WITH ALL THE IMPORTANT ISSUES SURROUNDING THE DA VINCI CODE, AND THE VERY SERIOUS DEBATES AND CONTROVERSIES, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO REMEMBER THIS IS JUST A NOVEL, JUST A FILM, JUST A WORK OF POP CULTURE--I GOT A GOOD LAUGH OUT OF THIS REPORT FROM SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, AS REPORTED BY HOLLYWOOD.COM:

HOLLYWOOD - Tom Hanks poked fun at the religious controversy surrounding his new film The Da Vinci Code by facing criticism from mock priests, cardinals, nuns, Popes and even Jesus Christ as he guest-hosted Saturday Night Live.

The Oscar winner's new movie, which is adapted from Dan Brown's controversial novel of the same name, has upset Catholic Church officials because it questions longstanding beliefs about Christ and an alleged bloodline.

But Hanks, who insists the film and the debate it will spark will actually help to swell church numbers, is taking the criticism in his stride.

Hosting Saturday Night Live for the eighth time, Hanks opened the show by taking questions from regular cast members dressed as clergymen and clergywomen--and Jesus himself...The highlight of the skit came when show regular, Jason Sudeikis, dressed up as a comedic Jesus. He quipped, "Mr. Hanks, I saw your film and I just want you to know that I forgive you."

But when the actor asked if he'd actually seen all of The Da Vinci Code, Sudeikis' Jesus joked, "I haven't seen that. I was forgiving you for making The Terminal... I saw that on an airplane and people were still walking out."