The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code

I remember attending a showing of The Last Temptation of Christ at a movie theatre in Manhattan in 1988. Dozens of policemen were watching over a large crowd of protestors with bullhorns. I remember thinking at the time: “Jesus, you can sure still draw a crowd!”

He still can. On it’s opening weekend, The Da Vinci Code sold $230 million worth of tickets worldwide. I saw no protestors at the Henrietta theatre where I viewed the move, but there were protestors in some places.

The move is based on the bestselling book by the same title. The book is a fictional account of a conspiracy to hide the fact that Jesus had had a child by Mary Magadalene and their descendants continued until this day.

As for its entertainment value, I only found the movie (and the book) mildly interesting. I don’t really know why the movie was worth protesting. There is nothing here of any serious historical worth.

I kind of like the cartoon that showed a parishioner in a confessional booth saying to his priest, “I know it’s just an adventure yarn wrapped around a few tired old conspiracy theories, Father, but this book has me really wrestling with my faith!”

The priest answers, “I’d say faith that weak could use the exercise--”

Of course, there is value to getting people to talk about Jesus anytime. When he walked the earth 2,000 years ago he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” and then the more pointed question, “Who do you say that I am?”

Who is Jesus? The most important question any person can ask in life. If The Da Vinci Code gets anyone to seriously think about that, I am thankful.

2006 C. David Hess