I have one problem with the likes of Mark Belling hammering at the DaVinci Code.
He is confusing "belief" with "knowing".
He and many other Christians - all religions, for that matter- BELIEVE what they are being taught about Christ- or whoever.
Those BELIEFS are based on a BIBLE that has been re-written a number of times, and I don't think anyone knows how many times. Some of the Popes that ordered the "revisions" were not litterate themselves, depending entirely on the few members of their court that could read and write. There is also the issue of "translations" from one language to another.
Since NO ONE is alive today who was alive when Jesus walked the Earth, then there is no KNOWLEDGE of what really occured. ONLY fragments of words written sometimes long after Jesus had to be dead and gone, no matter how long he lived. That is why the various books of the Bible I learned from are called "the Gospel according to _______, or are called "the Book of ______.
I am not trying to bash Christians or their beliefs.
I am only trying to point out the difference between KNOWING something and BELIEVING something.
Each is welcome to their belief. Da Vinci Code is a book and a movie- It is not the Gospel according to Dan Brown.
There are thousands ancient manuscripts which show the bible is unchanged in substance. (Changes consist of transposing a letter or leaving out 'an'.)
The bible has been TRANSLATED a number of times. 'Rewritten' it hasn't been.