I beg to differ...

For me, the most effective distraction from writing is more writing. I am still working on the short story I mentioned in my last post, but something has stolen my attention for today. Surfing the internet today I came across a headline on a news site (link no longer available): Top Cardinal Blasts 'Da Vinci Code' as 'Cheap Lies'. Now, generally I will not discuss matters of faith in such a public forum, but this article intrigued me and guaranteed this post.

For those of you who did not get to read the article, let me summarize. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, formerly of the Vatican's office on doctrinal orthodoxy, urges Christians to steer clear of Dan Brown's bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code, citing it's raving success as proof of "a great anti-Catholic prejudice".

I, personally, have read the book. After doing so I watched the debate ricochet back and forth between two fronts. There were, and are, those who speculated that the information contained within the pages of the book was an epiphanous compilation of factual evidence to support the validity of the plot's climactic revelation. There were yet others who were furiously incited against the author for presenting it as such. I belong to neither of these groups.

I thought the book was entertaining as a work of fiction, because that's all it was...fiction. Yes, Dan Brown did set up the story pooling various actual settings and presenting certain facts that meshed uncannily with the underlying story. The author also claims that during his research he learned of compelling circumstantial evidence that made him a believer.

But let's face it folks, it's a novel. Regardless of how much factual info Mr. Brown may have used, any reader with a lick of common sense can tell where Dan was stretching things for the purposes of entertainment. He can no more tell people the true history of Jesus' life than I can. I find it fascinating that something like this can so invoke the ire of the upper echelons of the Catholic clergy.

Cardinal Bertone states that the "allegations" presented in the novel are "cheap lies". Yes, everyone, welcome to the revelation of the century: fiction is a lie. Now, I certainly understand if the cardinal is offended by the material in the book, though I can't help but wonder if he's actually read it. What bothers me is that he is appealing to the Christian masses to keep away.

He warns that there is a "strategy of persuasion - that one isn't an adult Christian if you don't read this book". I would never propose to tell anyone about the validity of his faith based upon whether or not he's read a book, just like I would never simply assume that reading a book would so shake someone's faith.

Bertone speaks of being an "adult Christian", but how can anyone feel like an adult when some parental figure attempts to censor her because he feels her faith, one of the few things that is uniquely hers, will be tested. In the bible, God tested Job's faith. How did Job fare? And God didn't throw down no copy of The Da Vinci Code for Job to read. No, he gave the devil free reign to do all but kill the man. And what about Abraham? You want to talk about a test of faith? THAT, my friends, is a test. And the Catholic hierarchy, for whom these stories help to define their doctrine of faith, is worried about their followers reading a fictional book? Well, the clergy may have faith in Christ, but it doesn't seem like they have much faith in His flock.

Another comment the cardinal makes is "if a similar book was written, full of lies about Buddha, Mohamed, or, even, for example, if a novel came out which manipulated all the history of the Holocaust or of the Shoah, what would have happened?"

Okay, sure, some people would be offended, possibly including me, but let's make a distinction here. Horrific events like the Holocaust are still fresh in the memories of people who are living today. The Holocaust and the Shoah as historical events are not a matter of faith. There can be little debate as to their occurrence and validity. Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Taoism, Shintoism, Paganism, Shamanism, and all of the religions of the world and their adjoining historical doctrine ARE matters of faith. Of course, I only make this distinction because the cardinal did not seem to, not because one side deserves to be any more offended than the other at things that are an affront to its perceptions.

So, do I believe that the cardinal should have kept his opinions to himself? No, but I don't think his plea is as well-intentioned as it may seem to the like-minded. Let me share one of MY opinions with you. I believe that any good parent should know that explicit and indiscriminate censoring of materials and experiences is the most effective way to pique a child's interest in those things. If the cardinal was concerned that others might be offended as he was then he should have said, "For those sensitive to issues of faith, I would not recommend this book." By making the issue out of it that he did, Bertone guaranteed Dan Brown at least one more royalty check, probably several.