Just finished a siong week of reservist training and finally got time to sit down write this email about separating fact from fiction in the Da Vinci Code (DVC). Some of you have been wanting me to write a summary of the discrepancies in the DVC in a bid to knowing the real facts. And I believe that not only you all wants to hear the facts but many other friends too, therefore i feel obliged to share this message with you.
As you might already know, there are numerous books depicting that the DVC has many twisted facts and notions. These books cover in depth many points, one by one refuting any twisted fact with supporting evidence. Many of us might groan about flipping through these thick books and in the midst of the information overload, might got lost somewhere and just give up the journey to seek the true facts.
I therefore aim to give a hopefully short summary of not all the refutation points brought up in the book, but from scenes shown in the DVC movie which i think makes the most lasting impression on me (and probably you) and clouds your mind about Christ. I would base my points from scences in the movie as i think that the movie is the medium which far more influences people given the visual/audio effects and the fact that it screened only recently.
Recap on the movie
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Robert Langdon receives a call saying that Jacques Sauniere, keeper of the art musuem at the Lourve, has been murdered. Jacques is found lying down in a position similiar to that of the Vitruvian man (remember the star fish shape?). That sets Robert and Jacques granddaughter Sophie on a chase to decode messages found in Leonardo Da Vinci's works of arts to uncover the secret of the sacred feminine (aka Holy Grail), which depicted in the story, is the position of where Mary Magdalene's tomb lies.
DVC claimed Leonardo together with some other famous people like Issac Newton were part ot the Priory of Sion, a sect that guards the secret to where the sacred feminine lies. Jacques is also part the Priory, which explained why till his death, he still guarded the secret. However, he wanted his granddaughter, Sophie to find the secret as she is of royal blood descending from Jesus (according to the book). So, he got together Robert and Sophie which starts decrpyting their way to finding the secret.
Refutation of scenes shown in the movie
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1. The existence of the Priory of Sion (POS).
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It is claimed that POS seeked to guard the secret. So, is this secret true and is the POS a reality?
The title Priory of Sion has been used 3 different times in different contexts by different people. It was first a monastic order in 1100. In 1954, its was a group that helped those in need of low-cost housing. Lastly, in 1960s and 1970s the POS led by a guy named Plantard, created a series of documents claiming the existence of a bloodline from Jesus and Mary through to the kings of France to Plantard himself (thus claiming the right to be the heir to the throne).
In 1993, however, Plantard admitted under oath to a French Judge that the had fabricated all the documents as claimed by the POS. The judge issued him with a severe warning and dismissed him as a harmless crank.
There you have it, the Priory of Sion did existed. In fact, It existed 3 times LOL. But each claiming different things. The non-conformity and the fact that the most recent POS is a hoax no doubt proves that Dan Brown had twisted and moulded the POS in his novel.
2. Da Vinci and Issac Newton members of the POS?
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We already know that the POS is but a hoax. So how could we insult these 2 geniouses and legends that they are a part in this scam? Well, the claim that these 2 men were part of the POS is based on an assertion in one of Plantard's forged documents. So, these 2 great men would NOT to be associated in any way with the POS (which we know now as a hoax).
So, if Da Vinci wasn't part of the POS, why did his works especially the Last Supper seem to depict that Mary Magdalene is Jesus's wife? Or is this just clever self assertive and story telling by Dan Brown? That leaves us to the next point that I want to depict.
3. Did Da Vinci leave clues to his beliefs in his art?
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Leigh Teabing played by Ian McKellen (aka, Gandalf, Magneto.. he always plays such powerful characters!!!) gives an impressive presentation in DVC that the Last Supper points in all ways that Mary is indeed Jesus wife. Ok. we already know 2 things. 1. POS is a hoax, duhz. 2. Da Vinci, is not part of the POS. So, why would he leave hidden agenda in his work!??!?! Ok, lets look at the painting from a factual and objective point of view.
Ask an art critic. Art critics who have no interest in defending the church have rejected the notion that Da Vinci left his beliefs in his work. The so called hidden clues exist only in the imagination of those looking to make a conspiracy theory plausible. Its really up to your imagination to infer what you want to infer. Dan Brown, so imaginative, can write so many books would definitely have no problem in this aspect. For one, the person claimed to be Mary, is really the Apostle John. Back in those days, man were often painted with a feminine look. Just ask an art expert. Looks more refutation points relating to the painting, but you can do a google yourself.
4. Was Constantine responsible for the view that Jesus is God?
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According to Brown, Jesus establishment as the Son of God was officially proposed at the Council of Nicaea. Before that, Jesus was viewed as a mortal prophet, a great and powerful man but a man nonetheless.
Let's take a look at Constantine. He was baptised just prior to his death. And that is true. But it was not because he was forced to do so and could not resist, it was because there was a misguided belief in in his day that they should delay baptism until the very last moment to try to assure that all sins of his life would be cleansed. That aside, Constantine was a 4th Century Roman emperor who confessed a life changing experience(when he became a Christian) that caused him to reverse persecution against Christians.
Let's now focus on the Council of Nicaea. The objective of the council was to help church leaders develop consensus about the doctrine of Christ. It was convened because an aged presbyter named Arius denied the full deity of Christ by reasoning that Jesus camed into this world in physical form. He must be changeable, unlike God, His Father.
Arius views stirred controversy among other church leaders who were convinced that both the Old and New Testaments showed that the Messiah, Jesus came into the world fully divine.
The idea that Jesus was God did not came from Constantine. Hundreds of years before Jesus came into the world, the Old Testament had hundreds of prophetic messages that foretold the coming of Jesus.
This view of Jesus as God was later taught by apostles who were eyewitnesses to all that Jesus said and did. (Think Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul of which most of the scriptures in the New Testament were authored by). And these scriptures were dated before AD 70. Also, in AD 150, 185 the divinity of Christ was widely accepted by Church fathers. So you see, before the council of Nicaea, Jesus was already regarded as God.
So you see, the council did not seek to change the identity of Jesus from man to God as He was God all along. It seeked to be an advocate for reconcillation and agreement among members. It also commissioned the Bible. Which leads us to the next section, how did the Bible come about and were valid documents that should have been in the bible destroyed?
5. How did the Bible come about and were valid documents that should have been in the bible destroyed?
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The source of the allegations that Jesus is a mere man who had a child with Mary Magdalene is a collection of ancient Gnostic gospels found at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945. The secret book of James and the Gospel of Thomas were just 2 of these documents. Gnostics claimed to have 'secret knowledge' that was necessary to know the truth about God. DVC regards these gnostics as the lost books of the bible.
There are many reasons why the gnostic gospels were not included in the bible. Early church leaders found concensus in determining ancient Christian documents were sacred by the following basic conditions:
1) Was it written by an apostle of Christ or someone who had direct contact with the apostles?
2) Did the writings receive wide acceptance as being consistent with the teachings of Christ and the Apostles?
3) Did they bear the mark and effect of Spiritual power and truth?
None of the gnostics measure up to the New Testament standard of reliable documents.
1) It was written between AD 200-300, and did not have consistent and reliable eyewitnesses as authors.
2) It reflected worldview that is foreign to both Old and New Testaments.
Conclusion
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So there you have it, the major points that i wanted to bring across that i felt was emphasized most in the DVC movie. All the controversies, debates, arguments surrounding DVC might leave one utterly confused and not knowing what to believe. But the message in the bible is very simple. That there is a God who created the world including man. But man sinned which caused us to be separated from God. Therefore, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross so that whoever believeth in Him would have their sins are washed away and have everlasting life. Amen.
Cheers and regards,
Jason
p.s. feel free to forward this around. Much of the material is gain from all over but i too lazy to list down the references. Also please don't hestitate to contact me to discuss further =)
