Saturday, May 27, 2006

A Painter, A Code, And A Traitor

Since I started this site a month or so ago, most of my posts have been fairly light-hearted, focusing on things that, in the big scope of things, aren't the most important in the world. Baseball....gas prices...idiotic liberals in Hollywood...Outside of writing about having to have my dog put to sleep, the topics haven't been super-heavy. However, between all of the hoopla surrounding the release of the movie version of The DaVinci Code, and a post I read on a blog published by my wife's cousin, I actually would like to try to open up a serious dialog on here regarding these topics. Granted, a dialog may be difficult, as I think I only have about 5 regular readers, but it is what it is! I gotta think big!

Going back to the post I referred to above, I read a few sentences regarding The Lost Gospel of Judas, and was prompted to leave the following comment on her site:


"The Lost Gospel of Judas. Wow. I can't believe someone is actually talking about a religiously-based piece of fiction OTHER than The DaVinci Code! I've not read either, and though I've heard a million things about The DaVinci Code, I haven't heard much about The Lost Gospel of Judas, so I certainly do not claim to be an expert. However, just to play devil's advocate for a moment...which is a bad choice of words, come to think of it, as what I'm about to type advocates NOT reading these....hardly the devil's position, I would think.....

I think you are on the right track by saying that if your faith is solid, reading this will not change it. However, everyone's faith CAN be shaken...whether it will or not, is very difficult to say. Look at the disciple, Peter, who is often referred to as the disciple with the strongest faith. Jesus Himself was standing mere yards away from him, yet Peter lost his faith when he attempted to walk on the water toward Jesus. Can we compare ourselves and the level of our faith today to someone who lived with, traveled with, physically saw on a daily basis, Christ? I don't know the answer to that. I DO know that although we/I may believe we have a strong faith, I also believe that we are entrusted with a certain level of responsibility as to what we take in and ponder on.

You wrap up your post by saying that you have the highest hopes that we can discover our reason for being. For those of us that consider ourselves Christians, don't we already KNOW our reason for being? Personally, I believe we know that our reason for being is to glorify our Creator in all that we do. So, coming back to my original point....looking at the other side of the issue.....shouldn't we consistently ask ourselves if what we are doing, reading, listening to, etc. IS bringing glory to our Creator?"



So, here's what I would ask of those of you that are reading this....
  1. Take a moment to tell me what you think about the controversies surrounding The DaVinci Code, and The Lost Gospel of Judas. If you consider yourself a Christian, are these things that you feel you should read/watch? Why or why not? What if you do not consider yourself a Christian? Do you even care?? Are you simply tired of hearing about it?
  2. Please refer this post (heck, the whole SITE would be nice) to anyone you know that may be interested in commenting on this. Outside of the fact that I'd like to expose myself (or at least my writing) to as many people as possible, I'm particularly curious to hear many opinions on this.
Thanks for your time reading and responding to this. I promise after this I'll do my best to get back to the really important stuff in the world, like who's going to win the World Series this year, how Jack Bauer is going to escape the evil Chinese that kidnapped him at the end of season 5 last week (reference to the TV show 24, for those of you that are still living under a rock and not yet watching the best thing to happen to television since...well, quite frankly, ALF), or even like why Taylor Hicks never should have won American Idol since everyone knows Chris Daughtry was better (OK...that one was for my wife.)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fine, I'll be the first to comment, I'm not scared.

I'm not going to see the movie. There is no need to see a movie that contradicts my beliefs so heavily. But I also didn't follow the hype around the Passion of the Christ movie. I felt like Christian retailors were rolling in the profits using the Gospel...it really disgusted me. So I guess when it all comes down, it's hype that keeps me away, not the fear of being swayed. But I am sure that there are others who might be convicted in this area who can't read/watch this due to some weakness with in themselves (not saying I don't have any weakness, this one just isn't mine!).

So there!!

Jeff said...

So, as a rule, you're just pretty much against everything, right?

Anonymous said...

You people didn't even READ the book! Typical. Sad, but typical.

Jeff said...

scribbler,

I never said that I read it. As a matter of fact, I admitted that I DIDN'T read it, which admittedly limits my ability to discuss it. I don't HAVE to experience something personally to be able to talk about it. That's like saying I can't tell someone that it's going to hurt to cut their hand off, since I've never done it. I know enough about these books to know that they contradict my beliefs. The whole point of the post was built around whether or not it's something that I SHOULD read, knowing that they contradict those beliefs.

I won't read the book because I don't have time. My stack of books waiting to be read gets higher everyday...now I have to add Ann Coulter's new book to said stack, as well. I probably won't watch the movie because I heard it sucks, and it's too long. Sorry....short attention span. I'm not, however, afraid to read or watch it....I'm simply choosing not to for the previously stated reasons.

Anonymous said...

THe DaVinci Code is nothing more than a story about a hoax that stirred the pot in the Roman Catholic Church big time. The list of names (which had DaVinci's name on it) has been unequivocably proven to be a fake. Even the carbon dating says it is a fake. The man responsible for the list concocted the whole thing to make money or gain fame .... who knows what his true intentions were. There is no treasure and no woman in the painting of the last supper. I think it's probably what you would call a good fictional read if you are into that kind of thing but yes.... there are a very many unbiblical things about the secret society. Here's to what I say to all the idiots so up in arms about it: "If you don't like unbiblical, conspiracy theory, secret society stuff DON'T read it, dummy." Anyone can write any crazed whacked out stuff they want. You don't hear anyone making so much noise about Stephen King or Dean Koontz and those are two really whacked out writers right there. My advice to all the Madonna, DaVinci Code, and Jerry Springer haters out there is that you are the one holding the remote, right! Turn it off if you don't want to see it!!!!!! For the sorry saps that waste their money on the stuff..... let 'em if their stupid enough! DUHHHHH!!!!

Anonymous said...
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