The Da Vinci Code

I went to see The Da Vinci Code this weekend. I know that some who read this may shocked, disturbed, or disappointed by my going. If you are, please comment; I'd like to hear your thoughts. I never read the book, so all my following comments are based solely on the movie.

Of all the stories I have read, listened to, or seen on screen, the one most similar to The Da Vinci Code is a movie that was released last year, National Treasure. Allow me to summarize the two movies.

National Treasure supposes an enormous treasure which was accumulated over centuries during ancient times. This treasure was passed from hand to hand and conqueror to conqueror until it disappeared from history. Rediscovered by knights of the Crusades, it was smuggled to various hiding places and eventually to the North American continent by the Knights Templar and their heirs, the Freemasons. The Freemasons of colonial America set up an elaborate trail of clues leading to the hiding place. Interpretation of the clues required a thorough knowledge of Masonic symbolism and American history.

The Da Vinci Code supposes a Christ who was married and left a child. His bloodline continued to the modern day, protected through the centuries by a secret league of devotees. This group included Leonardo da Vinci, who left clues to the "truth" in his artwork. The hero of the story follows a series of clues to find the location/identity of the biological heir.

Both movies have gun fights, car chases, and spooky underground passageways. Both protagonists are intelligent, middle-aged men who accurately interpret the puzzles with which they are faced. Both heros must struggle not only with a group of villains who want to reach the same goal they do but also with misunderstanding authorities and police.

Here's the similarity I want to especially notice: Both movies create or twist historical facts to fit their thesis. People who lack knowledge of history or are suspicious of historical records might actually believe that there might be an invisible map on the back of the Declaration of Independence, or a magnificent treasure buried below New York City. In the same way, people who have no knowledge of church history and no knowledge or belief in the Bible might be persuaded that Jesus was married or that the Council of Nicea invented the doctrine of Christ's deity. It is for this reason I think The Da Vinci Code is dangerous. Too many people do not have the ability to refute the falsehoods, so they pause and wonder if what is portrayed may be true. Ignorance may be bliss, but it is also vulnerability.

I believe that National Treasure is fairly harmless, at least in terms of its historical manipulation. The worst thing that will happen to you is you will be more ignorant and more confused than you were before. Promoting knowledge of history is a good idea, but it isn't the Christian's mission. Our mission is to spread the gospel, and The Da Vinci Code is not helping. The false gospel it promotes is completely anti-Christian.

In conclusion, no person whom God wishes to save will be persuaded in the end by any false gospel. False teachers have appeared since the time of Christ and will continue to appear in the future. Our job is not to keep false teaching from appearing in the first place, but to confront in a way that brings glory to God and to use it to strengthen our families and Christian brethren.