The DaVinci Code

Before I begin my post, I must state some things about me, just in case I get some readers who are not regulars to my blog. First, I am a conservative Christian, that comes with a hint of social justice- meaning that we should help those who need it, not out of entitlement, but teaching people (for those who can) to do something with their lives. Also, conservative in the fact that I believe that the Church is authoritative and believers should be willing to follow the Church in faith and in truth. But also that believers need to know for themselves what they believe in and why. It is good to explore the history of our faith, why we do the things that we do, where we have come from, what has been good (and bad), and how can the message of Jesus Christ change the world around us.
With that being said, I'm going to give my thoughts on the book/movie The DaVinci Code. Because, for one, I encourage anyone who likes a good read to read this book. Secondly, if you want to be engaged in our biblically illiterate society, that knows nothing of the Bible, the Church (and church- I define the difference below), and Jesus Christ, you should read this book to help understand this view, but also be able to defend your faith. Finally, the book and movie are creating such a stir that any Christian should not stay away from it, but engage it in discussion, Bible studies, and other forms of communication, like blogs.
I'll first start with the movie, which I did see opening night. The movie acted like the book in that at first it's hard to put down, but then it just seems to drag along. The movie started off really well, action packed, but before long I found myself wondering when this was going to end. The acting was okay, Tom Hanks played a good Robert Langdon (main character). One of the memorable moments in the movie was seeing what a SmartCar was. I didn't look one up while reading the book, but the car is pretty nice for being the size of a bookcase. 2.5 hours for watching the book does not make up for reading it. The book is much better than the movie, by far.
The book, as a read, is a good read. It keeps the reader involved in the story. The unfortunate side to the story, remember that it is a top FICTION seller- meaning that it is not real, is that it mixes too much fiction with fact and even distorts the facts that exist. Dan Brown takes the reader through a "quick" history lesson on the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, but he does not present what actually happened at the council. He also calls Constintine a perpetual pagan, bent on making Christianity "work." If anyone is interested in the history of this council, or any of the councils, Dan Brown is not your guy of information on this subject.
To say that there are a few, not so serious, issues in the book is a grave error. I really don't want to dive into the errors that the book discusses, but it needs to be done. One of the problems with our culture today is that too many people are willing to jump to the conclusion on many issues without looking at the facts of the situation? It is a good thing to note that there is no respectable scholar in the world that would even think about endorsing what Dan Brown has written.
The concept of Jesus being married to Mary Magdalene doesn't change who Jesus is and what he did for the world. If Jesus was married, would that have changed who he was? No. But to say that it was a certain marriage is far-fetched. For one, there is no reliable evidence that it happened, no true, accurate documentation to prove it. Secondly, there is no historical evidence of Mary living elsewhere. Finally, there is no reference to Jesus having children. To say that, at Jesus' time on earth, he would've been married because that's what a Jewish man is to do, isn't always the case. The Apostle Paul was single and encouraged those who could be single to remain so, otherwise it was best to be married.
Again, the book and movie pervert history, which is nothing new to humanity. But it does give the Church a bad name and it is important for the readers of The DaVinci Code to remember that it is fiction. It is equally important for the Church to stand its ground against this, and other, acts of hatred and discrimination that we are facing.