Da Vinci Code Deception DVD

[Evanescence]

This is part review....part conversation, so hopefully it stays here, and stays civil......

I read the Da Vinci Code book recently. Here are my thoughts:

Briefly, the book and movie mirror one another quite well. The storyline is the same except for a few minor details. The ending is a bit different but doesn't comprimise the story.

Its been said that Dan Brown hasn't doen his homework when it comes to history, rituals and secret societies. This is somehwhat true....and not true. The inside of the book says "All artifacts, rituals and other.... is accurate,"

With a simple google search I found many of these things to be true. the book is littered with all sorts of historic pieces of info. Many are slanted to play a part in the story, but are still of importance and are fairly accurate.

In regards to Opus dei and the Priory of Sion, both DID and DO exist but not in the context he states in the begiining of the book...which states it as fact. This is wreckless writing and CAN be decieving. Even if Dan Brown has some inside info, its very touchy stuff....and I'm sure he doesn't.

I disagree with many that state that the book/story tries to say Christ was an ordinary man and Mary Magdalan was a Goddess. It DOES challenge the diety of Christ but in the context of the story...if they were indeed married, she would be sacred....the sacred woman...wife of Christ. However, I do not believe that so its no matter.

The book and movie are close together and VERY well written and put together. As a writer, I am inspired by the writing style and clever workmanship.

II. Da Vinci Code Deception DVD- Jerry Falwell Ministries.

I got this from one of my pastors I interviewed. I viewed this DVD with a 100% open mind, despite the fact that it comes from Jerry Falwell.

Dr. Edward Hindson of Liberty university does a fair job debunking a lot of the "facts" in the da Vinci code. He has some GREAT facts both logically, historially and biblically. He really does a great job.

On the flip side though, he does have a few ideas/opinions that are VERY far fetched and a lot of surmising.....projecting. This is of course common in anyone trying to prove something wrong/right. His implatation of the words Gay and Homosexual in regards to "What if Jesus was..." is quite disturbing. He says that people always ask...."What if Jesus was..." and puts in the words Gay and Homo, several times.

He claims that the book exposes demon posession as the main character finally figures out the riddle which he repeats to himself as he finds the Sarcofigas (sp) or burial place of Mary magdalan. Its absurd at best....

Its where the man figures out an ancient secret and becomes the guardian of the secret...and prays AT the bones of Mary M.....prays AT....not TO, the bones of Mary M. Its fits the story and has nothing to do with demon posession.

The sermon on the DVD ends with Dr. Edward throwing the DC on the floor and proclaiming loudly..."I will follow the word of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ..." as the multitudes stand and cheer some with tears in their eyes. He could have won an Academy Award.

So, where does this leave all of us and outsiders?

Some will be decieved and move away from Christianity. That is on Dan Browns head. His statements could have been more accurate and not misleading. He is selling contraversy and conspiracy. However, many will search for truth and will come to God. There's enough evidence to disprove the DC which will be good for us.....and the church.

I will make this one last staement though. At its worst, the DC cannot even begin to touch the amount of people turned away from organized religion over the past 3 yrs...since its release. Yes, 40 million have bought the book and a small percentage will shy away or totally turn away from Christianity, but the amount of people disgusted with the Christian church is off the chart. Thats one thing WE can change. Dan Brown is here today, gone tomoorow. But the teachings of Christ and his church will live forever.

[Sam!]

I would venture to say that the danger is not in Christians reading the book and rejecting Christ or Christianity. The danger is in believing it's OK to believe the book and still call yourself a Christian. Or that it's acceptable to teach and/or believe such blasphemous things as are conjectured in this work of fiction. Is Dan Brown a Christian? (Or claim to be, is the better question)

[cheewiee]

I would venture to say that the danger is not in Christians reading the book and rejecting Christ or Christianity. The danger is in believing it's OK to believe the book and still call yourself a Christian. Or that it's acceptable to teach and/or believe such blasphemous things as are conjectured in this work of fiction. Is Dan Brown a Christian? (Or claim to be, is the better question)

My problem with the Divinci Code, is that Brown, in the beginning makes some statements about certain aspects being true. As Ev said, he talks about the artifiacts, the locations, and the organizations being real... But then he says Opis Dae (sp) has existed for centuries, when it has only existed for decades...

Even the truth that is contained in the book, is spun and unreliable...

[RevZeek]

I have both read the book and seen the movie and my faith hasn't been shaken at all. I think this is because I understand that this is a work of fiction nothing more.

He does make some misleading statements about organizations etc. but I still went into the book knowing it was a fictitious story. The ones who I think it would have an impact on mostly are those who do have a little bit of knowledge about the occult and some of their practices...because what little they know can be twisted in their minds to think maybe it is true...

[Mugirl04]

i read the book and thought it was great. I didn't read it as truth but fiction i enjoyed the story line. But people have to see that this is not true

[TX3DFan]

Sounds to me like this DVD put out by Jerry Falwell does do too much surmising and projecting. A DVD that I would recommend to anyone is Breaking the Da Vinci Code. This video stays on point by bringing all sorts of experts together (archaeological, art, etc) and debunk Dan Brown's so called "facts". From what I can remember, they don't try to go past what Brown has written and said and do any surmising or projecting. This video is very professionaly done as well. You can pick it up from CBD (christianbook.com) for only $4.99.

As far as the Da Vinci Code itself, I saw the film and thought it was a fairly well done work of fiction, but I don't have a problem with Christians writing books and making these types of videos to debunk these myths because Dan Brown opened himself up for it by stating his "facts".

[Evanescence]

Sounds to me like this DVD put out by Jerry Falwell does do too much surmising and projecting. A DVD that I would recommend to anyone is Breaking the Da Vinci Code. This video stays on point by bringing all sorts of experts together (archaeological, art, etc) and debunk Dan Brown's so called "facts". From what I can remember, they don't try to go past what Brown has written and said and do any surmising or projecting. This video is very professionaly done as well. You can pick it up from CBD (christianbook.com) for only $4.99.

As far as the Da Vinci Code itself, I saw the film and thought it was a fairly well done work of fiction, but I don't have a problem with Christians writing books and making these types of videos to debunk these myths because Dan Brown opened himself up for it by stating his "facts".

Yeah the book and movie were pretty good.....its a great spy thiller....

The book that I have says that Opus dei is a REAL organization that is a sect in the Catholic church. They have at times been accused of coersion brainwashing and using self-mutilation devices..."cilice" as part of their doctrine. Althought it could be denied, that shouldn't be a surprise.....some within sects have been known to take things to extremes. We all know how some churches and sects can get kooky.

The book notes that the 2 charaters from Opus dei are a VERY select 2 men who are on a quest. Yes, it paints Opus Dei in a negative way, but clearly explins that the 2 characters are NOT like the others...they're a select few.

As for the Priory of Sion. This is where it gets slippery. The priory DID exist over 1000 yrs ago. They're website shows they're history. They were tied in with the Freemasons. But the French con man RE-instituted them as the hoax that climed was hiding the info about Christ and the holy blood line. So, the FACT part is in effect 1/2 true. But, it is mis-leading.

I'll check out the other DVD.....I'm interested in the whole history of the bible and history of the early church. The Fallwell DVD had some neat and eye-opening info about the early church and the writing of the bible that i liked. Again, it'd be SO easy to discredit it due tot he name...Jerry fallwell minisitries....but that'd be dishonest. It was useful but a bit too charasmatic and had too much surmising about Dan Brown and his motives.

BTW_ Dan browns new novel will be about the Freemasons, featuring the same character....

[1nonlyjen]

I think one of the dangers of that book and movie is that so many people who are not informed and are not willing to inform themselves about historical fact, are truly believeing that what Brown has written is fact. I saw a special advertised on the History Channel, though I was not able to watch it, with a whole slew of historical experts debunking Brown, his book and the movie. Most of them were not Christians, merely outraged historians. I also object to the inaccurate portrial of Opus Dei. They should not have been portrayed as evil fanatics when basically what they believe is trying to live for Christ in their everyday lives. Isn't that what we are supposed to be doing anyway? Did not read the book or see the movie, don't intend to do either but that is because I will not support it with any of my money. No one I spoke to who saw the movie, believers and non believers really liked the movie and the only reason it made so much at the box office was because it had no real compitition.

[kiwisongbird]

I enjoyed the movie and the book and haven't felt my faith damaged in any way by partaking... I read Angels and Demons too, it's the most exciting book I've read in a long time.

I seriously think, though, that the main reason it did so well at the box office is because it got so much FREE advertising from the Christians being so upset about it - that's the only reason I went to see it... :)

[HotWireD]

The 'Priory of Sion' as an organisation does not exist. The fraudster who 'created' it was found guilty in a French court years ago of planting documents in a library to prove his story. The documents were proved to be fake (one instance of fakery was the use of a Vulgate Bible version tract that did not exist at the supposed time the document was supposed to have been written, proving that a later book had been used for the sources).

A rather good expose of this fiction is on Wikipedia (which I do not usually trust, but this article has lots of references to back it up that I have checked).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priory_of_Sion#The_Actual _Priory

The Prieuré de Sion, usually rendered in English translation as Priory of Sion (occasionally as 'Priory of Zion'), is an alleged thousand-year-old cabal featured in various conspiracy theories, as well as being listed as a factual ancient society in the bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

It has been characterized as anything from the most influential secret society in Western history to a modern Rosicrucian-esque ludibrium, but, ultimately, has been shown to be a hoax created in 1956 by Pierre Plantard, a pretender to the French throne. The evidence presented in support of its historical existence has not been considered authentic or persuasive by established historians, academics, and universities, and the evidence was later discovered to have been forged and then planted in various locations around France by Plantard and his associates. Nevertheless, many conspiracy theorists insist on the truth of the Priory's role as a powerful secret society.

The Da Vinci Code
For more details on this topic, see The Priory of Sion in the Da Vinci Code.
Recently, as a result of Dan Brown's best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code and the movie made from it, there has been a new level of public interest in the Priory of Sion. Brown's novel promotes the mythical version of the Priory: it was founded in 1099, Leonardo da Vinci was among its Grand Masters, etc. The author has presented this as fact in a non-fiction preface, public appearances, and interviews.

The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail
For more details on this topic, see The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail.
After reading Le Tresor Maudit, Henry Lincoln persuaded the BBC Two's factual program Chronicle to make a series of documentaries, which became quite popular and generated thousands of responses. Lincoln then joined forces with Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh for further research. This led them to the pseudohistorical Secret Dossiers of Henri Lobineau at the Bibliothèque nationale, which though alleging to portray hundreds of years of medieval history, were actually all written by Plantard and de Cherisey under the pseudonym of "Philippe Toscan du Plantier". Unaware that the documents had been forged, Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln used them as a major source for their book, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, in which they declared as "fact" that:

[Evanescence]

Kinda off topic.

I just got done reading Dan Browns Digital Fortress. It was written in 1998. What a GREAT and well written book!

Its a spy thriller about the NSA and a few computer geeks who go awry. It is SO well written that I am inspired by it as a writer. His attention to detail and flow of the story, is beyond outstanding.

Next, I'm gonna get Angels and Demons. It also has the Da Vinci Codes main character in it.