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The message of the Da Vinci code 


 

Contents

Foreword
Close-up of Dan Brown
Dan Brown tells about his book
The story begins
The Cilice
Opus Dei
Leonardo Da Vinci
Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail

 

 

Dan Brown tells about his book

 

Dan Brown tells about his book and its’ message as follows (Dan Brown’s comments are in italics):

The 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.

If you read the "FACT" page, you will see it clearly states that the documents, rituals, organization, artwork, and architecture in the novel all exist. The "FACT" page makes no statement whatsoever about any of the ancient theories discussed by fictional characters. Interpreting those ideas is left to the reader.

- Is this book antichristian?
No. This book is not anti-anything. It's a novel. I wrote this story in an effort to explore certain aspects of Christian history that interest me. The vast majority of devout Christians understand this fact and consider The Da Vinci Code an entertaining story that promotes spiritual discussion and debate. Even so, a small but vocal group of individuals has proclaimed the story dangerous, heretical, and anti-Christian. While I regret having offended those individuals, I should mention that priests, nuns, and clergy contact me all the time to thank me for writing the novel. Many church officials are celebrating The Da Vinci Code because it has sparked renewed interest in important topics of faith and Christian history. It is important to remember that a reader does not have to agree with every word in the novel to use the book as a positive catalyst for introspection and exploration of our faith.

- What do you think of clerical scholars attempting to "disprove" the Da vinci code?
The dialogue is wonderful. These authors and I obviously disagree, but the debate that is being generated is a positive powerful force. The more vigorously we debate these topics, the better our understanding of our own spirituality. Controversy and dialogue are healthy for religion as a whole. Religion has only one true enemy--apathy--and passionate debate is a superb antidote.

- Parts of the Da Vinci code describe the activities of the religious group Opus Dei. How does Opus Dei feel about your novel?
I worked very hard to create a fair and balanced depiction of Opus Dei. Even so, there may be those who are offended by the portrayal. While Opus Dei is a very positive force in the lives of many people, for others, affiliation with Opus Dei has been a profoundly negative experience. Their portrayal in the novel is based on numerous books written about Opus Dei as well as on my own personal interviews with current and former members.

- Some of he history in this novel contradicts what I learned in school. What should I believe?
Since the beginning of recorded time, history has been written by the "winners" (those societies and belief systems that conquered and survived). Despite an obvious bias in this accounting method, we still measure the "historical accuracy" of a given concept by examining how well it concurs with our existing historical record. Many historians now believe (as do I) that in gauging the historical accuracy of a given concept, we should first ask ourselves a far deeper question: How historically accurate is history itself?

- Are you a Christian?
Yes. Interestingly, if you ask three people what it means to be Christian, you will get three different answers. Some feel being baptized is sufficient. Others feel you must accept the Bible as absolute historical fact. Still others require a belief that all those who do not accept Christ as their personal savior are doomed to hell. Faith is a continuum, and we each fall on that line where we may. By attempting to rigidly classify ethereal concepts like faith, we end up debating semantics to the point where we entirely miss the obvious--that is, that we are all trying to decipher life's big mysteries, and we're each following our own paths of enlightenment. I consider myself a student of many religions. The more I learn, the more questions I have. For me, the spiritual quest will be a life-long work in progress.

The topic of this novel might be considered controcersial. Do you fear repercussions?
I can't imagine why. The ideas in this novel have been around for centuries; they are not my own. Admittedly, this may be the first time these ideas have been written about within the context of a popular thriller, but the information is anything but new. My hope for The Da Vinci Code was, in addition to entertaining people, that it might serve as an open door for readers to begin their own explorations and rekindle their interest in topics of faith.

 

Dan’s comment on awakening readers’ interest reveals that he still has his own strong motive to make his readers believe the claims and ideas he presents in the book. Dan also reveals to be a spiritual seeker for the rest of his life. It seems that his book The Da Vinci Code shows the guidelines along which Dan is proceeding spiritually. I am very much in doubt that a person whom one of the strongest motivations for life is a lifetime spiritual search, would write something in his book that is meaningless or insignificant to him. The fact is that a person interested in spiritual matters wants to share his spiritual findings and beliefs to others too. This is how I believe that also Dan Brown did when he wrote his book The Da Vinci Code.

 




Petri Paavola from Finland




Sources:

Finnish Bible 33/38
Old King James version
Da Vinci-koodi: Dan Brown (the book - Finnish version)
Da Vinci-code: Ohjaus Ron Howard (the movie - English version and Finnish)

http://tmatt.gospelcom.net/column/2006/05/10/
http://www.danbrown.com/meet_dan/faq.html
http://www.danbrown.com/meet_dan/index.html
http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/faqs.html
http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/bibliography.html

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cilice
http://www.answers.com/main/most_popular.jsp?date=2006-06-12

http://www.nowpublic.com/why_dan_brown_wrote_the_da_vinci_code_kalki_bhagwan
http://davincicode-opusdei.com/?p=62

http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney01172004.html

http://www.teolinst.fi/tiedotteet/Da%20Vinci%20-koodi.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15674a.htm

http://jasperadventist.org/bib-ld2.htm
http://almightywind.com/wolves/sabbathchanged.htm
http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/09/world/main642450.shtml

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_Dei

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar

http://www.religionfacts.com/da_vinci_code/leonardo_da_vinci.htm

http://www.occult100.com/satan100/topsites.shtml

http://www.odan.org/tw_how_opus_dei_is_cult_like.htm

http://www.odan.org/testimonies_and_writings.htm

http://www.opusdei.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagram

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priory_of_Sion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hanssen

http://www.mdep.org/sect19.html

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/69/story_6980_1.html
www.newadvent.org/fathers/3806.htm, canon 29

http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temppeliherrain_ritarikunta

http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viisikanta

https://www.kotipetripaavola.com/Seurakunta%20vai%20kirkko
https://www.kotipetripaavola.com/profetiat_toteutuvat.html
https://www.kotipetripaavola.com/Jeesus_on_Jumala

https://www.kotipetripaavola.com/Johtajuus%20Jumalan%20seurakunnassa

https://www.kotipetripaavola.com/Jumala%20on%20yksi

https://www.kotipetripaavola.com/Seitsemas%20paiva

https://www.kotipetripaavola.com/UudenTestamentinKaanon.html

 


 

 


 

 



 

 

 
 

 

 

 





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