The
Danger of Angels
and
Demons
From the latest LA box office tally, it looks like Dan Brown has
scored another blockbuster hit. Once again he's done it at the expense of the
Catholic Church. Like The Da Vinci
Code, Angels and Demons plays off what seems to be the last acceptable prejudice
in the America: anti-Catholicism.
The danger of Angels and Demons is that it preys upon those weak
of faith and ignorant of history. To make his story believable, Brown makes
factual assertions that just aren't true. Presented as credible it's too easy
for the viewer to believe that they are. Though they may be nothing but
historical fiction, they become accepted as historical fact.
Take the allegation that Pope Urban rejected The Ecstasy of St.
Theresa as too sexually explicit. Bernini, its creator, didn't begin working on
it until several years after Urban died.
Take the issue of Copernicus. Kohler states the church murdered
him for revealing scientific truths. But Copernicus actually died from stroke
complications in 1543, shortly after he published De Revolutionibus Orbium.
There is no evidence he was murdered. He actually dedicated his work to the
Pope, and never suffered any personal reproach or persecution.
Take Langdon's accusation that "religion has always
persecuted science". He testifies that "a deep rift has existed between
science and religion since the beginning of history". But scholars of
"non-fictional" history could easily make the case that modern
science could not have come into being without the influence of Christian
theology and philosophy, or the support of the Catholic Church.
Unlike presented, Galileo was no key player in the Illuminati, the
world's first scientific "think tank". The Illuminati had no interest
in scientific research. And, Galileo had no interest in the Illuminati,since
they didn't exist until well over 100 years after his death.
Though Brown claims to have conducted extensive research, Angels
and Demons is full of many such errors, false facts and misrepresentations.
There are scholarly refutations on dedicated websites over the
internet that deal with them. There are good books written by experts dedicated
to doing the same.
But the fact remains, far too many of us, rely on the history
presented in movies to form our own sense of history. There always seems to be
History Channel special, like Angels and Demons Decoded, that helps promote a
controversial movie. (Its premise becomes plausible because its given prime
time stage and extensive argument.)
The fact remains, far too many of us lack the maturity or the
ability to discern fact from fiction. (For years I thought the exodus happened
exactly as it did in The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston.) Teachers use Hollywood movies to teach
history everyday, including those of the historical fiction genre. (Each of
those teach the bias of its writer, director and producer.)
Depending upon how impressionable we may be, what's wrong takes
root as what's right (especially if what's wrong get first crack.) What's false has to be pulled before
what's true can be planted. Nowadays the accused is guilty until proven
innocent, especially if one possesses any shred of prejudice against the
targeted. If smear tactics on mass media didn't sway votes they wouldn't be part of
presidential campaigns.
Hollywood continues to condition us Catholics to be ashamed of
things in our history. (Thanks toKingdom of Heaven we can never look at the crusades the same way again. Doubt still continues to cast doubt
about the extent of priestly pedophilia.) There always seems to be a movie or TV episodes that
casts dispersions on Catholics. We need to have the faith and fortitude to see
them for what they really are.
Brown has a qualifying statement on the first page of the both The
Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons that claims content of his work to be
factual.
I think the Catholic Church should be given the courtesy of adding
a qualifier to both Brown movies that states:" what's presented as
historical fact in this movie may not be an actual or correct representation of
history."
We warn viewers about sexual, violent and vulgar content, don't
we?
Anybody want to sign a petition to the Motion Picture Academy of
Arts and Sciences?
While it's being drafted, don't forget to check out whatever cast
doubts about your Faith. St. Paul encourages us to question everything, St.
John reminds us that the truth will set us free.
Here's another opportunity to study our Faith and proclaim it to those who raise questions.
--Rick Sikorski
