Da Vinci Code Opportunity

The book and movie "The Da Vinci Code" are fraudulent: they claim to be factual, but are filled with inaccuracies. So many inaccuracies that the author cannot claim they are mistakes.

John Bell says:

Fundamentally the book creates a story using a false history as its backdrop. Its like writing a story about the second world war, but not only having Hitler win, but doing it in such a way to make you feel tricked by anyone who would tell you otherwise. The book attacks both the Deity of Jesus and the canon of Scripture.

In my research on this, I get the impression that it's the historians rather than the Christians who are most unhappy with the book - perhaps Christians are used to having their faith attacked and are ready for this sort of thing - Historians are not.

And he goes on to refute the falsely claimed items in detail.

Mark D Roberts has written two good resources. First, a shorter, but still thorough, FAQ. And a very thorough 30-part "The Da Vinci Code Opportunity."

Jim Pinkerton at TCS thinks that Christianity will come out ahead, because Brown has so offended us that many people are defending the truth of Christianity. And they are doing so in positive ways, not by striking back in anger. Pinkerton says that we have created "their own counter culture."

I will bet that "The Code Controversy" is going to be remembered as a turning point in popular-religious culture. Christians flocked to see "The Passion of the Christ," which changed Hollywood, but then, two years later, they flocked to react to "Code"; they have created their own counter-culture, which will bear faith-fruit long after this particular movie is reduced to third-tier DVD-dom.