Local Church Provides “Other Side” to DaVinci Code Movie
With all the hype (good and bad, and more bad, and even more bad) about The DaVinci Code and with it’s release coming out, I too am thinking to myself about the idea that there are facts put forth in the book and movie, although said to be fiction, but then dealt with like facts. Unless you’re a scholar, that can be confusing, and I’ve been hearing about all these talks that mega-churches are doing across the country on are doing on The DaVinci Code to basically present the facts and “debunk” a lot of the myths in the movie.
Well, there’s one in this area – one of the area’s largest (and some would say, more controversial) churches – that’s doing a series on the truth about The DaVinci Code. I’m going to check it out and just see both sides of the story – which I guess means I need to see the movie before Sunday night’s “debunking.”
Here’s the promo materials and info: 5:30 pm, Sunday in Tyson’s.
Dan Brown has said time after time it’s fiction…
who’s dealing with it like fact?
I read the book and I must admit I was confused about the “facts” presented in the book. As a Christian, the basis of my belief is the Bible and when someone mischaracterizes how the Bible came into existence I find it irresponsible. Although Dan Brown says his book is “just a fiction”, the book seems to imply that Dan Brown (and the characters in the book) did alot of research on the origins of the Bible.
For instance, in one quote the character Teabing says, “The Bible as we know it today was collated by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great.” (DVC p. 231). And there were characters who said how the books of the Bible were “selected” at the Council of Nicea. This, along with many other comments are just plain false, but without knowing it to be false, the average person would assume Dan Brown did his homework and was right.
The current form of our Bible was already in use 150 years before the Council of Nicea. Further, the Council didn’t discuss what books would be a part of the Bible at all!
I am a regular attender of McLean Bible Church and I will be there to hear more about what parts of the Book are false. Although I did like the book in general and will probably see the movie tonight too.
When I first read the book I was a Freshman up at AU, and I am not going to lie, it challanged everything that I knew to be true about the Bible/Christianity and made me very skeptical about the whole evengelical movement. Because it made me think so much I spent some time researching the claims that Brown makes through his fiction. I mean its the Bible, I wanted to know if it was true or not, or at least not a hoax. I think I will proably go out to this thing this weekend to see what its all about.
I dont really know what to think after reading the book, having been raised a follower of Jesus it caused me to question a lot of things I grew up beleiving. Dont know if I will be able to make it out, but it sounds interesting.
I think it would be interesting if some other group put together a follow-on presentation about the Da Vinci Code that talked about myth in society and Joe Campbell’s theories about the function of religion in informing people’s lives. A lot of what he has to say about oral vs written histories is pertinent to the core conspiracy as Brown imagines it.
People.
Fiction.
The book is Fiction.
Meaning, Not True.
At all.
False.
“literature in the form of prose, esp. short stories and novels, that describes imaginary events and people.”
Yeah – it’s totally fiction. I know that, Tom you know that, so do a bunch of other people. But a lot of people don’t know – so I think it’s interesting that church’s take up a “modern” or so-called “social” issue and/or idea and bring it in to talk about it. People say church’s need to do more of that – I think it’s a cool idea to take something like this and talk about it in that context. Because whether it is or not, a LOT of people don’t think it’s fiction… a lot of my friends, in fact.
Tom I know the book is fiction; however, a lot of the research was done from a historical book. It’s not like the guy just pulled it out of know where. And while I know the book is a good action/adventure fiction book, I think the topics raised in the book are worth looking into. Not the actual claims that Brown makes-Jesus being married et. al.- but the ideas of how the Bible, arguably the most influential book in history, was actually formed, what was left out, etc. That is more what I am interested in, the topics the book has brought to the surface. In a world full of uncertaintity it would be nice for there to be somthing solid to fall back on that is true, and that is what I think people are searching for and interested in.
If you’re looking for the facts regarding any of these topics, I hardly think a church is where you’re going to get them.
Btw, who authored the bible(s)?
I’m not joking. I find this debate to be incredibly puzzling. I was raised episcopal, and consider myself to be a spiritual person. But I have never read the bible, any version, all the way through. I also have wondered who is credited with writing the bible (or bibles as I know there are multiple versions). And how can the bible not be considered a work of fiction?
Richard – seriously, that’s a really hard and long and complicated question and answer. One that people have been asking for a long time. I’ve heard this guy (at the talk on Sunday night) talk on that before and it was ALL NEW info for me. I’d go and just hear it out – for better or worse, at least something more to consider. I know I want to hear what he has to say.
There is little to no doubt that the Bible is historically accurate (as far as its descriptions of kings, dates, regions, wars etc.). As far as the miracles listed in the Bible (creation/Christ’s resurection), at some point its a matter of faith to accept it as true. But as a Christian, I don’t think this is blind faith as there is extrinsic and intrinsic evidence of the reliability of the Bible.
The pastor for Mclean Bible Church’s Sunday night services has posted many blogs regarding this issue. I’d check them out if you were interested. His blogs are on MySpace at:
http://www.myspace.com/ipreach
When someone says something untrue about the Bible, of course it makes people who believe the Bible want to stand up for it, even if the untruth was said in the context of “I didn’t really mean for people to think what I said is true”.
I too am interested in the truth about the origins of the Bible and its reliability and at a minimum, the Da Vinci Code has brought those issues into the spotlight.
My personal opinion is that Da Vinci Code is a great book. According to the jacket, it is fiction. If it causes people to raise some eyebrows and throw out some questions I think that is great. I’ve already got my tickets to see it tonight in Old Town.