The Da Vinci Code - a Threat or an Opportunity?

The movie Da Vinci Code (DVC) is set to be released worldwide on May 19, 2006. As everybody knows, this movie is based on Dan Brown's bestselling book of the same title. The producers of the movie is hoping to cash-in from the book's cult following. But why the uproar on the said book and movie? Why the controversy? Is there really a mystery to be solved? Should Christiandom consider this as a threat? Or this is really just about making lots of money?

The reason why DVC is so hot is because the story revolves around the personhood of all-time superstar, Jesus Christ. Even for mortal superstars with the likes of Branjolina and TomKat, any publicity whether broadsheet or tabloid material will be gobbled up by the public because of their thirst to know more about these celebrities. But just like any material, whether regarding mortal or immortal superstars, we have to discern what has value, what is trash, what is for "pampalipas oras".

So what is DVC? Is it a source of valuable information? Is it outright trash? Or is it just a book to while your time away? Whichever way the book impacts us, we have to discern what is fact from fiction. The problem is some people take as gospel truth everything that is written in the book. I got to talk to a friend recently who after reading DVC asked where do Opus Dei members go to Mass now. Of course had this person made even just a simple click on the internet, it would have been easily found out that Opus Dei remains very much part of the Catholic Church and that all these are just in the imagination of Dan Brown.

But we ask how come some people believe the book hook, line and sinker? Is it because of the "Fact Page" in book where Dan Brown says that the architecture, artifacts, documents and rituals are accurate? But the reality is, even Dan Brown's "Fact Page" is not at all accurate. For example, it was mentioned in the "Fact Page" that Opus Dei is a Vatican Prelature and on the inside pages it was mentioned that Opus Dei is a Personal Prelature of the Pope as if Opus Dei is personally under the Pope. The truth is Opus Dei is a personal prelature inside the Catholic Church. It is "personal" because the jurisdiction of the Prelate of Opus Dei is not linked to a territory but over persons wherever in the world the members may be (source: wikipedia).

What I am pointing out is that had Dan Brown really, really made authentic historical research simple things such as the correct referencing to "Personal Prelature" would have been accurate. So how can we take everything in the book hook, line and sinker when on basic story background details the author errs. Of course the foreground (characters, episodes, etc.) are fictitious - that is a given for a fictional novel. But if one uses non-fictional elements as his backdrop of his fictional story then the writer should be responsible enough to be accurate. And this is just one of those...

For those who got confused, curious and carried-away reading DVC, please do not stop by just reading the book. As the movie trailer challenges the viewers to seek the truth, you may start your real mystery solving adventure by looking at these websites:
www.jesusdecoded.com
www.americancatholic.org/News/DaVinciCode/default.asp
www.catholiceducation.org
www.opusdei.org
Or you can read books like The DaVinci Code: The Facts behind the Fiction by Amy Welborn. Or you can also read or watch The DaVinci Deception (VCD available at National Bookstore).

The popularity of the book and its almost sure box-office hit will not be a threat to Christianity nor to the Catholic Church, in particular. I think this is a golden opportunity for the Church to feed the hearts and minds of the people on the truth about Jesus Christ and his Church. People are thirsting for the truth and that thirst can only be quenched if we go get the elixir straight from the source - which is no other than the Church and the Gospels.