The Da Vinci Code

THE DA VINCI CODE (written october 2006)

I picked up my pen several times in the past couple of weeks to write on this topic but each time I came up with nothing but an engaging mental debate! I reasoned that the topic is too controversial at the moment, and perhaps too sacred to thread on. But surely my senses have been assaulted by the DA VINCI FAIRY TALE, as Mrs. Bridget Itsueli of the Lagos Resource Centre puts it. This is not about being a catholic. I happen to be a theology scholar too! So I need to defend what I know.
The Da Vinci Code is a novel written by Dan Brown, an American author and published in 2003 by Doubleday Fiction. It is based on the controversial premise that there is a conspiracy within the Catholic Church to cover up the true story of Jesus. According to this premise, the Vatican knows it is living a lie but continues to do so to keep itself in power. The novel has helped generate popular interest in speculation concerning the Holy Grail legend and the role of Mary Magdalene in the history of Christianity. A movie adaptation of the story in 2006 by Columbia pictures generated even more controversy as this enabled wider viewer ship across age groups, class and culture. The youths are the greatest victims!
The Da Vinci code denies the divinity,ie, trinity of Christ, rejects celibacy and virginity as virtues, claims that the Bible as we have it today is false, and declares that the beloved disciple who sat beside Jesus during the last supper is Mary Magdalene! And a lot more claims!
Given the massive publicity, it becomes necessary that we call a spade a spade. For a start, Dan Brown classified this novel as a fiction but went ahead to write and I quote, ‘All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this book are accurate’. This is a big blunder as anybody who is conversant with the literary term ‘fiction’, will admit. Fiction can never replace fact. So if the book is fiction, why the claim to accuracy?
I t might interest you to know that these set of blasphemies are not new to the church. In fact, the church addressed most of these issues in the council of Nicea in the year 325AD.The only difference today is that the spread has been aided by globalization.
The truth is that in the world of today, there is widespread secularism, moral relativism, and doctrinal subjectivism-people wanting to do things the way they feel like, the way it suits them and the interpretation that suits their particular purpose. Unfortunately, Christianity has raised the stakes so high on morals!
There is need for every Christian to acquaint him/herself with knowledge of the history of the church. It will go a long way to deepen our convictions as this is a matter of faith not science. It is not about who Dan Brown says Jesus is, but who you say He is! If you are waiting for CNN, TIME MAGAZINE or SKYE NEWS to debunk these clams before you believe then you are in trouble. Christianity is not a human enterprise.

Dan Brown seemed to forget that he cannot fool all the people all of the time!

Have a wonderful time.
amybest21@yahoo.com