Notes From Chapter 7 "Cracking Da Vinci's Code - You have read the fiction, now
read the facts" by G&J
False statements of DB (Dan Brown) in the Da Vinci Code:
1. More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament; but were
turned down by the Church and later destroyed.. (pg 231).
2. These gospels, part of an ancient library of Coptic scrolls found near the
village of Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945, highlight glaring discrepancies and
fabrications of the modern Bible. (pg 234).
3. These Egyptian scrolls are the earliest Christian records. (pg 245).
4. Early Church literarly stole Jesus frown His original followers, hijacking
his human message, shrouding it in an impenetrable cloak of divinity. (pg 233).
5. In the 'secret gospels' genuine truth seekers can find the 'true Jesus'. (pg
234).
In this chapter, DB relies on the writing of Elaine Pagels who wrote the book
"The Gnostic Gospels" One reviewer of the book said, "writing with the
instincts of a novelist" she brought the gnostic gospels to life and made them
likable. Many scholars studied the fifty-two Coptic scrolls, and only five of
which are termed "gospels" These gospels have been promoted by groups to
redefine Jesus. The most prominent of these groups today is called "Jesus
Seminar" and the "Sacred Feminine".
One of the "secret gospels" is the Gospel of Thomas and an intriguing unfound /
unseen scroll called 'Q'. Historians have long known that much that is written
in the Gospels of Mathew and Luke are similar. Surprise!:=)). Would not they be
similar if they are talking of the same person? Yet these 'scholars' claim
that because they are similar they were copied from a prior / earlier 'common'
document that they call "Scroll Q". So according to these scholars there was
material written about Jesus before the two Gospels and the new Testament
books. Also this 'common material' in the two Gospels appear to be similar to
some of the material in the Gospel of St. Thomas. So the logic goes, the Gospel
of Thomas is also written before that of Mathew and Luke.
Other historians believe gospel of St. Thomas is a later writing and is
'fact-tion' - half fact and half fiction. Curiously if the gospel was written
by St. Thomas, would he not have brought copy (ies) with him to India. And
would not the Christians in India who followed St. Thomas have some gnostic
beliefs? I guess the early church historians of the 2nd - 5 th century had a
difficult time finding India. But surely Elaine Pagels could have looked into
this. But the findings could have destroyed her theory by failing to supprt
them. Indian priests on Goanet can opine if the Indian Christians converted by
St. Thomas have any gnostic beliefs. I have not heard of any gnostic groups
among the Syrian-Christians of India.
So what is the problem? The currently accepted gospels were written before 70
AD. The earliest date for the Nag Hammadi scrolls is 150 AD and later - when
gnosticism started.
Renegade to the rescue:
Marcion the Christian renegade inadvertently rescued the Church's Scriptures.
Marcion in his 'collected' book that he called "Canon", includes some gospels
and texts; and excludes some writings and texts ... obviously his preference
on the selection. None of the 'original gnostic gospels' make it in either
lists. This suggest that these Gnostic gospels and texts did not exists
in Marcion's time (90-160 AD).
Gnostic Myth
Gnostics believe that "spiritual experiences are the source of religious
truth". Gnostic gospels and texts contradict each other, suggesting that
"spiritual experiences" of different individuals contradict each other. The
Gnostic is free from biblical law. Gnostic texts despise sexual distinctions,
marriage and motherhood. The 'true believer' must be liberated from such
earthly constraints. Gnostics do not believe in sin. The 'Fall' in Genesis is
'liberation' and the serpent in the garden of Eden is 'wisdom'. Jesus comes
not to free us from sin, but to free us from ignorance. Jesus brings gnosis -
the knowledge that makes individuals understand 'divine' in their own way.
The latest Paganism
DB in Da Vinci Code, Elaine Pagels, gnostics in the second century, and the
latest 'paganism' groups, have their own beliefs. According to them (and we
see this from some on this chat site), the Christian church is controlled by
closed-minded bishops. These bishops / Church represent patriarchy, doctrinal
precision, canon, clearly defined sexual morality, Church institution and
authority. What renegades would like to see is: Personal spiritual quest,
diversity, individualism, egalitarianism, and sexual liberation. DB in Da
Vinci Code and Elaine Pagels offers the best of both worlds - Liberation with
Religion in a 'new way of thinking'.
Do not take G&J's version of Elaine Pagels. Please do you own reading on her
work starting with a neutral source. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Pagels
One Gnostic text titled 'Thunder, Perfect Mind", praises a female
personification of the divine called Isis, the Egyptian Goddess. The text in
Thunder reads: "I am the prostitute and the holy one ... the wife and the
virgin ... knowledge and ignorance ... bride and bridegroom ... shame and
shamelessness". Pagels, Jesus Seminar and other individuals and groups, freed
of biblical teachings are currently "interested in the blending" of
Christianity and Buddhism and other religions ... in a 'pick and choose'
quest. Sounds familiar? .... Cafeteria-style religion?
Regards. GL
