The DaVinci Code and the religious right....

[Cheese]

Originally posted by Displaced Flames fan+Aug 4 2005, 08:03 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Displaced Flames fan @ Aug 4 2005, 08:03 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

I feel the exact same way, but have a completely different reaction to it.
IMO, religion serves as easy answers to that which we don't know and is beyond our comprehension.
For the same reasons you can't write off religion, I can't accept it.
I have a hard time understanding people who are so afraid of any uncertainty, they accept a religious version of the truth without any evidence.

Well, I didn't say I can't right off religion. What I did say is that can't write off the possibility that their is a higher power at work. That doesn't necessarily translate to the traditional Judeo-Christian God. [/b][/quote]
hmmm....there are many people standing on the edge of that wall Dis...and although the extremists are a problem its the moderates that keep the churches in power.

Many want to believe that they will have the 73 virgins when they die...oops wrong religion....or is it? Did I forget to mention that women get nothing in the afterlife?

[Frank the Tank]

Originally posted by kermitology+Aug 3 2005, 06:35 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (kermitology @ Aug 3 2005, 06:35 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-CaptainCrunch@Aug 3 2005, 12:42 PM
I'll be honest, I couldn't read the whole book (not much of a fiction reader anyways). but I really hated his writing style, and thought that it was substandard as far as character development and descriptors.

I'm probably missing out, and its a great premise, but it was really crippled by the narrative.

So I'm saying I don't get the whole thing.

Just me

Agreed.. I read the book on a Wednesday and my mother (English PhD) and myself couldn't get over how terribly written the book was. Interesting to discuss but to say the book itself was well written is a stretch, and a big one at that.

Anything that questions the motives or the history of the church will be fought; how is that not a suprise? There are some people who are very easily swayed by stuff like this. They don't see it as a work of fiction but as complete truth. The best thing the book does is breeds the ability to question religion. That might be different for a Catholic, but myself, as an agnostic, find it nice to see that there might be others who question. [/b][/quote]
How was it terribly written? I don't get that. Not taking a jab at you Kermit, I just don't see different styles for different authours, its all just words on paper to me.

One thing I did notice about the DaVinci Code was the short chapters and for some reason, I really liked that.

Again though, thats just me, I honestly don't read a lot. Well, at least not as much as I think i should.

[kermitology]

Basically there was no character development, the foreshadowing was so blatant the reader could guess everything about 20 pages before it happened, but mostly it wasn't my style of writing. I'm like CC and a non-fiction reader, but I enjoy fiction.

Now if you want a REALLY good read that lets you question creation and god and the like I'd suggest Sophie's World. I'm reading it right now and it's blowing my mind.

[peter12]

Originally posted by kermitology@Aug 4 2005, 10:19 AM
Basically there was no character development, the foreshadowing was so blatant the reader could guess everything about 20 pages before it happened, but mostly it wasn't my style of writing. I'm like CC and a non-fiction reader, but I enjoy fiction.

Now if you want a REALLY good read that lets you question creation and god and the like I'd suggest Sophie's World. I'm reading it right now and it's blowing my mind.

Ever read any of Jeff Shaara's stuff?

[Frank the Tank]

Originally posted by kermitology@Aug 4 2005, 11:19 AM
Basically there was no character development, the foreshadowing was so blatant the reader could guess everything about 20 pages before it happened, but mostly it wasn't my style of writing. I'm like CC and a non-fiction reader, but I enjoy fiction.

Now if you want a REALLY good read that lets you question creation and god and the like I'd suggest Sophie's World. I'm reading it right now and it's blowing my mind.

Wow. I didn't see anything coming 20 pages before it happened. Maybe I'm just slow.

Anyhow, I loved the book and I'll read Angels and Demons next, then maybe follow up with your suggestion of Sophie's World. Sounds interesting.

[Frank the Tank]

Oh ya. Kermit, who is the author of Sophies World?

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Jostein Gaarder

That is unless you were looking in this direction

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=books&n=507846

[kermitology]

Yeah it's Gaarder.. It's work of fiction that is basically a book about the history of philosophy. It's been amazing for me.. In the last few months I've been struck with the thought of why I'm here, why I think, what created the universe, God etc.. After reading about half the book I'm now comfortable with the fact that I don't know the answers, but that I can still question things, and I feel really good about knowing that I cannot possibly comprehend the universe and everything else..

[Frank the Tank]

Originally posted by kermitology@Aug 4 2005, 01:14 PM
Yeah it's Gaarder.. It's work of fiction that is basically a book about the history of philosophy. It's been amazing for me.. In the last few months I've been struck with the thought of why I'm here, why I think, what created the universe, God etc.. After reading about half the book I'm now comfortable with the fact that I don't know the answers, but that I can still question things, and I feel really good about knowing that I cannot possibly comprehend the universe and everything else..

Sounds interesting. Thanks for the info. And sweet link MMM!

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally posted by Mean Mr. Mustard@Aug 4 2005, 11:53 AM
Jostein Gaarder

That is unless you were looking in this direction

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=books&n=507846

That's hilarious and actually quite fitting.

While the plot and characters are nicely developed, the Christian focus feels forced upon the story line. Sophie's relationship with Jesus is not given much context:

I never really got into the Faithgirlz series but I might give it a try.

[Cheese]

Originally posted by kermitology@Aug 4 2005, 02:14 PM
Yeah it's Gaarder.. It's work of fiction that is basically a book about the history of philosophy. It's been amazing for me.. In the last few months I've been struck with the thought of why I'm here, why I think, what created the universe, God etc.. After reading about half the book I'm now comfortable with the fact that I don't know the answers, but that I can still question things, and I feel really good about knowing that I cannot possibly comprehend the universe and everything else..

All you gotta know is this....

while here perusing CP... Cowperson is God....Bingo is JC....transplant or MMF are Satan...and the bible is what you are reading!

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally posted by Displaced Flames fan+Aug 4 2005, 05:03 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Displaced Flames fan @ Aug 4 2005, 05:03 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

I feel the exact same way, but have a completely different reaction to it.
IMO, religion serves as easy answers to that which we don't know and is beyond our comprehension.
For the same reasons you can't write off religion, I can't accept it.
I have a hard time understanding people who are so afraid of any uncertainty, they accept a religious version of the truth without any evidence.

Well, I didn't say I can't right off religion. What I did say is that can't write off the possibility that their is a higher power at work. That doesn't necessarily translate to the traditional Judeo-Christian God. [/b][/quote]
True. I agree.

[kermitology]

Originally posted by Cheese@Aug 4 2005, 01:14 PM
All you gotta know is this....

while here perusing CP... Cowperson is God....Bingo is JC....transplant or MMF are Satan...and the bible is what you are reading!

I have to disagree slightly.. Bingo is the creator.. therefore he is God.. Cowperson delivers the teachings to the people therefore he is Jesus Christ.. The other two.. yeah they're Satan..

[RougeUnderoos]

So does that make KC the Holy Ghost?

[Neeper]

KG is Buddha, he does, afterall, have the body of a god.

[Cheese]

hmmm...yep you are right...but then...who is the Virgin Mary? Mango?

[Patek23]

I'm Irish, so my family is heavily Catholic. I used to be really religous, not even that long ago, maybe 8 months, But now I don't believe in any religion, I don't believe in God. I believe there is a god, some sort of higher power, but who are we to say what he want's us to do. Maybe he created us to kill each other and destroy ourselves, for all we know we could have been an accident. I have no problem with people who talk about the big bang theory, my only question is who created all that stuff to begin with. I am very loose about my beliefs, I believe there is a "god" not necessarily the christian belief of god or any other religions god. But there is no reason why science is anti-god, to me it proves there is god, because as much as you can doubt, somebody or something had to create that first cell to begin life as we know it, wether it was in the form of a rock or a prior species, nothing has never created anything.

[Mike F]

Originally posted by Cheese@Aug 4 2005, 04:21 PM
hmmm...yep you are right...but then...who is the Virgin Mary? Mango?

Jordon.

I have nothing against the guy, but I couldn't resist :P
I think it's the cooler thing

[4X4]

Sorry about the old thread resurrection, it's going to be a couple of weeks anyway...

So I finally read this book. I enjoyed it. I thought that the story was a little on the lame side (very predictable), but I really enjoyed the stuff about Da Vinci.
Is the fibbonaci sequence common knowledge? I knew about it from some web surfing that probably began with APOD. But a friend of mine was completely blown away by it (I had her read the few pages where he describes it) (and I didn't know the stuff about the human body, just the other stuff about patterns in nature, 1123581321, 1.618...).
Did you guys and gals know that stuff from uni or HS or just life?

I can see why the church doesn't really like the book. It really casts them as mafia or something. Which, after bumming around Rome for 3 months, I almost agree with. Some of the churches in this town are beyond impressive. Way into the realm of stupid. San Giovanni's ceiling and floor are so amazingly intricate and detailed, I wonder how many orphans or disabled people the Vatican could have helped instead of building another church wayyy too big to actually serve as a place to listen to a preist.
That's just St Peter's little brother. St. Peter's is beyond stupid.

I have no way to back this up, it's just a guess.... But if you were to build St. Peters today, at todays prices, the cost would have to approach a billion dollars. Maybe more.
And what is it used for? I'll tell you what. To make money. That doesn't sit well with me. Donation boxes, souvenier shops...

Back to the topic. Da Vinci Code was a good book. Fast paced, adventurous, Indiana Jones-esque. It's got a conspiracy, a secret society, a treasure hunt, and it takes place in real places. My kind of book. I'm no literary critic, though. I just read what's interesting.



Anyway, just thought I'd raise this thread from the dead to see if anyone else has read this book lately.

Oh, I also wanted to add my name to the list of people that enjoyed Sophie's World. Actually, I read the book about 5 years ago. Time to re-read I think. So much info in that book.
Warning to people who have ADD, Sophie's World is kind of heavy reading. It's not your everyday story. At least a third of the book (actual exerpts? or the old man's interpretation? can't remember...) of philosophers. Very thought provoking concepts that are super interesting, if you like that sort of thing.

[mykalberta]

The church will always fight against anything that questions it because the whole notion of church is against the bible. It was a necessity back when then only people who had education where clergy, but now its completely useless.

Some say they believe in the bible, others say they dont. I will simply ask have you ever taken the time to read it and discuss it with someone else who has read it (also remember you cant simply read the bible without reading the history of the times). Forget everything you have heard from the so called religious right (example abortion is a sin which it IS NOT) it might be morally frowned upon but it is most definately NOT a sin.

For those who dont believe in the bible or any religion, I will simply ask are the 10 commandments not guidelines which everyone should live by? If they are then maybe open up the book and read a bit. If not then burn it and never speak of it again.

Think of the Bible not as a set of rules but as a set of stories which follow the guidlines. It is impossible to see the bible as rules becuse you will break them. Being an unmarried single guy I can honestly say that last weekend after coming home from the Whisky I broke a guideline with a very attractive brunette who said she works at Enmax named Lisa. So long as you live you life by the simple motto of

"when you speak, tell the truth" Whether you believe in the bible or not if you live your whole life that way the world will be a better place. That doesnt mean you have to tell a fat chick she is fat, but dont lie and tell her she is skinny.

Edit: For those of you too lazy to care, watch a movie called "The Kingdom of Heaven". That is by far the best movie based on religion that I have ever seen. It shows you all the good things about the bible and all the bad things about it all at the same time (also to those of you wonder why a movie about the gory crusades and death is a great movie about christianity - simple, if you really (and I mean really) believe in something you would do anything to defend and fight for it - ie war and death).

MYK