Just a couple of the Da Vinci Code Fallacies
1) Dan Brown claims that the Council of Nicea in 325 AD changed the teachings of Christianity to include that Jesus is God. This is simply false.
A) We have the Dead Sea Scrolls that were found in the 1940’s. With theDead Sea Scrolls there were also some manuscript pieces of the New Testament that are carbon dated as early as 50 AD. These fragments are consistent with the New Testament Scriptures that Christians use today. This scientifically confirms that writings of the New Testament were being circulated before the Council of Nicea of 325 AD. We know the bibles New Testament writings were in existence in the first century AD. For example, we know that the Apostle Paul quoted Luke’s gospel in his writings proving the gospel “Luke” was already being circulated during the time that the apostles were still alive. The Apostle Peter states in his epistles that Paul’s writings were “scripture”, proving Paul’s writings were being passed around in the first century AD. The Apostle John was the last of the appointed scripture writers and he wrote at the end of the first century and his writings teach that Jesus was worshipped, by Christians, as God.
(John 20:27,28) Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
B) There are Historians from the first century AD, other than Christians confirming that Christians were already worshipping Jesus as God.
1) Pliny the Younger, a Roman Author dated 112 AD writes: “They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ as to God…” (LETTERS 10:96)
2) Lucian of Somosata, a Greek writer from the second century writes: “The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day—the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account……from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage”…. (DEATH OF PELAGRINE, 11-13)
2) Dan Brown claims that there are many other writings that were suppressed by the church, which challenge the Christian teachings. Yes there are writings other than those of the apostles of Jesus Christ. Jesus and His apostles warned us that there would be those who would come along and try to take over Christianity.
(Acts 20:29-30) For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
3) The group of people referred to by Dan Brown with other (so called) Christian writings call themselves the “Gnostics”. The Gnostics were around at the time of the early church. The church was not trying to suppress their writings, they outright called them “false teachings”. The name “Gnostic” comes from the Greek word Gnosis which Means “knowledge”. The Gnostics thought they had a superior knowledge.
(2 Timothy 2:1,2) O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.
4) The writings that Dan Brown supports as authority written in the second through fourth centuries, by the “Gnostics” are called the “Gnostics Gospels”. The true apostles, appointed by Jesus, who had the authority of God, warned us that there would be those that would write and preach a different gospel.
(Galatians 1:6-8) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
5) It is necessary to point out that the apostles, who wrote scripture, were appointed as apostle by Jesus, and any other gospel writer is not to be considered a legitimate writing. For example, the apostle Paul:
(Galatians 1:1) Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
The Da Vinci Code claims are based on a “Straw Man Argument”. This argument is that, if there were writings from early in church history other than the bible (Gnostic Gospels), then we should use all of the writings of this time period to establish the truth on the topic of Christianity.
This is not a legitimate argument. The argument from the aspect of the Christian Church is that: We should only receive as a true representation of Jesus Christ, what was written by those who were appointed by Jesus to have authority to speak for Him.
Let me make a point. Recently Barbara Streisand has been in the news complaining that there is an unauthorized biography that has been written about her. She has authority to chose who writes her authorized biography. Just as Jesus has the right to appoint who writes for Him.
Oprah Whinfrey is one who has claimed in an interview that we should use the Gnostic Gospels to learn truth about Christian teachings. But would Oprah approve everything that has been written about her including the Tabloids? Well, it should also be true that we draw truth from every source that has ever been written about her by her own principal for truth finding.
Conclusion:
1. The writings of the Gnostics and the Da Vinci Code fulfill prophecy given by the true church fathers that say, that there would be those who come along and would come against Christian teachings. Dan Brown’s obvious deception in the light of the evidence proves himself to be one of those that the early church fathers warned Christians about.
2. Historians other than Christians confirm that before the Council of Nicea Christians were worshipping Jesus as God.
3. The writings of the Apostles have been dated as early as 50 AD, which places the copies of the apostles writings only 20 years after the life of Jesus and while the apostles were still alive. The Gnostic writings are dated and are written in the second to the fourth century AD. Since we have older texts to support the claims of the Apostolic Church and we have much younger texts that come against them called the “Gnostic Gospels”, we can conclude the earlier apostolic writings are more reliable to support the true intentions and beliefs of the original followers of Jesus.
The real attraction to the Da Vinci Code and the Gnostic Gospels is motive. The Gnostic teachings remove responsibility to God. The original teachings of Jesus come with rules and those who are attracted to Dan Brown’s book hope to find a religion that has no accountability to God. Jesus in the apostolic teachings says, “Go and sin no more”. And, for example the Jesus in the bible said, “ I Am the way the truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father but by Me”.
Gnostic teachings have no rules. They say all you have to do is just get in touch with the spirituality inside of you.
If I wanted to make up a belief system in the name of Jesus, I might fight for something fake like Gnosticism too. No rules, no accountability to God. But we can’t make it up our own way. We need to accept the authorized writings of Jesus.
Are we going to accept as authority over the apostles, Dan Brown an author, Tom Hanks an actor, Ron Howard a director?
Are you going to gamble everything about Jesus from information from Dan Brown, Forest Gump and Opey Taylor over the apostles of Jesus Christ?
“Seek the Truth” the movie trailer say’s. Jesus said, “I Am the Truth”! Where do you stand?
Dan Brown’s book has sold 60,000,000 copies and his movie has reached many more millions. He has brought to your attention one important fact. There is a historical person named Jesus. You are now more responsible than ever! You also know now that original Christianity claimed Him as God. It would be irresponsible to end your look into Jesus at the false information found in Dan Brown’s book.
Thank you for your time………………Steve Tassi