It's very amusing that when you search for information about the da vinci code using google many of the hints are catholic or christian websites with information debunking the book. It's amazing how much time and effort is currently being devoted to debunking Dan's debunking of catholic and christian teachings. It's reignited a millenia old debate. In his own way Brown has probably done many churches a power of good by forcing them to examine and succinctly state their beliefs. Without wanting to go into a huge debate on this topic I'm going to make 2 salient points:
- History IS written by the winners
- All historical records are incomplete in the same way that all stories are told subjectively
It's a great pity then that many of the responses and da vinci debunks are absolute in their criticism. The authors are in possession of the absolute and correct interpretation of sacred texts, much like the gnostics they criticise. Examples of critics oversights include failure to acknowledge the potential veracity of St. Philips gospel description of Jesus and Mary Magdalene being companions and Jesus "kissing her on the mouth". And less subjectively, all criticisms that I've seen so far fail to acknowledge the undeniable fact of the dimunition of women's status in society and the clergy by christian religions. The other great pity of is that Brown himself has a powerful message of tolerance which is being missed in the righteous clamour to attack both the author and his very entertaining and thought provoking book. The spirit of The Inquistion lives on in the minds of those whose faith cannot stand query or criticism.