Sunday, April 17, 2005
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown – Stirring, influential & resounding!
So here are a few questions inspired by this book that highly resonate with my Catholic/Christian reservations:
Q1. What is wrong about thinking Jesus was just a great person?
Q2. Why is it wrong to say that the Bible is just a commonly believed version of the truth?
Even if you don’t like my questions & where this is leading, Chapter 60 of The Da Vinci Code is utterly mind boggling & basically opened my eyes to a world of possibility and doubt concerning the New Testament.
This question appears in the text of The Da vinci Code:
Q3. Why wouldn’t Jesus have kept a chronicle of His ministry?
The following is what has me thinking:
Note: The following does not give away any of the suspense & beauty of this fine book
Excerpt: End of Chapter 81
[ Langdon smiled. “Sophie, every faith in the world is based on fabrication. That is the definition of faith – acceptance of that which we imagine to be true, that which we cannot prove. Every religion describes God through metaphor, allegory and exaggeration from the early Egyptians through modern Sunday school. Metaphors are a way to help our minds process the unprocessible. The problems arise when we begin to believe literally in our own metaphors.’
‘So you are in favour of the Sangreal documents staying buried for ever?’
‘I’m a historian. I’m opposed to the destruction of documents, and I would love to see religious scholars have more information to ponder the exceptional life of Jesus Christ.’
‘You’re arguing both sides of my question.’
‘Am I? The Bible represents a fundamental guidepost for millions of people on the planet, in much the same way the Koran, Torah and Pali Canon offer guidance to people of other religions. If you and I could dig up documentation that contradicted the holy stories of Islamic belief, Judaic belief, Buddhist belief, pagan belief, should we do that? Should we wave a flag and tell the Buddhists that we have proof that Buddha did not come from a lotus blossom? Or that Jesus was not born of a literal virgin birth? Those who truly understand their faiths understand the stories are metaphorical.’
Sophie looked skeptical. ‘ My friends who are devout Christians definitely believe that Christ literally walked on water, literally turned water into wine and was born of a literal virgin birth.’
‘My point exactly,’ Langdon said. ‘Religious allegory has become a part of the fabric of reality. And living in that reality helps millions of people cope and be better people.’
‘But it appears their reality is false.’
Langdon chuckled. ‘No more false than that of a mathematical cryptographer who believes in the imaginary number ‘i’ because it helps her break codes.’
Sophie frowned. ‘That’s not fair.’ ]
---------------
What frustrates me in my own religious quest is a feeling that somehow I am looked down upon for fundamentally believing that all religious writings/beliefs, are just something that people need to believe in, to live.
The scary thing that remains paramount in my mind is how underlying & influential religion gets tied up in politics and world power struggles which are obviously intertwined in even the most RECENT historical past.
“Truth to me is what we as a society come to regard as right” marky
As Napoleon once said, “What is history, but a fable agreed upon?”
(Chapter 60 pg.343 The Da vinci code by dan brown)
Q1. What is wrong about thinking Jesus was just a great person?
Q2. Why is it wrong to say that the Bible is just a commonly believed version of the truth?
Even if you don’t like my questions & where this is leading, Chapter 60 of The Da Vinci Code is utterly mind boggling & basically opened my eyes to a world of possibility and doubt concerning the New Testament.
This question appears in the text of The Da vinci Code:
Q3. Why wouldn’t Jesus have kept a chronicle of His ministry?
The following is what has me thinking:
Note: The following does not give away any of the suspense & beauty of this fine book
Excerpt: End of Chapter 81
[ Langdon smiled. “Sophie, every faith in the world is based on fabrication. That is the definition of faith – acceptance of that which we imagine to be true, that which we cannot prove. Every religion describes God through metaphor, allegory and exaggeration from the early Egyptians through modern Sunday school. Metaphors are a way to help our minds process the unprocessible. The problems arise when we begin to believe literally in our own metaphors.’
‘So you are in favour of the Sangreal documents staying buried for ever?’
‘I’m a historian. I’m opposed to the destruction of documents, and I would love to see religious scholars have more information to ponder the exceptional life of Jesus Christ.’
‘You’re arguing both sides of my question.’
‘Am I? The Bible represents a fundamental guidepost for millions of people on the planet, in much the same way the Koran, Torah and Pali Canon offer guidance to people of other religions. If you and I could dig up documentation that contradicted the holy stories of Islamic belief, Judaic belief, Buddhist belief, pagan belief, should we do that? Should we wave a flag and tell the Buddhists that we have proof that Buddha did not come from a lotus blossom? Or that Jesus was not born of a literal virgin birth? Those who truly understand their faiths understand the stories are metaphorical.’
Sophie looked skeptical. ‘ My friends who are devout Christians definitely believe that Christ literally walked on water, literally turned water into wine and was born of a literal virgin birth.’
‘My point exactly,’ Langdon said. ‘Religious allegory has become a part of the fabric of reality. And living in that reality helps millions of people cope and be better people.’
‘But it appears their reality is false.’
Langdon chuckled. ‘No more false than that of a mathematical cryptographer who believes in the imaginary number ‘i’ because it helps her break codes.’
Sophie frowned. ‘That’s not fair.’ ]
---------------
What frustrates me in my own religious quest is a feeling that somehow I am looked down upon for fundamentally believing that all religious writings/beliefs, are just something that people need to believe in, to live.
The scary thing that remains paramount in my mind is how underlying & influential religion gets tied up in politics and world power struggles which are obviously intertwined in even the most RECENT historical past.
“Truth to me is what we as a society come to regard as right” marky
As Napoleon once said, “What is history, but a fable agreed upon?”
(Chapter 60 pg.343 The Da vinci code by dan brown)
// posted by Unknown @ 6:08 p.m. 
