again its the ppl's choice not the church. this makes it like the church controls the country when its not. if they think this movie is evil, i think they should look at theirselves first and cleanse before they target on others who are innocent and not knowing which is right or wrong. besides, even the author admited that it is fiction. being a religious person, i dont believe in this fiction movie at all. but i think others have the right to believe whatever they want. if they want to stop practicing their own religion, its their choice and not the churche's choice. this is becoming an extremist government. where is the freedom of choice that the bible is supposed to be teaching??

Full agreed !

http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/reviews.html

According to the review:
WOW...
Blockbuster perfection. An exhilaratingly brainy thriller.
Not since the advent of Harry Potter has an author so flagrantly delighted in leading readers on a breathless chase and coaxing them through hoops.
--Janet Maslin
THE NEW YORK TIMES

A new master of smart thrills.
A pulse-quickening, brain-teasing adventure.
--PEOPLE MAGAZINE

This is pure genius.
Dan Brown has to be one of the best, smartest,
and most accomplished writers in the country.
--NELSON DEMILLE

Thriller writing doesn't get any better than this.
--DENVER POST

This masterpiece should be mandatory reading.
Brown solidifies his reputation as one of the most skilled thriller writers on the planet with his best book yet, a compelling blend of history and page-turning suspense. Highly recommended.
--LIBRARY JOURNAL

Exceedingly clever.
Both fascinating and fun...a considerable achievement.
--WASHINGTON POST

A heart-racing thriller.
This story has so many twists -- all satisfying, most unexpected -- that it would be a sin to reveal too much of the plot in advance. Let's just say that if this novel doesn't get your pulse racing, you need to check your meds.
--SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

A thundering, tantalizing, extremely smart fun ride.
Brown doesn't slow down his tremendously powerful narrative engine despite transmitting several doctorates' worth of fascinating history and learned speculation, "The Da Vinci Code" is brain candy of the highest quality -- which is a reviewer's code meaning, ''Put this on top of your pile.''
-- CHICAGO TRIBUNE

One hell of a read.
A gripping mix of murder and myth.
--NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

An international chase...a quest...codes within codes. Brown's novel is a pager-turner... and you'll never view "The Last Supper" the same way again. Favorable review.
--THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

Dan Brown's conspiracy-theory thriller is the pulp must-read of the season...an ingenious mixture of paranoid thriller, art history lesson, chase story, religious symbology lecture and anti-clerical screed, and it's the most fun you can have between the sort of covers that aren't 300-count Egyptian cotton.
--SALON.COM

One of the finest mysteries I've ever read.
An amazing tale with enigma piled on secrets stacked on riddles.
--New York Times bestselling author, CLIVE CUSSLER

Far more than the average thriller.
Intellectually satisfying...page-turning suspense.
--HOUSTON CHRONICLE

I would never have believed that this is my kind of thriller, but I'm going to tell you something--the more I read, the more I had to read. In The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown has built a world that is rich in fascinating detail, and I could not get enough of it.
Mr. Brown, I am your fan.
--New York Times bestselling author, ROBERT CRAIS

The Da Vinci Code sets the hook-of-all-hooks.
This novel takes off down a road that is as eye-opening as it is page-turning. You simply cannot put it down. Thriller readers everywhere will soon realize Dan Brown is a master.
--New York Times bestselling author, VINCE FLYNN

Brown has assembled a whopper of a plot that will please
conspiracy buffs and thriller addicts alike.
--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

A dazzling performance by Brown...a delightful display of erudition.
Brown delivers a crackling, intricate mystery, complete with breathtaking escapes and several stunning surprises. It's challenging, exciting, and a whole lot more. The race across France and the United Kingdom leads us on a fascinating journey through a covert, enigmatic world revealed through a seemingly endless collection of codes, puzzles, anagrams, cryptograms, and messages hidden not only in Da Vinci's art but in things we think we know well.
--BOSTON GLOBE

Dan Brown is my new must-read. I loved this book.
The Da Vinci Code is fascinating and absorbing--perfect for history buffs, conspiracy nuts, puzzle lovers, or anyone who appreciates a great, riveting read.
--New York Times bestselling author, HARLAN COBEN

A stunning new thriller that will provoke much debate.
Dan Brown's extensive research on secret societies and symbology adds intellectual depth to this page-turning thriller. His surprising revelations on Da Vinci's penchant for hiding codes in his paintings will lead the reader to search out renowned artistic icons as The Mona Lisa, The Madonna of the Rocks and The Last Supper. The Last Supper holds the most astonishing coded secrets of all and, after reading The Da Vinci Code, you will never see this famous painting in quite the same way again.
--BOOKREPORTER.COM

Some readers spurn genre fiction, often due to a misguided belief that mass entertainment is always mindless dribble. For those of you who know better, The Da Vinci Code will make you feel justifiably smug. It's that rare book that manages to both entertain and educate simultaneously. Dan Brown has managed to outdo the best of Robert Ludlum in this byzantine....and engrossing story. There is enough medieval history to please any historian and enough action to satisfy a hardcore thrill-seeker. Combined, it makes The Da Vinci Code an early favorite for thriller of the year.
--ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS


Secret fanatical religious sects...codes hidden in Da Vinci's works...intelligent writing...one whopping fabulous read.
--NEW HAVEN REGISTER


Brainy stuff. The standard car chases and intrigues are leavened with Crichtonesque discursions on medieval iconography, the formation of the early Christian church, and history's suppression of the "sacred feminine."
--ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Enthralling....
Dan Brown masterfully concocts an intelligent and lucid thriller that marries the gusto of an international murder mystery with a collection of fascinating esoteria culled from 2,000 years of Western history. Brown's hero and heroine embark on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of culture's greatest mysteries--from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smile to the secret of the Holy Grail... rich food for thought.
-AMAZON.COM

Taut and engaging.
From the explosive start to the explosive finish,
The Da Vinci Code is one satisfying thriller.
--MOSTLYFICTION.COM

The Da Vinci Code shines--brilliantly--in its exploration of cryptology, particularly the encoding methods developed by Leonardo Da Vinci, whose art and manuscripts are packed with mystifying symbolism and quirky codes.
-WIRED MAGAZINE

Brown's intricate plot delivers more satisfying twists than a licorice factory.
--BOOKLIST

A blockbuster with brains.
The Da Vinci Code is a thrill-a-minute adventure as well as an educational tour of France and England, symbology 101, riddle-breaking for dummies, the magical powers of anagrams, numerical codes to die for and navigational factoids.
--THE OTTAWA CITIZEN

Brown's scholarship never slows down the sizzling action [of this] absorbing new novel...a labyrinth of intricate schemes, sidetracks, and deceptions.
--BOOKPAGE

Moves at the speed of sound from the first page and never stalls. The Da Vinci Code is full of mystery, betrayal, suspense and intelligence.
--LAURINBURG EXCHANGE

A multi-layered, highly sophisticated tale.
Readers with advanced degrees in comparative religion, European history, symbology, art and cryptology, will have a grand old time with Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. The rest of us stumble through, grasping at this clue and that, gasping in surprise at one or another shadow around the next corner, and likewise have a grand old time. The novel is maddening, scary, complicated and almost impossible to put down once you're hooked.
--LOUISVILLE VOICE-TRIBUNE

A mystery that challenges our intelligence, and enough believable twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown does all this just right. This is how a mystery thriller should be written. So grab this book, sit back, and prepare to be entertained and educated. It's well-written, it's intelligent, and best of all, it's fun.
-- REVIEWS OF BOOKS.COM

Calling Dan Brown's latest novel, The Da Vinci Code, simply a "smart suspense novel" is like referring to Harvard as simply a pretty good university. Incorporating massive amounts of historical and academic information is no easy task, but Brown does it in such a seamless fashion that it is almost invisible within the story's natural narrative. Definitely the mark of a master craftsmanÉ
--THE MYSTERY READER

Fast-paced, intricately plotted.
A skillfully written read, complete with secret codes, anagrams, elaborate technology, pagan sex orgies, sudden reversals of fortune, age-old conspiracies, pre-Christian fertility cults, the Knights Templar, Gnostic Gospels, corrupt cops, brutal murders, feminist ÒtheoryÓ, and frantic midnight rides through Paris.
--NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER

You'll love this.
The Da Vinci Code has enough twists and turns in a short amount of time to give you over to gasping "More, Dan, more!" It is thrilling that anyone could contrive such an adventure.
--THE SEATTLE TIMES

This season's most spectacular read...
blends a high-speed thriller with a spellbinding re-examination of 2,000 years of religious history. Hard to put down, and impossible to forget. The chief delights of "The Da Vinci Code" are the endless twists and turns the story takes, from the streets of Paris to the dark, airless cathedrals of England. In the end, Langdon is left alone to solve the final mystery. Look closely at the epilogue, in which Langdon returns to where everything began, and determine if the most viable truth is the one gained from personal discovery.
--THE ATLANTA JOURNAL

Extraordinary reading.
This books sparkles with energy and adventure. It grabs hold of your imagination and answers all riddles in the end. You will never look at a painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci the same way again.
--NASHVILLE CITY PAPER

A real page-turner....
Readers are scrutinizing Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" and "Mona Lisa" for secret codes just as Beatles fans once hunted for "Paul is Dead" clues on album covers.
--BOSTON HERALD

Word of mouth has pushed this top-notch thriller onto best-seller lists throughout the country, and the word is right. The intelligent, deftly plotted story is the best that the thriller genre can offer. "The Da Vinci Code" is chockablock with fascinating historical detail (the true meaning of the pentagram, for example) that doesn't slow the action but draws the reader into the story. The "code" and all the clues are a true joy, giving this thriller the extra stuff that raises it above being just another spy and chase story.
--KATHI KIRBY, POWELL'S CITY OF BOOKS
(courtesy of The Portland Tribune)

I have already seen the controversial Dan Brown film : Da Vinci Code! Quite boring full of narration!

Our teacher had lend me a copy of a pirated version straight out of Quiapo !

According to some parish priest and lay people that we do not have to always follow the trend and modernity !

Its just a movie flips need to chill out

and i suppose the catholic church suppose that the whole of philippines are catholic and that it needs to not follow therefore the "trend", and that we should follow the "catholic" trend instead?

don't get me wrong I think the catholics and other christian groups should do whatever to their lay to stop them from watching it if they want, but to ban it to ALL people is just theocratic tyranny.

Marcos is gone, let the bishops not follow his path. This is a republic not a parish.

Tell also that to all the religious groups all over the country ! Like El Shaddai which like to politicized and Iglesia Ni Cristo who do block voting and keep on attacking on the Catholic Church But according to their teaching that Christ is a human and mortal beings while Felix Manalo is the sugo sa huling panahon.


From Philippine Star:
A pro-administration lawmaker chided yesterday Chairwoman Ma. Consoliza Laguardia of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) for failing to curb "indecency, lewdness and vulgarity" on television.

In a statement, Camarines Sur Rep. Felix Alfelor said Laguardia had earlier admitted that the MTRCB only relies on complaints from televiewers against entertainers wearing skimpy and scanty dresses.

"Even an elementary student could easily know what is bastos (vulgar) on television," he said. "A public official who does not know the function of her office is dangerous to our society."

Alfelor said Laguardia’s line of reasoning is not suited for an MTRCB chairwoman since it gives more motivation to showbiz personalities to abuse the medium of television.

"(They) perform like wild animals that is now quickly destroying the moral fiber of our country." he said.

Alfelor said by Laguardia’s argument that the MTRCB would not do anything as long as there are no complaints would be "in effect doing nothing," when they are being paid by the taxpayers.

The agency should take the lead in protecting the welfare of televiewers, especially children, he added.

Alfelor said Laguardia and the MTRCB board members should undergo soul-searching and review the law creating the body.

At present, television is a "poisonous mountain of garbage" awaiting to explode like a ticking bomb threatening to destroy he country"s moral fiber, Alfelor said. — Paolo Romero

so you're attacking the teachings of my religion because the truth is that catholics still run the damn country?

and how does block voting have anything to do with this? even if the Iglesia ni Cristo themselves try to lobby for the banning of this movie (not that they would, because I don't think alot of us think we're above the republic) I'd criticize them. but the truth, the TRUTH is this: this is backwardism of theocracy minded Catholics. Period.

My ancestors didn't fight and die for a country to be a republic, or should i say a kingdom, of priests. it already happened in Spanish friarocracy.

And don't throw Bro. Manalo's name because he doesn't have anything to do with this.

Both saw the movie and read the book. No big deal. I think people are way over reacting.


Not all lies.... A lot of historical fact in play there. Besides if someones faith is so easily threatened that they fear a movie whats that say about the faith? I am a Navy vet. The Navy in many ways is my faith. There have been movies that make fun of the USA's finest. No big deal its a movie.

El Shadai, Charismatic Movement, 700 club are created by the Catholic Church and they are connected and controlled by the Vatican.

Have you of the Church of Scientology which has the catholic cross as their symbol? I am not sure if this is a catholic institution. Famous Scientology members are Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Isaac Hayes, etc... This is the fastest growing religion of the 21st century.

http://altreligion.about.com/gi/dynamic/of...cientology.org/

do they still believe in God there?

i've just started reading the book when finals hit so i kinda in the mid of it. the book is good.

i've watched several dozen of documentaries on it as well, the problem with brown's claim is that he took some loose finds and tried to link them as if they have solid proof or even solid evidence of a planned conspiracy.

offtopic but to martin, El Shaddai is actually accepted by the Vatican now? as a official "catholic sect"?

El Shaddai is said to be a Catholic group.

Well, Do the MTRCB had its verdict?

It is a good book, thought provoking to say the least. Its too bad some people need to get so caught up in the hoopla about fiction. They take everything to a personal level. God is about faith.. Religion is about dogma.

If you want to buy their are a lot of pirated DVD in Quiapo and the Muslim traders are happy that sales are up!

MOSCOW, Russia (UPI) -- The Russian Orthodox Church has condemned the upcoming movie 'The Da Vinci Code' because it says the novel on which the movie was based is blasphemous.

Mikhail Dudko, a spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchate, said Wednesday that it would be a mistake to regard Dan Brown`s international best-seller and its movie version merely as works of art, RIA Novosti reported.

'We, people of faith, are used to paying a lot of attention to words and images, and we know just how powerful they can be,\' Dudko said.

'The sheer assumption that Christ could have had children out of wedlock is insulting to believers,' Dudko said, referring to a central point of the novel.

However, leaders of Russia`s Roman Catholic community do not oppose the movie so strongly.

This is just a thriller. But associating the events (described in the book]) with historical (events) is nonsense. We should remember which genre the work belongs to,' Igor Kovalevsky, the head of the Conference of Russian Catholic Bishops, said.
See the link:
http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=103802

Scientology believes in a supreme being which is probably God. I have a friend who joined the Church of Scientology and he told me that Scientology is a combination of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buhdism.

How about their opinion on the Da Vinci Code?

I think that that is why so many Filipinos are shifting to Scientology because of the Da Vinci Code, Judas Gospels, Catholic Church sex scandals, etc... but Scientology is not against any religion and does not mock any religion.

That is bad!

Here is a site which disputes Da Vinci Code:

http://www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com/the-holy-grail.html

Some of the facts:


Mary Magdalene became secretly known by many pseudonyms - the Chalice, the Holy Grail..."

Sir Leigh Teabing, The Da Vinci Code p.254


The Holy Grail?
Consider This: Before the twelfth century, there were no legends about the grail; by the thirteenth century the tale had become intertwined with Arthurian legends. The characters from Chretien's story developed into supposed historical figures from the Gospels, and the grail had become the Holy Grail.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The word Sangreal derives from San Greal - or Holy Grail. But in the most ancient form, the word Sangreal was divided in a different spot.. Sang Real .. literally mean[ing] Royal Blood."

Sir Leigh Teabing, The Da Vinci Code p.250


The Holy Grail?
Consider This: There is no historical evidence to connect the ancient female symbol of the chalice to the Holy Grail, since the grail's concept can only be traced back as far as the twelfth century. The re-division of the word Sangreal into Sang Real or Royal Blood appears to be completely manufactured.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Last Supper practically shouts at the viewer that Jesus and Magdalene were a pair."

Sir Leigh Teabing, The Da Vinci Code p.244


The Holy Grail?
Consider This: The concept that the Last Supper shows Mary Magdalene is rejected by art historians. Leonardo's portrayal of men in a soft, almost effeminate way is well known and is considered a typical representation of young men for that time period.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in the novel are accurate"

Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code


The Holy Grail?
Consider This: Author Dan Brown's research into the various historical references are deeply flawed - to the extent that all major points made in the book must be viewed with suspicion.


Watch the video "The Holy Grail"
High Band, Low Band



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you able to put the theory about the Holy Grail in the Da Vinci Code into question? Would you like to know more about the significance of the real Last Supper as it is described in the Gospels? (Matthew 26:17-30) Would you like to discover the true Jesus, the host of this meal, for yourself?


"Jesus was the original feminist. He intended for the future of the church to be in the hands of Mary Magdalene"

Sir Leigh Teabing, The Da Vinci Code p.248


Was Jesus married?

Consider This: If Jesus had married Mary Magdalene, we would expect to see some type of her veneration in the history of the early church as like we see for Mary, Jesus mother. However, there exists no reference or tradition anywhere to worship or veneration of Mary Magdalene.

Consider This: The Son of God came to earth not to start a family but to save the Church, which is his true bride (Ephesians 5:22-33)


Watch the video "Mary Magdalene"
High Band, Low Band



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"If Jesus were not married, at least one of the Bible's gospel's would have mentioned it and offered some explanation for His unnatural state of bachelorhood."

Robert Langdon, The Da Vinci Code p.245


Was Jesus married?

Consider This: Whenever Jesus' family is referred to, it is his brothers and sisters who are mentioned, but never a wife. Contrast this to descriptions of the rest of the apostles: Peter, Paul, and the brothers of the Lord, all of whom are said to have had wives.

Consider This: At the crucifixion, Jesus shows no special concern for the care of Mary Magdalene as he does his mother.

Consider This: This claim commits the fallacy of hasty generalization just because the majority of Jews would be married, it doesn't follow that EVERY Jew would be.


Watch the video "Gospels of Mary and Phillip"
High Band, Low Band





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"When Grail legend speaks of 'the chalice that held the blood of Christ' it speaks, in fact, of Mary Magdalene - the female womb that carried Jesus' royal bloodline."

Sir Leigh Teabing, The Da Vinci Code p.249


Was Jesus married?

Consider This: There exists no mention of a wife in any scripture of Jesus, in his ministry, when he was tried and crucified, or after his death.

Consider This: The legend of the Grail is indeed about the lost cup from the Last Supper. But biblical language about mothers wombs is always a reference to gestation and protection, never about bloodlines. Indeed, shed blood was always about the opposite of birth, that is, death.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Companion of savior is Mary Magdalene. Christ loved her more than all the disciples and used to kiss her often on the mouth. The disciples were offended at this."

Gospel of Phillip, The Da Vinci Code p. 246


Was Jesus married?

Consider This: This passage comes from the Gnostic gospel of Philip and was written very late. It was written in Coptic, not Aramaic or Hebrew, and there IS no word in Aramaic where companion means spouse.

Consider This: The actual manuscript is broken at this passage, so we don't know where it claims Jesus kissed Mary Magdalene.

Consider This: The Gospel of Philip is a Gnostic document, and Gnostics held that the physical expression of sex is not sacred or spiritual - it actually defiles the soul who believes by holding to the corrupt physical.

Consider This: This is not to say Jesus has no special, earthly friends. But the New Testament is always careful not to confuse them with a spouse or a sexual involvement.


Watch the video "Mary Magdalene - Prostitute?"
High Band, Low Band



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it clear for you that Jesus neither married Mary Magdalene nor any other woman? That while human, Jesus was also God, and ascended to heaven? Are you convinced that his true "bride" could be the Church, the people of God? (Revelation 19:7) Would you like to be more certain of your relationship to this Christ?

I was so excited when i received a copy of this book which my friend sent to me through PDF... since there are lots of praises and positive feedbacks. But i was disappointed... coz if you are a Christian, you would consider this book blasphemous (a "fact" that Jesus got married with Mary Magdalene and their children were living somewhere in Europe)... for all i know, Jesus never had a sexual relationship . This book/movie will bring confusion to the mind of some people especially the kids.


btw, Da Vinci Code will not be shown in any SM moviehouse

lol I didn't really mean all of them are lies... I think half of them or greater....

Presenting ‘The Da Vinci Hoax’

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=37983
See the link above:

Jesuit Communications announces the release of the Philippine edition of The Da Vinci Hoax by Carl Olson and Sandra Miesel, in time for the forthcoming world premiere of Dan Brown’s controversial book The Da Vinci Code.

The new book is a carefully researched, popularly written critique of the best selling novel, which claims to be based on facts and solid scholarship. The Da Vinci Hoax in turn explores these claims, demonstrating how Brown uses unsubstantiated research and far-fetched hypotheses to bolster his outlandish thesis that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, and established a sacred bloodline, and that traditional Christianity has conspired throughout history to suppress this truth.

The authors Olson and Miesel examine the origins of the New Testament, the claims of apocryphal gospels and ancient sects such as the Gnostics, Constantine’s role in the rise of early Christianity, the medieval Knights Templar and the Holy Grail, Leonardo Da Vinci’s alleged "coded" messages in his paintings, and accusations against the Catholic Church.

According to Brown, almost everything most Christians and non-Christians think they know about Jesus is completely wrong—the result of Catholic propaganda designed to hide the truth from the world. But are The Da Vinci Code’s claims fact or just plain fiction? Is the novel well researched as claimed? What is the truth about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and the early Church? Has the Catholic Church distorted the real Jesus? Why is the novel so popular? What about the anti-Catholic, anti-Christian agenda behind the novel?

The Da Vinci Hoax answers these questions, and many more, revealing some surprising truths about Brown’s book. With a foreword by Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, and an introduction by Historian James Hitchcock of St. Louis University, The Da Vinci Hoax is the definitive response to and critique of Brown’s popular novel.

Carl Olson, author of the best-selling book Will Catholics Be Left Behind?, is the former editor of Envoy magazine. He is a regular contributor to various Catholic publications including the National Catholic Register, First Things and Crisis. Sandra Miesel, who holds a master’s degree in medieval history from the University of Illinois, is a Catholic journalist. In over 20 years of publishing, she has written hundreds of essays and articles, chiefly on history, art and hagiography.

The Da Vinci Hoax is exclusively distributed by Jesuit Communications (JesCom). It is available at the JesCom office at the Sonolux Building, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, authorized distributors, and very soon at all leading bookstores nationwide. For inquiries, call 426-5971 to 72 or log on to wwwjesuits.ph/jescom

The MTRCB is being pressured by Anti - Porn group to banned the showing of Da Vinci Code in the Philippines:

Here is the story:
Anti-porn group to file complaint vs MTRCB

First posted 11:55pm (Mla time) May 08, 2006
Inquirer

Here is the link:Philippine Daily Inquirer


Editor's Note: Published on Page A9 of the May 9, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

AN anti-pornography group yesterday said it will file a complaint today against the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board for allowing the importation of the film “The Da Vinci Code.” The Philippine Alliance Against Pornography said the film violates Presidential Decree 1986 which bars the MTRCB from importing any film that are deemed libelous or defamatory to the good name and reputation of any person, whether living or dead. The complaint will be filed before the Commission on Human Rights, said PAAP spokesperson Aldo Filomeno. Norman Bordadora with Scott James Roxas

RP censors approve ‘Da Vinci Code’ for adults

link;
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First posted 04:29pm (Mla time) May 16, 2006
By Thea Alberto, Oliver Teves
INQ7.net, GMA7, Associated Press




Subscribe to Breaking News alerts, send ON EXTRA BREAKING to 2207 for Globe, or send EXTRA BREAKING to 386 for Smart.


(UPDATE) THE PHILIPPINE film review board on Tuesday approved the showing of Hollywood movie "The Da Vinci Code," but with an “adult” rating.
Saying it sees nothing blasphemous about the film, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) gave it an R-18 rating, or for viewers 18 years old and above.

The three-member review panel of the MTRCB said the movie did not merit an "X" rating because "it does not constitute a clear, express or direct attack on the Catholic church or religion" and does not libel or defame any person.

The movie, starring Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, is set to be screened on May 18 in the Philippines, a bastion of Catholicism in Asia, amid a global controversy over its story line.

It is adapted from Dan Brown's best-selling book that says Jesus Christ married the biblical character Mary Magdalene and started a sacred bloodline that still exists in secret.

The movie is deemed blasphemous by influential Roman Catholic church leaders in the country.

Archbishop Ramon Arguelles had said he would lead a crusade to ban the film because it is "sacrilegious against God."

Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, has denounced both the movie and Dan Brown's best-selling novel as an attack on the divinity of Jesus Christ, but did not call for their ban.

He urged priests and parish leaders to consider the novel and movie "a pastoral challenge," and form discussion groups focusing on the divinity of Jesus Christ that include "prayers and reparation for the sins of blasphemy."

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines also said the story "gives erroneous impressions" on fundamental Christian beliefs, the most serious being its assertions that Jesus was not divine but only human, and that he married Mary Magdalene and had children.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's chief aide, Eduardo Ermita, said he was personally in favor of banning the film.

The movie review panel said the film raised questions about basic Catholic beliefs that "need adult maturity to distinguish fact from fiction or discern good from evil."

Board chairwoman Marissa Laguardia told The Associated Press that the movie would be a "test of faith" for many people in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

"And those groups, like the conservatives who want it banned, maybe they can tell their friends, discourage their friends from watching it," she said.

"But it has to be shown. Otherwise we will be the only country that will not show this film. Thirty-six countries have already reviewed this film and they have not banned it. So are we just out of the Stone Age?" she added.

The review panel said the movie will be shown without cuts.

Review panel member Betty Molina said the censors were not pressured by any group.

"The adult moviegoer will see this as entertainment," she said. "A mature person is already well grounded in his belief and no work of fiction can change that."

Another panel member, Eric Mallonga, said blasphemy is a religious term and the board as a civil agency "is not required to exercise a religious test" in reviewing films.

The movie is scheduled to open in Philippine theaters on Thursday.

In 1988 the Philippine government banned "The Last Temptation of Christ" but it has since found its way to Catholic homes through digital video discs.

With Agence France-Presse


Additional report

Bishops respect MTRCB’s adult rating for ‘Da Vinci Code’


First posted 04:39pm (Mla time) May 16, 2006
By Christian Esguerra
Inquirer




Subscribe to Breaking News alerts, send ON EXTRA BREAKING to 2207 for Globe, or send EXTRA BREAKING to 386 for Smart.


THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) respects the decision of the Movie, Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) to allow the showing of "The Da Vinci Code" with an R-18 classification.
"We respect the decision of the MTRCB. We are confident that they studied the movie very well," Monsignor Pedro Quitorio, CBCP spokesperson, told the Inquirer.

But it would be better if the film's producer would care to explain that the movie is neither historical nor religious but fictional, said Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, head of the Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs.

"This issue is still not clear to a number of Filipinos," he said.

Quitorio echoed the CBCP's confident position that the Hollywood film based on American author Dan Brown's best-selling novel "won't have a damaging effect on
the faithful."

"Faith is bigger than the movie," he said.

The movie, starring Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, is set to be screened on May 18 in the Philippines, a bastion of Catholicism in Asia, amid a global controversy over its story line.

It says Jesus Christ married the biblical character Mary Magdalene and started a sacred bloodline that still exists in secret.

With Agence France-Presse

The Da Vinci pirated version in Quiapo were taken from the National Geographic feature and not the movie.

Philippine president will not stop film from being shown

May 12, 2006 —

President Macapagal-Arroyo of the Philippines may not believe in the content of The Da Vinci Code, but he will not stop the movie from being shown in his country.

A TOP AIDE to President Macapagal-Arroyo said yesterday the Palace will not lift a finger to stop the showing of the controversial movie "The Da Vinci Code," but if he had his way the movie would not be played in Philippine theaters because it is "blasphemous."

"I don't see how we, as a Catholic nation or as practicing Catholics, would ever tolerate such a plot to be propagated in the name of freedom of expression," Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told reporters at his weekly briefing...

Click here for the full story.
PDI:

From:http://www.abs-cbnnews.com

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=38836

CBCP’s pastoral statement on ‘The Da Vinci Code’


The controversial film, The Da Vinci Code, is opening in movie theaters nationwide on Thursday. Like the best-selling novel by Dan Brown on which it is based, the movie has generated a lot of criticism from Christian scholars and theologians, who see it as a not-so-veiled attack on the faith masquerading as fiction.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, representing the collective voice of the country’s Catholic leadership, on Monday issued a press statement on the issue.

The following is the full text of the statement:

With the imminent release of the movie version of the best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, many people have started inquiring again about the veracity of its claims. Some readers take the assertions made by Brown to be true, while others entertain the possibility that they might be true. Some take the novel for what it truly is—a work of fiction and nothing more. But no matter how a reader views the novel, it cannot be denied that fiction shapes the imagination, stirs emotions and forms mental associations. Brown has created the impression that his fiction is historical fact. Aware of Saint Paul’s admonition that some people "will stop listening to the truth and will wander off to fables" (2 Timothy 4:4), we, Pastors and Teachers of the faith, invite the faithful to carefully discern the truth of the Gospel.

The novel gives erroneous impressions of many things, among them some fundamental truths of the Christian faith. The most serious are the following:

Jesus is not a divine Person. He is only human. He married Mary Magdalene and had children.

The belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ was an "invention" imposed by Constantine through the Council of Nicea (325). The Church manipulated the choice of the Canonical Gospels, destroyed important documents and suppressed the memory of Mary Magdalene and her children to maintain the lie about Jesus.

Brown makes these claims through fictional accounts that give the impression of historical accuracy due to frequent reference to events. He employs the tool of unraveling the alleged secrets of the Church through the interpretation of symbols and codes hidden in works of art, notably Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa.

In the face of the confusion the novel has generated, we invite the Catholic faithful to serenely affirm the fundamental truths of our faith, in particular the following:

Jesus Christ is truly God and truly human. The full truth about Jesus is not attained by mere historical reconstruction or ingenious human speculation. The truth about Jesus as the Son of God comes from a revelation of the Father, as Jesus told Peter (cf. Mt 16:17). The truth about Jesus as Lord can be confessed only in humble faith that is a gift of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul reminds us (cf. I Cor 12:3). The truth about Jesus is revealed to mere children but hidden to the wise and the learned (cf. Matthew 11:25). Without commitment to the faith, the search for Jesus is reduced to curiosity.

The revelation of Jesus, received in childlike faith, is preserved and transmitted by the Church. The Church is a human and spiritual community whose fidelity to the revealed truth is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit. The witness of the believers of Christ, dating from the apostles to the saints and martyrs of our time, constitutes the most reliable "evidence" in history of the truth about Jesus. The Church does not manipulate revealed truth. It serves the truth.

What can we do as communities of faith in this situation? How do we prepare ourselves for similar situations that might arise in the future? We invite you dear brothers and sisters in Christ to do the following:

Let us deepen in our homes, schools, ecclesial communities and Church organizations the knowledge of Holy Scriptures and the Catholic Tradition through a systematic study of the Word of God and the teaching of the Church, a renewed Bible Apostolate and Catechesis, and a serious study of the History of the Church.

Let us appeal to publishers and people in the media to practice their profession responsibly, with uncompromising respect for the truth, especially about persons and beliefs dear to various religions and faith communities.

Let us collaborate with historians, scholars of the arts, and scientists in shaping a culture with depth and integrity.

Let us imbue our evangelizing mission with renewed vigor, methods and expressions so that people who are earnestly seeking the truth about Jesus may encounter Him in our word, worship, prayer and humble service.

As a further help to our discernment, we are providing you with a guide on how to respond to the claims made by Dan Brown in the novel. This can be reproduced for use in the various dioceses, parishes, schools and other groups.

Let us not lose heart. The history of the Church attests to how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has withstood many trials. The Truth of Jesus Christ can never be shackled. With St. John, we proclaim, "We are declaring to you what we have seen and heard, so that you too may share our life. Our life is shared with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ" (I Jn 1:3). May Mary, the Mother of the Son of the most High God (cf. Lk 1:32), share with us her humble faith!

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Angel N. Lagdameo, D.D.
Archbishop of Jaro
President, CBCP

For comments, go to the message board.

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syn...20davinci.shtml
Da Vinci code provokes debate in traditional Philippines -20/04/06

Dan Brown's bestselling Da Vinci Code and the gnostic Gospel of Judas have triggered debates in a predominantly Roman Catholic country where some faithful are controversially nailed to crosses on Good Friday – writes Maurice Malanes from Manila, Philippines, for Ecumenical News International.

“Authoritarian religion which has held sway in this country since the colonial period is bound to be affected profoundly by Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code,” wrote commentator Carmen Pedrosa in the Philippine Star newspaper.

She continued: “This is not such a bad thing ... Religious questioning carries far-reaching implications for a country held down by dogmatism.”

For Pedrosa, the current debate over Brown's best-selling novel may yet usher in an intellectual enlightenment, which, she hopes, can help Filipinos get over what she calls their “backwardness”.

But Catholic priest and biblical expert Regino Cortes has warned the faithful that Brown's novel is “misleading”, and he has published The Da Vinci Code: An Exegetical Review, a 131-page book that seeks to correct “apparent inaccuracies” in Brown's best-seller.

The recently-published Gospel of Judas, which portrayed the disciple who betrayed Christ as a confidante of Jesus, also invited commentaries from both clergy and lay Christians.

“Whatever hype this ‘discovery’ has rendered the believers and unbelievers alike, the fact remains that Jesus was betrayed and he was sentenced as a criminal was a result of a sinful meeting of sinful men who condemned him to death,” said the Rev David Tabo-oy of the Episcopal Church of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, seven Filipinos were unmindful of the debate over the Da Vinci Code and the Gospel of Judas that heated up during the Lenten period preceding Easter.

As in previous years, they let themselves be nailed on wooden crosses in a village in Pampanga province on Good Friday to atone for their sins and to thank Christ for his blessings.

With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.

Ekklesia adds: the practice of deliberate, devotional self-harm is widely disapproved of within and beyond the Catholic Church.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has also recently contrasted the radical person and message of Jesus with what he calls elitist ‘mystery cults’.

In his Easter Sermon Dr Williams wrote: “A few days ago, I finally got my copy of the Gospel of Judas that people have been talking about. And no, in case you’re wondering, it didn’t make me tear up the New Testament and start looking for a new job.

“It’s actually a fairly conventional book of its kind — and there were dozens like it around in the early centuries of the Church. People who weren’t satisfied with the sort of thing the New Testament had to say spent quite a lot of energy trying to produce something which suited them better.

Declared the Archbishop: “They wanted Christian teaching to be a matter of exotic and mystical information, shared only with an in-group. So a lot of these books imagine Jesus having long conversations with various people whose names are in the Bible but who we don’t know much about.”

A woman flags a jeepney down, near a billboard promoting the upcoming film "The Da Vinci Code", on a street in Manila May15, 2006.REUTERS/Cheryl Ravelo


Filipino hawkers cash in on "Da Vinci Code" fever
Photo: Reuters
Click to enlarge

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine hawkers are repackaging a documentary on the "The Da Vinci Code" as an authentic version of the movie, cashing in on public interest in the religious thriller ahead of its release this week.
The film, based on the best-selling novel of the same title, has whipped up a storm of controversy in the largely Roman Catholic country and the Philippines' censor has yet to grant it a release permit despite a slated opening date of May 18.

"We will decide on the permit based on whether the film attacks a religion, creed or doctrine, and if it defames a person living or dead," the censor, Consoliza Laguardia, told local radio on Monday.

Laguardia said she had yet to review the film.

In downtown Manila, DVD hawkers were standing by the authenticity of their "advance copies" of the "Da Vinci Code," retailing at 35 pesos ($0.67).

"This copy came from Malaysia. The movie was already shown there," a vendor called Magda said.

A copy bought from Magda featured not the movie but a one-hour documentary titled "Unlocking the Da Vinci Code."

PREMIERE

The movie, starring Tom Hanks, will premiere on May 17 at the Cannes Film Festival in France. The movie will be released on May 18 in Malaysia.

The film's central premise, that Jesus Christ sired a child by Mary Magdalene, has upset many Christians.

"Like in anything negative, let us take this occasion to convert the cinema industry's money-motive production into a pastoral challenge," Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, the Archbishop of Manila, said in a statement.

Rosales urged parishes to organize discussion groups on the divinity of Jesus and the "mistaken impression" that the Church was hiding the truth.

Last week, the Philippines' powerful Catholic bishops gave priests guidelines on how to refute the book's plot and reminded parishioners that the book was fictitious.

The bishops did not, however, call for the film to be blocked.

A senior government official has said that the movie should be banned because of its blasphemy but the Philippine government has said it has no official policy on the film.

(Additional reporting by Dolly Aglay)

HERE IS THE LINK;
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060515/3/2kjpw.html

Da Vinci Code’ for adults only, says film review body

First posted 03:33am (Mla time) May 17, 2006
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer



Editor's Note: Published on Page A1 of the May 17, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer


LEONARDO DA VINCI himself would’ve been shocked.

A three-member committee of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) gave an R-18 rating to the controversial Hollywood film “The Da Vinci Code,” which is directed by Oscar Best Director Ron Howard and topbills Oscar Best Actor Tom Hanks.

The movie is based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown which “chronicles a murder investigation that could uncover a secret that has been protected since the days of Christ.”

The R-18 rating for “Da Vinci” is surprising, according to a source in Columbia Pictures, the Philippine office of Sony Pictures Releasing International, producer of “Da Vinci.”

Filipino employees of Columbia Pictures are not allowed by its head office in the United States to speak to the media. The Columbia source spoke to the Inquirer on the condition of anonymity.

“We will not appeal the R-18 rating because it might get an X on its second screening,” the source said.

R-18 rating, however, would mean that it will not be shown in SM malls nationwide because of the cineplex’s ban on adult-themed films.

SM has a huge chunk of the movie market, 40 to 50 percent of the ticket sales, according to Macie Imperial, director for acquisitions and marketing of Sky Films, which released the award-winning film “Brokeback Mountain” in the Philippines.

Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain” also received an R-18 from the MTRCB and, as such, was not shown in SM cinemas.

Earlier, Columbia sent the Inquirer an official statement that stated that “Da Vinci” earned “favorable ratings” in countries with large Catholic populations. It was “classified appropriate for children” in Poland (89.8 percent Catholic), France (88 percent), Belgium (75 percent) and Slovakia (68.9 percent), as well as in China, Japan, Romania, Finland, Norway, Israel, Czech Republic and Turkey.

“Da Vinci” was given a PG-13 in the United States and an R-rating in Singapore and Spain.

‘Mature discernment’

In the committee report, the MTRCB members explained that they found that the movie’s “thematic, verbal and visual content … requires mature discernment.”

The committee that reviewed the film consisted of journalist Edmund Sicam, academician Betty Molina and lawyer Eric Mallonga. The screening was held in the Columbia Pictures office in Manila yesterday at 9 a.m. and the result was released by two in the afternoon of the same day.

“We allow screenings outside of the MTRCB office for sensitive films,” board chair Marissa Laguardia explained. “The distributor requests exclusive screenings for security reasons, to prevent piracy.”

According to Laguardia, she sat through the “two-hour screening, as an observer, meaning I cannot overturn the committee’s decision.”

Laguardia shared her personal views on the film in a phone interview with the Inquirer yesterday: “It will not sway the [Catholic] beliefs I’ve held since childhood. It’s a suspense-thriller, a work of fiction. It only aims to entertain.”

Film is balanced

In any case, Laguardia described the movie “as balanced … In the end, Tom Hanks’ character had uplifting [lines of] dialogue. He said that ‘Jesus is a human inspiration … an extraordinary man … and what matters is what you believe in.’”

Laguardia opined that the film would open a healthy debate, “a discussion on what is true and fictitious. I believe it was explained well in the film. Still, that requires an audience above 18. Only a mature mind can discern, determine and separate fact from fiction.”

The committee report echoed Laguardia’s sentiments: “Minors, who are highly impressionable, should not be allowed … because of the thematic issues raised on the divinity and celibacy of Jesus Christ and the inner workings of the Catholic Church.”

However, the film “didn’t merit an X rating because it doesn’t constitute a clear, express or direct attack on the Catholic Church or religion … arguments are tackled within an academic discourse or theoretical context by the movie’s characters.”

No SM mall shows

Imperial told the Inquirer: “Brokeback earned a lot of money throughout its four-week run in theaters like Robinsons, but we could have doubled our box-office grosses if only we had SM, which comprises almost 50 percent of the market.”

In spite of the SM ban, the distributor “ordered 70 prints of ‘Da Vinci,’ the biggest number of prints we’ve requested in three decades,” according to the Columbia source.

“Columbia will just have more screenings and more theaters in other cineplexes, to compensate for SM’s nonparticipation,” said the source. “We will open as scheduled on May 18.”

Ric Camaligan, first vice president of SM Leisure Inc. which operates SM Cinemas, confirmed that SM would stand by its R-18 ban. “We will not show it.”

SM, in fact, pulled out the movie’s trailers and posters while waiting for the MTRCB’s decision.

A work of art

Columbia’s official statement, however, stated that “the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) already went on record that it would not take steps to censor or block the showing of the movie in local theaters.”

The statement quoted Monsignor Pedro Quitorio, CBCP spokesperson, as saying “the bishops view ‘Da Vinci’ as a work of art and not of science or history, so they do not see it as a threat to the teachings of the Church. If the faith of the people is strong, it would not be destroyed by one novel (or movie).”

In the same statement Sony Pictures spokesperson Jim Kennedy was quoted as saying: “Many religious leaders, including the Opus Dei, agree that the release of the film can provide a unique opportunity to educate people about their work and beliefs.”

In fact, Opus Dei spokesperson Joey Magalona commented in the same Columbia statement: “The more you hide it, the more people will look for it … [what’s needed is] parental guidance so when doubts (among the young) arise, you can fix them right away.”


i guesss they wont be banning it afterall..

i do not support censorship at all.
but i am a Christian, and i believe that Dan Brown insulted me, my beliefs and my Saviour.
so, i am boycotting this film...

i think its really sad that people actually believed his claims... even christians are reading the book and lining up to watch the movie...

i think, in response, christians should set up like a stand right in front of the movie theatres and preach the gospel... but i dont think they'll allow that...

I understand that people are insulted by the film.
But those who believe it is true (personally I think it's a load of rubbish) Are in many ways very similar to those who it insults. Because both versions are based on belief.

And so I think those who are insulted should understand this.

i'd watched the movie a while ago..... and i say it was really bothering..... and very offensive for the believers....

i think it's just right to be rated just for adults.....

the attendants in glorietta cinemas were so strict....
i almost got ban in entering the cinema because i look like a minor......

the r-18 rating was justifiable. it's suited for adults only who can decide between a fact and fiction. anyway, it's a fiction book so there's no need to worry.

Philippines is pretty much based on religion....even in politics.......

you saw the advance screening???

I just find it fucking hard to believe that the Roman Catholic Church would pull some shit like this, yet they signed a concordat with Adolf Hitler, which technically immune from motherfucking ex-communication.

yes its totally fiction. but the problem is, Dan Brown claimed that his story is based from facts and history which is the main reason why there are so many who believe his "fictitious story"
poor Leonardo Da Vinci

just to let you know... im not catholic...

You know its ironic that big organizations and countries represent the Catholic Church like the italian MAFIA which gives charities and builds churches for the Catholic Church and Nazi Germany itself represents the Catholic Church because the ironcross(Nazi Knights) symbol of Nazi Germany itself was from the symbol of the Roman Catholic Church and Hitler was a devoted Catholic.

Hitler in front of the church


Hitler in the church

no not the advance screening.... may 18 was really the showing of the movie here in phi.....

Its a fictional story but is based on some historic information. Read the book "Holly Blood Holly Grail"

^ the historic infomation it is based on is also fictional.

it's not fictional per se...but rather just a theory. there are proof, but the problem with with Dan Brown and some of his sources (holy blood holy grail) is that they have substantial evidence but do not have solid proof. some of the probable truth ie all the geographical lines in churches, the V in the last supper (who was St. James and not a female) etc are there for real, but it doesn't mean it was Da Vinci's and the Priory of Scion's clues. Dan Brown just pieced a whole bunch of oddities and said that they are all connected and really prove that the holy grail is the Merovingian/Jesus bloodline.

^ I saw a documentry on it, and the guy who fabricated the Priory of Sion came out and said it was a hoax. A french guy I believe.

'geographical lines in churches'

They carbondated the scroll which claimed to have the blueprince of the church and it was made alot leter than the book claims, 200 - 300 years later enough time for the blueprint to be made.

yeah but he made the claim before they found that out. that's why i said it is not "fiction" or intended story but rather a theory.

I watched several documentary on it, two on history channel, one on the natl. geo and one on discovery (if it is right), but all pressuppose that dossiers are documents were real.

Yes I agree it is his theory, but he really should have checked it out before calling it fact.

Indeed it is an interesting theory, but I would still call it all 'fictional'.

But then this is alot like the bible its self, how much is truth? is any truth? maybe in 100 or so years people will start to believe that the Da Vinci code is reality.