Response to Shlomo

Submitted by Lactantius (United Kingdom), May 9, 2006 at 16:45

Dear Shlomo

You say that “…………..Christianity itself be questioned to its core with books like ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and others,………………..”

Christianity has absolutely nothing to fear from “The Da Vinci Code” or others like it, and invites being “questioned to the core.” Christianity is very much evidence-based, being founded on the God Who went public around 2,000 years ago by walking into the pages of human history, as Jesus of Nazareth, and His life and teachings are recorded in the pages of the Gospels, with His life-transforming power having been experienced by countless millions down the ages since then, and being experienced around the world right now.

Yes Shlomo, all nations will come to Jerusalem to worship the One True God, when He returns there triumphantly as King of kings and Lord of Lords, even the Lord Jesus Christ, Maranatha Lord Jesus.

Lord haste that day.

Yours Sincerely

‘Lactantius’

(Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius, was a Christian apologist of the 4^th.century)

What’s wrong with “The Da Vinci Code?”

What makes any critique of Dan Brown's book “The Da Vinci Code” and film based on it, particularly important for a Christian, is Brown’s deliberate attempt to pass off falsehood as fact. On page 9, a reader of “The DaVinci Code” will see under a heading in bolded, capital letters, reading “FACT”, this statement:

“All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.”

In terms of documents and rituals, however – and even artwork and architecture, “The DaVinci Code” contains few “facts” and what few it does contain require serious qualification.

Now if Dan Brown was just telling a story, who cares? But in a book full of total nonsense masquerading as truth, with Dan Brown wanting me to believe what he says about Jesus Christ, I have the responsibility and the right to check his claims out, and speak up and speak out against the falsehood it contains, about the Person of Jesus Christ, and Christianity.

I do not deal with the book’s plot, which in many respects is largely irrelevant to the core and foundation of the book, which is theological, and is in fact Christological (interpretation of the person and work of Jesus Christ), being built on a theory about Jesus, with the rest of the story only becoming relevant, if there is anything in the core theory about Jesus Christ.

What are the central false claims about Christianity of The Da Vinci Code?

· Jesus was not the Son of God

· He was a mortal prophet, a great and powerful man of staggering influence, who inspired millions to live better lives

· The Roman Emperor Constantine proposed a motion to upgrade Jesus to divinity, at the Council of Nicaea in 325AD

· Jesus became Son of God by a narrow vote at the Council of Nicaea in 325AD, but before that, nobody had believed Him to be divine.

· Constantine’s motive was to give power to the Roman Catholic Church.

· The Roman Catholic Church has kept the true facts about Christianity hidden through force and terror.

Through its characters, the book claims that:-

“Almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false.” (The Da Vinci Code, Corgi, 2003, p.318)

“Until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by his followers as mortal prophet….a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal.” (The Da Vinci Code p.233)

“The Bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God……it has evolved through countless translations, additions and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book.” (The Da Vinci Code p.231)

“The (Dead Sea) scrolls highlight glaring historical discrepancies and fabrications, clearly confirming that the modern Bible was compiled and edited by men who possessed a political agenda, to promote the divinity of the man Jesus Christ, and use His influence to solidify their own power base.” (The Da Vinci Code page 317)

To rebut the falsehood about the Bible and Christianity that Dan Brown presents as “FACT” would require an email very much longer than this, but since my primary concern is to contend for Biblical truth, and truth concerning the Person and mission of Jesus Christ, I therefore conclude, by referring to an attractive website which presents top-class articles soundly rebutting Dan Brown’s many false claims.

Jesus and Da Vinci:Who was Jesus, Really?”

http://www.jesusanddavinci.com/

Yours Sincerely

‘Lactantius’

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