Sunday Musings and a Movie about Mary

Sunday Musings and a Movie about Mary

It's Senator Diane Feinstein again and Dr. Condoleezza Rice, but that's
it for the Sunday shows. The rest are men and mostly Republicans. It's beyond
pathetic, but not surprising. You'll see for yourself today, though I'd suggest
brunch instead. I talk about the shortage of femmes on Sunday all the time.
Frankly, it matters.

The subject of short changing females makes a nice segue into the movie about Mary.

The DaVinci Code is wonderful. Yahoo! has some clips
if you haven't seen it.

There has been some talk about audiences in theaters laughing during the discussion
Robert Langdon (Hanks) has with Sophie Neveu (played by Audrey Tautou), when
he tells her about her past and who she actually is. (I'll just leave it at
that in case you don't know the plot, though I can't imagine how anyone missed
it by now.) I think there is a good reason for this reaction and it's not the
fault of the writers, director, producers or actors.

Laughter at that point in the movie for those who hate the film is one thing.

Laughter at the movie because the plot is just too incredible
to consider is another.

Then there is the other type of laughter the bubbles up when something is being offered up that makes you uncomfortable to contemplate. For instance, women's power in the church, Catholic in particular, but in
other faiths as well. Look at what some Southern Baptists believe: that a wife
should be subservient to her husband. Now just imagine if these traditionalists
had someone teach the following lesson at Sunday service one week.

The figure of Mary in the Gospel of Mary belongs to this tradition which portrays her as a prominent disciple, but more than any other early Christian text it presents an unflinchingly favorable portrait of her as a woman leader among the disciples. … The Gospel of Mary portrays her as the ideal disciple and apostle. … Mary comforts and instructs the other disciples, turning their attention toward the teaching of Jesus and toward the divine Good. While her teaching does not go unchallenged, in the end both the truth of her teachings and her authority to teach the male disciples are affirmed. She is portrayed as a prophetic visionary and as a leader among the disciples. The Gospel of Mary, Jesus and the First Woman Apostle (p. 148)

To think of Mary having a lead role in the disciples' faith after Jesus' death
is too much to take for some. Now imagine Mary and Jesus as mates.

Heads would explode and the Sunday school teacher would be excommunicated or
laughed out of the room. If he or she taught young people this lesson, parents
would implode upon hearing about it from their child.

But could Dan Brown's DaVinci Code be true? If it was, what would it mean?
It's too much to ask that we consider it. We laugh. It's ridiculous. The movie
doesn't explode with M:i:III
extravagance. (Thank the gods.) Oh, and there is no sex (just a flash).

We are still struggling in this country to come to grips with the power of
women. Just look who is our president, with Laura Bush as our representative feminist. Look who's in charge of Congress, and even who the
prime females are in the Democratic Party. Are they leading as females, or as
some rendition of a man? Condi for the Republicans, with Hillary, Feinstein and Harman for the Democrats; the answer screams,
but not like a girl, because that would be unacceptable… still.

Every time Tim Russert discusses religion, abortion or family values on \”Meet
the Press,\” he rarely has women on his panel. When he does it's usually
one woman to 4 or 5 men. The other Sunday shows are just as bad, but Mr. Russert is
really the worst offender.

Women in places of power get there by people seeing them hold court amidst
men of weight and consequence. Seeing a woman give her opinions and guidance
on the most important issues of the time is how we learn to accept females in
that role. The Sunday political shows are a window into what matters and who
is competent enough to shape the world of national opinion, as well as lead the way.

Women are still kept out of the power sanctum of the largest religions of the
world.

People are still shocked when archeologists and historians question the stories and places of the Bible. So it's not shocking that even considering Mary to be truly powerful
(never mind a mate to Jesus!), is just too much to comprehend. It's sacrilege.
It lessens and lowers the Lord.

To get women in places of power we have to see them in that role more often.
Whether it's Sunday service or the Sunday political talk shows, we really have
not come all that far, baby.

Part of the reason critics are turning away from the DaVinci Code is their
lack of imagination and the threat the plot is to the whole male order of things from ruling the world to religion. Just listen
to any Catholic Church official talk about this movie. Sure it's fiction, but
they're treating it as if it were fact; worried people will be shaken, think
it's true and be crushed or converted away.

But I wonder. Would Jesus be any less a prophet if
the DaVinci Code was true? What would it mean if Mary had been that powerful? Who knows, it just might have changed the world.