When I first saw The Da Vinci Code in bookshops I was very interested as I love all that conspiracy theory stuff about the Templars, the Holy Grail and the early christian church. It’s over twenty years since I first read The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail and I still like to read a couple of books like that every year.
But then I realised that The Da Vinci Code was a novel, so I put it back and didn’t buy it. Over the next couple of months I came close to buying it a number of times, but each time I couldn’t help thinking that it would be one of those crap American thrillers that I hate so I didn’t buy it.
Then last week I was in a bookshop and I wanted a third book to go in a “3 for 2” offer, so I finally cracked and bought it. I’d also read Simon Waldeman’s piece about it so I thought it was worth giving it a go.
And, you know, I’m really not sure what I thought of it. It’s certainly not great literature. Dan Brown isn’t a very good writer. But I don’t know if that’s very important. What is important is that through this book a lot more people will be introduced to the theories. And that annoys the church. And anything that annoys the cuhurch has to be a good thing.
As I said before, these theories aren’t new at all, but I suspect that a relatively small proportion of the population are aware of them. In case you’re interested and haven’t read the book yet, here’s a brief summary (without spoiling the plot).
* Jesus was married to Mary of Magdelene
* They had children
* The church has tried to cover up these facts
* The Knights Templar discovered something in the ruins of the temple in Jerusalem that proved these facts
* When the Templars were disbanded, they actually went underground and changed their name to the Priory of Sion
* The Priory of Sion is still going today
* They know where the Templars secret is hidden
* They also know the identities of the descendents of Jesus and Mary
I don’t know (or particularly care) if these facts are true or not. But what is true is that various branches of the church seem to get very upset if people start discussing these theories.
I’ve just seen that there is a film of the book planned too. So even more people will be talking about it. And the church will get even more upset.
FWIW.> * Jesus was married to Mary of MagdeleneI think this is likely.> * They had childrenI think this is unlikely.
> * Jesus was married to Mary of Magdelene> I think this is likely.How so? I would think that it would have been important enough that God would have put that in His word. However, the bride of Christ is over and over again stated to be the Church. There is no historical evidence at all to suggest a marriage.
Well the obvious counter to that is to point out that at the time the gospels were written it was normal for a holy man of Jesus’ age to be married. And women (wives in particular) were seen as second class citizens. So it’s likely that the gospel writers wouldn’t have thought it worth mentioning. Whereas if Jesus had been unmarried then that would have been big news and they would have thought it worthy of a mention.And perhaps they did mention the marriage. Perhaps the wedding at Cana was Jesus’ wedding. Perhaps “the disciple who Jesus loved” from John’s gospel is Mary Magedelene. Perhaps she’s also the person to the left of Jesus in Da Vinci’s painting “The Last Supper” – and then, of course, we’re back to The Da Vinci Code.Of course, this is all pure supposition on both sides. There’s no evidence one way or the other. Personally the idea of Jesus being married makes far more sense to me.
I have read the Da Vinci code and I must say that I found it fascinating. I found this thread by surfing for rational discussion about the implications of the theories proposed in this book, but most of the hits I got were angry christians debunking it. One of the things which is funny about the debunkers is that they say things like ” If our dear God would have wanted us to know that Jesus was married he would have told us in His book” his Book? as if the bible were some sort of direct transmission from God. If this is the case then may I ask why ‘God’ allowed ‘His’ book to fall into the hands of the wicked and barbaric church, Jesus’ so called ‘bride’ (the church) who deffinately and without question murdered and tortured millions of women and men and even children? Surely if God’s divine plan is as watertight as christians would have people believe then this never should have happened. To be honest, I am glad that so many people are upset by this book, it’s high time people started to get upset about the unnessacery suffering of millions of innocent people at the hands of the church. It’s about time people grew up and stopped supporting a regime which is designed to keep people dumb and subservient to stangley dressed men with penis shaped hats.
There have been no end of books and websites debunking the historical errors, so no need to add to them, better just to read them, & accept their findings (if they are watertight) or else question them (if you have better historical documents to bring to the table).
Jesus was not god but a mere mortal. He was, however, a prophet or messenger of God, whose biological father was Joseph. A gnostic view of Jesus puts him alongside the rest of us – ‘evil’ matter filled with ‘holy’ spirit, but less than perfect. Therefore, he was free to marry – which was actually expected of him – Mary M. The Holy Grail was in reality ‘sang real’ or ‘blood royal’, and not a chalice. The Church suppressed things it didn’t agree with, and the Bible was translated thus. MM
I am in process of reading the book and am one of those “angry” debunkers. I would like interaction from someone or someone(s)…Feel free to email me and start a discussion..Thanks,Don Malin
We as Americans have all gotten here because our forefathers ran from their home country for whatever reason they left to find a new better place,true? We need to seek truth !! Ask our Lord God in heaven for forgiveness to clear a path for you to understand, forgivness not only for our sins but the sins of our forefathers,only when we are free of sin can our LOrd God hear our prayer, for NOTHING can enter heaven that is of sin , you should also understand that ONCE you have asked Jesus for forgivness that you cannot let the things of the past enter your mind with guilt, if you do then you did NOT accept our Lord’s forgiveness the FIRST time ,therefore you have denied Christ’s forgiveness ,so let go of the PAST SINS, Now you are on the path to Understanding and Knowledge of God our Father, you did read that, OUR FATHER, Trinity-Father, Son , and Holy Ghost, Have you also heard this ‘Holy Ghost’ as “Great Comforter’? Who has been your ‘Comforter on Earth, when you skinned your knee as a child, who comforted you? when you were sick who ‘Comforted you? When you were confused, who ‘comforted you/ simplicity is of God -no complications-those are of the devil,only good can come from God,not sick,hurt,hungry,by the way who fed you as a child? We are all children in AND of Christ,God,and you ask the Lord for your answers, He and only He will give them to you ,don’t squabble for this is of the devil and you will fall into that trap and get nowhere . God Bless all with understanding,patience,and knowledge, who reads and accepts the seed planted here ,in the memory and name of Jesus Christ son of The Most High, Thank You Lord God in Heaven ,creater of Heaven and Earth Our forefathers had scraps bits and pieces of the TRUTH,OUR Bible, the old scrolls tell things we don’t have,check out Nag Hammadi Libary, go to alphebetical index- these are the writings that were left out of KJV Bible written by the deciples and more. The Aprocryphon of John and The Sophia of Jesus Christ, and the truth will be revealed to set you free!!!!!!! do yourself a Great Favor and read them all you’ll be doing yourselves as well as Jesus a great honor and all your questions that didn’t make sence will!!!
Marsha Sue,Thanks for your comments, but I think you miss a couple of points:1/ Not all of of are Americans (and many of us are very happy about that).2/ For many of us the concept of god is simply a superstition and therefore we have no interest in heaven and no fear of hell as they don’t exist.And lastly, your use of commas and whitespace could use a little improvement :)
The Lord wants the world to know that since the flood that destroyed the evil that was in the world and perserved the life that was from heaven, through Noah(Noe) the good seed from God was planted in every man, that makes every man, woman, and child on Earth or ever will be born into the Earth ,are children of the Unbegotten Father, and that there is no man, woman’ or child who will be greater in the kingdom of Heaven than an other. Therefore seeming how no one will be better than anyone else, because we are all great to God, we are all related, we all have the same blood and we all have the ability within ourselves to do God’s will, which is the only Law. Ask yourself what is God’s will? Jesus said “first-love the Father with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love one another.Simply realize who we are , for we all came from God the Father,He created us all and once we realize that within ourselves we can ALL UNITE and do God’s will.God’s will is the UNITY of us all,praising Him in ONE voice. For only God is worthy. Anything that does not come from love is not of God. Search your hearts and pray for understanding and love.May the TRUTH and LOVE of GOD the Father and Jesus the Son and the Holy Virginal Spirit be with you ALL in PEACE. I pray for us all to please Stop fighting and just love and help one another,( stop cheating Jesus of His Kingdom ) I pray for us to UNITE and let it happen. After all He died for us, lets LIVE for/with HIM.
Nathan,Interesting that you have exactly the same email address as Marsha, who posted earlier on this page. Makes me think that perhaps you’re just some kind of religious “spambot” who is randomly posting bible tracts on web sites.But on the offchance that you’re actually a real person can I just point out that we like to have reasonably intelligent discussions on these pages and just posting badly-formatted stream-of-consciousness articles about your imaginary friends doesn’t really fit that description.I’ll won’t delete these posts. And if you have anything interesting to add to the discussion then we’d be interested to hear it. But if you insist on posting this nonsense, I’ll remove it from the site.
I’m not a religious person never have been probably never will and have always belived that if there was a Jesus Christ then he was a mortal man who told storys and had peaple belive in him and write books about him, Bible, gospels whatever. although i do know one thing religion causes war and hatred, i like to think of myself as someone who does not judge others by my own standards if someone wish’s to belive in an almighty being so be it, but do not use that belive to supress others. I am reading the Dan Brown book and watch a Documentry on Channel 4 last night with Tony Robinson (UK) hence I found this site. soory aboot ani smelling miscakes.
I read “The Hiram Key” recently, a book linking the Ancient Egyptians through Christ and the Nazarenes and on to the modern Freemasons, and I have to say it was a fascinating read.One of the points mentioned is that it is more likely than not that Jesus was married to someone as there simply were no unmarried Jewish Rabbis.And another thing was that Roslyn Chapel, the supposed site of the Holy Grail has stone carvings in it of American maize and some type of Mexican cactus; yet it was built years before Columbus discovered America.Definitely worth a read.
Saying Dan Brown isn’t a good writer is contrary to hundreds of knowledgable and intellectual commentators who have read, understood and appreciated this “novel” for what it is. Ultimately we will never really know the facts of the case. What we accept as the bible today is mortal man’s interpretation and editing of it over the centuries. For once it is fun to explore other possibilities.
Lucy,When I say that Dan Brown isn’t a good writer, I’m commenting purely on his literary abilities. What I’m saying is that he takes some interesting theories and manages to turn them into an extremely badly written novel. He has absolutely no talent for plot or characterisation. If you can find any respected literary critic who doesn’t agree with that opinion then I’d be interested in reading their review.
Firstly I think it’s an amazing novel and alot of others must do too if it kept in best sellers lists for so long. But also I’d like to state it’s a novel, it’s not meant to be taken literally (as it says in the book) and Dan Brown is also a christian, I don’t think he planned to piss off the Church it’s more so people read and enjoy themselves. How many kids in today’s society read? Not many I would have said. But since this novel’s release alot more teenagers have started to take up the past time. It’s there to read and enjoy, not to debate and fall out over.
i think the book is great! it has brought me to the world of grail-hunters and church cover-ups.i’m not much of a christian but these theories are incredibly interesting. Though, i do agree that Dan Brown merely collected other peoples’ research and made it into a novel.The plot is also a little patchy in places but the ideas are MASSIVE.
Very nice site, a few good posts, too. Dan Brown’s book is a good one; it’s designed to sell copy, which means many people not otherwise interested in dusty, gut-wrenchingly boring old tomes get to know things that pass by them by otherwise.Might I post something that might be of interest? As a boy in London, England, Europe, I became involved in a (very) secret sect, made up of people descended from Arthur and Camelot, people who were bred to ‘operate’ the Grail back in the times of Jesus and earlier. It operates by mind-control, thought-transfer, call it what you will, only certain people can do it, it happens by accident but can be helped along by breeding the various lines who can do it.I forget the side in Brown’s book but the heroine is shocked by a sex-ritual she witnesses, I know of this, I was involved in one, perhaps several such rituals, strapped to the floor with leather straps in a ring of chanting people. The first time they used 13, 13 year-old virgins – their own daughters it turned out – the other times perhaps only one or two grown women. Brown got it wrong, it can’t be the male orgasm that counts, BUT THE FEMALE. Why use 13 of them otherwise? I believe the number 13 has great significance in the occult, but not why.Anyway, it worked, they communicated with the Grail, but lost it, not being good enough to ‘boot it up’. It only turned itself on for 2 weeks around the Spring Equinox, obviously being at it’s peek at about 6 in the morning, on the 20th? This first ritual took place from 9 on the Saturday until 3 in the afternoon on the Sunday (come on, even at 12 and a half I needed a rest inbetween!) But they were still over the hoop, it was obviously in Central London, only a mile away…but where? They were sure it was encased in granite, but there aren’t any granite buildings in London (this dampened the signal).The Chaet’s (I call them this, can’t recall what they did call themselves) used the confusion at Jesus’ death to escape their captors (they were kept in a concentration camp in the marshes, hence my name for them) and fled Palastine to Britain. But the holders of the Grail, the Isaacs dynasty, had tossed it to another family when the Romans went for them and the Grail, now knowing it still existed, and this family still has it, refusing to hand it over as it still gives them enormous political clout. They can’t use it themselves. I’ve worked out this is the Abrahams dynasty, the current Royal House. I even know where it is. It’s under a ‘fez’, on top of a pyramid. Unobtainable. You can’t get near it.I’ve had no contact with the sect for over 40 years, having moved abroad, and as I’d told nobody of my discovery (‘Profumo’ happened at the wrong time, I was closely associated with Dr. Steven Ward, a master mind-reader of the Chaet clan, a direct descendant of Merlin) I’ve been looking for them, knowing who several were. An approach has been made on my behalf to ‘certain people’, and The Grand Master just smiled at my contact, refusing to amswer. He didn’t deny anything, he didn’t say he’d never heard of me, or my tale…just smiled ‘knowingly’. I think I did get throught to them, but they’ve chosen to ignore me. Why?What does the Grail do? We’ll have to get at it to find out. Whatever it does it’s worth killing for. What is it? I was told it was a black stone/glass ball that glitters even in the dark, that there are actually 3 of them, though we seem only to have the one. I’ve since heard there are 5 Grails, one for each corner of a pyramid and my one on the top. It’s called ‘The Father’, though there is another name for it I cannot recall.Was this of interest?
its up to the people how they understand what is facts and what is fiction. it seems like we’re on a two way street. i think the more they go deeper on what things being tell, the more they are confused on what is the truth. if you have faith in your self, you don’t need to be bothered. depend on what you beleive.