By Irene Kuppan
Several Durban Christian leaders have vowed to disrupt the opening of the film The Da Vinci Code, threatening to go to court to prevent the movie from being screened in theatres from Friday.
Other leaders have called for debates and dialogue on the book and movie, saying that movie-goers would recognise the film for what it is - just a work of fiction.
The Dan Brown book, and now the film version, has caused controversy for among other things, claiming that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and fathered a child with her. The book claims that the bloodline of Jesus continues to this day.
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'Jesus did have children - you and I' The film screens in Durban on Friday, but was shown in China on Wednesday. Legal action taken by Christian groups in various parts of the world to have the film banned has so far been unsuccessful.
Cellphone text messages that were being circulated in South Africa called on all "Christian leaders, pastors, lawyers, advocates, doctors, businessmen and women, and any other helpful person to advice or assist in The Da Vinci Code saga".
The SMS also said that "maybe a high court action or march to stop the movie" would be an option.
Other SMSs read: "Shh, Jesus did have children - you and I ..."; "dialogue and engagement are more productive than protesting and picketing ..."; and "united we can distribute flyers at movies".
Dr Aldai Naidoo who is the chairman of a group of Durban pastors and leaders, called Concerned Christian Leaders, and the spokesperson for the Global Network of Christian Indian Leaders, said his organisations would be going to court.
'The Da Vinci Code is a money making scheme' "We are looking at taking some sort of action through our judicial structures to prevent the screening of The Da Vinci Code."
Naidoo said the plot of the book and the movie was based on an "intriguing bit of lost and misinformed history".
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