The Da Vinci Code: What can Christians Learn from it?

When Dan Brown's book was first released, most of us yawned and thought, "Another one of those." We've seen many books that "bash" Christianity on the market and of course snippets about Madonna's latest publicity stunts.

Publicity is a "band wagon," whether you take a stand for or against any Christian issue. The need for thought provoking entertainment that "pushes the envelope" of morality is far greater than the supply.

So what can Roman Catholics and other Christians learn or gain from all this? Would any other religion put up with this? In fact, this kind of entertainment might cause serious violence, rioting, and death, if it were pointed in other directions of religion or philosophy.

Let's objectively look at Dan Brown's book and the recent movie. The movie and the book are a mixture of fact and fiction, so a reader who has not read history, the Bible, or the Gnostic Gospels would be very confused. This has occurred before when people, who do not read, let Hollywood explain reality to them.

Why the confusion? Simply put, how many people are really reading anything? Pat yourself on the back, for the fact, that you do read. The national and global literacy rates are poor, no matter which government statistics are skewed to tell you otherwise. We live at a time, when a person who can read a warning sign is intellectually gifted.

Beside the "for or against" issues that surround the book and movie; The Da Vinci Code has created something that Dan Brown did not count on. It encourages all of us to read more and do some research. Much of our history is "blood thirsty." Genocide, slavery, warfare, inquisitions, pogroms, and injustice fill the pages of our history books and our Holy Scriptures.

Dan Brown wanted fame and he has received it. However, Christianity will benefit from this controversy "in the long run." For the first time, many people are reading and searching for factual information about Miriam of Magdala, Templars, Crusades, Inquisitions, Cathars, Gnostics, and the formulation of the early Roman Catholic Church. Is this a bad thing?

Only if we deny the truth, are research of our religion and the origins of Christianity a bad thing. When we deny the truth, then all of our time spent reading and researching is for nothing. It is time for governments and religious orders to reform themselves. No one should be allowed to violate laws due to a social position. "Cover ups" of past crimes take credibility away from government officials and religious leaders.

Lastly, through out history, women have been persecuted more than any other group. This is a common thread that still continues today. No government or religion can exist without the help of women, but women have to form a "united front." Many successful families are held together by a balance of female and male qualities. It is time for "The Old Boys" to share power.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications