The DaVinci Code and race
2006 June 5
Ran across a couple interesting posts on the issue of race is The DaVinci Code.
From Postmodern Negro:
One of the main issues I have with those who take issue with this particular movie is the silence on the racial dynamics and aesthetics of the movie. As it turns out Jesus’ descendants are white Europeans. No surprise there! Racial Constantinianism is a mutha! This should be expected in light of 500 years of white supremacy and normalization (or what I call the symbolic universe of ecclesial whiteness).
And from The Magdalene Review:
There is a sinister subtext here that is rarely discussed. Think of it this way: Jesus was the Son of God, and he fathered a child, who then carried his “divine†blood. This bloodline then spread throughout Europe (where else?), giving some people of European heritage yet another reason to think themselves superior. We have a word for this, people. It’s called “racism.â€[...]
I think that what is preventing more people from sitting up and taking notice of this aspect of the bloodline idea is the sheer novelty of it. Everyone is so focused on asking “could it have happened?†that they aren’t seeing potential consequences.
Interesting… and not something I had thought of. May write some more on this later, but I’m kind of tired right now. Your thoughts?
I think Dan Brown may have been used underground French Merovingian myths as the basis for his books. These are legednds that go several hundred years back connecting the Merovingian dynasty in the dark ages to the “bloodline” of Christ.
So I don’t think race actively a component here. France is the culture that produced the myth, so Brown might as well have drawn on it.
Racism is a very important part of the history of Christianity. The Genesis of these stories occurred in ancient African, Asia, and Judea and then moved to surrounding countries after the Roman Empire ethnically cleansed Judea of the “Tribe of Judah.” In the subsequent century, Rome assumed control of Christianity and it then became based on European characters with European names and faces.
It is undeniable that the European names and faces of the New Testament and Christianity cannot possibly be the truth. They were interpolated into the so-called Gospels by Roman leadership. It is important to remember that ancient Judeans were dark-skinned, as were the Gnostic Coptics (Egyptians) and the Ethiopians. None of these people would have had names like Mark, Peter, Paul, Phillip, Jesus, etc. Consequently, it is undeniable that these names (and faces) are later creations imposed by Romans who ruthlessly eliminated all competing stories and philosophies to establish the Christian Orthodoxy now referred to as the New Testament.
The very fact that the New Testament and Christianity have been cleansed of African and Middle Eastern names and faces is evidence of purposeful racism. The fact that it continues to this day is undeniable. Simply look at how Christian nations have treated native peoples in every land they conquered and then imposed the Christian myth, which asserts the divinity of a white-skinned messiah, who is based on obvious lies.
The Merovingian kings in France simply endeavored to steal Rome’s thunder by co-opting the Christian Myth to their own purposes by saying that Mary married a French king. This ploy was an obvious deception used to gain the loyalty of the citizens of the emerging French nation. Why would people who were so opposed wealth and power (money-changers in the temple, etc.) marry into royalty? It’s obvious that these French aristocrats saw through Rome’s deceptions and used them, just as Rome had. It is unlikely they were much focused on racism though, since their subjects were all Europeans. Rome on the other hand had been oppressing and fighting Asians and Africans for centuries.
Peace…
something i hadn’t ever taken notice to either. as far as the protrayal always being a white guy. much like in the passion of the christ. white, american actor playing jesus. hmmm.
Seven Star Hand, the Merovingians never made these kinds of claims. They couldn’t say stuff like that an maitain the Church’s support. They are folktales from later periods. And they were never in royal or burgiousie circles.
Since the book/movie is about those stories, it only makes sense that you’d make it a European movie. (Although its unfortunate that whenever any ethnicity makes Jesus, Mary, the saints whatever ethnicity they are its “enculturation.” And yet when a white person does that its racist, colonial, or oppresive).
In America, nothing can EVER be done without injecting a racial component to it. It is within our societal blood and fabric, for good or ill. It was bound to come up in the discussion of that book at one time or another.
Well, yes, Don, but that’s because the US has a long history, including current conditions, of deep racism. So I don’t think we can or should be so dismissive of people who claim to see racist elements in a movie like The DaVinci Code. Does that mean I agree with Seven Star Hand’s statement that names like Matthew, Mark, Luke & John in the Bible signifies racism? No. But I think the people who made the posts I quoted do have a point.
They may have a point, but I think our society has become overly sensitive to anything perceived to be racial in content or origin, and it is always laid at the feet of white people, as if there is a ‘collective guilt’ in regards to the issue. But for how much longer are there going to be ‘victims’ (on the large scale) in our society, and more often than not (from what I have seen), racial issue have provided a trump card and has actually impeded progress.
Could not disagree with you more, The Don.
That’s alright…I don’t think we agree on anything anyway ;)