Censorship *edited*

I heard about this the other day from some friends of mine and didn't believe them. I found this article on USA Today about the Chinese government pulling the film "The Da Vinci Code" from theaters. A more recent article is here on Entertainment Online. News sources are saying that Chinese Catholics were protesting and causing political unrest. I'm surprised they even released this movie in the first place, but I think I'm more surprised that they pulled it.

*added later*
So, I posted the above and then thought about it and now I have more to say on this topic. "The Da Vinci Code" has lots of deceiving information in it. I do not approve of the content of the book or movie and certainly do not agree with it. I have heard it is a good read and I have seen the movie and it was compelling. With that said, I'm glad that China pulled this movie from theaters but I'm also a bit mad about it. I'm glad because in many countries there are people who do not know the Truth of God or His Word. When people who have never known Truth watch, or read, "The Da Vinci Code" they get a skewed view of Christianity. Recently I have been listening to Josh McDowell's podcast on his response to "The Da Vinci Code" and I have come to the realization that most of Dan Brown's "facts" are actually fiction. I am amazed at how much he fabricated to make the plot work. In light of that, people who see this movie also have a right to know the Truth and decide for themselves about who Jesus really is. This is why I'm glad China pulled it from theaters because so many people in China don't know the Truth. I'm upset because of the motivation behind China pulling the film. The reasoning is not moral or even religious. It's not because the movie is deceiving or causes people to leave the Church. The Chinese government pulled the film because it was causing political unrest among their people. It was because they were trying to please the protesters, the fact that those protesters were Catholic has nothing to do with it. This is what frustrates me. The same government that pulled "The Da Vinci Code" also censors religious information and gatherings. They censor the very people they are trying to please by pulling the movie from theaters. It is a reminder that in the world today there are still countries that proclaim freedom for their people, but keep them in check through censored media and news.

However, I admire these Christians that have stepped up to the plate and took a stand against their government. Even though the government's ban wasn't a "noble" cause, the protesters' actions were. In other countries, such as Fiji (see link below), Christian protesters also were able to persuade their government to ban the movie. These are efforts that change countries and make an impact. I highlighted some more articles below about the movie being banned. In Pakistan, the government banned the film "out of respect for the country's minority Christians" (see article below). Where's America in all of this? If Christians in America make a big enough deal about it would it ever be banned? Can Christians in America stand up for something they believe in and make a change like these others have? Is it our society that makes it so hard to be heard? Or is it our hearts...

Some other countries that banned "The Da Vinci Code" from being played in their theaters are: India, Fiji, and Pakistan. Egypt is still deciding.