Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New Delhi (Fides Service) - The arts, music, cinema, can be channels for the Good News or channels for anti-Christian propaganda, this was seen by two recent episodes in India.
A video of a new Bengali musical on the Life of Jesus was released yesterday in Calcutta, in West Bengal State on the occasion of the 145th anniversary of the birth of Rabrindranath Tagore. “We consider this video a modest contribution and act of homage to the Bengal’s immense cultural patrimony”, said Robin Gomes, author of the video, sponsored by the Social Communications’ Office of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. The local Church says the video is an ideal means for presenting the life and message of Christ to 175 million Bengali speakers in India and Bangladesh. The actors and singers are local people, some of them non Christians, who willingly shared their talent to produce the video which will be distributed to parishes, schools and associations.
In the meantime in west India Cardinal Ivan Dias Archbishop of Bombay, in a recent open letter expressed displeasure for films and television programmes which offend the Christian faith and are based on lies and mistruth. “This sort of product offends and ridicules Christians who serve God and humanity”. Although he made no mention of any particular title, observers point out that Cardinal Dias intervention comes just as the film The Da Vinci Code is about to be released in India. Furthermore there are increasing attacks on the part of Indian press, radio and TV against Christian communities accused by Hindu extremists of using social service as a mask for proselytising. (Agenzia Fides 10/5/2006 righe 25 parole 252)
