Sue them! Cardinal calls for Da Vinci prosecution
(From the BBC) In a documentary due to be shown in Rome, Cardinal Francis Arinze calls on Christians to take legal action against The Da Vinci Code book and film.
The conservative cardinal said:
Christians must not just sit back and say it is enough for us to forgive and to forget.
Sometimes it is our duty to do something practical
Like give Dan Brown even more publicity than he could have dreamt of by taking him to court? Good idea, cardie.
This is one of the fundamental human rights – that we should be respected, our religious beliefs respected, and our founder Jesus Christ respected.
Er, why should one set opinions on the origin of the universe, the nature of life, and the possibility of life after death be “respected” any more than another set of opions? And how do you ensure respect of a long-dead semi-fictional character?
The cardinal went on to express his deep-seated admiration for violent religious fanatics:
There are some other religions which if you insult their founder they will not be just talking.
Yes, aren’t they great? Or do you mean aren’t you great for not being like them? Or that you should be more like them, but not too much more? Do you really know what you mean?
Anyway, we really hope that they do take the publishers/film makers to court. It would be a fascinating spectacle.
(Thanks to Andrew in the comments)
UPDATE: Bartholomew has more DVC news.
When it comes down to it, reasoned argument is neutral. It doesn’t use rhetoric or anecdote as hard evidence. If these nutcases ever put up reasoned argument for their beliefs in sky fairies, those of a more rational dispositoin might find it harder to argue with them. That might deserve some respect. But, as Monitor says, respecting a belief? Over any other belief? Why? Respect just doesn’t enter into it. Respect the dear cardinal if he’s done something worth respecting, such as save a life when there’s danger to his own, instigate something to reduce global warming (such as putting a stop to the hot air he and his chums come out with), by all means. I don’t expect respect for my nontheistic views, just the respect for my right to hold them. All I respect in his case is his right to hold his views, provided they don’t impinge … blah, blah, usual caveats.
Interesting to see the cardinal talking about human rights.
Along with his fellow Nigerian, Archbishop Peter Akinola, he is one of the main backers of a bill there which will introduce what has been described as ‘the most oppressive piece of anti-gay legislation to have been introduced in modern times’. On the other hand, neither of them backed an attempt last year to end capital punishment in Nigeria which would have prevented stoning of gays or pregnant women under sharia law and neither of them protested when a sharia court in Northern Nigeria tried to passed such a sentence for the umpteenth time in 2004.
Human rights? Get some humanity before you bleat about that!
Stuart’s right. I wrote about the new Nigerian law a few months ago.
Another top act from the Vatican Comedy Club.
Did the cardinal say on what grounds we wanted to sue? I’d be extremely interested to know that!
If the good cardinal thinks that there are grounds on which to sue, then I have to wonder why he doesn’t do so himself instead of just asking his flock of bleating sheople to do it. Yet another example of the hypocrisy of the religious.