Da Vinci code

[Whitephoenix]

How many of you book fanatics have read Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code"?
I read it mostly out of curiosity, and I must say, the novel was well written and had that special something that keeps the pages turning, but despite the quality, I was deeply disturbed over some of the content. The novel practically slapped me in the face with its pseudohistorical claims, especially concerning Christ. Brown even insinuates that we know the "true" origins of our faith (the typical Christ was not God, he was a good man claim).

Those little details are the things that really messed with my head. The piece was written in such an erudite manner, I almost fell prey giving in to a fictional book packed with so much denigrating material.
Luckily, God has guided me back, and my struggle is just about over. I'm really thankful that a certain article on christianitytoday.com debunked alot of the claims Brown made.

Anyways, what's your take on it?

[Locke]

ive purchased the book on a book splurging at the book store ^^

from the start i knew some of the stuff written was made up , but the book is a good one and recommeded to people with thier faith on a firm foundation.

[kirakira]

I've never read it myself, and so can't offer an opinion, except I read somewhere that The author says that Christ and Mary Magdelene have a son. (?!?) That's really why I never looked into it. I could very well be remembering ioncorrectly, but that was my impression, and if that's true, well, it's garbage.

[Reverie]

I've read this book myself, and it is definately one of my favorites, mostly for the historical factoids sprinkled throughout the novel. I disagree that the information is made up: all the apocryphal gospels (those not included in the New Testament) are true documents (I think there are 83 of them). It is highly possible that Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus's closest companions; after all, she was one of his only disciples present at the crucifixion and she was the first one to see the risen Jesus. However, I doubt that Jesus and Mary Magdalene married and had a child to begin a dynasty in Gaul. Although Jesus was both man and God, I have a feeling that he was more divine than human. As far as the whole "kissing on the lips" mentioned in such gospels as the Gospel of Mary Magdalene and the Gospel of Philip, it is probably more symbolic - Jesus passing the Word to Mary.

EDIT: Although the book is a very interesting read, it isn't a basis of faith.

[kirakira]

*is a little confused* hings that were not included in the Bible were left out for a reason. Although they certainly may be true, they weren't God-inspired Scripture, and so not included. Also, Jesus was Fully God and human at the same time. I don't think he was more one than the other.

[Stephen]

If I want to learn more about God from a book I will use my Bible personaly.

[shooraijin]

> Although the book is a very interesting read, it isn't a basis of faith.

Well put.

[Haibane Shadsie]

I've seen it at Barnes and Noble... read the little flaps, but decided I didn't want to purchase that book just yet. I decided to keep in mind as a "someday read". It looked interesting... being an art-nut... a thriller/mystery with art history! Woot!

But... thanks for the heads up on some of the dubious stuff said about Christ in there. I'll take that as warning. I'll just have to keep in in mind if I ever decide to read the book... take it like I take some of the same kinds of things being used in the mythologies of "The X-Files" and "Millienium"... (shows I've liked that sometimes... had odd things of "Christian" legend woven into some of the episodes).

[Technomancer]

One thing I'm curious about- what exactly was it that the authors suppose Jesus and Mary's descendants were doing before the founding of the Merovingian dynasty?

[mechana2015]

I've read several of Brown's books (Angels and Demons and the one set in the Arctic)and actually, frankly, have started disliking him as an author. He incorperates some very neat art (the clues in his book, Angels and Demons), and technology references, but frankly he becomes very formulaic and begins incorperating some fairly bizarre history and religeous things. Personally i found this to be more frusturating than anything else.

[Bobtheduck]

Hmm... People saying he was married to a woman and had kids, some say... well, I won't say what some others say, but... People really want to discredit Jesus in every way... They'll believe Jesus didn't exist, that some of it was fake, or that something SIGNIFICANT was left out... Never just that the story happened as it was written. It sounds to me like satan's poking to see where the chinks in everyone's armor are.

[Reverie]

What truly confuses me is why Brown mentions that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a child... from what I've heard, Scripture scholars have not found any evidence at all for this.

[mechana2015]

Its not factual... it's a fiction book with a questionable representations of historical characters.

[Technomancer]

What truly confuses me is why Brown mentions that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a child... from what I've heard, Scripture scholars have not found any evidence at all for this.

No, but there is a very old tradition that has Mary Magdelene going to Masilia (Marseilles) after Jesus's crucifixtion. The Frankish Merovingian kings would, I understand, later claim descent from these two persons. This probably goes back to the practice of the pagan Germanic kings to trace their line back to Odin. I can't be more detailed in my description unfrtunately, since I don't know their histories first-hand, but only through hearsay. The period of the Merovingian dynasty is not one that I know well.

[Fsiphskilm]

Sometimes It's good to be open,