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Most Da Vinci Code readers believe Jesus fathered a child, poll finds
The Daily Telegraph ^ | May 17, 2006 | Jonathan Petre

Posted on 05/17/2006 2:01:05 AM PDT by MadIvan

The best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code has seriously damaged people's faith in the Christian Church, a survey has found.

Two thirds of Britons who have read Dan Brown's thriller believe that Jesus fathered a child with Mary Magdalene, a claim rejected as baseless by historians and Bible scholars.

Those who have read it are also four times as likely to think that the conservative Roman Catholic organisation Opus Dei, whose members include the Cabinet minister Ruth Kelly, is a murderous sect.

Seventeen per cent of readers are convinced that the lay group, whose founder was canonised by the late Pope John Paul II, has ordered or carried out a murder, compared with four per cent of those who have not read the book.

The poll has shocked Church leaders who have mounted a massive campaign to debunk The Da Vinci Code in advance of the release of the Hollywood film version this week. The findings suggest that the book has significantly shifted attitudes towards traditional Christianity and will fuel fears that people increasingly prefer to believe in conspiracy theories that taint the Church rather than historical evidence.

The poll found that more than one in five British adults has read the book, which has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide, and that a large proportion believe its central claims.

Sixty per cent of the adults polled said after reading the book that they believed there was truth in the suggestion that Jesus had children and that his bloodline survives, compared with 30 per cent of those who have not read it.

Just under a third, 27 per cent, think that the Catholic Church is covering up the truth about Jesus, and the figure rises to 36 per cent among those who have read Brown's novel.

Austin Ivereigh, the director for public affairs for Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, accused Brown of dishonest marketing and said the film should carry a "health warning".

He complained that Brown and Sony Pictures, the film's distributors "have encouraged people to take it seriously while hiding behind the claim that it is fiction.

"Our poll shows that they should take responsibility for their dishonesty."

The poll was conducted by Opinion Research Business among a representative sample of 1,005 adults between May 12 and 14.


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: britons; davincicode; europeanchristians; fantasy; fiction; ignorantsuckers; itsanovel; myth
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To: jazzlite
""When you see these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your redemption is near at hand."Luke 21:28

"You say harsh things about me, says God. You say, 'It is useless to serve God; what is the good of keeping his commands or of walking mournfully before the Lord on the Sabbath? Now we have reached the point when we call the arrogant blessed; yes they prosper, these evil-doers; they try God's patience and yet go free.'

This is what those who fear the Lord used to say to one another. But God took note and heard them: a book of rememberance was written in his presence recording those who fear him and take refuge in his name.

On the day which I am preparing, says the Lord God Almighty, they are going to be my own special possession. I will make allowances for them as a man makes allowances for the son who obeys him.

Then once again you will see the difference between an upright man and a wicked one; between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him. For the day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble.

The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord God, leaving them neither root nor stalk.

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its wings; you will leap like calves going out to pasture. You will trample on the wicked, who will be like ashes under your feet on the day I am preparing, says the Lord God Almighty." (Malachi 3:13-21; 4:1-3).

"Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. for it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man." (Lk.21:34-36).

21 posted on 05/17/2006 3:05:41 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: MadIvan

Idiots. Some people will believe anything -- just like those who vote Democrat.


22 posted on 05/17/2006 3:18:10 AM PDT by BlessedBeGod (Benedict XVI = Terminator IV)
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To: MadIvan
Two thirds of Britons who have read Dan Brown's thriller believe that Jesus fathered a child with Mary Magdalene, a claim rejected as baseless by historians and Bible scholars.




Typically the "Drive-By" L.S.M.'s "logics"!!!
What about the rest of britons who have NOT read the garbage??? Hmmmm!!!
23 posted on 05/17/2006 3:24:50 AM PDT by danamco
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To: tonycavanagh
I am always distrustful of polls. I may go see the film though just to see what all the hype is about.




It seems that the "Drive-By" L.S.M.'s buzz words are POLLS!??!
24 posted on 05/17/2006 3:28:56 AM PDT by danamco
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To: jazzlite
the Christian God? You have to be kidding. Is this like.. a pantheon of Gods? Are Zeus and Apollo still in the wings? Lets move forward into the 20th Century again.

Perhaps ole Dan Brown has worked his magic on you, albeit subconsciously???

25 posted on 05/17/2006 3:35:47 AM PDT by dalight
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To: danamco
What about the rest of britons who have NOT read the garbage

Or, who do not wish to read it.

26 posted on 05/17/2006 3:37:37 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: MadIvan
This is just a movie there is a lot of make believe out there in the movies..With all of this hype this movie will make a lot of money..I won't see it not even to rent at the video store.
27 posted on 05/17/2006 3:40:12 AM PDT by Beth528
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To: VOYAGER
The shocker here is that prior to watching the movie, the poll is showing that 30 of the people already believed that Jesus had children. Where did that come from?

Sixty per cent of the adults polled said after reading the book that they believed there was truth in the suggestion that Jesus had children and that his bloodline survives, compared with 30 per cent of those who have not read it.

I cannot recall this whole concept being around before this book came out. So its my bet that this level of belief comes from the discussion of the book since it was published reverberating around in society.

28 posted on 05/17/2006 3:40:50 AM PDT by dalight
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To: All

How dare they base their beliefs on a book.

Oh. Hey wait a minute....


29 posted on 05/17/2006 3:44:26 AM PDT by Reform4Bush
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To: Reform4Bush
And we all know the reputation of Mr. Brown has been as thoroughly vetted as that of the gospel and epistle authors. </sarcasm>
30 posted on 05/17/2006 3:46:36 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: tonycavanagh
I'd recommend you spend your money elsewhere. Not because I think you're in any danger of becoming one of Satans Imps after viewing it, rather it's because even the folks at Cannes think it's an awful bore.

If they don't like it, you know it's really got to suck bigtime.

L

31 posted on 05/17/2006 3:47:03 AM PDT by Lurker (Insanity is repeating the same action again and again yet expecting different results.)
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To: kenth

Who cares? What does God's plan say?


32 posted on 05/17/2006 3:47:52 AM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: HiTech RedNeck

33 posted on 05/17/2006 3:53:08 AM PDT by Reform4Bush
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To: Lurker
re : rather it's because even the folks at Cannes think it's an awful bore.

I would bet a pound to a penny that you are right.

Films that seem to encourage controversy tend to be boring.

LOL they used to do it with sex scenes, people would write in stating how disgusted they were that such an such a show or film was on, and it turns out the next day when you talk to those who went that it was a real bore.

Sometimes I think these polls and outrage letters are generated by the publicity department.

34 posted on 05/17/2006 3:53:11 AM PDT by tonycavanagh (We got plenty of doomsayers where are the truth sayers)
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To: All

No one knows what Jesus was doing until He was near 33 years of age.
God's plan,"Be fruitful and multiply".
Wouldn't bother me a bit if He was married and had a dozen kids.

One thing for sure,all this chatte about the book & movie will insure the movie as a blockbuster.


35 posted on 05/17/2006 3:57:44 AM PDT by hubno (hub)
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To: Reform4Bush

And we see clownish shows like this with actors wearing big crosses, and zoot alors, there is no rioting in the streets, no firebombs thrown.

Now switch that cross out for a star of David, and the public discourse starts to get a bit spicy. Now switch that out for a crescent, and don your asbestos pajamas Nelly.


36 posted on 05/17/2006 4:01:16 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: MadIvan

I am waiting for the MSM to compare/contrast the response of Christians to that of Muslims in regards to insulting the Christian religion versus Islam.

Still waiting.

Also, albinos are also upset about the movie. I suspect the PC crowd may get behind protesting that insult (wait a second they are white so never mind).


37 posted on 05/17/2006 4:03:29 AM PDT by exhaustguy
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To: MadIvan

What a croc of a movie. Totally fiction, no doubt. Most viewers are going to see this movie to watch Audrey Tautou prance around the screen. She is a beautiful French actress. Tom hanks has had some good roles, but a bunch of bad ones too!


38 posted on 05/17/2006 4:04:18 AM PDT by Lewite (Praise YAHWEH and Proclaim His Wonderful Name! Islam, the end time Beast-the harlot of Babylon.)
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To: hubno
Wouldn't bother me a bit if He was married and had a dozen kids.

Such a state of affairs would turn up in the gospels, epistles, or other writings by contemporaries. It wouldn't wait for centuries of intrigue by some sinister Catholic cabal. "And who can speak of his descendants?" A significant Old Testament prophecy would go down the drain. It wasn't unknown for prophets to shun the married life because they had to go trekking through the wilderness to perform their ministries.

39 posted on 05/17/2006 4:08:34 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: tonycavanagh
I would bet a pound to a penny that you are right.

Drudge has a couple of links on his site to articles that say just that. Apparently there were a few rather rude laughs at the end and Mr. Hanks isn't done any favors with the critiques of his 'acting'.

The Director Ron Howard is also damned with faint praise.

It appears that Mr. Howard has committed the cardinal sin in movie making. To whit he's given birth to an overly long, poorly acted bit of crap which is not expected to bring in nearly as much money as its hype demands.

I must say I have the whole kerfluffle about this movie rather amusing. I read the book. It was pretty good. That's about all I can say. It was a pretty good bit of fiction.

It didn't lead me into the ranks of the Dark One. It was a moderately entertaining murder mystery and that's about it. Let's face it, Umberto Eco this guy is not.

I had no intention of actually seeing this picture as Hollywood rarely does any book justice, at least not since Dr. Zhivago anyway.

Cheers.

L

40 posted on 05/17/2006 4:08:36 AM PDT by Lurker (Insanity is repeating the same action again and again yet expecting different results.)
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