Davao City, Philippines - Cult leader Apollo Quiboloy has endorsed the movie adaptation of fictionist Dan Brown’s controversial book “The Da Vinci Code,” saying he was confident it would not shake his followers’ faith.
Quiboloy, who has described himself as the “Son of God,” said he would not stop his followers if they want to see the film.
Quiboloy founded the Davao-based Christian movement Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Name above every name, which operates a satellite television station and several radio stations. The group has membership all over the world.
“Let it come. I am sure that my people’s faith will not be shattered by one film. My faith is solid, my people’s faith in God is solid. Let it come,” he said over his regular program on ACQ-KBN, his group’s flagship satellite TV station.
Quiboloy’s endorsement came in the wake of efforts by some Christian groups to have the film banned in the country.
Even the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), known for espousing a conservative form of Islamic practice, had called for the banning of the film saying it is “anti-religion.”
The Palace also seemed to have taken the position of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who considered the movie blasphemous.
Ermita even issued an unsolicited advice to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) to exercise prudence by not allowing the screening of the film.
The MTRCB approved the film’s showing and gave it an R-18 rating.
Quiboloy smirked at those who opposed the showing of the film and accused them of having weak faith and being “religiously insecure.”
“Those who are against the film only show that they are not so sure about their faith. They are not confident about it that they think it will be destroyed by this film. This only goes to show, too, that even if the Philippines is a Christian country, the faith of the people is not that (tight) yet,” Quiboloy said.
In the movie, Jesus married Mary Magdalene, a union that started a supposedly secret bloodline.
It also showed how Opus Dei, a conservative Christian group, tried to keep this secret for a long time.
But Quiboloy said he does not care if the marriage was real.