Thursday, May 18, 2006

Thursday Thirteen about the Da Vinci Code



Don't let Dan Brown or Ron Howard ensnare you in their web. The book and movie are fiction, but even the background that Brown calls "fact" is false. If I wrote a novel and screenplay about 9/11 and placed the WTC in Columbus, OH, and made the terrorists Dutch nationals you'd probably think it a bit screwed up even if Tom Hanks played the lead.

The New Testament was pretty much completed before the end of the first century after Christ, so Brown's just a victim of his own imagination on that one. The Priory of Sion has been proven to be a hoax, not from the 11th century, but from the 1950s created by Pierre Plantard. Brown's whole novel depends on this hoax, which he claims to be fact.

1) The Council of Nicaea didn't decide the divinity of Jesus. There have been Dan Browns around for 2,000 years and a few in 325 for the Council.

2) Long before the Council of Nicaea (325 AD), Jesus declares himself God to his followers and they believed him. Brown ignored not only the testimony of Jesus, all his disciples, the writers of the Gospels but also these men (called church fathers), all of whom wrote for believers before the Council took place:

3) Ignatius and Clement, 1st century

4) Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Tertullian, 2nd century

5) Origen, Novatian, Cyprian and Methodius, 3rd century

6) Lactatius and Arnobius, 4th century

7) Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection and wasn't a prostitute.

8) There is no Biblical evidence that Jesus was married, and no reason to keep it a secret if he was. His first miracle was at a wedding; he held a much higher view of marriage than the current Christian church.

9) Da Vinci says the figure in the painting is John. He's the artist, so he should know.

10) There's a lot of evidence that Dan Brown plagarized huge sections of another book and there's huge evidence that by the end of the first century A.D. Christians accepted the current books of the Bible. So who you gonna believe? A guy who makes his living writing fiction and laughs all the way to the bank, or the guys who died for their beliefs?

11) Constantine had converted to Christianity, so he wasn't a pagan, and he had nothing to do with deciding books for inclusion.

12) The Dead Sea Scrolls are Jewish and pre-date Jesus.

13) Gnostic gospels were written much later than the books of the New Testament and are basically Greek, not lst century Jewish. They also did not value women, as Jesus clearly did.

"Discussing the Da Vinci Code" by Lee Strobel and Garry Poole, Zondervan, 2006.

Banner photo by Donald Kinney, Pestbouncer.com
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54 comments:

Just Nancy said...

Even though it's still Wednesday, I stopped by. Great list. It always amazes me that people think this book/movie is "the truth." FICTION is what it is and I'm pretty sure that's what the publishers say, too!

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Joan said...

Thanks for this. You helped me clarify some things. We are getting lots of questions about the movie/book.

Anonymous said...

Actually the movie is released here this week. We're thinking of seeing it. Thanks for the clearifying facts!

Carol said...

Very good -- concise and to the point. Thanks so much! I enjoyed reading it - AND I learned a lot. My TT is up.

YellowRose said...

Very good post. I read the book and will be seeing the movie. But, I am also very aware that it is a work of FICTION! I am concerned for those who will not take it as such.

My TT is up!

Margaret said...

Thanks for putting a lot of time into this, I can tell. Let's hope it flops. -Mix

Three Score and Ten or more said...

its a novel. I liked it, but I like the novels of Ursula le Guinn too and i don't believe them either.

the lizness said...

I could not agree more, and what's more, did you know Anne of Green Gables was fiction too? *collective blasphemous gasp*

great, relevant T13.

Unknown said...

So glad you posted this, I will have to refer to it! The only good thing about the DaV Code is that it is a prompt for discussions and hopefully open doors for spiritual conversations leading people to the Lord. Great post! My list is up too!

Renee Nefe said...

Apparently there have been a lot of questions directed to the Pastors of my Church because we've had two surmon series about the book and it's falsehoods.
I haven't read the book, I'm not interested in the movie.
I'm glad that you've posted this though so that maybe others will see and believe the truth instead of the fiction.
I haven't decided if I'll TT this week or not. I like to do it, but I'm sick and busy.

Undercover Angel said...

I've read the book - it's actually quite good. A lot of it is fiction, but there is a disclaimer on the Fact page before the prologue that says:

"All descriptiosn of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate."

I won't comment on whether the disclaimer is truth or fiction because I wasn't alive in the erra to be able to say 100% beyond a doubt either way, so I really can't judge.

My TT is up.

FRIDAY'S CHILD said...

Thanks for a great information and thanks too for dropping my site.

Lazy Daisy said...

Great post. I always learn so much when I visit. Thanks for pointing out that it is ficitional. My TT is up.

Cheryl said...

Great list.
Love number 8 - Amen to that

Laci said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! :)

I have yet to read the book and don't know if I really want to (or see the movie)...

Happy Thursday! :)

Anonymous said...

I haven't read the book or watched the movie.. and like above, not sure I want to.

Mandy :)

Chaotic Mom said...

I've read the book, but no way take it as fact. I've recently taped two shows that debunk the "facts" of the book. I've vowed to watch those before the movie. Yes, I plan on watching the movie. I don't think it will change my beliefs one iota. Sigh...

Carmen said...

I must be the only person on the planet that hasn't read the book. Mostly for the reasons you say (though not as detailed or educational, thank you!) I'll probably watch the movie, so I can be in the pop culture "know", but I'll "know" it's fiction.

Anonymous said...

Great List!
You said "So who you gonna believe? A guy who makes his living writing fiction and laughs all the way to the bank, or the guys who died for their beliefs?"
Well seeing how Scientology is the newest fad, Hollywood likes to believe fiction over fact!
My TT is up!

Wystful1 said...

I read the book, twice, and plan on seeing the movie. As everyone SHOULD KNOW -- as the section in the bookstores---it IS fiction and one worth reading....it's considered a mystery novel, not truth.

Andrew said...

Excellent points re DVC. I plan to see the movie, even though it's been universally panned by the critics. I enjoyed the book -- a good summertime read -- but don't see how anyone could take the tripe seriously. Unfortunately it seems many of the fundamentalist evangelical Christians are taking it more seriously than anyone.

AC @ bloggedy blog

twiga92 said...

Good, thought-provoking list. Thanks for sharing!

One Scrappy Gal said...

I plan to go see the movie because I like Tom Hanks. I did read the book but always thought of it as nothing more than a work of fiction, strictly for entertainment purposes. That's all the movie will be too... entertainment. Have a happy TT. :)

Anonymous said...

We need more publication of these innacuracies, to the general public. I'm glad that you did this.

xtessa said...

i've read the book and i'm actually watching the movie this weekend.

of course, my faith never wavered. i'm still a devout catholic. i don't think a work of fiction could convert someone to believe otherwise. if one began to question their belief after reading the book or watching the movie, then their faith was never strong to begin with.

thanks for the information. my 13 is up.;)

Sonya said...

So glad you posted this, I was wondering about going to see this. My T13 is up too!

Anonymous said...

Great time-sensitive list! The book and the movie are enjoyable if you take them at face value - fictional stories meant to entertain you.

Anvilcloud said...

My this snared a lot of traffic! What a lot of fuss about a movie! For goodness sakes!

Trinity13 said...

We just have to remember that the book is fiction, but my hubby and I don't plan on supporting it.

{LyndsD} said...

Great list! I hope people can remember this is a fiction book and now movie. Thanks for putting a great deal of time on this.

My TT is up too. :)

Kel said...

Thanks for the info. I learned a lot even if I did know the book was fiction.

I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to the movie or not. Probably not. LOL

Happy Thursday!

Sherri said...

great post!! ..timely and good info!

..thanks for visiting mine:)

Lisa said...

Read the book and liked it, and I plan on seeing the movie.

Like a few other people said, its FICTION, and I don't think anyone has ever said otherwise. I so don't get the big deal everyone is making this out to be.

Unknown said...

Norma, always such the librarian! Thanks for all the great info!

Jane said...

Very interesting Norma. I did not read the book, hubby did. It always amazes me when people take fiction and make it gospel. I just don't get it.

Courtney said...

I haven't read the book, probably never will. Maybe we'll add the movie to our Blockbuster Queue eventually when it comes out on video.

Tina@ SendChocolateNow said...

This is an excellent list. I can't believe how many people say this is a TRUE book. Hello? fiction, people. The author does a disservice when he says he started out a skeptic but then started believing. Believing what? He could sell more books?

And if the person next to Jesus is Mary Magdalene, the artist left out John! There is an apostle missing. Also, artists painted John as a clean-shaven young man. Great list, and I hope you get lots of visitors.

My T13 is up.

Anonymous said...

I've always believed that Da Vinci Code was a fiction even when I was still reading the book. My interest in watching the movie is just merely to see how they've turned it into a movie. I think people should be well-reminded that it's just fiction.

Happy weekend Norma :)

Anonymous said...

Haven't read the book, but I'd like to see the movie. Heard it's good.

I'm finally up.

Pixie said...

Up until this film; I hadn't heard of the Da Vinci Code. I guess I'm out of the loop on a lot of things. I did think the movie looked interesting. Thanks for giving me the facts. :-)

Anonymous said...

I think I'm in the minority here, but I didn't read the book, and I have no plans to see the movie either. It just doesn't interest me.

astrocoz said...

Well, the whole Da Vinci code thing is a load of crap...it all happened so long ago that no one can really know what happened back then. But Dan Brown makes an interesting and suspenseful work of fiction that kept me entertained for the entire time I read it. I couldn't put it down.

I'll probably see the movie because I read the book, but these days there is hardly a thing in the media that I do believe...I've turned into a complete and total skeptic. There are too many questions these days that are answered with someone's opinion.

Your TT was very informative! Thanks for stopping by!

wandi said...

Fantastic thursday post Norma. I like # 7. Mary was not a prositute. It nevers says in the bible that she was. It does say she was healed by Jesus from 7 demons. And yes Dan Brown is guilty of plagerizing another book. The Book.

Chana said...

we'll all know in the end...thanks for stopping by..

Wendy Boucher said...

Today a reviewer said that the movie was boring. I was surprised because the book has been so popular. I'll have to check it out for myself b/c I do love that Tom Hanks.

Jen said...

"and no reason to keep it a secret if he was."

This is what I don't get, why would they keep his marriage a secret?

Good one, Norma. My TT is up.

Cindy Swanson said...

Excellent, Norma! My biggest concern is that many people will take this movie as fact. Thanks for help getting the word out.

Just Me said...

If only people wouldn't fall for media hype. Then there wouldn't be all this hullabaloo about a second rate book!

Hope you had a great TT
Elle xx

Anonymous said...

The one good thing about this movie is that it's got people talking about Jesus and that's good. But the only bad thing is that people who are new to the faith and who haven't grown up learning about Christ and God might get very confused.

Natalie said...

I enjoyed the book. I've enjoyed quite a few of Dan Brown's books. I still know what I believe, though. That's a sign of a good author, right? One who writes so well that people confuse fiction with fact. :)

Lynn said...

Thanks for posting this, and also thanks for visiting my TT last week. I tried to leave my link in your autolinks, but everytime it would send me to a page about Terry Schiavo....who knows. maybe it's my computer!
Hope you have a blessed weekend.

Anonymous said...

Norma,

Would you please provide your qualifications for your erudite opinoins.

Those people who are not aware of the book's genre should return to high school.

As to stating the bible as the sole source to the events of Christ, are you aware that the bible has been translated from many different languages and interpretations as well as translated from oral history before actually written? Its very hard to say that the bible of today is what was truth and what was meant from Jesus orignally.

As for the subject of marriage, have you thought that Jesus was in fact one of the most effective political leaders to date...and that maybe he kept his marriage and family a secret for fear of the Roman Army.

These events happened before our collective memories were formed and the beauty of an education is the ability to question our beliefs while maintaining devotion to their core. As a devout Christian I am open to understanding and acknowledging different interpretations of events that I did not witness. Any entity that had a claim for plagiarism against Dan Brown was lost in court.

Suggesting that Dan Brown plagiarized the Bible itself is ridiculous, because plagiarizing the Bible would be like plagiarizing the Dictionary, both are common vernacular that is understood by many...although, one must cite it for credibility.

As to Da Vinci claiming the figure in the painting is John, duress can invoke numerous variations of the truth. If I were employed by the notorious Borgia, I would not have made my opinions readily known for fear of my life and my wealth.

Constantine was part of the council of Nicaea (he called it) the consequence in which created the schism, which had a significant impact on Christian practice superceding any inclusion of books.

As for the Dead Sea Scrolls, carbon dating suggests that they were written before AD 100, but more specifically beween 21 BC and AD 61. So, it follows that they did not predate Jesus, but were written in his time.

To suggest that the Gnostic gospels did not value women as Jesus did, is preposterious since two of them were written by women. Perhaps you should read the gospel of Mary Magdalene.

Maybe in the future, people should do some research like good librarians should do and not merely cite a flyer that their pastor handed out in church much less take that information as gospel.

Norma said...

Dear Heretic: C.S. Lewis said, "I do not wish to reduce the skeptical element in your minds. . .I'm only suggesting that it need not be reserved exclusively for the New Testament and the Creeds. Try doubting something else."

Brown was sued for plagarism, but the other author lost the case. It was a non-fiction, really boring book. Brown at least made his stolen sections more readable. He should have been sued by museums for his misinformation about art, but that probably is legal. Although art literacy is usually higher than biblical literacy even among the astute blogerati such as yourself.

On Judgement Day, be sure to say, "Dan Brown sent me." Who knows? Name dropping might open doors, but to where?

Anonymous said...

Wow, you hit on a somewhat controvercial topic here, huh? :)

Thanks for the inisght, and thanks for visiting my T-13 last week. Sorry it took me so long to stopy by in return and say hi....Hi! :)