Da Vinci Code-Muslims join in criticising it

[Khayr]

Muslims join Da Vinci criticism

Audrey Tautou and Tom Hanks star in The Da Vinci Code film

Roman Catholics in the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay) have received Muslim support in protests against the release of the movie, The Da Vinci Code.

Film censors have cleared the movie for release in India on 19 May.

 

An umbrella organisation of Islamic clerics in Mumbai have labelled the film as "blasphemous" because it spreads "lies" about Jesus Christ.

 

One Roman Catholic activist has gone on what he says is a "hunger strike until death" unless the film is banned.

 

'Violent protests'

 

"The Holy Koran recognises Jesus as a prophet. What the book says is an insult to both Christians and Muslims," Maulana Mansoor Ali Khan, general secretary of the All-India Sunni Jamiyat-ul-Ulema, told the Reuters news agency.

 

 

The Da Vinci Code has generated controversy around the world

 

"Muslims in India will help their Christian brothers protest this attack on our common religious belief," he said.

 

His stance was supported by Syed Noori, president of Mumbai-based Raza Academy, a Muslim cultural organisation that organises protests on issues concerning Islam.

 

"If the government doesn't do anything, we will try our own ways of stopping the film from being shown," he said. "We are prepared for violent protests in India if needed."

 

A Roman Catholic activist, Joseph Dias, began a hunger strike on Tuesday which he said would be continued until the film is banned.

 

Earlier this month hundreds of Catholic demonstrators gathered outside a convent school in Mumbai in protest over the film's release.

 

 

I will continue my fast until they ban the film

 

Joseph Dias, general secretary of the Catholic Secular Forum

 

Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown explores the premise that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and produced children, whose descendants are alive today.

 

 

The Catholic Secular Forum has described the film as "offensive" because hits "certain basic foundations of the religion".

 

 

India's Central Board of Film Certification said Tuesday it would give the movie an adult rating if the film-makers agreed to a disclaimer at the start of the movie saying it was a work of fiction.

 

"There is a visual of self-flagellation and limited amount of nudity in (one) particular scene," board member Vinayak Azad told the AFP news agency. "It has got adult content."

 

One of the three Catholic representatives of the five-member board, the Rev Myron Pereira, said that it was cleared because the contention that Christ married was "fictional".

 

"But it does not portray anything in an obscene fashion," he said. "People can protest about anything since we live in a democracy."

 

It is estimated that there are about 18m Roman Catholics in India, with 500,000 living in Mumbai. The Christian community comprises about 2% of India's population

 

Source

[Modesty]

I read the book, it was just exciting, I finished it in 1 week because I couldn't put it down. One thing I did agree with is that Jesus was a man, and a prophet, and that Constantine made christianity what it is today. However, I don't agree that Nabi Isa(as) had a wife, because as muslims the prophet Muhammad(pbuh) told us he would get married when he comes back. I also want to see the movie, even though I heard it's not as thrilling as was expected by film critics.

[Strawberry_Xu]

^^^ the movie is rubbish....really, I was counting the extras in the background by the end of it.

 

And as for muslims joining the religious outrage bandwagon, puhh-lease.... if they are really so concerned about people spreading 'lies' about Jesus(pbuh), why don't they complain about accepted church dogma instead, which from an Islamic point of view, is much worse (e.g saying God has a son etc.). Of all the things to get worried about. :rolleyes: As far as I'm concerned, the Christian faith and the general Western understanding of it, is so far removed from what we believe, that any changes made to that belief is entirely the responsibility of Christians to defend, and it has nothing to do with us.

[Resistance]

Don't tell us how good or bad the movie is .. some of us still have not seen it so don't spoil it.

 

But the main debate for us Muslims is that this book is phalasphmy against Isa (Jesus) (AS) BUT yet we make no fuss of it ... many muslims read the book including myself and we only see it as a work of Fiction, but what if this Book targeted any Islamic figures ( of which Issa is one ) their uproar .. and Dan Brown and co. would have fatwa on their head by now.

 

now all this is making me think .. should i see the film at all ..

[Strawberry_Xu]

^^^ if they were discussing Isa(pbuh) in an Islamic context and our religion in general, then it would be up to us to defend it. However, when someone writes something fictional about church dogma that we as Muslims, find to be wrong in the first place, we cannot protest against The Da Vinci Code without protesting against the Christian church. That's why I think it's a Christian problem, and if you want to protest against it because you're against religious defamation, then sure go ahead (because God knows we've been the victim of that!). But if you want to complain about how Nabi Isa (pbuh) is misrepresented, then to be consistent, you should also complain just as loudly about church dogma.

 

PS. Hizb, I suggest you don't read any papers, watch TV or listen to the radio, because everyone is talking about how rubbish the film is. But it's still better than the book though.

[ElPunto]

^Have to agree with XulaXu - there really isn't much for us to complain about as Muslims - the author had stated it was a work of fiction(as Muslims know the Jesus allegation to be). But I found much in the book truthful about how the Church dogma came about. And personally, thought the book was overhyped - I felt let down after I read it.

[Valenteenah.]

Originally posted by XulaXu:

But it's still better than the book though.

I thought the book was a 100% better. They gave Silas a skinny frame and blue eyes in the movie. Blue eyes! I can't forgive that. :mad:

 

Sowwy @ Yahoo.

[Socod_badne]

Originally posted by ThePoint:

there really isn't much for us to complain about as Muslims

I know but good 'ol Kheyr has been, for some time now, waging unremitting war against the liberal, secular pillars of the West... all in vain.

[Faarax-Brawn]

I think they should put more of these kinda movies if its gonna unify world religions.

 

I wonder which reprensatative(Of the Mumbai Based)muslims actually watched that movie? Anyone? And if he did,wouldnt that be a sin? Just a thought.

 

Anyway,i always read/watch reviews before watching silly movies.And the reviews for this Code was not Good,so i saved $14bucks

[sheherazade]

I couldn't be bothered to finish the book. A friend hyped it up so much I could only be disappointed. Shiiish, ma u celiyey? I wouldn't pay to see it.

[winnie]

when will people learn? this is just free publicity.

 

plus, its a work of obvious fiction. offensive? perhaps (i haven't read it) but its a work of FICTION. I give it the same credence of a hack stand up comic.

[Modesty]

I do also agree with Xula, because if anything we should we should protest the blasphemy of the church about Nabi Isa(as). But, I guess every muslim is entitled to his/her opinions regarding what they should do in this case. One thing I do agree with is that I'm sure there is a lineage of Nabi Isa somewhere in the world, just like there are people that are descendants of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) like the ashraf people in Somalia.

[ElPunto]

^Lineage of 'Isa? How - when we know that he was unmarried? You mean al-'Imran - the house of his family - yeah, there probably are descendants but I question anyone who claims it for themselves? I also question those who claim descent from the Prophet(PBUH) - please. The Prophet himself has warned against those who exalt their lineage.

[Nephissa]

I don't see anything wrong with the movie! It's fiction. I'm so sick of seeing people not like something, and go on a holy crusade to kill it, those people should mind their own business.

 

I am rather looking forward to watching the movie. I mean really, it's Tom Hanks! How can you *NOT* watch Tom.

[Castro]

Originally posted by Modesty:

I'm

sure

there is a lineage of Nabi Isa somewhere in the world, just like there are people that are descendants of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) like the ashraf people in Somalia.

You're sure based on what?