CullmanTimes.com, Cullman, Alabama

Local News

May 19, 2006

Group protests opening night of 'The DaVinci Code'

By Evan Belanger

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Movie goers were greeted by a flock protesters Friday evening at Cullman's Carmike Stadium 10 movie theater.

With more than 25 protesters on hand, the group was speaking out against producer Ron Howard's latest movie "The DaVinci Code."

The film, which is based on a book by author Dan Brown, has sparked an international religious debate as clergy and religious advocacy groups say some of the Brown's claims simply are not true.

While Brown has stated the book is "just a novel," he also proposes a number of controversial theories on the history of the Catholic Church, including the idea that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were once married.

That has some believers speaking out in protest:

"It's blasphemy," said Hanceville resident Elsa Arnold, who was protesting Friday. "You don't just criticize Jesus in any way, shape or form. Blasphemy is evil and it's from Satan."

"We hope by protesting that people choose not to see the movie, because it can do great harm to some people who don't know their Catholic faith well," said Blountsville resident Karen Duffy. "Souls could be lost."

While most of the protesters were Catholic, the demonstration was not limited to one denomination.

According to 16-year-old protester Jonathan Howell, concerned Christians organized by phoning friends and neighbors.

"I think we're here out of our love for Jesus," he said. "If you think about your best friend, and someone saying just terrible things about him, you'd be pretty mad. Well, Jesus is even more than a friend to us."

Howell said he has not seen the movie and has no plans to.

"It's just a novel, but he presents it like it's fact, and we don't want to get that trash in our heads," he said. "I think if this was a movie about Mohammed, most people would be outraged."

While the protest was peaceful and quiet in nature, movie-theater management eventually called in a Cullman Police officer, who told them to move to the far side of the parking lot, because they did not have a permit.

That order was complied with.

Arnold said she contacted City Hall about a permit, but was told she needed the permission of Drinkard Developments, which owns the theater, to protest there. She said she did not get a response from the company.

Reaction to the protest was fairly mild, with a few passing motorists shouting they agreed with the protesters' cause.

That was not the case for movie patron Dallas Fletcher and his friends.

While Fletcher was not seeing "The DaVinci Code" Friday, he said he may see it Sunday.

"This just makes me more interested," he said. "If it brings nuns and monks out to protest, I kind of want to see what everyone is talking about."

Inside the theater, Assistant Manager Leldon Maxcy said he did not think ticket sales had been affected by the protest.

"If anything, I think it brings more people in," he said.

Maxcy added the theater is not likely to pull the film.

"Home office books all the films for us, so we have to show whatever they send."

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