Benjamin Franklin is reputed to have once asserted that “lighthouses are more helpful than churches.� My interpretation of this quote is twofold. Practically, I take it to mean that, when faced with rocky shoals on dark seas, a vessel would invariably be better served by a structure which casts physical illumination rather than spiritual illumination. More broadly, I take it as a critique of the ability of organized religion to adequately shed light upon the darkness or its tendency at times to offer the promise of light in lieu of actual light. In any regard, what brings this quote to mind is the rather unenlightened response to the forthcoming debut of the film adaptation of the bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. An international uproar has ensued:

* In India, the government “has ordered a temporary halt on screening the controversial film…in the wake of petitions from Christian groups.� Also in that country, “a Catholic group…called on Christians to starve themselves to death in protest at the release…as others burned copies of the novel.�

* In Thailand, “the police censorship committee in charge of movies has agreed to censor the climax of the movie…[and] cut the last 10 minutes.�

* In the Philippines, “government censors gave ‘The Da Vinci Code’ film an ‘adults only’ rating yesterday, banning viewers under 18 years of age from seeing the controversial thriller.�

* In Azerbaijan, “Muslim leaders…called for protests…saying the film version of the best-selling book insulted all believers.�

* In Great Britain, “leading Catholics today demanded a ‘health warning’ for The Da Vinci Code film after a survey found reading the book could undermine people’s belief in Christian doctrine.â€?

* At the Vatican, “Archbishop Angelo Amato, the second-ranking official in the Vatican’s Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, said Catholics should ‘should boycott The Da Vinci Code and speak out against it.’�

* Here in the U.S., “America’s evangelical Christians who see The Da Vinci Code as Bible bashing at its worst are taking a cue from Hollywood to attack the story as well as capitalize on the hit novel’s impending movie version. Largely forgoing boycotts or protests, leaders of Christians who believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible are turning out professional videos with titles such as ‘The Da Vinci Delusion’ and ‘The Da Vinci Deception Experience.’�

If this grand to-do seems vaguely familiar, it is because the international community is barely months removed from the Great Danish Cartoon Controversy of 2006, when the Muslim world was all astir over satirical drawings of the prophet Muhammad. Such extreme reactivity to seemingly innocuous events—first the publication of borderline offensive cartoons, now the release of a provocative film—suggests an astonishing lack of tolerance and/or an intense degree of insecurity among a good many followers of faith. Has the thinning of the ozone layer somehow led to a thinning of people’s skin, as well? Are these events or artifacts of popular culture really that threatening or objectionable? I must confess some bewilderment here. I can only conclude that—in a world troubled by war, genocide, famine, disease, poverty, and a host of other ills that cannot help but challenge the faith of the heartiest among us—it is somehow safer or easier to displace one’s inevitable angst upon whatever scapegoat happens down the pike, some thing or some one or some group of ones that represents the antithesis of that which is most fervently revered. I know not how else to make sense of this phenomenon. And I know not how precisely to respond. I suppose that I will turn to the words of Woodrow Wilson for counsel, who once opined: “One cool judgment is worth a thousand hasty counsels. The thing to do is to supply light and not heat.�