Christians try to debunk the "DaVinci Code"

The Seattle Times ^ | 02/28/04 | Mark O'Keefe

[Just mythoughts]

EXACTLY! I know many Christians don't think that book applies to us this day.

However, if there are 7 churches on the LORDS DAY, should tell Christians to look forward not backward about their own churches. This is a bait and switch, to ignore the subject at hand. Christ crucified!

Mel makes a movie about Christ and crucification. Reaction my church is this, etc....... not the teachings of Christ but teaching of churches.

[general_re]

The Gospel of Thomas is a Gnostic text

Depends on what you mean by "gnostic". In the sense that the outlook resembles the belief that God/divinity resides within all of us, and the kingdom of God can be realized here on earth if we come to grasp that, it's gnostic. If by "Gnostic" with a capital-G, you mean in accord with the religion and beliefs of the Gnostics, then it's really not Gnostic at all.

how come the church founded by St. Thomas the Apostle in india didn't have this book???

Because it's not really entirely clear that Thomas went to India? Or if he did, as he probably (but not definitely) did, the accounts of him there have been pretty clearly embellished by later writers? ;)

Not the answer you were looking for, I'm sure, but that's one option. Another possibility is that it is, in fact, a collection of the sayings of Jesus as told by Thomas, but since Thomas himself didn't write it down, where he was may or may not have any relation to where it was. Or perhaps it's a collection of the sayings of Jesus that got seriously distorted over the years of oral telling, such that while it started out as authentic, it became distorted into what we know today, which isn't particularly accurate at all. Or perhaps it's a 1'st century forgery, made by borrowing from the Gospels and adding other material in. The point is that nobody really knows, and there's no real factual evidence to say one way or another. The historical provenance of all of the Gospels is spotty, at best, and in that respect, Thomas isn't much different.

[Cronos]

This is diverging from the topic, but I think Revelations had more to do with the fall of Jerusalem, the 7 churches or Rome, Ephesus, Alexandria etc. were already established.

[Sabertooth]

Christ's celibacy. Even feminist scholars such as Karen King, a Harvard professor and leading authority on early non-biblical texts about Magdalene, have said there is no evidence Christ was married to Magdalene or to anyone else.

Jesus Christ did not practice celibacy, He practiced chastity before marriage, and His marriage is yet to come.

Christ did not marry Magdalene; He is betrothed to another: His Church.

[MrConfettiMan]

ping

[Just mythoughts]

and WHO taught you that? Revelations means "to be revealed".

Hey if you are comfortable with what you have been spoonfed then so be it, you get to make the choice not a church.

Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 is a bit easier to read explaining what John saw on the LORD's DAY.

The OLD is filled with prophecy about the LORD's DAY.

You want to spend your time defending your church and its history, go ahead. However, you are doing exactly what is wanted because you are not spending the time studying about what is really going on and what is ahead.

[Cronos]

and WHO taught you that? Revelations means "to be revealed".

Hey if you are comfortable with what you have been spoonfed then so be it, you get to make the choice not a church.

Stop jumping to assumptions.  No-one taught me that.  That's what I think it is about.  The end times have happened.

[Cronos]

And even more so, you seem to be the shallow readers who glance through the Bible and say "Oh, Jesus said don't call any man your father, so I won't call my dad, dad" (Not saying you do exactly that, but....)

[BlueLancer]

Or try this one ....

THE JESUS SCROLL

It's premise is that, not only was Jesus married to Mary Magdalene, but, like "The Passover Plot" of many years back, that Jesus survived the Cross only to die at Masada during the 70AD revolt against Rome.

[Walkin Man]

No, this isn't "early Christianity", these are the writings of the third century gnositc offshoots that mixed Christianity with their elitist beliefs.

The reason they are now so "popular" is that they affirm the gnosticism of modern USA. And a lot of it is due to modern theologians such as those in the "jesus seminar" who want to make a new scripture.

I agree and this may be a fulfillment of prophecy.

2 Timothy 4
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

[Just mythoughts]

"And even more so, you seem to be the shallow readers who glance through the Bible and say "Oh, Jesus said don't call any man your father, so I won't call my dad, dad" (Not saying you do exactly that, but....)"

But of course I am shallow to you because you have not read what is WRITTEN else you would know that the book of Revelations is history, present, and future.

Again YOU are making the choice, which is exactly what was given to each individual with that MIRACLE as Christ gave up the Spirit.

That VEIL hiding the man priest was rent from top to bottom.
Do you really understand that MIRACLE renting of the VEIL did?

Churches are suppose to be the body of Christ yet in none of what you have put forth speaks to Christ's words.... Words and writings of man.

[JoeGar]

The Da Vinci Code is a spellbinding, cliffhanger of a novel. Novel. Novel. Novel. It's fiction for Heaven's sake.

[Cronos]

Churches are suppose to be the body of Christ yet in none of what you have put forth speaks to Christ's words.... Words and writings of man.

I'd say the same about you.... The CURTAIN didn't hide the Main Priest, it hide the Holy of holies, the inner sanctum, the place where, in the earlier temple, the Ark of the Covenant was placed.

[Just mythoughts]

"I'd say the same about you.... The CURTAIN didn't hide the Main Priest, it hide the Holy of holies, the inner sanctum, the place where, in the earlier temple, the Ark of the Covenant was placed."


"The CURTAIN didn't hide the Main Priest, it hide the Holy of holies, the inner sanctum,"

Oh really, then why was only the "main priest" allowed there with bells around his ankles telling those outside he was still alive?

Christ became the HIGH PRIEST after the ORDER of Melchizedek
Melchizedek = King and priest of Salem.


Gen14:18
Ps 110:4
Hebrews 5 through 7.

[leftcoaster]

Exactly.

Why should it be necessary to "debunk" a novel, a piece of FICTION?

I suppose Christians should also be out trying to disprove Star Wars or Planet of the Apes?

[GreyFriar]

An interesting discussion of the "Gospel of Thomas" is at http://bswett.com/2000-04GospelOfThomas.html

the person "Ben" provides a good description of how the "Gospel of Thomas" provides "quotations of Jesus" that are actually opposite of what he taught.

It begins: kemokae< Ben: What's the word about the Gospels of St. Thomas? Ever hear of them?

Ben< kemokae: Yes, I have the Gospels of Thomas. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is entirely fiction. The Saying Gospel of Thomas echoes some of the sayings of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels, and adds some that may or may not be original.

[Caleb1411]

Good grief in the morning. IT'S A FICTIONAL NOVEL!

Not if you're "looking for loopholes," as W. C. Fields was reported to have said while reading the Bible intently on his deathbed.

[AppyPappy]

I'm convinced Mary was the "Beloved disciple" and the Gospel of "John" is, in fact, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene.

Actually, it is believed to be John.

[general_re]

Interesting conversation. One study of Thomas that I've seen suggests that the last passage, the questionable 114, was probably added at a later date by a different author. But then again, nobody knows for sure.

[Little Bill]

Catharism was related to the Donatist crowd, the Byzantines had a problem with them when they sided with the Moslem's, rather nasty group. The Bogomils were a related sect, most converted to Mohammedanism in the 13th century.