Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Jumping on the Banned-Wagon

Christians in India might appear to be a docile lot in comparison with their non-issue raising counterparts from other religions, but throw them a good bone and they won’t fail to snap at it. The latest bone, of course, is the film The Da Vinci Code.

Here’s a really interesting article by Vir Sanghvi on the issue. It raises the point, not completely in jest, that ‘protesting’ seems to be something that Indians love. He says:

Even though the film The Da Vinci Code is made by Christians in a Christian country and will be watched by millions of other Christians all over the Christian world, India’s Christians say that they are so offended that it should be banned in our country. Never mind that the rest of the world will see it.


India’s Christians are “Indian first and Christian second”. How then, can they not protest such a blatant affront to their religion?

It’s also interesting that the film should meet with so much more protest than the book that it is based on met with. Is this because more Indians watch movies than read? If so, the country’s in a terrible shape.

I wonder what’s next? The banning of the terms like ‘chrissakes’? (Or maybe even ‘geez’. Short for ‘Jesus’, you know!)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

People don't get it. The Da Vinci Code is amovie based on a NOVEL. Fantasy. I've blogged about it too! For Chrissakes

_dirtboy said...

So, when are u jumpin the protest wagon? I guess,being just 2%of india's populace, the community needs each and every christian to join em to make their voice heard..

Or wait,haven't they done that already? I mean,aint the movie off the track already?Heck,u can stay and protest against them idiotic protestors...

FifthBeatle said...

dave - well.. fantasy perhaps, though quite "fantasy" enough to fall into the list of "fantas movies" i named just a couple of post ago... i think i will like it!

facesmasher - my personal contribution will be eating the food that those going on a "fast unto death" because of this issue will not be eating..

PC said...

ah, the da vinci post up here as well! what i don't get from it though is your take on the book, and the movie release.

FifthBeatle said...

Agarwaen Mormegil - Rights? Democracy?? are you sure you're talking about the right country??

visionunseen - i'd written about my take on the book in a post long time ago when i read it... my take on the movie release is as follows:- release the damn movie, i'll watch it.. and then i'll review it!

_dirtboy said...

All you Indians here.. Rise i say.Rise and protest against the protestors.Prove em the stereotype.Or just give the movie a pass.
Btw,arnie,chances are u wont find any good food.The ones who fast, they dont have much food to spare anyways.

FifthBeatle said...

freaky chakra - have to agree with you here... all these protests seem to be at worst pigheadedness and at best a big farce... and like you say, the pirated online version is always available for download!

Anonymous said...

i live in an arab country so the movie-people here will be falling over themselves to screen it...in imax even. O_o

FifthBeatle said...

konika - you wouldnt believe it, but here even the muslims are asking for a ban on the film!

twisty-scientisty said...

well said! :D anyway i guess the movie is releasing on the 26th of may, after much ado..and a disclaimer saying its a work of fiction, cuz, u know...it cud easily be mistaken for reality! out wid the ancient texts, in with a dan brown suspense thriller?