Meet the Real Dan Brown, A Couple of things You Should Know About the Author

TFP ^ | 04.28.06 | Michael Whitcraft

[RightOnline]

Amherst, Shmamherst. His so-called "scholarship" was sloppy. I have already seen dozens of examples of glaring inaccuracies in his book. Many of them are just plain silly or sloppy (Dead Sea scrolls discovered in the 1950's?? please..........)

[1066AD]

Jeez, it's a novel.
I thought it a good read although the main characters never needed to eat or sleep let alone anything else !
It's just a good yarn.

[SoCal Pubbie]

"So most people believe that Hitler was desperately seeking the Ark that held the original Ten Commandments in his mad quest for world domination, right? "

Actually, they were. Himmler and the Nazi elite got all mixed up in occult pursuits, and believed that various icons, such as the Spear of Destiny, could wield power to those who possessed them.

Of course Raiders of the Lost Ark itself is fictional, but based on a kernel of truth.

[JennysCool]

Protests will only make the movie more money.

And further allow the media to portray religious people as kooks.

[ArrogantBustard]

There are those that do not accept Catholicism as Christian

Certainly ... there are also those who believe all Jews are greedy, money-grubbing usurers ... and those who believe that all people of African ancestry are lazy and stupid ... and those who believe that Dan Ra^ther spoke truthfully on the evening "news" ... and those who believe ... etc.

They all have one thing in common ... they're wrong.

[Pyro7480]

And further allow the media to portray religious people as kooks.

Who cares. They think that anyway.

[ArrogantBustard]

Me, I've spent most of my adult life in the military. Rough life, and definitely not a path to retiring on a luxury yacht. Maybe if I was a little smarter, I'd have been a rich novelist instead of an infantry soldier.

Hardly. You were smart: you spent most of your adult life in an honorable pursuit. Certain rich novelists can't claim that ...

[garylmoore]

As an atheist

I will pray for you.

[MindBender26]

>Wwell, Jesus said in the BIBLE that it was His Body and His Blood, and to do this in Remembrance of Me".

Jesus didn't say anything in the bible. The books about Jesus's life were written fifth and sixth hand, centuries after His death.

[MindBender26]

Get over it.

This book of fiction is based. as is every book of fiction, on many elements of fact. There are some inaccuracies, but the vast majority of the book is correct.

Jesus wasn't some stick in the mud prig. There is nothing in his life that would indicate that he wouldn't have wanted a relationship with a woman. He was no pasty white-faced wimpy mystic we see all too often in movies. He was a tough carpenter. He threw the money changers out of the temple.

Did he take a wife? Why shouldn't he have? Did God expect him to be a eunuch?

Did he take a wife? Who knows. but to protest a book and movie that clearly and correctly describes a number of problems our church has had over the years is all too close to the Brown Shirts' book burnings or the psychotic antics of the Taliban.

[DaveTesla]

Suzy you are correct.

The apostle Matthew, also called Levi, was the son of
Alphaeus and the brother of the apostle James the Less,
or, James, son of Alphaeus. By profession, Matthew was a
tax collector before being called by Jesus to follow Him.
Matthew probably remained in the Holy Land, as tradition
says, for 15 years and after this, encouraged by the
reports of the success of other Christian leaders among
the Jews (the Diaspora) and also among the Gentiles, he
went forth on several missionary journeys. It is certain
that he went to Persia and the mysterious area in Persia
known as "Ethiopia." It is also possible that he traveled
to the Ethiopia in Africa as the Roman Catholic tradition
indicates and there is also a belief that Matthew was
martyred in Egypt upon his return from Ethiopia in Africa
but this is not certain. There is a tradition which says
that Matthew was martyred in Parthia.

Matthew was a gifted writer, an ardent disciple, and was
perhaps the best educated of any of the Twelve Apostles.
He was the writer of The Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew could record a person’s words as they spoke, word
for word. The words of Matthew are not only inspired by
the Holy Spirit, but represent an actual transcript of
some of Christ’s sermons. For example, the Sermon on the
Mount, as recorded in chapters 5-7, is a perfect recording
of that great message.

[irishjuggler]

Vast majority of the book is correct? Like what? Do you believe in the Priory of Sion? Do you believe that Jesus and Mary M.'s offspring was the holy grail? Do you believe that there was a conspiracy to hide that offspring? Do you believe that Leonardo was part of that conspiracy? Are you interested in buying a bridge that I'm selling?

[saradippity]

Maybe it would be a good idea for some church groups and community colleges and universities to offer some 4 to 6 week classes to compare and contrast "The DiVinci Code" and "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion".

[RobbyS]

Did he take a wife? I gather that you are agnostic about the Virgin Birth as well. If he knew who he was, he would know what his mission was, and a wife and kids, and an "ordinary"life was about as unlikely as the same for John the Baptist.

[Cincinna]

"All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate."

Even though this is statement in the introduction, it doesn't make it true. Because it is fiction, Dan Brown can put in anything he wants. The descriptions of Opus Dei in the books are demonstrably false.

Brown can claim it is true as much as he wants. Was he actually there? Of course not. The connection of Leonardo to any of this nonsense is totally without historical documentation.

[Cincinna]

The painting of the Apostle in the Last Supper was painted by a Renaissance Italian 1500 years after the birth and crucifixion of Jesus. Given Leonardo's predelictions, romanticizing figures of young men into effeminate figures is not so surprising.

[cryptical]

Vast majority of the book is correct? Like what? Do you believe in the Priory of Sion?

Sure, it's right there in the book.

Do you believe that Jesus and Mary M.'s offspring was the holy grail?

Sure, it's right there in the book.

Do you believe that there was a conspiracy to hide that offspring?

If there wasn't, it wouldn't be a thriller. It might be a whodonit...

Do you believe that Leonardo was part of that conspiracy?

Sure, it's right there in the book.

Are you interested in buying a bridge that I'm selling?

Is it fictional, just like the book? If so, is it affordable and entertaining?

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

I'm [C]atholic and enjoyed ... Angels & Demons.

I read it also, and I was repulsed by the gruesome deaths of all the priests. I kept reading, though, hoping that at least one of them would be found alive. But, no, they were all killed - and in the most gruesome ways possible.

I won't read The Da Vinci Code (or see the movie) because I consider the subject matter to be blasphemous - and I'm not a Christian. I don't understand why any Christian would want to read the book or see the movie, once you know what the subject matter is. It's the literal defaming (if I can use that word) of their Lord and God.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

http://www.lwfc.org/

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

[Binghamton_native]

Amen.