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.
"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).
Idiots. Some people will believe anything -- just like those who vote Democrat.
Perhaps ole Dan Brown has worked his magic on you, albeit subconsciously???
Or, who do not wish to read it.
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.
How dare they base their beliefs on a book.
Oh. Hey wait a minute....
If they don't like it, you know it's really got to suck bigtime.
L
Who cares? What does God's plan say?
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.
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.
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.
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).
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!
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.
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
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