LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

The Washington Post has an interesting article about how various Christian sects are responding to the opening of the movie "The DaVinci Code":

Hundreds of churches have distributed books and DVDs meant to expose what they say are the film's many historical inaccuracies. Pastors are delivering sermons about issues raised by the movie. In classes and seminars, Christians of several denominations are being trained in how to talk about the themes.

Many people involved in these programs say they view the movie as a disguised gift: a historic evangelizing moment in which Christians will have a ready opportunity to speak with nonbelievers about God's word.

That's where Beatty fits in. Last week, he attended a talk at Queen of Apostles Catholic Church in Alexandria, where people were coached in how to handle post-film conversations. "This is a chance to teach people a whole lot more than they might have learned if they hadn't read the book," he said. "And they are bringing the subject to you, so now you are free to really explore it with them."

Some Catholic activists and authorities, including top Vatican officials, have urged Christians to boycott the movie. But the fact that so many churches are taking the opposite tack reflects what some see as religion's growing engagement with mainstream culture, not unlike skateboard ministries or hip-hop preachers.

"This is how young people find things out, through the media," said the Rev. Terry Specht, who works for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington and has given pre-movie lectures at bars and schools in the past couple of weeks.

"If I walk into a high school and say I'm going to talk about Constantine -- nothing," he said, referring to the 4th-century Christian emperor. "If I say I'm going to talk about this film and then Constantine, it connects. These are the things that are real to them."

In addition to being an evangelizing moment, this is a big-business moment. At least 45 books have come out to rebut points in Dan Brown's novel, as well as more than a dozen CDs and DVDs tied to the film's release that explore the book, church history and the New Testament.

So, some will boycott the film, and others will use it -as they used "The Passion of the Christ" as an evangelicizing tool. Should be interesting.