To Orwell Today,

The following thoughts were inspired by my enjoyment last week of reading Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code", then seeing the movie, then reading the reviews and critics' columns, then going to our church on Sunday. A busy week.

Layman's Folly

What's all the fuss? Dan Brown came up with a topnotch thriller. Are we all just awed by the multi million dollars he obviously earned?

The book and the movie both provided an exciting escape from the norm.

He didn't pick on anybody - he just exploited a theme that touched a nerve if one happened to be religious, a Christian particularly a Catholic, an appreciator of women, a delver into historical possibilities or were just plain entertained by a great novel.

Instead of the usual CIA, FBI, mafia, military or huge corporate setting, the novel has its own setting starting way back at time of Christ's crucifiction - This appears to be where the New Testament ends and Dan Brown's novel begins - a sequel, if you will. He merely chose to carry on the narrative by following the story of earth bound heroine, Mary Magdalene rather than the departed hero, Jesus Christ.

Dan Brown must have realized his structuring of the new blood line would be an exciting concept and would twig readers interest - at the same time, this could not be construed as a defamation of Christ and the New Testament, rather a pick up on the World's Best Seller by merely following along with an alternate story line through the two millenniums of church development.

Pulpits are reaching with defensive thrusts against any setting Dan Brown has used that formed any part of this two thousand years of church development. Any possible inaccuracies cited that inspire the adamant denials only suggests to Dan Brown fans that "where there's smoke there's fire" - Defending against literary license construed as apparent inaccuracies would tend to undermine the church credibility rather than bolster its continued development.

Fear not. There is no mention of move afoot that Dan Brown is creating a new religious order, perhaps "The Mary Magdalene Evangelistic Mission", that will be an encroachment on market share of existing religious groups enjoying tax free collection plates and tithing rewards.

Amen,
Stephen Guy
aka Poet Laureate of Weary Travelers

Greetings Stephen,

Thank you for your thoughts on the "Da Vinci Code" controversy which, having not read the book or seen the movie, I can't myself say what it's all about, other than that Leonardi Da Vinci's painting, "The Last Supper", is the source of the name.

The last biblical movie I went to was "Jesus Christ Superstar" (loved the music) and one of my favourite movies of all time was "Ben Hur" (loved the chariot race).

All the best,
Jackie Jura

Jackie Jura
~ an independent researcher monitoring local, national and international events ~
website: www.orwelltoday.com & email: orwelltoday@orwelltoday.com

email: orwelltoday@gmail.com
HOME PAGE
website: www.orwelltoday.com