Is there no more truth in fiction? - II

Perhaps, the ruffled feelings among Christendom's faithful inre "The Da Vinci Code", may just be less intense and sanguinary as the Muslim fiery reaction to the "Satanic Verses" of Salman Rushdie, a British of Indian nationality. To recall, the Muslim radicals still have a pending death wish or curse on Rushdie - "fatwa" it is - for what the Muslims have perceived as profane assault and desecration on the Islam religion in the pages of "Satanic Verses".

Of more recent vintage were the literally violent hellfires ignited by irate Muslim mobs in many European and other cities, targeting Danish embassies. What precipitated the riots had been the seemingly innocent caricatures of prophet Mohammed, as entries in a caricature sketch contest sponsored by a Danish publication. If one recalls right, the theme focused on Muslim terrorists' absence of fear of death in suicide bombings.

One attributes this tamer reaction among Christians to "The Da Vinci Code" myth, on the absence of "fanaticism" in their religious faith and belief. In fact, it's to the credit of their unshakable and impregnable faith that despite such erosive novel tending to weaken their belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Christian "soldiers" have remained steadfast.

For one thing, press and other media reportage on varied classes of Filipino society, reveals a sober and unflappable reaction which, in sum, runs that he who is deeply-rooted in his religious faith remains unaffected by the novel.

For another, the MTRCB board has used its collective wisdom that notwithstanding complaints of certain sectors to ban showing of the book's movie version, there's no reason to slam it. It, however, classified the movie adaptation as "R-rated", or for adults only.

For still another, while individual bishop members of the CBCP have expressed split opinions, the ultimate stand has been to treat Dan Brown's book "purely as fiction" and should not be banned. As aptly aired by Monsignor Pedro Quitorio, the CBCP spokesman: "If the faith of the people is strong, it would not be destroyed by one novel".

Incidentally, even the leader of Opus Dei, the Catholic group depicted by Dan Brown as murderous and power-hungry sect, says that "some good might come out of The Da Vinci Code". There's no doubting that the book publisher and the movie producer of Dan Brown's novel are motivated by monetary returns of their investments. As to whether Dan Brown, the author, has been so similarly motivated, is open to question.

It's easy and tempting to conclude, given the dog-eats-dog competition in the race of best-sellers and the money reward that goes with the turf, that the author could have had harkened to the sound and smell of gold at the back of his mind.

However, in fairness to him as an artist whose god or icon is art for art's sake, Dan Brown could not have been so avariciously obsessed to write "The Da Vinci Code" only for the cash of it. You see, writers and true artists as a rule, are idealistic and altruistic in outlook. They are not iconoclastic in the sense as to destroy the venerated institution of fiction writing as an art, just for the mint that clings with the ink. Conversely, if that segment of Christian zealots continues to condemn "The Da Vinci Code" with such Victorian priggishness and primness, to be totally taboo as a book to read and as a movie to watch, it will only invite the more, the hitherto undecided curiosity seekers including the agnostics, to find out why the furor and over-ballyhoo. Remember, like the biblical forbidden apple of Eden, what is forbidden is always a tempting challenge.

In recap, whether or not there is no more truth in works of fiction nowadays, is of no moment. Modern literature has intruded into the "forbidden", or a revival of the "long, long time ago" myths and legends of Beowulf, of ogres, titans, witches, extra-terrestrial fantasies, folktale toons and other supernatural beings.