Since DAN BROWN has Proven CHRISTIANITY a Tale?
917962
Dan Brown proved nothing.  It was a wonderful web of fiction that he weaved, nothing more.
672222
The Da Vinci Code is a work of fiction: that is, the story has been made up. As for the things behind it, they vary, and unfortunately Dan Brown's note at the start of the book is misleading.\n\nThe Priory of Sion is not an ancient society, but was invented in 1954 by a French hoaxer.\nThe evidence for the normal Christian story rests on many sources from that time, but Dan Brown has no evidence for Jesus having married or had children.\nThe Knights Templar were broken up because they had lots of money that the authorities could confiscate, not because they were protecting Jesus' bloodline.\nThe Holy Grail is based upon Welsh myths of "Power Cauldrons", and so cannot really be connected even metaphorically to the story of a carpenter from Israel.\nOpus Dei do not murder or persecute people: they do much charity work and leading democratic activists around the world have been members.\nChrist's divinity was decided upon by the Church elders, but only in the same way that a scientific conference would have voted to approve the theory of gravity.
547425
The Da Vinci code is a book, the movie is coming out in a few days, by Dan Brown. He "claims" that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and had a baby together. Also that there was a secret group hiding that secret. Also Brown claims that the Merovingian(sp?) is the bloodline of Jesus. \n\nOh by the way, while all of this is playing out, there is this guy who is a Harvard professor who teaches Symbology that has to go over to Europe to help this lady out with solving her father's death.\n\nThe reason "it shook the foundations of Christianity" is because Dan Brown, as I said earlier, claims that Jesus was married and had a child.
1019817
Which story?\n\n* The story of Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu?  They're fictional characters, the invention of the author.\n\n* The story that Jesus and Mary of Magdala were married and had children?  It seems unlikely -- although the Bible doesn't specifically say that Jesus was *not* married, (1) it would be a strange thing to omit considering that even Simon Peter's mother-in-law gets a mention, (2) none of the early church historians say anything about it in their writings, and (3) the Gnostic books that imply the possibility of romantic relationships between Jesus and MM were all written, at the earliest, 120 years after the fact.\n\n* The story of the Priory of Sion?  I think it's been fairly well established that, at the very least, Dan Brown (as well as the authors of /Holy Blood, Holy Grail/, one of his major sources ) was duped by the hoax -- see Wikipedia's entry on Pierre Plantard for more details.  Based on Brown's own statements and writings, however, I get the impression he's trying to talk out of both sides of his mouth on this one, so I'm having a hard time imagining him as an innocent victim of Plantard's ruse.
407377
i am agnostic... i beleive the bible is a compilation of myth and legend. kind of like a really good tall tale. i have been known to compare jesus to paul bunyun... yeah their was a big axe wielding lumberer named paul bunyun but did he really have a blue ox... hell no.. sure jesus was a good dude, but did he really do any miracles... i kinda doubt it.
1147963
The "Da Vinci Code" is basically a mixture of distorted facts and fiction. I think the book is composed of about 90% fiction.\n\nThe author, Dan Brown, claims in his fact page that all his depictions of artworks, secret societies, and rituals are true. However, his main sources for the his 'facts'--"Holy Blood, Holy Grail" and "Templar Revelation"--are only pseudo-histories. Even the authors of "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" accept that Jesus MIGHT have been married, but it is UNLIKELY.\n\nThe Da Vinci Code supports the claim that Jesus might have been married by mentioning the Gnostic gospels. In reality, the Gnostic gospels don't mention much about Jesus's life. The only Gnostic gospel that suggests that Jesus was married was the Dead Sea Scrolls--but it is impossible to know whether the word "companion" meant "wife," because the words are in Coptic and they can't be translated the way Dan Brown says.\n\nOne more thing Brown claims to be true is that a secret organization, the Priory of Sion, exists to protect the "secrets" of Jesus's real life. The Priory of Sion was NOT created by Godfrey of Bouillon in the 11th century, it was only actually created in the 70s by an anti-semitic supporter of the Vichy government, Pierre Plantard, fir personal gain. He wrote a family tree of the Merovingian royal family and included himself on the list. He also made a list of the "Grand Masters" of the Priory of Sion. A great Renaissance painter, Leonardo Da Vinci, was included in the list. After writing all those documents, Pierre Plantard deposited them in the Bibliotheque Nationale and claimed to have "found" them years later. So the Priory of Sion was actually only a fake organization created by Plantard.\n\nBrown also says that the Church "demonized" Mary Magdalene. But she is actually a saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches. The only thing close to "demonizing" Magdalene that the Church did was sometime during the 6th century when Pope Gregory merged three women named "Mary" in the Bible into one person.\n\nOne more thing, Brown says that Jesus's divinity was created by the Council of Nicaea. The Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325 was actually a response to the threat of the Arian heresy, which claimed that Jesus was a semi-divine creature, not of the same being as God. This was quickly becoming a popular belief and threatening the unity of Christianity. \n\nThere are more facts that I can write, but I hope what I did write is enough. Read the books below in the sources.
482188
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
398217
Yes to both.\n\n1.  Da Vinci Code is fiction with SOME (not many) historical truths.  It is an irrelevant text to your second question.\n\n2.  There is a plan to dilute the foundation of Christian beliefs.  It's called reason.
496871
too many facts....not enough fiction...They say that the book Dan Brown wrote is based a false story but if you take the time to look at the small details it just might make sense. The facts seems to lead to some kind of cover up. Why do so many people want to stop the movie from being released if it's just a FICTIONAL story. Makes you wonder...and if Jesus did have a child, there is no sin in that, in the time of Jesus is would not be "normal" to not be married and have a child. If there is a blood line, so what. God is God...if Jesus had a child, that wouldn't make a difference.
531741
Dear Lord, you have to realize that the book is FICTION. F-I-C-T-I-O-N!!! Do you honestly believe that Dan Brown is the keeper of the truth? NO! The Bible is God's word, not The Da Vinci Code. C'mon.
641890
Look,  \n\nIt is not anti God.\nIt is meant to expand your mind. It is only suggesting that history  has been written to please the people writing it and reading it at the time.  There is evidence of certain 'Books' or 'Gospels' being left out of the Bible that we all read today.\n\nEver wonder why??  You should.  You should study and find out what information was in those books, and who wrote them.\n\nI believe there is a God without a doubt, I don't believe the Bible is meant to be taken literally.  I think it consists of stories meant to teach us things.  I also believe that 'men' wrote those stories, not God.  Just as you may not like what Mr. Brown wrote or believe it, some people may not believe every word in the Bible, yet we know there are important lessons being taught on those pages.  You should consider the same thing. Anything you learn or read that makes you expand your mind and think 'outside the box' can only be good for you, even if it doesn't change your mind it will have at least strengthened your resolve.\n\nI have read the book and seen the movie and in no way got the idea that anyone was trying to say there is no God.  Educate yourself and then form your own opinion.  Until you know all of the facts don't hate on anything or anyone.\n\nChristian that you are\n\nJudge not, lest you be judged.
737934
Well, history verifies my theology, (Christianity), so I'm not sure how to respond. One supports the other in my case.\nEDIT:\nHistory is HIS STORY
528212
Who cares? It's just a story. And if it does, so what? They're only Christians.\n\n-SD-
619937
Dan Brown talks about the controversy surrounding the movie.\n\nHOW MUCH OF THIS NOVEL IS TRUE?\nThe Da Vinci Code is a novel and therefore a work of fiction. While the book's characters and their actions are obviously not real, the artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals depicted in this novel all exist (for example, Leonardo Da Vinci's paintings, the Gnostic Gospels, Hieros Gamos, etc.). These real elements are interpreted and debated by fictional characters. While it is my belief that some of the theories discussed by these characters may have merit, each individual reader must explore these characters' viewpoints and come to his or her own interpretations. My hope in writing this novel was that the story would serve as a catalyst and a springboard for people to discuss the important topics of faith, religion, and history.
380079
No.  It is interesting to me that the same people who bash Christians and deny the authority of the entire Bible are always the first to jump on the latest theological bandwagon as long as it runs contrary to accepted beliefs.  Take for instance the Divinci Code.  Now the hot topic is the gospel of Judas.  It reminds me of the way Hollywood is quick to make movies about the powers associated with the devil and demons, but rarely makes one portraying God's side of the picture.  How many horror movies have been made about demons?  How many movies have been made about Christian faith?  Beware of the latest fad -ALWAYS!  To me the good news about the latest debate is that anyone seriously engaged in it, has already admitted some very basic truths.  Namely that Jesus existed, that he was crucified, that his follower Judas handed him over to the authorities.  Those truths have never been in question.  Any historian will tell you that the life of Jesus is THE most well documented event in history.  That in itself should tell you something.
1014837
Damn good question>>>>Its like one can preach but can hardly practice the same thing.da Vinci Code had an interesting plot and it helpedhim rake the moolaah.When people write fiction, they know that its fiction but they still write it anyway for the purpose of audience entertainment and also for giving vent to their own creativity.\n\nHowever,Its very possible that Dan Brown believed in what he wrote and then changed his statement and stand post controversy when the Vatican actually became involved.
350946
No. But then i dont believe in anything Christian either. \n\nThe Gospel of Judas shows that the gospels were written not about historical facts, but from the theology of the authors. If a gospel author believed something, he wrote a story to 'prove' what he believed. The author of the gospel of Judas believed Judas was doing the will of Jesus, so he wrote a story to 'prove' it. The same is true with the other gospels in the Christians' New Testament.