'Angels and Demons' All About the Action

When I read the Dan Brown novel Angels & Demons several years ago, my main impression was that it demonized the Catholic church in fast-paced action story. The film is even more of a clockticker, trimming down the plot and history for a nonstop race to the finish.

The film, however, issues a softer critique of the Vatican, which functions in its own country, state and, some would say, world -- outside of reality. The emphasis on tradition, ritual, authority and power all combine to make it one of the most influential churches, yet in the real world it is not nearly as influential in terms of people actually living according to its rules. Catholic Italy is a prime example, where birth control is practiced widely and the birth rate has fallen so drastically that some regions are paying people to have children.

Evangelicals call it a "dead" church because the spirit is not the focus of the church, rather it's the authority of the Pope. The prime problem with this infallibility doctrine is that it makes the Pope a demi-God. Hence, Protestantism continues to grow. Still, there are many Catholic faithful, and even some growth in Third World countries.

Personally, I don't think there is a right or wrong way to worship as a Christian. My own denomination forbids speaking in tongues. However, if that is a way for someone to break through their own mental barriers and pray to God, then I see nothing wrong with it. I don't judge people for the way they worship, as long as they don't go against the teachings of Jesus.

But back to the film. Its principal protagonist, Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks) does not believe in God, yet he studies the history of the church and writes about its symbolism. This is in part because it was so entwined in the history of Europe during the Middle Ages through the Renaissance. This intellectual passion clearly isn't in the favor of Catholicism or Christianity. In that sense, you could call it an anti-Christian film. Very entertaining, though, and better than The Da Vinci Code. I'd say it's worth seeing for discussion purposes, too, as it touches on how science is coming closer to proving the existence of God.