If you have read the book, The Da Vinci Code, you now doubt will agree that it is a page-turner. It reads like a movie and motivates the mind in categories of mystery, suspense, and intrigue. I must admit that I read the book due to people informing me that the moorings of the book were closely related with Christian themes. So I found it vital that I enter the fray and examine the points of view being comunicated since most people reading this book have no formal theological education like I do. Over the next few weeks, I am going to interact with the information contained in the book and would like you to submit questions or comments as I do. My desire is not to endorse the book or dismiss the assertions within the book, but to seek true, historical evidence for why or why not a certain “fact” may be right or wrong.

“I thought the book was fictitious?”

I did too, until I began to research the book. The Library Journal reviewed the book and said it was,

“a compelling blend of history and page turning suspense. A masterpiece that should be mandatory reading.

Publishers Weekly called the book,

“An exhaustively researched page turner about secret religious societies, ancient cover ups and savage vengeance.”

During an interview on “Good Morning America” with co-host Charles Gibson, Dan Brown revealed that he is more than a writer, he is a believer.

Charles Gibson

“This is a novel. If you were writing it as a non-fiction book [“yes” D.B] how would it be different?”

Dan Brown

“I don’t think it would have. I began the research for the Da Vinci Code as a skeptic. I entierely expected as I researched the book to disprove this theory and after numerous trips to Europe, and about two years of research I really became a believer. And it is important to remember that this is a novel about a theory that has been our there for a long time.”

Since Dan is a “believer” it makes sense that the first word of the first page is “FACT.” Dan Brown makes three statements that mix “fact” with his view of what the facts should say or flat out mistruth.

The Priory of Sion

For example, Dan Brown says that “The Priory of Sion – a European secret society founded in 1099” involved members “including Sir Isaac Newtwon, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Leonardo da Vinci”

However, within 15 minutes I found that the “fact” of the Priory of Sion is that it was founded in 1956 by Pierre Plantard who was a con-man and an anti-Semite. The linked article from Wikipedia reports that Plantard and an associated, de Cherisey, needed to create ‘independent evidence’ of their lineage and pedigree was founded in Jerusalem. So, during the 1960s, they deposited a series of forged documents, the so-called Dossiers Secrets or “Secret Dossiers”, at the Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF), in Paris. All of this is easily researched by anyone with a local library or an internet connection!

The Opus Dei

It is “fact” that this organization does exist. However, the people involved in this group are the likes of Mel Gibson, who believe the Mass should never have been translated into English, but kept in Latin. They do participate in “corporal mortification” (much like Christians fast for periods of time to draw closer to Christ) to bring them closer to Christ. However, Opus Dei absolutely rejects the notion that they participate in “brainwashing and coercion.”

“All Descriptions…”

Dan Brown makes a final and sweeping statement of authority and authenticity:

All descriptions of artwork, architechture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.

It is true that Dan Brown says that the above statement “makes no statement whatsoever about any of the ancient theories discussed by fictional characters. Interpreting those ideas is left to the reader.” OK. Since Dan Brown makes this bold statement and has profited handsomely from this book, I consider him an open target for critique and evaluation. One cannot speak about historical events on one hand and then, on the other, say make up your own mind if it’s true. The nature of what is true is related to reality (did or does ‘it’ exists) and the structure of ‘it’ according to other items and time (how did real people, things, or places happen in a specific time sequence). I am afraid Dan Brown wants to push a relative truth book in an objective truth world.

So, I invite you to join me by asking quesitons or making statements from your own study and observations.

To start our journey, let’s get to know Dan Brown. Listen to Dan Brown as he describes his view of truth and reality. After listening, you will clearly see that Dan Brown is a true believer and welcomes people to question his conclusions. He has found the right place!