How should we understand this?

This notion that Dan Brown puts forth is nothing new. In fact, it is something we have seen more and more in the recent past. However, unfortunately this does not mean the book turned film is any less concerning. With the growing population biblically illiterate (which doesn't mean they cannot read, but that they have no real knowledge of God's Word), and the younger generations being found less and less in the churches in our country as well as others, we must concern ourselves with the combination of these vital concerns.

As we will see in some short exerpts from Dr. Paul Maier's "The Da Vinci Code: fact or fiction?", this new deception is nothing new at all.

As Paul Maier likes to elude to these sensationalisms: The “Jesus Game”…sensationalizing efforts by Hollywood’s best have these things in common:

1. The flight from hard evidence – solid historical, literary, and archaeological source material – to the flimsies of sensationalistic reconstruction.

2. The substitution of opinion for fact and hypothesis for history, leading to the most arbitrary conclusions possible.

3. Twisting the language of a historical source out of context to make it mean what the author wants it to mean in accord with his caricature.

4. Exchanging objectivity for bias, admitting only sources that favor the author’s hypothesis and dismissing the rest.

5. What might be called “smorgasbord research”: ignoring the succulent dishes of evidence spread out by the past but pouncing on a caviar wisp of data, then reporting that the entire dinner consisted of delicious fish eggs.

6. Façade “scholarship”: peppering the findings with references, book titles, or notes that may look authoritative, bur substantiate nothing at all.

7. In the case of fiction, exaggerating at will, removing data out of context, and masking outright falsehoods under the claim that the literary vehicle is fiction.

(These points taken from The DaVinci Code: Fact and Fiction, p. 37-38, Hanegraaff and Maier)

Also, consider these quotes from Hanegraaff and Maier’s book:

“But Brown uses this “fact” (which in reality is completely untrue) to cast aspersions on Jesus Christ, the historicity of the Gospels, and the uniqueness of Christianity.”

“As we will see, much of what Brown trumpets as truth is based on a fabrication concocted by an anti-Semite with a criminal record.”

“Let me be clear: no one should feel that his faith has been undermined by the fantasies and lies presented under the guise of truth in this novel.”

As we seek to further discern our way through this book and real history in coming posts, let it be known that Satan's most effective deception will include anything that separates us from real faith in Christ Jesus, our Savior. He knows his fate, it's only a matter of time...God's time...he's already lost the battle...his only way of attacking the God of the universe is by pulling us to hell with him in any way he can deceptively concoct. Let us run with perseverence the race marked out for us, that we may be blessed to be a blessing in leading people to his kingdom, the opportunities of His future delight.