Religious row fuels global 'Da Vinci Code' social phenomenon

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - An explosive religious row over the origins of Christianity has turned "The Da Vinci Code" into a global phenomenon that promises to make the film version of the cult novel a major blockbuster. As Christian churches launch theological attacks on the movie that will premiere Wednesday at the Cannes Film Festival, Dan Brown's best-selling novel is still flying off shelves and generating furious debate across the world as its opponents brand it blasphemous and even "satanic." The depth of passion from the United States to Spain, India and the Philippines over whether Ron Howard's long-awaited film is fiction or based on obscure fact is drawing comparisons with Mel Gibson's highly disputed and ultimately mega-successful 2004 biblical drama "The Passion of the Christ." [More]