i'm just curious about what you think. my 13 year old bought it, and then insisted i read it. i was up all night with it. very interesting. very thought provoking. undoubtedly controversial, but i love a good page turner, and it certainly was that! what did everyone else who's read it think?

My sister read it, and immediately called me and told me that I need to read it. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to get to the bookshop.

Hmmm, she's coming to visit this weekend, I should pick it up today so that we can have a good discussion.

What is it about??? Sounds intriguing...

i haven't yet.... but am very intrigued by it.

can i go a bit OT just for a second?

lol - for any Harry Potter mamas, i noticed something while i was watching a special on the da vinci code - w/in the list of people that made up the group that the codes has supposedly been passed down thru i noticed 2 interesting names.

- Nicholas Flamel (the philiosopher of the philospoher/sorc. stone) & Hedwige (harry's owl) ~ Flamel was on the list as being a member & the name Hedwige was as a name of the families/possible offspring of Jesus & Mary.


anyhoo - i just found that interesting... did JK Rowling do some serious research to get some great names, or is she involved somehow & was leaving a hint ;) lol - i know..now my lil mind is wandering way to far...

great topic though ~ i hope i get the book in my stocking


:D

Originally posted by pb_and_j
What is it about??? Sounds intriguing...


to loosely sum it up - the possibilty that jesus & mary magdalene were *very* close.. & possibly had a child together.

the book points to several thoughts that da vinci left some codes/clues in his works that prove this point. one being that mary mag. is sitting to the right of jesus @ the last supper.

there is supposedly a list of members of a secret group that passed these codes along ...da vinci being on said list.

obviously tons more to it, but that is sorta the jist.

did you know they are making a film version? ron howard's company Imagine is releasing it.

here is a link to the author of the book :

http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/reviews.html

I *loved* it. I found the parts about the Christian suppression of the sacred feminine to be the most interesting. I hope I don't offend anyone who is deeply religious -- obviously this is a work of fiction and the events it alludes to are buried in history and most likely unrecoverable, but it really makes you think -- why is sex so villainized in our society? Why have women historically had such unappreciated and unrecorded roles (i.e., the vast majority of history's greatest rulers, etc. have been men; women have only gained the right to vote relatively recently; until recently, most religions did not allow female leaders, etc.)

I also found the demonization of pagan symbols (the pentagram, Pan's horned head and cloven feet) interesting. That it was done deliberately as a conscious effort to eliminate paganism.

All in all, lots of things to think about and a great whodunit to boot.

I bought the ebook the other day. Don't start reading it at night if you have to be up early in the morning. :)

I know its fiction but I'm interested to find out how much is based on fact.

Originally posted by elliebelly
i'm just curious about what you think. very interesting. very thought provoking. undoubtedly controversial, but i love a good page turner, and it certainly was that! what did everyone else who's read it think?

I think I would say it about like you did :D I read it over the summer, so I don't remember enough to actually have a discussion, but it was interesting.

Originally posted by harvestgirl
to loosely sum it up - the possibilty that jesus & mary magdalene were *very* close.. & possibly had a child together.


On that topic, did anyone catch the Discovery channel show about Mary Magdalene, looking into her role with the apostles? Very interesting, they said that her gospel was found, but was never included in the Bible. She was supposedly one of the most dedicated apostles in spreading Christianity.

There is a very interesting book called Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln. Published 1982. It touches on the same topics listed in this thread along with the Knights Templar.

and LOVED it! :) Fascinating, based on historical facts, and truly a page-turner.

A must read for anyone interested in spiritual principles or the Divine Feminine!

I haven't read it yet, but would like to at some point to see what the hype is about. I have heard some criticism from Catholic friends who read it that it seemed to have somewhat of an anti-Catholic undertone: insinuating that the Catholic Church did certain things when there is no evidence that those allegations are true. They thought the book was a good read overall, but they were concerned that people might read it and forget that it is just fiction. They thought it might also fuel some of the anti-Catholic biases out there. Anyways, that's all heresay though since I haven't read it. If I ever get the chance to, I'm sure I'll be able to throw in my own two cents. :)

I absolutely LOVED this book. I was engaged from the first chapter and couldn't put it down. It is SO interesting. If you haven't read it...its worth it.

I also read Angels and Demons by Dan Brown...very, very good as well, but definately ficton with less (though some) fact and a little more bloody.

I have just bough his Digital fortress and plan to go start reading it right now.

Christina

My work book club read it and everyone LOVED it (and most are Catholic, interestingly enough - though all women in mental health, so I think that might moderate some tradition).

I thought the non-fiction elements of the book were the strongest part. Here are some of my thoughts/questions:

a) why is it threatening to most Christian religions to think that Jesus married and had children? Along those lines, why is it necessary for his mother to have remained a virgin her entire life? As for me, it would not make the mainstream story of Christianity any less powerful and, perhaps would have been more powerful if the story of Jesus included him having siblings, a wife, and children. How would it have been less sacred? Is that saying that Jesus was too pure for women & sex? Or that his mother was? What does that say about married, women, and children? I would think that including a wife and child (in the original story of Christianity) would only lend strength to the concept of marriage and family.

b) Why is it that the idea of Mary M as the holy grail does not stress me out, but that no matter how hard I try to allow the idea of sex as sacrament, I just cannot get there. I, personally, really feel uncomfortable with the idea of sex as sacramental and shared in a group format. And, that makes me feel like a “my issue.”

c) I was so interested in it that I rushed out to buy the Gnostic gospels. I'm very interested in why certain books were selected for what we commonly view as the bible and others were rejected. But, after that I'll read Holy Blood Holy Grail.

My mom said is was very transparent and knew the ending of the book by page 3 (or something). I haven't read it b/c of that, but then again, she doesn't like Gore Vidal, and who the hel l couldn't like him???

Ok this thread is a couple of months old.. but I am reading the book now, and have some questions..

Are all of these books that are mentioned real? I haven't had a chance to look them up.. just wanted to know.. I'm Catholic.. but really havne't looked into anything like this.. just basically said "ok that's what the Bible tells us? It must be true then" you know.. that kind of thinking. ;) So now I'm basically questioning a lot!! *lol* Is this book based on a "conspiracy theory"? Or is this made up? I haven't looked yet.. but are all of these things mentioned of DaVinci.. ie: the Last Supper having a woman in it, and a hand coming from no where with a dagger.. are they really in this fresco? Sheehsh.. you would think I would KNOW this.. I took an advanced History of Art class.. they NEVER mentioned any of this stuff!

Someone please clue me in... what in this is fact and what is fiction? I am seriously about to spend HOURS at the library looking all this stuff up.. I love a good conspiracy theory!! *rofl*

I am such a geek. ;)
~C

Originally posted by LaVieBoheme
Are all of these books that are mentioned real?

Yes. I'm in the middle of Holy Blood, Holy Grain as well as The Gnostic Gospels.

So now I'm basically questioning a lot!!

KWYM, I did too.

Is this book based on a "conspiracy theory"?

Some might say that the books selected for the bible are a "conspiracy theory." The thing to remember is that the bible is not only a religious text, but a political text as well. It is a reflection of the beliefs - religious, political, legal, and social of the time. Additionally, it is well known that the new testament was written long after Jesus died. But, I found it very interesting to learn about all the other texts excluded from the final version. Take it for what you will, but it is all "conspiracy" - both included and excluded.

Also, remember that Da Vinci was human with political/social/religious beliefs all his own. He doesn't know for fact what is the holy grail - his art is his expression of his beliefs. I find them very interesting. Interesting enough to go out buy and read several other books about the topic and I have several more in the cue.

ie: the Last Supper having a woman in it, and a hand coming from no where with a dagger.. are they really in this fresco?

Yup, but go look at them yourself and decide for yourself what you see. I sure as heck saw it.

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/L/leonardo/lastsupp.jpg.html

Take a peek, enlarge and tell me who you see sitting next to Jesus.

Facinating, ain't it?

Very good book---I agree---very hard to put down~LOL! I always have to chuckle when books are contoversial or movies because it really just makes people want to see them/read them more. I read it as a work of fiction with possibilities because really who knows....was I there 2000 years ago. I have been raise inthe Catholic faith and believe one thing but the world is full of thing I have not a clue about.