Friday, May 19, 2006

Sub Rosa

Well, today the Da Vinci Code Movie comes out. I'm busy tonight, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see it. Over the past few weeks the blogs have been astir about the upcoming movie and novel by Dan Brown. Shlog, Ethos, Stonecypher, and Brian McLaren have all weighed in, facilitating discussions. Overall these discussions have been helpful. No matter what one's position is, it is healthy to discuss and question, thereby growing.

First and foremost, DVC is a fiction book - at least that's the section of Barnes & Noble I got found it in. It was not in the Religion/Theology section. The back cover labels it 'fiction,' as well. It's a great book with a riveting story line that will make you sit on th edge of your seat (as you're reading it!).

Many Christians have been in an uproar about this book since its publication in 2003. The idea that Jesus was married to Mary Magdeline is blasphemous according to many Christians. Therefore, they contend that the proper solution, if one cannot ban DVC from the theaters (yes, I've heard this argument actually made), is to boycott the movie and hold seminars in Church's exposing the blasphemous nature the novel. American Family Radio (AFR) has been broadcasting that one not even need to read the book or see the movie to understand its defamitory nature and speak out against it.

But I have a fundamental question that I must raise. Why is it blasphemous for Jesus to have been married? In what way does this defame Jesus? Does it erase his divinity? I don't think so; I think it would only strengthen his humanity. Theologians use the terms High Christology and Low Christology to describe where Jesus's divinity and his humanity are shown, respectively. Several places in the NT give us a very Low Christology, meaning they give us good evidence for Jesus's humanity. I'm not saying he was married. I'm just saying that is is neither incoceivable nor blasphemous to entertain the idea that he was.

The second issue: the rep as a whore. Some contend that what makes this whole scenario blasphemous is that suggesting that Jesus married Mary of Magdala was saying that he married a whore, therefore it's blasphemous. I have a problem with this for two reasons. Mary Magdeline was label a whore by the Church, when female influences where being suppressed. Because of the place of her story in the Biblical text, it has been assumed that she was a whore. But in reality there is no textual basis for this conclusion about Mary. My second problem with this position is: so what if she was a whore. Jesus's best friends were drunks and theives. When they met him, they became new people. So what is so demonizing about suggesting that Jesus had intimate friendships, or romantic relationships, with ex-"sinners"?

I think DVC is an opportunity for Christians to educate themselves about what the Bible says, or in many cases does not say. The vast majority of Jesus's life is NOT covered in the four gospels. The Bible DOES NOT tell us everything about Jesus. I think seminars in churches are a good think, but not to bash a book no one has read, but to open up dialogue that builds UP faith, and does not tear it down. When FAITH is the most important thing in your relationship with God, issues like this don't scare you, they encourage you.

Christians should be open to dialogue about the theological implications of book, albeit a fiction one - because whether we like it or not, there will be some. Standing in front of a theater with a picket sign will not endear many movie-goers to ask the questions that may be raised by this movie or novel. Christians should expel truth, but not about of hate or fear, but out of love. I've read the book: it's entertaining and good. I will watch the movie hoping for the same. And I think all Christians should, because it should not be Jesus's marital status that defines their relationship with him.

5 comments:

Halpin said...

Thank YOU!

Anonymous said...

thats sooo wrong...commenting "And I have your mom"

Anonymous said...

I love the implication that Jesus might have been married to a whore. Thinking of my behavior, I wish I could say I am continually faithful to Him but my eyes wander, I worship idols(2006 Mustang GT), and I know I have whore-like behavior in my relationship with Him. Yet He chose me, which makes me love Him more.
We should probably be careful about using any book other than the Bible for learning about the character of God, so if you can not read this book or see this movie and remember that it is fiction and not an "authorized biography", I have several other books I can recommend for you to read.

Anonymous said...

Cruz,
I must say I Love your open mind. God gave us a choice in life and the choice is whether to follow him or the ways of the world. He Loved us so much.
I must say I haven't read the book or seen the movie, so I cannot comment on it but I think there is a reason God gave us intelligence, to me it is to question and not get down on others. Others will decide their own fate. I just know I hear His call.That is all I want is to know Him. I also think there are questions we will not have answered until we are Face to Face.
God Bless You,
Anon

Digital Diet 365 said...

The Da Vinci code movie is a tool to get people to to believe (the lie) that Christ and Mary had a child...

Why?

To condition people into believing that one day the “heir” will make himself known to the world. The movie tells us (a few times) that the "heir" will make himself know to the world.

I bet that “heir” is none other than the antichrist.

Luciferian world emerging…Wake up America!

Leaders tell us there will be a one world Government:

“By the end of this decade (2000 AD) we will live under the first One World Government that has ever existed in the society of nations … a government with absolute authority to decide the basic issues of human survival. One world government is inevitable.” Pope John Paul II quoted by Malachi Martin in the book “The Keys of This Blood”

“In the next century, nations as we know it will be obsolete; all states will recognize a single, global authority. National sovereignty wasn’t such a great idea after all.” Strobe Talbot, President Clinton’s Deputy Secretary of State, as quoted in Time, July 20th, l992.

This “new world” is Luciferian based:

Those promoting the New World Order, global society, want Christianity removed to make way for people to accept Lucifer:
“Fundamental Bible-believing people do not have the right to indoctrinate their children in their religious beliefs because we, the state, are preparing them for the year 2000, when America will be part of a one-world global society and their children will not fit in.” –Nebraska State Senator Peter Hoagland, speaking on radio in 1983.
How do you prepare people for this coming one-world global society?
“To achieve world government, it is necessary to remove from the minds of men their individualism, loyalty to family traditions, national patriotism, and religious dogmas.” - Brock Adams, Director UN Health Organization

How would one enter this new society?
“No one will enter the New World Order unless he or she will make a pledge to worship Lucifer. No one will enter the New Age unless he will take a Luciferian Initiation.” David Spangler, Director of Planetary Initiative, United Nations

The Bible predicted and warned us about this a couple thousand years ago:
Rev 13:16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(666)

Did you know the technology to do this is here and ready?
“Is there a number or mark planned for the hand or forehead in a new cashless society? YES, and I have seen the machines that are now ready to put it into operation.” Ralph NaderThis technology is being used in Europe. People are already buying with RFID (radio frequency identification chips) implanted in their hands/arms.

What is so wrong with this?
Revelation 14 warns us:9And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

This Luciferian initiation, that David Spangler, UN, speaks of could very well be the mark of the beast, the Bible warns us about. And the mark of this man…who will it be? Could he emerge from the following?:

“We do not want another committee, we have too many already. What we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the allegiance of all the people and to lift us up out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such a man, and whether he be God or devil, we will receive him.” -Paul-Henri Spaak,The first president of the United Nations General Assembly, who was also a prime minister of Belgium and one of the early planners of the European Common Market, as well as a secretary-general of NATO.

“I believe that if the people of this nation fully understood what Congress has done to them over the last 49 years, they would move on Washington; they would not wait for an election….It adds up to a preconceived plan to destroy the economic and social independence of the United States!” –George W. Malone, U.S. Senator (Nevada), speaking before Congress in1957.

“Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.” - Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States.

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it” ~ Albert Einstein