVinci Code
Redeeming
the Magdalene
By JOE ALLEN
Despite the best efforts of the Catholic
Church and the panning of the film by most movie critics, large
crowds packed last weekend's opening of The Da Vinci Code.
According to media reports,
it's had the second-largest opening ever internationally. The
film, directed by Hollywood stalwart Ron Howard, will likely
mirror the success of the international bestselling novel--the
more it's attacked by churches and the right wing, the larger
the crowds that go see it.
The Da Vinci Code stars Tom
Hanks as American professor Robert Langdon, Audrey Tautou as
Paris detective Sophie Neveu and Ian McKellen as a British aristocrat
obsessed with the suppressed history of Christianity.
The film revolves around the
unraveling of "the greatest cover-up in history'--that the
Catholic Church suppressed its knowledge that Jesus Christ was
a mortal man married to Mary Magdalene (slandered as a prostitute
by the Church) and fathered children with her. Jesus wanted Mary,
not Peter, to carry on his work and that the descendents of Mary
and Jesus live among us to this very day, protected by a secret
society known as the Priory of Scion.
These descendents are hunted
by Opus Dei, a secretive order of the Catholic Church that is
also trying to destroy the last remnants of the Church's suppressed
history. These remnants were hidden by the great inventor, artist
and Priory member Leonardo Da Vinci and are known to only a few
chosen successors. One successor is Sophie's grandfather, the
curator of the Louvre, whose murder begins the book and movie.
This well-made thriller closely
follows the book in presenting a story that is a mixture of historical
facts, Medieval myths and real debates about Christianity's history.
It's essentially a treasure hunt for adults with secret codes,
hidden meanings, murder and political intrigue. It's a good read
and fun to watch on the big screen.
The film and the book are also
very liberal in their social attitudes, particularly the treatment
of women in Church history. But, in the end, the book and the
film are really pot-boiler thrillers, so why have they so engendered
the wrath of the Christian churches, particularly, the Catholic
Church?
Most of the mainline churches
have denounced the book and the film. Some have even organized
picketing of the movie, like here in Chicago. Responding to the
attacks on his film, Howard declared, "This is entertainment,
not theology.'
It may be, but it touches upon
issues that the Catholic Church would rather remain closed to
public discussion. The Da Vinci Code reveals to many Christians
things that are not taught in Sunday School: that Christianity
became the religion of the Roman Empire because of the political
needs of the pagan emperor Constantine; that there were many
Gospels that were not included in the Bible because they didn't
serve the needs of the Church; that many of the early followers
of Jesus considered him a prophet but not divine.
The book and movie make you
think about religion, and that's not something that Christianity
encourages. As one Catholic leader put it, "We are not in
the democracy business.'
The Catholic Church, after
all, is a highly discredited institution these days. It's still
involved in an ongoing scandal concerning the cover-up of child
sexual abuse by priests. Its half century of decline in North
America and Europe for a variety of easons--its collaboration
with fascism during the Second World War to being on the wrong
side of every social question--has made it a symbol of evil,
corruption and political reaction in the eyes of many people.
Now comes along a bestselling
book and popular movie implying that the whole foundations of
Christianity are a fraud--and Church leaders went wild. Pope
Benedict even toyed with organizing a boycott of the film.
This isn't surprising. He was
previously the head of the Vatican office of the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith--formerly known as the Inquisition,
responsible for the torture and death of heretics in the Middle
Ages.
But it's the fanatics of the
Opus Dei that have taken the lead in defending the Church and
their order--a member of which is depicted as a killer in the
movie--from The Da Vinci Code. Opus Dei has gone on something
of a charm offensive trying to portray themselves as just everyday
people.
Given that the order was founded
by a Spanish priest loyal to fascist dictator Francisco Franco
and home to some of the world's most unsavory political and military
figures, this a bit of a stretch.
In a country where any critical
discussion of religion is attacked without mercy, anything that
opens up a critical discussion should be welcome. The Da Vinci
Code book has done that, and hopefully the film will widen it.
When asked whether the film
should have a disclaimer saying that it's fiction, McKellen responded,
"I've often thought that the Bible should have a disclaimer
at the front saying, this is fiction.'
It's been many years since
I've heard anything like that on morning TV, if ever.
Joe Allen is a member of Teamsters Local 705
in Chicago. He can be reached at joeallen705@hotmail.com.
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