Catholic Church fights Da Vinci Code novel

The Roman Catholic Church in Italy has spoken out against what it says are "shameful and unfounded lies" in the best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Archbishop of Genoa, broke the church's official silence on the controversial book.

Its story about the Church suppressing the "truth" that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene has convinced many fans.

But the cardinal's spokesman denied reports that the clergyman was asked by the Vatican to hit back at the book.

Carlo Arcolao told the BBC's News website that it had been the cardinal's own decision to make a public statement about the book.

Mr Arcolao confirmed that the cardinal told an Italian newspaper: "It astonishes and worries me that so many people believe these lies."

The archbishop told Il Giornale: "The book is everywhere. There is a very real risk that many people who read it will believe that the fables it contains are true."

I think that today, books and writings are so much more prevalent, that they do reflect the average man more, just by default and the fact that there are so many more.

I don't really know what neo-barbarianism is. During the dark ages, men also were much more superstitious.

I believe that facts, such as temperature, gravity, etc, are believed by probably >99% of people, throughout history. If someone held up 2 fingers on each hand, I believe that any normal person, would be able to understand that holding up 4 fingers on one hand, equals that amount, or that things drop when released. These sort of things are facts. Of course, there are always some that will disagree with this, but they are the extreme minority. We are talking about God's truth, not facts that can be proven. This is belief. This is why so many people disagree about those things, that cannot be proven...they believe differently, just as God intended.

You have no way of proving that man has a fallen nature. Man has a tendency to pursue his own appetites, because that is what man does, that is how we were created...by God. God knew what man was going to be like, before He even created us.

I don't know what you mean by your last line.

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