Da Vinci Code goes on trial without a defence

Originally posted by junglejake
...Sounds like you have a problem with religion

...

I am a devout Christian; so strike one on your part.

However, I am NOT the sort of the "Christian" that feels unless others believe exactly as I do that they are wrong, or less credible.

My Faith is strong enough not to be threatened by a work of fiction. Sounds like your faith needs the "Crutches" you refer to.

Giving it a an OFFICIAL defense would mean they have to admit History is not objective, they can't be having that!

WolfofWar, I almost had an epileptic seizure from looking at your avatar too long.

Originally posted by AlexofSkye
Essentially, the orthodox "authorities" are continuing their losing battle against discovery, exploration and independent thought. The threat posed by the Da Vinci Code isn't that it is factual, but that it makes people think.

Except that it isn't factual, at all. The Leonardo painting of the Last Supper isn't a even a fresco. And he clearly labeled the desciples in early scetches and even explained why james is beardless and has long hair.

Think what you want about the validity of these books, the point is that they do tear the mask of the orthodox religions and authorized histories that are used to reinforce the "accepted" and approved way of thinking.

You mean using our brains to reason?

Why, if people are allowed to think for themselves, why should they obey the Pope (and his peers)?

I resent your implications that Christians must have anythng to do with the pope.




[edit on 20-5-2006 by I_AM_that_I_AM]

I don't really understand why any religious faction would feel threatened by the concepts presented in either the book or the movie.

To discredit something of this nature on the ground that "people won't be able to distinguish fact from fiction" doesn't show these leaders to have a very high opinion of the people.

"Cults" tend to discourage independant thought on the part of it's members - and using fear and discrediting outside opinion is the most commonly used tactic to maintain control of it's members. (Please don't get me wrong - I'm not equating Christianity to "cult status" - I have a strong Christian background myself. I just know I wouldn't stand for being under the "guidance" of people who refused to hold an intelligent and civilized conversation on "contraversial topics".)

Even so - they're probably doing more to promote the book for those who are more open-minded and inquisitive about such matters.

Leonardo Da Vinci was never party to anything vaguely occult. His paintings held absolutely no hidden messages. Actually he more than likely never existed and is a myth constructed by conspiracy theorists.

That would of course depend on your definition of "occult" . much of DaVinci's work
would by the strictest definition have at the time been OCCULT ie: hidden, his
studies in anatomy , photography, his many machines, would and in cases still are
considered heretical and blasphemous.

Also, there never was a time when the Goddesses held sway...Astarte, Isis and all those marvellous theologies Dan Brown discusses in his book are all just fiction. Plain story telling with no historical background.

To correct your obviously xian view and to expose the equally obvious extreme bovine feces content of your statement. Pauline xianity has its roots in Judaism.
Ancient Judaism had in it early forms a belief in not only a God but a Goddess.
The Holy of Holies was the " bedchamber" of the two. It has also been said that YHWH is not just the symbol for the God, but is in truth the symbol for the names
of The God, The Goddess, their Son and Daughter. In short the entire " Holy Family."

Dan Brown wishes the public to take his work of fiction as fact, and is doing everything he can to make it so. This is why there is such a concerted effort to disprove him. I haven't seen you saying anything about the huge following who are trying to prove his book to be true, though. Could this be...bias?

No. what Dan Brown has done is to present (again. ) theories and beliefs that have
been around centuries if not millenia, and ask the reader to make their own decision.
Their own "Grail Quest" as it were.

When a novel is being supported as fact, though it came out of Brown's own head,

Wrong again. The Grail/Magdalene,Rose/ marraige theories have been around for many,many years. The idea the Jeshua escaped the crucifixion is recorded in the Koran and elsewhere.

"Cults" tend to discourage independant thought on the part of it's members - and using fear and discrediting outside opinion is the most commonly used tactic to maintain control of it's members.

Sounds just like most if not all of the baskin-robbins 31 flavors of xianity i am aware of.

Every person from whom I've heard this claim: "Some people believe the DaVinci Code is true" has been against the book because they feel it somehow threatens their religious beliefs or they're afraid people will believe it as truth. I have yet to hear a person actually claim that they thought it was true and that their religious beliefs have changed because of this movie. It's always the fear (fantasy) that someone else will think it's true.

Does anyone have any links or information about anyone thinking the book is true and changing their religious beliefs based on this book? I suspect it's just another 'fear' that the religious have about losing numbers devoted to their precious religion.

Just as with The Last Temptation of Christ, the religious people are the ones pushing the idea that "Everyone thinks it's true"! They're the ones who are selling all the books and tickets to this movie. Their hysteria is driving the box office sales, and all the while they're blaming it on the devil or the occult or Ron Howard or the illiterate.

I bought the book because of the religious hysteria. I read about it here on ATS and even though I've known about the book since it came out, I wasn't interested in it till I saw the Christians all in an uproar. Now I have to see what it's all about. Congratulations, you sold another book.

I suspect that if the religious-driven sect would just leave it alone, it wouldn't get half the attention it's getting and no one would question that it might be true.

We know it's fiction. We can read.

Originally posted by Souljah

Originally posted by stalkingwolf
" when possible, the accused should be taken to a large body of water,
a large stone afixed to their neck and then thrown into the water. If they
float they are a witch and their family is killed as well as the accused. If
they sink and drown they are innocent of the charges." they are still dead
but their family is free to go.

i like this interrogation technique.
really effective in any way.
"the witch" has a loose-loose situation.
but most of the time their families are free to go.
nice.
gotta love the church history.

[edit on 21-2-2005 by Souljah]

I guess thats one of the reasons Dan Brown does not like Christianity.. it sure is a very good reason for dissliking it.

It is all about control every thing in life is about control they have to say it is not true or they have no control of peps

Originally posted by biggob
It is all about control every thing in life is about control they have to say it is not true or they have no control of peps

Ok, that can be a valid reasoning...Assuming you've checked the facts proposed by Brown in the book and found them not to be wanting. Otherwise, you're fitting into the group mindset by going against one side for the sole reason that side said something was false.

I don't see what the big deal is, when you walk into a book store it is under the fiction section, surely that is a big giveaway to not believe it word for word.

Also i can see why the church would be worried because there are alot of not very inteligent people out there who will never question anything. (makes the religious leaders job much easier :-))

I don't understand the whole religious thing anyway, so what if you believe in God or not. surely everyone is entitled to thier own opinions? I totally believe there is a huge difference between believing in god and following a religion.

The trouble i have with religion is that it is its self are a bunch of stories, just because someone wrote them doesn't make them true, now add some faith and they become true. I just don't understand why people need to follow a religion, what is wrong with just living a good/useful/helpful/not hurting others kind of life........... just a little rant, prob in the wrong area so sorry.