Imagine if they made the "Rushdie Code"

[Devastatin Dave]

So Don, what do you think would happen, if it were to happen, if this sort of movie was made about Muhammed?

[Don Corleone]

Right now, with the current global climate? I imagine it would be much the same as the Danish 'cartoon controversy'. Most muslims didn't get particularly freaked with that, and most probably wouldn't with a "Islam is a lie" movie either. Those that did have a hair trigger anyway, and fly off the handle over much less. Don't see how a movie would make them THAT much more angry then they already were, as they were pretty angry over those cartoons.

I think your average muslim living in Syria or Turkey would view it much the way your average Christian views the DaVinci code... the least they could have done is done a convincing hatchet job.

[Byzantine Prince]

Like this?

And this?

[Don Corleone]

BP, I've never seen either movie, so I can't comment on them with any certainty. But from the IMDB pages, neither appears to propose that Islam is a pack of lies, altered from it's original form by unscrupulous men who even today lie and murder to keep their secrets. This IS the fundamental premise of the DaVinci Code.

[Byzantine Prince]

Maybe if the Da Vinci code was well-written and though-out you would have reason to take offence. Can you imagine what would hapen if we took every moron with a camera seriously?

[Ser Clegane]

BP, I've never seen either movie, so I can't comment on them with any certainty. But from the IMDB pages, neither appears to propose that Islam is a pack of lies, altered from it's original form by unscrupulous men who even today lie and murder to keep their secrets. This IS the fundamental premise of the DaVinci Code.

Of course it should also be considered that due to lack of an organizational structure like e.g., the Catholic Church and the Vatican, Islam does not provide the same kind of subjects for conspiracy theories like Christianity.

But generally you are of course right - a similar movie on Islam would very likely lead to a much harsher reactions by some fundamentalists than we see in the case of the Da Vinci Code.
In the end it all boils down to the fact that most Christian countries already experienced a long history of questioning authorities - but this is less an issue of difference between Christianity and Islam than a difference in history and development of societal structure (that is only partly influenced by religion)

[L'Impresario]

But from the IMDB pages, neither appears to propose that Islam is a pack of lies, altered from it's original form by unscrupulous men who even today lie and murder to keep their secrets. This IS the fundamental premise of the DaVinci Code.

Islam doesn't have any important central authority that could play a role similar to the Catholic church's one, nor can you find so many conspiracy theories that have been around for a long time, therefore making their internalization easier.

EDIT:

but this is less an issue of difference between Christianity and Islam than a difference in history and development of societal structure (that is only partly influenced by religion)

This is a very important point being made, and it can help the understanding several of the alleged "christian-muslim" differences of late.
It's also a very common theme in Olivier Roy's latest works (that's a reading suggestion heh).

[Louis VI the Fat]

What do you think would happen, if it were to happen, if this sort of movie was made about Muhammed?

Nothing extrodinary I guess. The Da Vinci Code is not a theological treatise, or a mockery of faith. It is a conspiracy plot thriller. It presents the Catholic church as an evil religion, far removed from it's original intent, presided over by fanatic old men wearing dresses and bend on world domination.

Pretty much the same rubbish that is spouted on a daily basis about Islam.

[PanzerJaeger]

Muhammed (peace be upon him).

Possibly the most repeated bit of irony in history!

[Proletariat]

I think that's a misquote. It should read Praise Be Upon Him, I believe, which isn't as hyleerious.

[Red Peasant]

Hey DC, you seem a great guy, but I get an *itch* when I see these kinda things randomly thrown into posts.

Pax.

[Brenus]

Don Corleone, that isn’t a real testimony. At worst it seems to be a late report of somebody after Christ and not from a man living at the same time.
At seeing the style, it is probably a Christian text. I am not convinced. And most of the historians think this text was added by the monks when they copied the original… Nothing special, the monks always added (or modified or deleted) some or parts of the texts they copied to reinforce the faith.

About a film speaking of Mohamed, well, I saw a documentary on History Channel and I still waiting for the muslin unrest and riots. Again, the Muslim religion does not forbid to represent the prophet, but to give in a face. You can find representation of Mahomet, but without a clear face.

I did write about the Da Vinci Code and I still don’t see where the problem is. A guy, collecting here and here some legends and real fact (Dagobert did exist but according to the French history died of dysentery after a life of slaughter, greed and debauches), living 2 sons after him who will become the Lazy Kings, who will be kicked out by the Carolingians. The only real legacy of this king is a song written during the French Revolution (C’est le Roi Dagobert qu’a mis sa culotte a l’envers, etc).
We can also argue about the picture made of Phillip, the King of Iron, and the man guilty of the slaughter of the Templars. He wanted to unite the Kingdom, the Templar were a menace against his authority.
The alleged collusion between Phillippe and the Pope is a non sense; Phillip put limit on the power of the inquisition, he denied the Pope Boniface VII to be the “Imperium Mundi” the Emperor of the World. He built the Etats du Royaume, kind of medieval House of Representatives, based on the 3 orders; those who pray those who fight those of work, like the St Augustine’s doctrine. He sent his army to attack the summer palace of the Pope and accuse this one of heresy. Boniface died few weeks after and the Popes will live in Avignon for some time.
He forbid private wars, free the serfs of the Royal domain, limit a right of justice of the land lords, he gave the right for all the serfs of France to buy their freedom. He created the Bourgeoisie du Roi, the bourgeoisie of the King which gave the right to a person or a town to become a direct subject of the King.

The endorsement by the Da Vinci Code of all the clichés and his lack of real knowledge of the ACTUAL French Society (never heard of the first name of the French Police Officer) made me doubt of the reality of his expertise.
However, as I said before, that made me to go for the Gnosis and I read a lot about the Gospels, St Irene and all the others.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Don Corleone, that isn’t a real testimony. At worst it seems to be a late report of somebody after Christ and not from a man living at the same time.
At seeing the style, it is probably a Christian text. I am not convinced. And most of the historians think this text was added by the monks when they copied the original… Nothing special, the monks always added (or modified or deleted) some or parts of the texts they copied to reinforce the faith.

Your point about additions and deletions over the years may be apt. However, does this not then invalidate pretty much everything (on a host of subjects, not just the life of Joshua bar Joseph) in the Western canon prior to 1400? If so, what are we left with aside from modern archeological evidence?

[Xiahou]

Your point about additions and deletions over the years may be apt. However, does this not then invalidate pretty much everything (on a host of subjects, not just the life of Joshua bar Joseph) in the Western canon prior to 1400? If so, what are we left with aside from modern archeological evidence?

It's too late, and Im too lazy to look all of this up again- but I think he's wrong anyway. Afaik, there are a few suspect words in the passage Don quoted, but I believe it's widely accepted by historians. There are passages on Jesus written by Josephus that some suspect were modified significantly- but I don't believe that was one of them.

The thing that really struck me as silly about the DaVinci code was that it contends Jesus was mortal, not divine. So, if that was true, he was just another man with some great ideas. Why the hell would a super-duper secret society go to so much trouble to protect and nurture the bloodline of someone who's no more special than you or I? If he wasnt divine, as the book contends, what's the signifigance?

[Mount Suribachi]

Y'know, if the bible said Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had a child, Dan Brown would write a book saying how its all a lie and he never married and had kids. Thats just the way the world is. Whatever the bible says on any subject, people will try to prove that the opposite is what actually happened.

*shrugs shoulders*

[English assassin]

On topic, we know exactly what happens when you make a Rushdie code, because he did it. Some idiot issues a fatwah and the British taxpayer gets a bill of millions of pounds for 24 hr Special Branch protection.

So far as I know this hasn't happened to Mr Brown, and the worst he needs protecting from is snotty reviews in the London Review of Books.

So to those who say the majority of mulisms would react as do the majority of Christians, I say, yes, but its the minority you need to worry about.

And to DD, I say, and your point is?

[Ja'chyra]

The thing that really struck me as silly about the DaVinci code was that it contends Jesus was mortal, not divine. So, if that was true, he was just another man with some great ideas. Why the hell would a super-duper secret society go to so much trouble to protect and nurture the bloodline of someone who's no more special than you or I? If he wasnt divine, as the book contends, what's the signifigance?

People have nurtured Royal bloodlines to use as a figurehead, think how much better a figurehead would be if people believed it was a descendant from God.