With the film's release date just two weeks away, some evangelicals and Catholics are calling for a boycott of The Da Vinci Code. According to the Associated Press, voices of protest are emerging even from the Vatican. Monsignor Angelo Amato—a former right-hand-man to Pope Benedict himself—said during a speech last week that the film is "slanderous." Adds Amato: "I hope all of you boycott this film,"

Amato went on to suggest that if such "slander, offenses, and errors" were directed at Judaism or Islam, more people would be up in arms. He said the film contains "slander, offenses and errors that if they were directed toward the Quran or the Shoah would have justifiably provoked a worldwide revolt. Yet because they were directed toward the Catholic Church, they remain 'unpunished.'"

Amato isn't the only one calling for Christians to skip out on Da Vinci. Stateside, the Christian Civic League of Maine is calling for a boycott of all movie theaters in that state—even ones that are not screening the film. Citing the "current deplorable state of the movies in general," and Da Vinci in particular, the group is urging Christians to avoid theaters indefinitely, until the return of "wholesome and edifying movies."

Not all Christians are calling for a boycott, though—one prominent group of Roman Catholics in England opposes the Vatican boycott. "We are not calling for boycotts or protests. Our view is that it is up to people to decide if they want to see the film," commented Austin Ivereigh, a spokesman for Britain's Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.

In other Da Vinci news:

TV special to "fact check" the Code's claims (Da Vinci Delusion)
Author/minister D. James Kennedy to host; air dates this weekend

The Da Vinci Code Adventure examines responses (Da Vinci Dialogue)
New evangelical book studies Christian reactions to book, movie

New video Bible marketed as Da Vinci alternative (andPOP)
Ten-disc New Testament set challenges film's claims

Catholic scholars prepare for film (Associated Press)
Religious experts gather to discuss upcoming movie

Debates persist as film approaches (Associated Press)
Arguments over Brown's claims continue to draw heated responses

Australians challenge book's claims (Associated Press)
Campaign launched down under using Web, theater ads

Marketing The Da Vinci Code (The Australian)
Examining the explosion of a global blockbuster

© Josh Hurst 2006, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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