lillithonyx
Braggart
You say Witch as if it's a bad thing
Posts: 136
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Post by lillithonyx on Feb 6, 2005 3:53:19 GMT -5
I have the book: Holy Blood, Holy Grail - so I already knew the premise of The DaVinci Code. But I was fascinated to learn that ol' Leonardo was head of the Priory of Scion in his time. Now I've gone off the deep end in researching all DaVinci's works.
I am probably going to get copies of the Mona Lisa, The Virgin on the Rocks and The Last Supper, just because of all the hidden symbolism in them.
The DaVinci Code is well written (Holy Blood, Holy Grail is very difficult to get through due to the endless references).
This 'theory' is one that I personally subscribe to and had for a long time before I picked up either book.
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Post by Erebus on Feb 12, 2005 5:17:43 GMT -5
I enjoyed the Holy Blood/Holy Grail, whether or not it is true it was interesting reading and they established a strong case for that point of view.
It just annoys me that this theory keeps being hailed as 'new'!
Have you read the 'Preacher' graphic novels? They have an interesting take on the theme...!
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Satine
Youth
Everywhere is the centre of the earth; everything is sacred.
Posts: 22
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Post by Satine on Feb 20, 2005 12:25:40 GMT -5
I thought the Da Vinci Code was brilliantly written and I absolutely loved the book and its ideas - but they're not real.
There was a BBC documentary recently showing how all of the book was complete fiction, with interviews with the guys who 'made up' the Priory of Sion and showing their orginial handwritten list of all the supposed members. What a coincidence that so many happen to be 'famous' by our modern standards.
They're basically saying that this is fiction and we've all been duped - that Dan Brown's fiction is based upon earlier fiction and whilst the places mentioned do physically exists that's about it.
Now as a theologian, there has long been stuff written about missing Gospels (Dead Sea Scrolls) and the possibility that Jesus told people to worship in a way that meant the Christian church would have no power - and I can quite believe that the church would hide this information for its own power, but I can't believe that Jesus was married.
Why? Because far from being uncommon in those times, (as Da Vinci Code suggests), many Jewish holy men chose not to marry (I'm Jewish and know my Jewish history). Jesus also specifically told the disciples to leave their relationships in order to follow him - and he would not have done this if he himself was ina relationship as it would be hypocritical - one thing that Jesus couldn't abide.
The story of Mary Magdelene is SO powerful because of who she was and the Da Vinci Code neglects to mention Jesus' response when the holy men ask, "Do you know what kind of woman this is?". Jesus said, "A doctor does not come for those who are well, he comes for the sick. I am here for sinners." The whole point of this story is that Jesus mixed with society's outcasts and sent a message to the Pharisees and Sadducees that human beings should be loved no matter who they were - also that he had the 'power' to forgive sins. It is important to the life of Jesus in that it tells us to do the same - to not make people outcasts.
In conclusion, it's a thumping good read but I'm afraid that the main thrust of the story is quite simply all wrong - but then that's why it's in the FICTION section of libraries and not reference.
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Post by GaratJax on Feb 20, 2005 14:23:58 GMT -5
Im about halfway through this and have to say that so far this is a really good read. Nice characterisation throughout and some interesting ideas. When ive finished it i will give the definitive jax opinion.
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Post by GaratJax on Mar 16, 2005 10:58:28 GMT -5
I finished this and have to say i really enjoyed the book. Generally speaking it was well plotted with good characterisation and a cleverly written ending.
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lillithonyx
Braggart
You say Witch as if it's a bad thing
Posts: 136
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Post by lillithonyx on Apr 14, 2005 14:19:45 GMT -5
Well, to add fuel to the fire, you have to keep in mind that the "gospels" were written 300 years after the fact. Plus was written by men. It is inconceivable that all of the desciples were unmarried - not in that day. They all had wives and children. And Jesus? This man was Jewish and to be unmarried would be considered unnatural in that day.
Where are all the women and children? It was only after Emporer Constantine that we get the myth that "Mother Mary" was a virgin. I believe they concocted this story to align the new church with Goddess worship in order to gain converts.
From this time on we get the image of "Woman as Virgin" and "Woman as W**re". And women were excluded from the new church.
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Post by rincewind on Jul 21, 2005 8:05:36 GMT -5
I love the Catholic church officials comdemning the book as a pack of lies. Gee, they better not find out about the rest of the FICTION section ;D
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Stormm
Braggart
[M:-380]
Posts: 183
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Post by Stormm on Jul 21, 2005 18:25:10 GMT -5
There's a very interesting DVD out called "Breaking the DaVinci Code". I thought it was a movie version when I bought it, but it's mostly a documentary on the inaccuracies in the book and essentially plugging the book as a great work of fiction and shows where the research gets a little shoddy up to and including a tour through Rosalyn Chapel. It was a very good DVD production, and I must say the book gets an excellent review too... but as fiction. Evidently, Dan Brown plagiarized some earlier works and is being sued... but other than that, the book will keep you gripped.
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lillithonyx
Braggart
You say Witch as if it's a bad thing
Posts: 136
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Post by lillithonyx on Mar 28, 2006 1:21:02 GMT -5
Sorry to be late, I've been away awhile. Of course, I know DaVinci Code is fiction and I also know that Holy Blood, Holy Grail is a theory.
I personally do not subscribe to Christianity and am fascinated in how the "myths" came into place. I studied Judaism at Beth Shalome back home in the SF Bay Area - and loved every minute of it. The more I learned, the more I saw how disparate Christianity was from the basic belief. That led me to study paganism and where Christianity diverged from the original belief.
While I am very sceptical about the "royal blood line" running into French society - I simply cannot accept {within my learning} the profile of Jesu Ben David as an ascetic. It doesn't make sense to me.
But then - I am not going to solve the question by my little learning.
I like the two books because they portray Jesu Ben David as a man - not an etherial thing that walks on water etc etc.
So that's my feeble opinion.
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