Christians and Muslims working together

[cmotherofpirl]

"Da Vinci" unites Indian Muslims and Christians
Mon May 15, 2006 10:16 AM BST



By Krittivas Mukherjee

MUMBAI (Reuters) - A powerful organisation of Indian Islamic clerics promised on Monday to help Christian groups launch protests if the authorities did not ban the screening of the controversial film, "The Da Vinci Code".

Protest in India against the film have so far been low key, but several Catholic groups have threatened to stage street demonstrations and even to shut down cinema halls screening it.

Now, powerful Islamic clerics have joined issue with Christians, saying "The Da Vinci Code" is blasphemous as it spreads lies about Jesus Christ.

"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, an umbrella organisation of clerics, told Reuters.

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

"The Da Vinci code" is an adaptation of author Dan Brown's bestseller by the same name that suggests that Jesus married his female disciple Mary Magdalene and had a child with her. The film is slated for release worldwide at the end of this week.

The Vatican condemns the book and the film, and has asked Christians worldwide to boycott "The Da Vinci Code".

In India, leaders of the two communities met politicians and police in the western city of Mumbai on Saturday, urging the authorities to stop the screening of the film.

"If the government doesn't do anything, we will try our own ways of stopping the film from being shown," said Syed Noori, president of Mumbai-based Raza Academy, a Muslim cultural organisation that often organises protests on issues concerning Islam. "We are prepared for violent protests in India if needed."

Several Indian Christian groups have said they would protest against the film, with one little known Catholic organisation even calling on Christians to begin a fast until death.

Last week, small groups of protesters marched in Mumbai and burnt a copy of the book.

"We will picket in front of cinema halls that show the film. We are very hurt and very angry," said Dolphy D'Souza, spokesman of Bombay Catholic Sabha, which has 40,000 registered members.

Christians form about one percent of Hindu-majority India's 1.3-billion population, while Muslims make up around 13 percent.

[Nathan]

You know, this makes me smile. I'm not for protesting Da Vinci -- I believe that it will do nothing but increase ticket sales -- but it is good to see Muslims finally recognizing that this movie is an insult to their faith as well.

A thought I just had: Why do us Christians only protest movies? The Da Vinci Code novel has been out for a long time, was wildly popular and influential, and we didn't protest it. But we are protesting the movie. Why is that?

[thessalonian]

[quote name='Nathan' post='981674' date='May 15 2006, 03:27 PM']
You know, this makes me smile. I'm not for protesting Da Vinci -- I believe that it will do nothing but increase ticket sales -- but it is good to see Muslims finally recognizing that this movie is an insult to their faith as well. A thought I just had: Why do us Christians only protest movies? The Da Vinci Code novel has been out for a long time, was wildly popular and influential, and we didn't protest it. But we are protesting the movie. Why is that?
[/quote]

In truth books are worse than movies. A book get's far deeper in to the mind than the quick moving images in a movie. The book has been protested however vocally. Where do you go to protest a book? A bookstore I guess. But there's alot more than one book that should be protested at secular bookstores.I think the best way to protest a book perhaps is to go and tell the manager that the book is offensive to your faith.

Edited May 16, 2006 by thessalonian

[jezic]

i don't think protesting the book would do to much, maybe in the beginning, but now there are way to many places that sell it.

The other thing might be that many people have read it and so it would be kind of hypocritical to protest the book.

On the other hand, it is good to hear of Muslims and Christians working together. I hope that these types of things continue in the future.

[misereremi]

[quote name='jezic' post='982811' date='May 16 2006, 11:15 PM']
it is good to hear of Muslims and Christians working together. I hope that these types of things continue in the future.
[/quote]
we've done small peaceful protests here together, too (not for DVC yet, but things like Jerry Springer the Opera, the handing out of contraception to children, miseducation of children in schools, and abortion). I hope this continues despite our differences. Our Lady of Fatima, ora pro nobis.

[thessalonian]

There is something going on here with this davinci code stuff. This morning someone posted an article about 60% of english catholics believing this garbage. I see it as a separating of the wheat from the chaff. The tares from the wheat. Last year we were given the passion film. If that did not motivate someone to strengthen their faith nothing will and yet this movie seems to be causing a great falling away!

[jezic]

Actually The Passion came out in 2004.

[at0m1c]

I hope they don't start killing people... we can't afford the flak..

[XIX]

[quote name='thessalonian' post='982115' date='May 16 2006, 05:09 AM']
In truth books are worse than movies. A book get's far deeper in to the mind than the quick moving images in a movie. The book has been protested however vocally. Where do you go to protest a book? A bookstore I guess. But there's alot more than one book that should be protested at secular bookstores.I think the best way to protest a book perhaps is to go and tell the manager that the book is offensive to your faith.
[/quote]
True, except more people watch the movie than read the book.

[Nathan]

Has anybody read Peter Kreeft's book [i]Ecumenical Jihad[/i]? I just skimmed through it briefly at one of the bookstores on campus, and it seems to apply to this discussion. Basically, the thrust is that Christians, Jews, and Muslims should stop bickering and fighting amongst each other and band together against the REAL enemy: immoral, liberal secular culture.

I'm definitely going to give it a read once exams are through.