Ian McKellan: Bible Should Have 'Fiction' Disclaimer

If "The Da Vinci Code" was already feeding the flames of controversy with its challenge to the basic tenets of Christianity, actor Ian McKellen managed to pour a refinery tank's worth of gasoline on the fire on this morning's 'Today' show, asserting that the Bible should carry a disclaimer saying that it is "fiction."

Credit to Mark Finkelstein of NewsBusters (newsbuster.org) for posting this.

Category:

Entertainment

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• davincicode
• ianmckellan
• bible
• movie

[rwrw]

GD, that's an interesting take, but unfortunately not true. Just because you believe that such faith is absurd does not make a Christian lacking in intelligence. At the end of the day, we all have to have faith in something. I just happen to walk by faith, but it is surely not a blind faith but an informed one.

[rwrw]

Why should there be middle ground between the two? As you mention, Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code is a work of fiction. Depending on your beliefs, the Bible is or is not a work of fiction, or a work that at least contains sme elements of fiction.

The controversy of this clip, however, it that McKellan takes a swipe at those who do take the Bible as truth.

It's funny how we live in an overly politically-correct society, yet it is forgotten when it comes to mocking Christianity.

[paineojefferson]

There is no reason to think this is controversial at all. Everyone who isn't a Christian doesn't believe in the bible.

So what's the problem?

I actually think Mr. McKellan is being very witty.

[DerVin166]

A gay atheist who can act!

There's nothing hotter!

[Clearie552]

/me is an American amused at hearing "jolly good story".

[JamesJonathon013]

“To be fair, much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents, composed, revised, translated, distorted and 'improved' by hundreds of anonymous authors, editors and copyists, unknown to us and mostly unknown to each other, spanning nine centuries”

- Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion"

[kubrox91]

Honestly, they should say it's fiction, because most of the claims are actually debunked by many historians. But either way, what's so bad about saying it's fiction in the beginning of the movie? Last Temptation did the same thing.

[chebob2009]

@rwrw

Well since it's a book that says his sexual preference means he's going to hell, I'd say he's got every right to claim it's fiction and I agree with him.

[hazeleyedgrl1228]

Ian McKellen is awesome and such a wonderful actor. Good for him for saying this.

[MAfr3ak]

Islam is more violent, but on the level of rationality, all religions are the same, including the legitimacy of the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, unicorns, fairies, etc

[evilemperordude]

You and me both, Ian.

[Xerock]

Well the beliefs themselves are equally crazy, but islam's applications of those beliefs are much more violent than most Christians are today.

However, since Christians see themselves as a political default in the USA, I have no problem focusing on those loonies for the most part and only deal with Islam when it comes up.

[Xerock]

Not all faith is blind. The faith people have with each other and with everyday objects is not blind, but based opn personal experiences and that faith can be validated.

Religious faith, on the other had, is based on fairy tale experiences, is entirely blind and is ultimately little more than voluntary schizophrenia.

[interestingstd]

All faith is blind. If you are "informed" then that means you have facts, and don't need faith. Now onto the raging insults: YOU FUCKING MORON. YES, IF YOU BELIEVE IN RELIGION YOU ARE UNINTELLIGENT. You have just demonstrated this, asshole. Look up faith and INFORMED in the dictionary. Consider this, me informing you that you are a fuck nut.