The Davinci Code

Well I went to see the movie last night. If you don't know the plot and don't want to know then do not read on.

For the fans of the book the movie represents a fairly well done adaptation. Lovers of the puzzles and codes in the book will be dissapointed as the time for them was cut short. The key sequence of exposition with Teabing explaining what all the fuss is about is the centerpiece of the movie. Which is a good thing and a bad thing. It is likely what the complaints of the critics are all lodged around. The movie watches like a high budget history film with a cheezy action plot to move people along from point to point and force them down roads they would otherwise never take.

Ultimately the basic tennant of the film, that Jesus was Married to Mary Magdelene and had heirs and that his bloodline might in fact still be present to this day, is not new. It is a pretty common debate that is largely seen as one on the edge of academic credibility. If you likened it to 'cold fusion' theories in science you would have a good idea of the standing of the various theories used in support of this notion. So what is the big fuss about if the theory holds little to no academic backing? I think because it does so in a very interesting manner. You see most history is taught from the stand point of conclusion. IE we KNOW this and we KNOW that and THIS is why. The secret of the Davinci Code is that it goes back one step in the historical process and prsents the evidence for AND against the idea. And shows that perhaps the questions have not been answered as well as most would assume.

For example the whole issue of the gospels that were not included. Folks stuck on the magdalene marriage issue start arguing interpretations of various gospels included and not included etc while the regular joe kind of gets a puzzled expression on their face and slowly they raise a hand to ask a question. What do you mean gospels that were not included ???? Once they learn this was in fact the case it is a hook for the story... regardless of what the real issue was with the selection. Thus the thundering herd of humanity rushes to answer its curiosity and it finds.... A mess. A big mess that is at best difficult to sort through for even the most dedicated of scholars. And one which then begins to raise an awful lot of questions in the minds of folks who have never paused to think about these things. If you ask me that is what has the church up in arms here.