A lot of people are upset about the movie because they feel it proclaims what they consider untruths to be truths — and proclaims that the church through the centuries have molded the truth to meet it’s needs for power and control. Although I feel the “facts” of the movie and novel are actually fiction, I am more disturbed by the fact that the things pop culture deems important are more important than the things that are truly important.

More people voted last week for the latest American Idol than ever voted in a Presidential election.

People tend to believe a popular book rather than the Bible and the teachings of the Church.

Things that are really important take a back seat to things that are not important at all.

I don’t think the real problem is that people don’t know the difference between what is really important and what is not — but that the things that are important are not packaged as brightly as the things that are not. People are drawn to what is not important because it is packaged better.

No “get out the vote” campaign or election is as appealing as the drama as the next American Idol is announced.

The Church can not seem to come up with a way to promote it’s message in a way that is as appealing as Brown’s book of mystery, sex, intrigue, conspiracy.

Sad but true, pop culture goes for the sex, intrigue and conspiracy instead of the truth.

My hope and prayer is that we can discover a way to present the message of Jesus Christ in a way that appeals to folks as much as The Davinci Code.

The book makes the claim that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had children – and that the Catholic Church knew about this but chose to suppress the facts so the Church could be more male dominated. The book contends that some groups, such as the Priority of Sion, have kept “the truth” of the marriage and offspring of Jesus and Mary from being forgotten through signs in art — such as the artwork of Leonardo Da Vinci (thus the name of the book).

First of all, I must say that the book was “a good read” for those who love murder / mystery novels (as I do).

That being said, I do not believe the claims of the book to be the truth that Dan Brown believes they are.

Brown tries to prove his thesis of the Church cover up of the marriage and offspring of Jesus and Mary by going back to the Council of Nicea in 325. Brown contends that it was at this Council that the belief in the divinty of Jesus was accepted as truth — and the “fact” (as Brown would have the reader belive) of Jesus‘ marriage to, and offspring by, Mary Magdalene , was officially suppressed. While it is true the Council of Nicea was called to help develop a statement about what the Church believed about the divinity of Christ as a way to refute what some, such as the teacher Arius, were teaching, the belief about the divinity of Christ was already accepted as the norm for Christian belief, and the belief of the marriage between Jesus and Mary was never seriously considered.

I beleive the problem with the book, and movie, is that it will convince some that the Church tries to cover up the truth and lead them further away from following Jesus. Some will think:

“If the Church can not be trusted on this, then neither can the Bible as we have it now — or any teachings of the Church.”

This is a mistake – - and I think Chritians need to know all they can about the truth of the matter. Actually, the book and release of the movie can be turned into an opportunity for evangelism as the truths about Jesus can be spread as answers to the fiction Dan Brown and others are spreading.

There are several things I would encourage Christians to do:

1. Read The Da Vinci Code. It’s hard to know what you are refuting if you have not read the book itself!

2. Read good books that present the Church’s views on the book. The Da Vinci Code: Fact Or Fiction
and other books are informative and help readers discern the truth behind Brown’s claims.

So — I hope Christians will use this as an opportunity to spread the truth about Christ!

Any ideas on this subject?

What other good resurces would you suggest?

If you have ever seen the movie “The Passion Of The Christ“, you will remember the first scenes at Gethsemane and the Devil trying to persuade Him to abandon God’s plan — but Jesus resisiting. A very powerful rendition of this powerful event.

Jesus accepted and followed God’s will for Him — even though it meant suffering and death.

O God — Strengthen me when I am tempted to abandon Your will for my life, so that I may follow You. Amen.

I went to see Steven Spielberg’s new movie Munich tonight.

The movie is much more than a historical account of the "Munich Massacre" – but it is a study of what happens when people allow violence to continue and how the demand for vengeance can destroy people.  Quotes such as: "Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values." (made by Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel, in making the decision to create the counter terrorism group to hunt down and kill the members of Black September responsible for the Munich tragedy) fill the movie.  The head of the team, Avner, is continually haunted by the killings.

To me, the movie’s message is that the demand for vengeance is an emotion that will destroy a person.  The members of Black September kidnapped — and subsequently killed — the Israeli athletes because they were demanding vengeance for wrongs perpetrated on their people by the Israelis.  The Israelis then become terrorists themselves to get vengeance for the Munich Massacre.  By the end of the movie, Avner has left Israel, and has serious doubts about what he has done.  The quest for vengeance destroys lives — only leads to more violence — and makes terrorists of all involved.

If you’ve seen the movie or read the book, I’d love to know what you thought about it.

Until next time — Shalom! Bill