Just finished reading it, and loved it. I kept an open mind about the "FACTS" in the book and enjoyed it for what it was. That said, I then tried to research its foundations on the web. What I found were countless Christian based sites trying to debunk fact after fact. Yet I couldn't help but ignore most due to their obvious bias. I mean to base your arguments in opposition to the text based on assertions posed by a PRIEST (PhD in bible studies notwithstanding) or so called scholars whose assertions are clearly one sided if not plainly wrong, is well, close minded. This isn't to say I believe everything I read in the book, but they are intriguing and I am wondering if any of you know of a credible (NON-BIASED) reference to the ideas mentioned in the book.
Regardless, its a great read for anyone that wants a page turning thriller. On to Angles n Demons. 
apris, its kinda hard to discuss this in a fashion that would leave out some very spoilerish material. I suggest you read with caution, if at all. Wait until you have finished it first would be my advice.
Is The DaVinci Code a work of fiction? If so, I think the Christian right needs to take a chill pill. It's like saying that the Left Behind series is a newly found addition to the Bible.
I'm a Christian, incidentally. Again, fictional fact is no more than speculation.
Eh, The Da Vinci Code reminds me of Jurassic Park. I read through JP
and by the end had become fascinated with dinosaurs. For those who haven't read the book or seen the movie, it shouldn't be considered an accurate dinosaurial
account. Similarly, The Da Vinci Code shouldn't be looked at as an accurate account of what happened at the Council of Nicaea, etc.
If you want some non-biblical resources, this is a good site:
It'll also include links to Arianism, etc, which would be a good read if you wanna know what the real point of it was (not whether Jesus was divine, but whether he was to be considered separate, or equal to 'God the Father').
Also, you might want to actually read the Gospel of Thomas, since it's referenced in the book and it's not that long:
Is The DaVinci Code a work of fiction? If so, I think the Christian right needs to take a chill pill. It's like saying that the Left Behind series is a newly found addition to the Bible.
I'm a Christian, incidentally. Again, fictional fact is no more than speculation.
Well I finished the book today. AMAZING!!!! I cant wait to read Angels & Demons. Anyway, this book was awesome. So many plot twists, and so many little cliffhangers. This books makes me want to go to the Lourve in France and check out everything.
Is there a site somewhere which covers which facts are wrong? I'd really like to know before I tell anymore people things I've learned from reading the book.
I enjoyed Angels & Demons until the last few chapters, then it just got ridiculous. Anyway, I've got Da Vinci Code on top of my reading pile, but with my new job have had no time to pick it up, glad to hear everyone enjoys it though.
The story is fiction. Certain historical aspects are fictional, although some believe them to be real (Priory of Sion, for example). The stuff that causes the most stir (was Jesus a God, was the Bible fictionalized for political reasons, did he and Mary Magdalene have a child) can never be proven to be false or true. Altough judging from all the new DAVINCI CODE IS WRONG AND EVIL books that have come out recently by wackjob fundamentalists, the religious folk are sure going to try.
You know if you guys want something fun to do, I suggest you tackle this webquest. It deals with the DaVinci code, so if you havent read it, it might be hard to complete. I did this quest when I was half way through the book, and it didnt reveal any spoilers. I suggest doing it, as it is really fun.
Are things like the pagan beliefs and things real? Like that story of the fertility god Baphomet having horns and that's where the word horny came from and due the Christian slander campaign the devil also had horns etc? Those are the parts which interested me most, it'd really ruin the book for me if they weren't true.
I haven't read the book, but it's definitely a work of fiction. There was a special on 20/20 the other night investigating some of the stories and theories on which the book was based, and it was interesting stuff. If you missed it, you might investigate what it would take to get a copy from ABC.
As for the "bias" issue -- just because someone happens to be a Christian (specifically, Catholic) priest doesn't mean that their opinion automatically is biased against some of the theories presented in the book. If I was seeking an expert perspective on the history of the early Church, I would tend to think that a Ph.D. in theology would make someone MORE of an expert.
Are things like the pagan beliefs and things real? Like that story of the fertility god Baphomet having horns and that's where the word horny came from and due the Christian slander campaign the devil also had horns etc? Those are the parts which interested me most, it'd really ruin the book for me if they weren't true.
I don't know about the whether the "horny" story is true or not, but, yes, most everything he says about Christianity being paganism repackaged is true. The early church made pagan gods into saints or demons, depending on the particular deity.
Are things like the pagan beliefs and things real? Like that story of the fertility god Baphomet having horns and that's where the word horny came from and due the Christian slander campaign the devil also had horns etc? Those are the parts which interested me most, it'd really ruin the book for me if they weren't true.
yeah most of that true. Or how we came to "celebrate" Friday the 13th. Or why Christians go to Church on SUNday and not Saturday. There are certain things in the book that are real and certain things that are fake. here is an excerpt from Dan Brown's (Author) website:
HOW MUCH OF THIS NOVEL IS TRUE?
The Da Vinci Code is a novel and therefore a work of fiction. While the book's characters and their actions are obviously not real, the artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals depicted in this novel all exist (for example, Leonardo Da Vinci's paintings, the Louvre pyramid, the Gnostic Gospels, Hieros Gamos, etc.). These real elements are interpretted and debated by fictional characters. While it is my belief that the theories discussed by these characters have merit, each individual reader must explore these characters' viewpoints and come to his or her own interpretations. My hope in writing this novel was that the story would serve as a catalyst and a springboard for people to discuss the important topics of faith, religion, and history.
There is more, and if you want to read them, then check out this link:
At the college I go to, I've heard both sides of the issue.
I must say though that there is A LOT of strong evidence against Brown's research and published material. Any layman could be naively convinced of Brown's book at face value, because the layman obviously can't see any possible challenges to Brown's assertions. The book is interesting nonetheless but I am now more skeptical than ever of its content in many, many facets.
At the college I go to, I've heard both sides of the issue.
I must say though that there is A LOT of strong evidence against Brown's research and published material. Any layman could be naively convinced of Brown's book at face value, because the layman obviously can't see any possible challenges to Brown's assertions. The book is interesting nonetheless but I am now more skeptical than ever of its content in many, many facets.
I've never read "The DaVinci Code," but now I think I might. Am I right in thinking it deals, at least peripherally, with some of the same historical issues discussed in "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" concerning the possible "faking" of the crucificion and Jesus' bloodline being continued to present day, and marrying Magdalen and all that?
"Holy Blood, Holy Grail" is a good, interesting read too, though how much credence one decides to give it is obviously an open issue - and it's not a novel, but more of a book length history report. I read it after playing "Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned" on the PC and it was listed as one of Jane Jensen's sources. I've never read the follow-up book "The Messianic Legacy" (or maybe Messianic Legend, I can't recall) though. It's all made me want to go to Rennes Le Chateau and check all the town and the surrounding area out, it's all just intriguingly enigmatic and mysterious.
I was always taught that The Holy Grail was a literary invention created sometime during the medieval days. I also watched the National Geographic concerning the Da Vinci Code and they were just as inconclusive as this thread has been.
I've never read "The DaVinci Code," but now I think I might. Am I right in thinking it deals, at least peripherally, with some of the same historical issues discussed in "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" concerning the possible "faking" of the crucificion and Jesus' bloodline being continued to present day, and marrying Magdalen and all that?
"Holy Blood, Holy Grail" is a good, interesting read too, though how much credence one decides to give it is obviously an open issue - and it's not a novel, but more of a book length history report. I read it after playing "Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned" on the PC and it was listed as one of Jane Jensen's sources. I've never read the follow-up book "The Messianic Legacy" (or maybe Messianic Legend, I can't recall) though. It's all made me want to go to Rennes Le Chateau and check all the town and the surrounding area out, it's all just intriguingly enigmatic and mysterious.
