The DaVinci Code

[Melufa]

I think it has to do with how DaVinci painted a secret in "The Last Supper" about how Jesus had children and this whole religious conspiracy involving a secret scientific organization "illuminati". I gotta get this book.

[Sufficient]

Originally posted by geekbot
Since I have never read the book, I will answer you. It's sort of a mystery/conspiracy theory book. The main character goes on an adventure to uncover some mystery. I believe at least some part of that mystery deals with the authenticy of the Bible and the history recorded there.

Author's website (might not want to read too much, I'm not sure how much it gives away):
http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davin...e/reviews.html

My church is non-demoninational but close to Presbyterian. My theology is strongly Calvanist. What up, Calvinists represent. Woot.

Awesome ... I'm reading the book right now bc of a recommendation from a friend.

I also go to a Presbyterian church (in chicago) ... so woot! =D

[Material Girl]

Ok, I actually purchased it hardcover and I'm about halfway through. More on this later.

[Liquid Blue]

Yes, it's very good. I read it about 8 months ago, was quite interesting (although I'm not a big mystery fan, nor do I read alot of religion-themed books).

[Joshua Tree]

We happen to be discussing Da Vinci in my Western Civ. class, so I kinda know some of the stuff about the book (despite not reading it.)

(Disclaimer: This may spoil the book for thopse of you who haven't read it yet. Don't read this if you don't want it ruined.

Also, I don't beleive any of the stuff from the book, nor do I want to debate it. Just giving you the facts that I know of)

[spoiler]
Apparently, it discusses how Jesus supposedly gave into temptation and settled down with Mary Magdeline and had children. There were scriptures written about this, but when Constantine (I think, not sure) converted to Christianity, he decided to remove the scriptures, thus making the Jesus we all know and love.

Now, there were a group of guys (four of em, I beleive) that knew of the secret scriptures. Throughout time, they passed on their knowledge so only four people would know at a time. Supposedly, Da Vinci was one of them.

Da Vinci, if I remember right, was at odds with the Church or something, so he decided that he would reveal the "truth" in the form of paintings. One instance is the Last Supper, in which the person to Jesus's right is supposedly Mary Magdaline, thus explaining why the person looks strangely feminine for a disciple. Another less obvious example is the Mona Lisa (which is already disputed as a self portrait of Da Vinci, who was supposedly homosexual and saw himself as a woman), where the "smile" that she has on is because she knows "the truth" about Jesus.

Further more, we also discussed in our class that the search for the "Holy Grail" during the Crusades was not for a gold cup, but really for the descendants of Jesus. In latin, if I am right, "Holy Grail" translates to something like "Blood of Christ" or something like that.

Now, this entire concept of "other scriptures" could be thrown out the window were it not for the Dead Sea Scrolls, which proved that there are other hidden scriptures out there.

I can see some problems with this big theory, though. If the four guys really do exist, why haven't they ever come forward to pretty much destroy the Church? Nowadays seems the perfect time, with the corruption of the Cruch as of late. Or why didn't they during the Protestant Reformation? That woulda been the perfect "nail in the coffin" of the Church.

[/spoiler]


If anyone is interested, there is a movie coming out next month, "The Passion of the Christ," which, to my best knowledge, goes over the last twelve hours of Jesus's life in the Da Vinci code mentality. Should be interesting, but I bet you anything that it will be protested like crazy.

[Liquid Blue]

Well read the book and you will understand one theory as to why they don't bust out and reveal the truth. I won't spoil the book though.

[Material Girl]

Pulpy.