Apparently heresy is still a crime

Frank 013

Have you guys seen this Yahoo article?

It is a complaint that is going to court over the Da Vinci Code movie.

Here is an excerpt from the article…

Quote:
Earlier this year, a complaint against the film was filed by a group of clergy near the Italian village of Civitavecchia, where the state prosecutor's office said it would open a criminal investigation into the film. The complaint says the film violates Article 528 of Italy's Penal Code.

The complaint names 10 people, including director Ron Howard and author Dan Brown.

The investigation means the case will have its day in court in the seaside port village about 40 miles north of Rome, though a judge could elect to throw out the charges. But it is significant that the state prosecutor agreed to investigate it.
It is unclear what the unnamed complainants -- reported by the state prosecutor to be Catholic clergy from the area -- are seeking.

Under the terms of Article 528 of the Penal Code, if found guilty the defendants will have a criminal record in Italy and would each face jail time of at least three months and fines of at least 103 euros ($139). Jail time is capped at three years, but there is no upward limit on the fines, legal experts said. The defendants cannot be extradited for the charges, but they can be apprehended if they are already on Italian soil.

See the entire article here: news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070...davinci_dc

Later

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well
preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out,
shouting..."Holy Crap...what a ride!"

Edited by: Frank 013 at: 6/19/07 4:28 pm

MadArchitect

It doesn't look to me as though this has anything to do with heresy. As best I can tell, Article 528 of the Italian penal code is levelled against obscenity:

(a) Article 528 of the Penal Code makes anyone who, for commercial purposes or for distribution or public display, manufactures, introduces into the territory of the State, purchases, holds, exports, or puts into circulation an obscene writing, drawing, image or other obscene object of any type, liable to three months to three years' imprisonment and a fine. This penalty also applies to anyone who gives public theatrical or cinematographic performances of an obscene nature. Act No. 47 of 8 February 1948 provides that article 528 of the Penal Code also applies to publications intended for children and adolescents when these publications have the potential to harm their sense of moral values or incite them to become involved in corruption or to commit crimes or suicide. In such cases, the penalties are increased (art. 14); source

It's particularly aimed at minors. The fact that this case is going to court doesn't mean that the Italian government legislates heresy, and if the court finds in favor of the plaintiff, all it will mean is that the Italian legal system will have a precedent for treating fictional reinterpretations of religious doctrine as potentially obscene; a precedent, you should note, that would be just as applicable in the case of non-Catholic religions.

That still wouldn't make the Da Vinci Code legally heretical. No one is claiming that it should be illegal to believe what's in the Da Vinci Code. Rather, a win for the plaintiff's would put the Da Vinci Code on a par with, say, "Catcher in the Rye" -- a book that's long been subject to the accusation that, despite being laced with obscenities, was written with minors in mind. Italy just happens to have more clearly defined laws against obscenity than we have in the States.

But then, it is by no means a foregone conclusion that the courts will find in favor of the plaintiffs.

Frank 013

Mad,

My statement was a half joke directed at the church’s intolerance for all views different from theirs.

Later

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well
preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out,
shouting..."Holy Crap...what a ride!"

MadArchitect

The Church doesn't take too well to having its own views distorted, but I wouldn't say that they're intolerant to all views different from theirs. In the last century of so, the Church has made a deliberate effort to forge some sense of community between the major world religions, or at least of dialogue.

Great joke, though. Are oh ef elle. Did I get that right?

Frank 013

I just think making a legal issue with a possible jail term over a fictional movie is slightly extreme... call me crazy

Later

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well
preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out,
shouting..."Holy Crap...what a ride!"

MadArchitect

For the most part, I'd say you're right, but the fact is, a lot of country's do it, and it isn't always directly related to religious institutions. The reason this particular article seems to have captured any sort of interest is a) that the Da Vinci Code was a really popular movie, and b) it's a group of clergy members bringing the case to trial. But that doesn't change the fact that other countries (like, for example, China) have routinely used censorship to suppress political dialogue, or simply to maintain a particular notion of social decency. There was some uproar recently over Dakota Fanning's most recent movie, which contains a scene in which her character is raped, and some were arguing that the film's makers (and possible Fanning's guardians) should be held legally liable for putting the child star in the film. But the fact remains, it's a movie, completely fictional, and the actress apparantly wasn't involved in any actual sexual behavior. Whattya gonna do?

Frank 013

Quote:
Mad
For the most part, I'd say you're right, but the fact is, a lot of country's do it, and it isn't always directly related to religious institutions.

That’s true, and if it seemed like I was insinuating that this behavior is restricted to the church it was not my intent.

Although it seems that we are often comparing the actions of the church to other intolerant entities.

Later

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well
preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out,
shouting..."Holy Crap...what a ride!"


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