[Steve_Seattle]

I think the churches are responding to TDVC because many people do seem to take the book as thinly-disguised history. I have personally met several people who think that, in essence, the book is historically accurate, even if the contemporary characters are fictional. I am not myself an orthodox Christian (I believe that Jesus viewed himself as the Jewish Messiah, and that he was later divinized as Christianity lost touch with its Jewish roots), but I do not subscribe to the silly revisionist "histories" and conspiracy theories of early Christianity that today get so much uncritical publicity.

[frogjerk]

I believe that Jesus viewed himself as the Jewish Messiah, and that he was later divinized as Christianity lost touch with its Jewish roots

I've heard this argument somewhat before but I cannot recall hearing the actual evidence for this belief. What is the evidence that leads you to believe this?

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

I have personally met several people who think that, in essence, the book is historically accurate, even if the contemporary characters are fictional.

They think that because Dan Brown is indeed claiming it, which is why anyone is bothering to debunk the book. Brown's historical FACTS happen to be as fictional as his fiction.

[AmishDude]

Jesus couldn't have viewed himself as a messiah in the way first century Jews would have seen one. They were waiting for a political messiah, one who would (in that era) deliver them from the Romans.

As I heard one scholar say, "As you read the gospels, you can't help but come to the conclusion that this guy [Jesus] was trying to get himself killed."

If Jesus were a political messiah, he was a pretty poor one. Getting himself crucified did nothing for the Jewish people in the short run but the diaspora. If he were not divine and trying for something, it wouldn't be:

"I'm going to get myself executed so that one crazy emperor will crush and scatter the Jews and a later one will come to believe in a religion based on me and the backwoods parts of the Empire will adhere to that religion so that, 1300 years later or so, they will emerge from a plague and along with Jewish and these new Jesusian* values and traditions, will rebirth themselves into being the most pre-eminent culture on the planet, eventually bringing the ideals of justice, peace and individual empowerment to the world."

*He wouldn't have even thought of the word "Christian".

[Eastbound]

"the book is historically accurate, even if the contemporary characters are fictional."

Th_{e de Vinci Code}

[TexanByBirth]

because many people do seem to take the book as thinly-disguised history.

People who think The Da Vinci Code is historically accurate are the same ones who think The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is a real news show.

[PLK]

I have personally met several people who think that, in essence, the book is historically accurate

I actually heard a person say this:

"I just love the book, Lovely Bones ... I never knew heaven would be like that."

This woman is a college graduate.