The DaVinci Code :Good Or Bad ?

[koppee1]

I actually disagree. I think he's a pretty good writer as I loved the first "Robert Langdon" book, Angels and Demons. It's what led me to buy the rest. But what worries me is how both books try to present themselves as true instead of fiction. While reading the Angels and Demons book, I was actually wondering if the book was "fiction"...I mean, I was sure the story is fiction, but the facts I felt were real. This Da Vinci Code book however is definitely misleading. I'm quite sure the facts aren't true, but the book tries to present them as real. This would definitely pose a problem to many believers as it tries to put doubt in their hearts in their belief in Jesus. I probably would be one of them if I had not found this thread first before finishing the book. I would actually not recommend this book to other people as it might lead them astray :/

 

[harrietvane]

I've read about half of The DaVinci Code. It is definitely a wonderfully written book. Pulled me in from the start. However, the farther I got into the book the more uncomfortable I became with the substance of what I was reading. Personally, I would love to finish the book because I want to know how it ends, but I don't think I'm going to. I am of the belief that the creativity in art isn't a free excuse for whatever one wants to protray. Just because The DaVinci Code is a well-written book doesn't excuse the hugely blasphemous portrayal of Jesus.

 

[Roland77]

I have read the DaVinci code and while it is a good work of fiction it has caused people who do not understand religon in general and christianity in particular problems. I have a sister in law that thinks Dan Brown has started a new religon.

If you ignore everything, but what they said about the last supper painting... still wrong. My wife is an artist and has read and researched a lot on DaVinci. He did a lot of writing himself on the subject. Quite frankly the things they are pointing out in the book are just red herrings and things that Davinci himself discussed.

While this can be an interesting story...beware many believe this as "GOSPEL". Sad really.

 

[elkano788]

the only thing about this book that I find disturbing is that after writing the book, Dan Brown started to believe his own theory. i don't have a transcript, but I distinctly remember hearing about Dan Brown announcing on a talk show that he believed that his theory was true. now, if this man, Christian or not, is swayed so easily by these lies about Mary Magdalene, how many other people will it corrupt? how many people will eat up these lies in their ignorance? how many people will have to be rebuked as a result of reading this trivial piece of fiction? scary, trivial, pointless, and lies is all I see in this book. want mystery fiction? read a book that doesn't blatantly contradict God's Word, in theory or in opinion. I didn't say burn the book, I say avoid it. but that's just my stance.

 

[eunice]

yeah but, how do you know that the stuff about mary magdelene isn't true, or that Jesus wasn't married? It doesn't say in the gospels that He WASN'T married...right? Sorry, I don't actually believe that, and I hope with all my heart it isn't true somehow - maybe because it would change much about what I thought i knew/ knew about Jesus, but I just wanted to ask that. I'm not trying to challenge anybody or nething, its jst a mere question on what you guys think: how do you know he wasn't married to Mary Magdelene? It's not a sin to marry or anything....
thx ppl.

 

[Raphael]

just finished the book and i was just wondering what people here think about it.

what i don't understand is how some non-Catholic Christians think dan brown was justified in writing it because all he's doing is telling the "truth" about the Catholic church, acting as if brown didn't attack their own faith. did they miss the part where brown calls the entire new testament false, and basically says the Bible was put together by some pagans? unless non-Catholic Christians read a different New Testament than Catholics, then i figure this would affect all Christians.

 

[DontWorryBeHappy]

I've read all of Dan Brown's books, and I thought the DaVinci Code a wonderfully well written book. It is a work of FICTION, however and should be taken as just that. I can't really say I saw blasphemy in the way it was written but I wasn't being so hyper critical as to look.

Watch the Discovery Channel sometime. This theory about Jesus being married to Mary Magdalene has been around since the eighties. And in the beginning of the Davinci Code, Dan Brown expresses outright that some of the research done for the book is not conclusive evidence, just speculation.

It's sad that there are people out there that truly can't see the difference between fact and fiction, but that's just the way it is. That fact doesn't make the book evil. It's meant to be read for enjoyment, so enjoy and don't think so much.

 

[zxtuner85]

Ok, I got sick of reading all of these posts. I will say that from the first few chapters of this book I could not put it down. All of the people who dont give it a chance need to open up a little. As the book says, those who know their religion's history are only stronger in it. (not a quote) The book is a compelation of RESEARCH and if you would read some of the acknowledgements then you would realize that. Dan Brown didnt write a mindless rambling 454 page book that was supposed to bring down the church, he mearly mentioned some strikingly quaint conicidences that, from what I can see, are completely TRUE. A book that challenges faith is good! But, sadly the ones who will not give in one iota of a chance will never see this. I was raised on the foundation of christ and now that these powerful facts have been put in front of me I only am interested in discovering more, not denying that the possibility doesnt exist.

 

[koppee1]

I think people including me were just pointing out that some Christians who aren't strong in their beliefs might be easily swayed into believing the book as fact and turn away from God. When I read the book, I felt like he was "preaching" to his reader's. He was trying to make his reader's believe that Jesus REALLY wasn't God. In that sense, I would not recommend the book to others; but it is a good read.

 

[zxtuner85]

I think people including me were just pointing out that some Christians who aren't strong in their beliefs might be easily swayed into believing the book as fact and turn away from God. When I read the book, I felt like he was "preaching" to his reader's. He was trying to make his reader's believe that Jesus REALLY wasn't God. In that sense, I would not recommend the book to others; but it is a good read.

Preaching?!?! That is what we listen to each week in church. He never said that this is the only idea about what happened. It is just like the whole theory on how the universe was created. If you ask on these boards you would get the obvious answer, but if you ask educated scientists they may tell you something a little different. Different ideas spawn more ideas and it is just one more suggestion about how things could have went down. Since none of us were around back then all we can do is speculate and come up with theories and everyone is going to voice those theories!

 

[katherinethegreat]

i think this book was a great read, so much i am rereading it as i write this. it is a great work of fiction, but it does bring up some points that i think all christians should know about their religion. the basis of the idea that Jesus was married does make perfect sense with all the ideas thatbrown backsit up with. the fact is we shouldn't call him blamphemous because he beleives it becuase many beleive it. and it is not something that jsut came up in the 80s...its something that has been around for quite a while so don't give up on it just because you are afraid to hear bad things about your religion.

 

[rwl]

On topic - Great book. I had problems putting it down. It really wraps you up in the story.

Off topic - After reading the book I became curious and started to do my own research to prove/disprove Brown claims. It helped strengthen my faith. I'm sure I'm not the only one that's done this. Just because the books theory's aren't widely accepted mean that its in and of itself bad.

 

[Filia Mariae]

I did read something about catholics and their beliefs in the first page of this thread. As you know, the Philippines is predominantly catholic and I was a Catholic before, and even went to a private catholic school. We were indeed taught that good works would lead us into heaven. We were even given an illustration of a staircase.

Catholics believe nothing of the kind. We believe that only Jesus gets us into heaven, but that we must cooperate with Him.. He doesn't force you, you have to choose Him.

Every good thing you do brings you up one step closer to heaven. But a sin brings you down the whole way (i think).

When we do good works, we become more Christ-like. Do you debate this? And yes, mortal sin separates you from God.

We were taught we needed to confess our sins to a priest, we were taught that we needed to pray to saints etc.

We do not pray to saints, we ask them to pray for us, the same way you might ask your friend or pastor to pray for you. Catholics confess their sins to a priest because it is in the Bible and Jesus commanded it.

Catholics in the Philppines bow down to images, kiss them, pray to them, etc. My grandmother is still catholic so she has all these images of Mary and Sto. Nino in the house.

Do you have pictures of your family? Do you worship those pictures? Of course not, you keep them around to remind you of the people you love. I have pictures of Jesus, His Blessed Mother, and His friends, the saints to remind me of people that I love.

So if you claim that your catholic belief says that only Jesus can lead you to heaven, then there's probably more than one version of roman catholicism around then? Unless you aren't a ROMAN catholic?

Their is only one version of authentic, historical Catholicism around. It appears you have been mislead very seriously. Catholics, who you call "Roman Catholics" believe that only Jesus can save us.

You know what the funny thing is about Roman Catholics teachings (here in the Philippines)? You can easily refute them by simply having a Bible and the Roman Catholic beliefs.

Catholic beliefs are confirmed not refuted by Scripture.

There was a book I found in a bookstore which was even endorsed by the pope. It even quoted him saying "a must read for all catholics". It was a book about all the teachings and beliefs of the catholic church. My ex girlfriend was a catholic, I bought that book, used her bible, and showed her all the wrong things I could find. She kept defending her belief but in the end, she cried. She said she couldn't believe that the catholic church would teach something so wrong. Anyways, I might be starting a debate here. And I'm certainly out of topic

You should read some Scott Hahn books. He is a former Protestant minister who hated Catholics and believed the lies about Mary worship and praying to statues. In fact, he got a girlfriend of his to leave the Church when he was a teenager. As an adult, he started studying Scripture and realized that the truth lies in the Catholic Church, converted and came home to the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

You appear to have serious misconceptions about what Catholics actually believe. I hope you'll come to OBOB and find out what it is we actually believe and why. Think about it- if we're so obviously wrong, it should be easy for you to walk away from anything you hear in OBOB.

I hope you'll ask your questions there.

In Christ,
Carly

 

[KnightOfChrist]

I now have numerous comments upon this thread after reading all of the posts.

First-- I read the DaVinci code very recently. Upon finishing it, stirred with curiosity, I researched everything he brought up that I didn't know, from Jesus being a married human prophet to the Divine Proportion. These are interesting topics, but most of the Scripture- and Gospel-involved ones are just that. Not fact. But unread Christians or Non-Christians would easily accept this as true, those same types of people who say the entire Government is corrupt and think that all Priests do are molest young boys. It's sickening and disturbing, if anything.

I will say that the DaVinci code was a good book. Interesting, but almost too easy to read. The characters were average, and that's the best I can say about them. The only character remotely believable was... oh, wait.

Second-- What is with the hostility or argument between Protestants and Catholics? Can't we all realize that each denomination ultimately serves the same purpose? God understands why Catholics behave how they do, as he understands why Protestants do... why every sect may behave or believe how it does. He would not ordain His teaching and rule and then run off and 'sleep' and wait until final judgment to review what had happened--God sees all, and knows all, all Christians can agree on this. Therefore He sees all will, and knows all intent, and He loves us for our imperfection, as a father may love his young daughter's clumsily slipping glasses. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent--all powerful, all knowing, and in all places at once. The last thing He wants is squabbling between Protestants and Catholics. Jesus told us all to love each other... therefore I commend you Holy Roman-Catholics for the choice you choose, and love you, and I commend you Holy Protestants for the choice you choose, and love you also, and that goes for all denominations. Because when it all comes down to it, we're all just Christians following our sacred Christ. And to this I say Amen.

Now, as off topic as that was, I could not help but say it. I pray for all of us. I was an Atheist for 15 years, and by my profile you can see that I have not been a Christian very long. I've dedicated the time I have been to understanding what Jesus, Christ, taught, what God wants from us--this should come before Church. Mental self-sermon should come before that ministered by a Priest or Pastor, I believe.

Who's up for supporting an unbiased novel in response to the DaVinci code that tells the utmost Truth on these matters--even if it is considered fiction because of storyline? I think that would be the most positive and constructive response, if the book upsets anyone.

Third... seemed to me the only complicated writing in the whole experience of the DaVinci code was his description of the Louvre and other select places, and his apparent "research" on the topics suggested. Otherwise it was all simple and carried out as one might expect. As a young writer who has dabbled in most of the literature considered great and classic in the world, this is my unbiased opinion. I finished the book last week, so it's still fresh in my mind.

God bless you all. And Happy post-Easter!

 

[michabo]

I quite enjoyed "The DaVinci Code" and thought Dan Brown seemed quite well educated in his little niches. However I tried reading "Angels and Demons" and was so revolted at his bungling of basic science that I chucked the book after a few chapters. I tried again with The Digital Something-or-other and had the same experience. Maybe there were stories there, but if the central plot device is a computer program or physics discovery, then I expect a certain plausibility.

After that experience, I am left really wondering just how good the research for The DaVinci code really was. He does seem to know his etymology, and some religious symbolism, but I've no clue about his history. If he botched his other books so badly, I really wonder about DaVinci Code since I don't have the background to comment. Shame.

So, DaVinci Code: interesting book, adequate characters, generally (but not consistently) well plotted. Other books: can't recommend.

 

[KennySe]

the basis of the idea that Jesus was married does make perfect sense with all the ideas thatbrown backsit up with. the fact is we shouldn't call him blamphemous because he beleives it becuase many beleive it. and it is not something that jsut came up in the 80s...its something that has been around for quite a while ...

The belief that Jesus was married, and that he and his wife had a child (if not a number of children) began with the Gnostics, who were refuted by the visible Christian Church, and continue to be refuted by the visible Church.

That something "makes sense" does not make it reality. So, you may embrace Mr. Brown and his gnostic teachings, if you wish.

But you are opposed to the Catholic Church.

 

[Filia Mariae]

Hi Knight,

Second-- What is with the hostility or argument between Protestants and Catholics? Can't we all realize that each denomination ultimately serves the same purpose? God understands why Catholics behave how they do, as he understands why Protestants do... why every sect may behave or believe how it does. He would not ordain His teaching and rule and then run off and 'sleep' and wait until final judgment to review what had happened--God sees all, and knows all, all Christians can agree on this. Therefore He sees all will, and knows all intent, and He loves us for our imperfection, as a father may love his young daughter's clumsily slipping glasses. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent--all powerful, all knowing, and in all places at once. The last thing He wants is squabbling between Protestants and Catholics. Jesus told us all to love each other... therefore I commend you Holy Roman-Catholics for the choice you choose, and love you, and I commend you Holy Protestants for the choice you choose, and love you also, and that goes for all denominations. Because when it all comes down to it, we're all just Christians following our sacred Christ. And to this I say Amen.

I agree with you that the hostility between Catholics and Protestants is sad and not God's will for us. For anytime I have been guilty of furthering hostility or hatred, I ask forgiveness.

Nonetheless, I can't stand by when others tell lies about what I as a Catholic believe or lie about the history of my Church. While I disagree with my Protestant brothers and sisters in Christ, I respect their right to believe as they wish. I simply don't want to hear lies about Catholics and Catholicism.

I'm happy to hear about your conversion to Christ, Knight.

Happy Easter!

 

[KennySe]

If he botched his other books so badly, I really wonder about DaVinci Code since I don't have the background to comment.

Now you're thinking.

Brown doesn't want you to do that. Just accept his skewed history and enjoy his fictional story.

 

[michabo]

Now you're thinking.

Brown doesn't want you to do that. Just accept his skewed history and enjoy his fictional story.

That's the problem with trying to infer historical information from a fictional book. How do you tell where to draw the line? I'm only just educated enough to know I'm ignorant, but not educated enough to know what I'm ignorant about. If that makes any sense

 

[KennySe]

About the book:

Cracking the Anti-Catholic Code

Cracking the Anti-Catholic Code Part II

Dismantling the DaVinci Code