DOES THE DA VINCI CODE OR THE JUDAS ISCARIOT STORIES AFFECT CHRISTIAN BELIEF?
Only a fool would never ask the question, "Is there any truth in these stories?"
Sometimes Christians will have trouble understanding and separating fact and fiction. Sometimes they will feel threatened when newspapers, television or books appear to challenge the Christian's core beliefs.
When you read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John which tell the story of Jesus' life we find that Jesus was always teaching his disciples to question everything around them. The disciples lived in an age when religious leaders had enormous power and influence. Often what they said had to be believed and obeyed. That was not Jesus way. He stressed the importance of finding out what God said and he did this from scripture. Today our scriptures are both the Old Testament which Jesus knew and also the New Testament which is about Jesus life and teachings. These two testaments are known as the HOLY BIBLE.
Throughout the ages people have often been in dispute with the teachings of the Bible and that is OK. It doesn't make them right. Sometimes how Christians have interpreted the Bible has been confusing, sometimes stupid or ignorant and sometimes totally wrong. No one can defend apartheid from the Bible.
For the last 2000 years there have always been other stories and rumours about Jesus, other Gospels, other teachings, etc.
Time after time people have come to realise that there is no substance in these stories no matter how good and interesting a story they are. IT HAS NOT AFFECTED THE BELIEF OF MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
As a Church we believe the accounts given in the Gospels in the New Testament. If you have never read about Jesus then start with the Gospel According to Mark. In a modern version you will find it an easy, enjoyable read. What you will read will blow your mind because here are eyewitness accounts of Jesus performing miracles, healing people and bringing teaching to the masses which has only recent found favour with our political parties in recent years.
Jesus cared for people. He taught that we should love (respect) everyone. He taught that everyone was of equal value in an age which still had slaves. He taught citizenship when he said pay your taxes. He taught honesty and trust in an age when political and religious leaders appeared grasping and often corrupt. He had a love and respect for creation long before the recent interest in ' saving the earth and rare animals'.
If you want to be truly radical you do not join a political party you become a Christian. It is radical to put your belief in someone who has taken all your wrong doing on to themselves. It is radical for your life to be totally changed by what you now believe. It is totally radical in the 21st Century to live by a moral code.
Lots of the latest research still shows that millions of people in the UK still believe in God, They still call themselves a Christian. They have fallen out of love with the established Church.
To help you work through some of these issues we have collected together a selection of sites about the DA VINCI Code by Dan Brown. We hope you find them useful.
the re-jesus (UK) site: if you only look at one site LOOK AT THIS ONE
The Dan Brown DA VINCI CODE SITE complete with interview with Dan Brown where he answers the FAQS
The Da Vinci conspiracy:
Distinguishing fact from fiction
By Chuck Colson
The Truth About website
Evangelicals Say Go See The Da Vinci Code Movie
The da Vinci Code – A look inside the pages of this enormously successful book and a starting point for thinking about what the Bible has to say about the themes of secret knowledge, symbolism, religious authorities and authentic faith.
by Steve Hollinghurst
DA VINCI CODE
RESPONSE
by Mark Greene
A LOOK AT THE DA VINCI CODE: THREE MAJOR ERRORS PLUS A FEW MORE
DARRELL L BOCK
Decoding The Da Vinci Code (FOCUS ON THE FAMILY RESPONSE)