[Goanet]Cardinal demands that Da Vinci Code be banned?
The Omnipotent God did not ban the Satan. Even Jesus Christ engaged Satan in a discussion and conquered temptation. By trying to ban the Da Vinci Code[ which the author clearly states to be a NOVEL and a work of FICTION] what are we trying to prove 1. That God was/is NOT omnipotent. 2.that He was/is not SMART enough to know what is good for Him and his people. or 3. that Jesus engaged in idle discourse or was delirious after all that fasting in the desert? From: Cecil Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote Dear Mario, Your reaction to my posting on the controversial Da Vinci Code is perfectly logical except for this one sentence.. I think it is also entirely appropriate for the Church or its members to have the right to freely criticize or praise these books and movies, write articles and books of criticism, make speeches, etc. without being criticized for doing so, as part of free speech and public discourse. This is a contradiction. You mean we cannot criticise the critics? That is a restriction of our Freedom of Speech isn't it? Sure everyone should be allowed to criticise anything, but their criticism in turn should not be exempt from further criticism either. Fair enough? Cecil If none of the above three questions make sense to you, then read the Da Vinci Code and overcome the temptation to believe that a novel is history or religion any more that Parrikar's VCD was. We have survived the VCD, Parrikar and his BJP did not. Viva Goa, Miguel Man likes the forbidden. The only error that God made was that he did not ban eating of the Serpent; otherwise Adam would have eaten it ,too. Mark Twain.
Re: [Goanet]Cardinal demands that Da Vinci Code be banned?
--- Cecil Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Mario, Your reaction to my posting on the controversial Da Vinci Code is perfectly logical except for this one sentence.. I think it is also entirely appropriate for the Church or its members to have the right to freely criticize or praise these books and movies, write articles and books of criticism, make speeches, etc. without being criticized for doing so, as part of free speech and public discourse. This is a contradiction. You mean we cannot criticise the critics? That is a restriction of our Freedom of Speech isn't it? Sure everyone should be allowed to criticise anything, but their criticism in turn should not be exempt from further criticism either. Fair enough? Mario replies: Fair enough. I did not go far enough in my comment. In my opinion, it is perfectly OK to criticize the critics, and vice versa, and go round and around, but in the interests of shedding light instead of heat, criticize the specific points that they have made, which could include a demand that they be specific. I object to simply attacking someone because they had the nerve to criticize something. The latter tends to chill free speech, while the former does not.
Re: [Goanet]Cardinal demands that Da Vinci Code be banned?
Dear Mario, Your reaction to my posting on the controversial Da Vinci Code is perfectly logical except for this one sentence.. I think it is also entirely appropriate for the Church or its members to have the right to freely criticize or praise these books and movies, write articles and books of criticism, make speeches, etc. without being criticized for doing so, as part of free speech and public discourse. This is a contradiction. You mean we cannot criticise the critics? That is a restriction of our Freedom of Speech isn't it? Sure everyone should be allowed to criticise anything, but their criticism in turn should not be exempt from further criticism either. Fair enough? Cecil
[Goanet]Cardinal demands that Da Vinci Code be banned?
Hello Cecil, Well said. Its been best seller in Saudi too, has sold more copies in a short span than most other writers. I too am curious to read it, but this matter of banning is absurd. Will a ban put the book in the dump yard? Many other books have gone thru this farce and attained the best sellers listings. The sales will multiply, and Dan Brown will laugh all the way to the Bank. Is our Christian faith so weak that we follow in the footsteps of those, who immediately issue death to the writers who blaspheme on their religions? People with stronger faith will never sway, and that too cause of one book. If ban is issued, who knows what will happen in future, who will write what and make millions due to this banning issue. There have been many other books written on similar subjects, one has just to check the internet for them, and they will be found. Jesus is the light and He will shine forth, and No human can defame Him as we are just His creations. Cheers Jerry Fernandes Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 15:12:46 +0530 From: Cecil Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: goanet@goanet.org, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Goanet]Cardinal demands that Da Vinci Code be banned? Reply-To: goanet@goanet.org The e-mail below was sent to me from [EMAIL PROTECTED] and is supposedly from Joseph Dias, General Secretary, The CSF. I think that is a paranoid reaction against an interesting work of fiction. I totally disagree with the opinions expressed below. Does anyone know if Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone is a serious contender for the Papacy? Looks like The All India Catholic Union (AICU) vice president and BCS president, Mr. Dolphy D'souza, is the only one talking any sense. Cecil
Re: [Goanet]Cardinal demands that Da Vinci Code be banned?
--- Cecil Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The e-mail below was sent to me from [EMAIL PROTECTED] and is supposedly from Joseph Dias, General Secretary, The CSF. I think that is a paranoid reaction against an interesting work of fiction. I totally disagree with the opinions expressed below. Does anyone know if Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone is a serious contender for the Papacy? Looks like The All India Catholic Union (AICU) vice president and BCS president, Mr. Dolphy D'souza, is the only one talking any sense. Mario opines: Cecil, I agree with you that the call for Governments to censor this book and movie are wrong and would be a violation of the freedom of speech. However, while I believe that the Catholic Church should be confident and mature enough to weather movies like Sins and The DaVinci Code I think it is also entirely appropriate for the Church or its members to have the right to freely criticize or praise these books and movies, write articles and books of criticism, make speeches, etc. without being criticized for doing so, as part of free speech and public discourse. That is how the checks and balances are supposed to work in a free society. It is Governments that need to stay out of the fray.
Re: [Goanet]Cardinal demands that Da Vinci Code be banned?
Cecil, Thanks for informing us about this movie. A fictional movie on what is quite possibly a fictional concept (aka christianity) - I dont see anything wrong with it! I should also be thankful to the Christian Secular Taliban Forum for publicising this movie as well. I did not even know it was coming out, but I will now make it a point to watch it. BTW it looks like Joseph Dias was the same individual who tried to ban the movie Sins. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1041325.cms --- Cecil Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The e-mail below was sent to me from [EMAIL PROTECTED] and is supposedly from Joseph Dias, General Secretary, The CSF. I think that is a paranoid reaction against an interesting work of fiction. I totally disagree with the opinions expressed below. Cecil - Full text of message from Joseph Dias below. Please do not blindly forward such narrow minded opinions. How can you expect us not to react to Da Vinci Code ? Now they are making it into a movie Our conscience love for the Church does not permit us to remain quiet. Request : Pl let me have your feedback on - The CSF Urges Church Action on Da Vinci Code - Movie to be released soon Follow-up on top Vatican Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone's criticism today - 18/03/05 The Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) has welcomes top Vatican Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone's criticism of the international bestseller, Dan Brown's Da Vince Code. The Cardinal known to be a close friend of the Pope and also a contender for the top post, becomes the highest-ranking clergyman to speak out against the fiction novel. Columbia Pictures of Sony Pictures Entertainment have secured the much sought after motion picture rights to Dan Brown's best-selling thriller and the book is soon to be made into a
[Goanet]Cardinal demands that Da Vinci Code be banned?
The e-mail below was sent to me from [EMAIL PROTECTED] and is supposedly from Joseph Dias, General Secretary, The CSF. I think that is a paranoid reaction against an interesting work of fiction. I totally disagree with the opinions expressed below. Does anyone know if Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone is a serious contender for the Papacy? Looks like The All India Catholic Union (AICU) vice president and BCS president, Mr. Dolphy D'souza, is the only one talking any sense. Cecil - Full text of message from Joseph Dias below. Please do not blindly forward such narrow minded opinions. How can you expect us not to react to Da Vinci Code ? Now they are making it into a movie Our conscience love for the Church does not permit us to remain quiet. Request : Pl let me have your feedback on - The CSF Urges Church Action on Da Vinci Code - Movie to be released soon Follow-up on top Vatican Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone's criticism today - 18/03/05 The Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) has welcomes top Vatican Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone's criticism of the international bestseller, Dan Brown's Da Vince Code. The Cardinal known to be a close friend of the Pope and also a contender for the top post, becomes the highest-ranking clergyman to speak out against the fiction novel. Columbia Pictures of Sony Pictures Entertainment have secured the much sought after motion picture rights to Dan Brown's best-selling thriller and the book is soon to be made into a film, starring Tom Hanks, Jean Reno, Audrey Tautou, etc. directed by Ron Howard and the script written by Akiva Goldsman. The CSF, which objected to the film, SINS, says that the Da Vinci Code is even worse, as it hits at the basic tenets of Christianity - the divinity and person of Christ. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, while labeling Da Vinci Code as a pack of 'cheap lies', has also called for Catholic bookstores to take the novel off its shelves. The CSF calls upon the Church to take a stand on such matters, vital to the faith and urge the faithful to refrain from seeing the movie or read the book. If the Catholic Church in Mumbai, could ask the community not to attend the Benny Hinn crusade, which could be debated, surely the Church is duty bound to do more and prevent Catholics from exposure to such untruths, doing them grave harm. To quote Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone - I think when faced with affirmations that are so shameful and unfounded, readers who have even a minimum of basic Christian formation should react. The CSF has urged various Church organizations, besides those of other secular and religious faiths, to lodge their protests against the film, slated to be released worldwide, including India soon. The CSF presented a memorandum to the recent Governor of Maharashtra, Mohammed Fazal, calling for banning the author from entering the country to promote the book. He has referred the issue to the Union Government for perusal and action. The book has also been banned by certain nations, like Lebanon, following protests by the local Catholic Churches. The CSF is writing to various religious and secular forums to stem such trivialization and commercialization of religions, with a profit motive. The CSF is pained at the reaction of the Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS), which has refused to speak against the Da Vinci Code. The All India Catholic Union (AICU) vice president and BCS president, Mr. Dolphy D'souza is reported to have said to the media that raising the issue is a mere controversial gimmick. There should have been a debate on the issue so that it could have been rationalized. - Indian Express, 18th September, 2004. In the Times of India (20th September, 2004), Mr Dolphy D'souza is again quoted as saying ' The book is a work of fiction and not likely to shake the faith of any Christian '. It is shocking since such a liberal stand, is not only anti-Catholic, but also leads to erosion of credibility for such organizations. It is hoped that now with the Vatican having spoken so clearly on the subject, there will be a re-thinking and the entire Church will speak with one voice on the issue. The Da Vinci Code is offensive, as it hit at certain basic foundations of the religion, by asserting that - Jesus was man not God, Jesus was married, the Church was sexist and suppressed the true gospels, etc. Under the guise of it being fiction, the writer, Dan Brown has gone great lengths, to falsify art, history and religion, presenting these falsehoods as the truth, by quoting 'scholars' and dubious sources. The CSF says that there is nothing to rationalize and the fact that the book is merely labeled fiction, does not give the writer, any license to abuse a religion, much so Christianity which is a docile faith. Every right carries with it a duty or responsibility, if society is to be protected from lawlessness and the rights of one individual is not to conflict with those of a group of others. Religion in India, unlike
