DA VINCI CODE

[jonjon]

Months ago, I saw it being a best-seller in the bookstore but I have long ignored it.  Yet, just this evening, I saw it being featured in the National Geographic Channel and the documentary explores the truth and lies behind that book.  The TV was on but I was practicing so I cannot pay attention to it.  All that I've heard is that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had relationship; even Claude Debussy was mentioned there.  What exactly is so controversial about this book?  Isn't it fiction (a novel) anyway?  I haven't bought yet so for those who have read it already, can you put it in a nutshell and disucss what the fuss is all about? TNX            

(BTW, who is the author of this book?  Can you tell something about him/her?)

[luc]

Dan Brown is the author.
It'S controversial because the book contradicts the bible in many ways. For instance that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had children and so on.
From what I've heard some religious men called it "a sack full of lies" and urged christians not to read it

[thalbergmad]

Anyone interested in this subject should read a book called The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail by Baigent Leigh & Lincoln.

Far to in depth (and controversial) to go into here but it is an investigation into a French priest called Berenger Sauniere and a treasure he found in his church in the remote village of Rennes-Le-Chateau. Soon after this poor priest became very wealthy.

The book covers The Templars, The Priory de Sion (to which Debussy was supposedly Grand Master) and paintings by Poussin that are encoded with secret geometry.

If true, the book destroys the Christian faith, if not, it is still interesting.

[greyrune]

I saw a documentary on this too, and it concluded that the whole thing was a scam.  The guy who claimed to be head of royal blood and everything turned out to be a con artist and the whole priory of sion thing was made up.  I believed the documentary and the Da Vinci Code theory is full of holes, I never read Holy Blood Holy Grail though (i don't really feel like wasting my time on some conspiracy theory that can never be proved (or dis-proved, i admit).  It's a good enough book if you want a cheap thrill but it nowhere near lives up to the hype.

[BoliverAllmon]

if reading a book that doesn't completely agree with your faith causes you to doubt your faith, then I say you don't really have faith. Therefore, if a Christian is interested in reading it, I say go for it.

[Waldszenen]

What is Christianity without controversy? =)

I reckon all Christians should read The Da Vinci Code because it helps them to see their own faith from a different perspective.


And not to mention Dan Brown's a Catholic, too.

[BoliverAllmon]

see it from a different perspective or strengthen it

[abstractentity]

I don't think Dan Brown is Catholic, care to provide a link? 

If you're going to read the book, you might as well look at the other point of view too. 

https://www.ignatius.com/ViewProduct.aspx?SID=1&SKU=DVH-P&AFID=10&

[Waldszenen]

I don't think Dan Brown is Catholic, care to provide a link? 

If you're going to read the book, you might as well look at the other point of view too. 

https://www.ignatius.com/ViewProduct.aspx?SID=1&SKU=DVH-P&AFID=10&

Dan Brown is definitely a Catholic - he answered it on his FAQ at www.danbrown.com


What makes you think he isn't, anyway?

[Bouter Boogie]

Dan Brown is definitely a Catholic - he answered it on his FAQ at www.danbrown.com


What makes you think he isn't, anyway?

Yea, good question 

[gkatele]

Interesting novel (remember novel). I found the first half or so to be pretty interesting, and was a real page turner. Gotta remember it's a novel - that is, a work of fiction. There are many, many factual errors in the book, and I'm not referrring to the theological perspective, either.

For example, Brown states that the pyramid at the Louvre has 666 windows.
Not true - it's 673.

Jesus' divinity: It's not true that before Constantine, Christians understood Jesus to be human but not divine. That's absolutely false. Most people thought Jesus was divine centuries before Constantine. Note, that's a statement of FACT, not opinion. I'm just stating what others believed.

Marriage: it's absolutely false that as [the character] Robert Langdon says, it would have been highly unusual for Jesus not to be married because Jewish men were always married. That's false.
We know Jewish men from the first century who remained single and celibate. What's most interesting is that the ones we know about are ones with a worldview that's very similar to the worldview ascribed to Jesus in the Gospels—which is an apocalyptic worldview. We know about Jews from Jesus' time from the Dead Sea Scrolls. (which were found in 1947 - not in the 1950's as the novel states)

Other Gospels: The fallacy is thinking that these gospels give a more historically accurate view of Jesus than the New Testament gospels. I'm saying this not out of any religious conviction, but strictly on historical grounds—that statement is not true.

As I said, it's a fun read, especially the first half or so. Remember, it's a novel, and not (dare I say, Gospel). For an interesting analysis of the DaVinci code, go to:

https://research.unc.edu/endeavors/win2005/ehrman.php

and read Prof. Bart Ehrman's analysis. He's a biblical scholar - with an emphasis on the historical, and not the religious.

George

[abstractentity]

Dan Brown is definitely a Catholic - he answered it on his FAQ at www.danbrown.com


What makes you think he isn't, anyway?

Uh...no he didn't.  I might have missed it, but I couldn't find anywhere on his site or faq that indicates that he is Catholic. 

The book in itself, is testament that he is most likely not Catholic. 

[Waldszenen]

Actually I meant "Christian" not specifically Catholic - he does answer this on his FAQ somewhere


Yeah I found it - go to "Author FAQ" then somewhere there's a link saying FAQ regarding The Da Vinci Code and that's where he states he is a Christian.

[BoliverAllmon]

I find the idea that he being a Christian quite interesting to say the least.

[Waldszenen]

I found it very interesting, too. After reading DVC first time I would have sworn he'd have been an agnostic or atheist or whatever.

[llamaman]

I don't know but I really want to read it, due to all the rave. I am 58 on my library's waiting list out of 350!!!!

[BoliverAllmon]

holy crap, buy the book.

[Waldszenen]

I don't know but I really want to read it, due to all the rave. I am 58 on my library's waiting list out of 350!!!!

Funny you mention libraries - my local one has 100 copies and when I checked to see if they had it, the librarian groaned and said I was the 10th person to ask that day; no they didn't have it in.


I agree with Boliver - just buy it.

[mikeyg]

NO, DON'T BUY THE BOOK BECAUSE IT TRULY ISN'T WORTH IT.  I'D WAIT TO GET IT IF I WERE YOU.  PLUS, I THINK IT'D DTILL ONLY IN HARD COVER SO IT'D BE HELLA EXPENSIVE.

[Waldszenen]

NO, DON'T BUY THE BOOK BECAUSE IT TRULY ISN'T WORTH IT.  I'D WAIT TO GET IT IF I WERE YOU.  PLUS, I THINK IT'D DTILL ONLY IN HARD COVER SO IT'D BE HELLA EXPENSIVE.

[BoliverAllmon]

LOL

[mikeyg]

do you know how out of the way that key is?  not to mention, I always miss it, and end up hitting tab.

[BoliverAllmon]

well apparently you hit it at least once. LOL

[cellodude]

It is a real page turner at the begining BUT it's got the worst ending of any novel I have read. A real anti climax. Don't waste your money. Wait for your turn at the library.

dennis lee

[BoliverAllmon]

see you need to buy the thing then sell it to some gullable dude for twice the price. LOL

[llamaman]

Very intriguing to read, but yes, bad ending. Claude Debussy was supposed to be the Grand Master of a secret group, who protect the true secret behind the Holy Grail.

[BoliverAllmon]

Very intriguing to read, but yes, bad ending. Claude Debussy was supposed to be the Grand Master of a secret group, who protect the true secret behind the Holy Grail.

I wonder how many composers and musicians really were apart of secret societies. I hear that Beethoven and Mozart were both Masons. I am always curious if the stories are true, or just bogus crap.

[llamaman]

Probably the latter.

[BoliverAllmon]

true

[dbrainiak914]

Read the book, I enjoyed it.  I prefer Angels & Demons, more excitement with none of the controversy (but then again, that's what made this so popular).

I am looking forward the the movie!  Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina.  Dayum, that's a nice cast.  And Ron Howard in the director's chair.  Should be good.

[prometheus]

Christians also burned Harry Potter books.

Monotheists are quite insane.

[gkatele]

Monotheists are quite insane.

And polytheists are rational and sane?

Hmmm....

[prometheus]

No.

But the problem is monotheism makes them believe in an universal thuth, universal laws, universal morals.

The result is that they think all humans should submit to their vision of religion.

 

[leahcim]

What exactly is so controversial about this book?

I was more surprised it didn't upset cryptographers. "Oooh let's see Isaac Newton, orb, 5 letters...nah don't tell me, I've got a phd...bah, if only I'd watched Ted Rogers presenting 3,2,1, instead of doing all this math..."

[c18cont]

Great bit o' fiction,

Worthless as a source of fact in any area....The author wrote it as a work of fiction, added hype, (which is normal), and the public took the bait, (also not unusual...), and then it turned out to be a terrific read..and very well written...

Some are gonna swear by it...others will read it as fiction...thats the simple truth....

John

[vences5]

Wow most of these comments amaze me. Just look at his FAQ for answers:
https://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/faqs.html
End of discussion

BTW check this question out ...
Give us three "Good to Know" facts about you. Be creative. Tell us about your first job, the inspiration for your writing, any fun details that would enliven your page.

If I'm not at my desk by 4:00 A.M., I feel like I'm missing my most productive hours. In addition to starting early, I keep an antique hour glass on my desk and every hour break briefly to do pushups, sit-ups, and some quick stretches. I find this helps keep the blood (and ideas) flowing. I'm also a big fan of gravity boots. Hanging upside down seems to help me solve plot challenges by shifting my entire perspective.

[c18cont]

  ,

I hardly see this being an end of discussion...Of course Mr Brown continues to support many of his claims in the novel; It would be most unwise for him to do anything else, so he is hardly a good source for accuracy of his statements...;Having made them, he is stuck...We really need a better site than the author's for answers...

Yet, of course, there COULD be merit in many of them; Some simply havn't been documented one way or another, as the documentation doesn't exist, other than that which occasionally comes to light from scholarly discovery and translation...(See the excellent, "The Dead Sea Scrolls Today"-James C. VanderKam--Now out in paperback...) The ideas are mostly NOT new with Mr Brown.., but have been presented in one form or another for centuries....

John