Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code, And My 4th Of July

[BeenaBobba]

Hi everyone,

I had a fun 4th of July, but as the cliche goes, every rose has its thorns. I have an aunt who is into New Age spirituality. She's a great lady, and I love her to death, but she's somewhat opposed to Catholicism (or at least it seems that way). She's always thought that she was my "spiritual teacher" in a New Age sense, that I'm some sort of "special child," and other things like that. I've told her that I'm devoted to Catholicism 100%, and she respects that, but I think that perhaps part of her thinks that I'm brainwashed. It's actually quite the opposite, as the more educated I've become, the more convinced I am of the truths of Catholicism.

Anyhow...

At the 4th of July cookout my family has at our summer house, I went up to her to chat. (You know, gotta do the mingle thing, right?) I saw that she had a paperback book by the side of her chair, and being the reader that I am, I asked her what she's reading. I picked up the book as I said that, turned it around, and saw the name Dan Brown written in big, bold green letters. "Uh, Dan Brown..." I said, with mildly disguised dismay in my voice. I think she noticed because she asked me if I've read any of his books.

"Have you read [i]Angels and Demons[/i] or [i]The Da Vinci Code[/i]?" she asked.

"No. What's [i]Angels and Demons[/i] about?"

"The Vatican."

"Oh..." I said, my dismay now clearly noticeable. "See, I don't like Dan Brown's books because I'm a history major. His 'history' is inaccurate, and that bothers me." After a pause, I added, "[i]The Da Vinci Code[/i] is anti-Catholic, too." I should have been more upfront about that point, but I can be shy and was hesitant (or bashful) to do so at first. God, forgive me.

My aunt was sitting with the two friends she had brought along. At this point, one of her friends joined the conversation. "Well, I think those things about the Catholic Church should be revealed. I used to be Catholic," she said, as if growing up Catholic ensures that one will be completely knowledgeable about all things Catholic. (We all know how that can go nowadays.)

"But that's the thing. Little of the 'history' in [i]The Da Vinci Code[/i] is accurate. The book says that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, and that their descendants were the Merovingians. I mean, that's just plain inaccurate. Plus, the book said that Leonardo da Vinci really painted Mary Magdalene in his famous picture, but Renaissance painters often depicted young men who played the role of student somewhat effeminately in a sense. As a history major, I just can't swallow the stuff in this book."

She looked at me with a smile on her face. For some reason (and perhaps I'm wrong), it looked like a fake smile, as if she was trying to mask how she truly felt. She looked like she might have been upset but was trying to be polite -- or something like that. It was weird.

Later on in the conversation, my aunt, her friends, and I were chatting about movies. I asked if anyone saw [i]The Passion of the Christ[/i], and my aunt quickly said no in a way that made it seem like she disapproved of the movie. Her friend looked at me and said (politely), "No, I haven't seen it, and I don't want to see it."

We went on talking about other things. I wish I had been more upfront about my Catholicism and stronger in defending it. I was just caught off guard, I guess. I think it'd be cool if they were spurred by our conversation to read up on Catholic history, i.e., [b]real[/b] history.

Strange adventure, huh?

I'm sorry this post was so long. Thanks for reading this if you made it to the end.

God bless,

Jen

[voiciblanche]

[quote name='BeenaBobba' date='Jul 5 2004, 03:43 PM'] but as the cliche goes, every rose has its thorns. [/quote]
Before I read through your post, I must say, I do love that one Poison song...

[BeenaBobba]

[quote name='voiciblanche' date='Jul 5 2004, 06:04 PM'] Before I read through your post, I must say, I do love that one Poison song... [/quote]


God bless,

Jen

[voiciblanche]

[quote name='BeenaBobba' date='Jul 5 2004, 03:43 PM'] but I think that perhaps part of her thinks that I'm brainwashed. It's actually quite the opposite, as the more educated I've become, the more convinced I am of the truths of Catholicism. [/quote]
My theology teacher says it's good to be brainwashed with Catholicism - says our brain needs to be washed of everything of the culture of death and filled with the Truth - and not to mention the Way and the Life.

[BeenaBobba]

[quote name='voiciblanche' date='Jul 5 2004, 06:07 PM'] My theology teacher says it's good to be brainwashed with Catholicism - says our brain needs to be washed of everything of the culture of death and filled with the Truth - and not to mention the Way and the Life. [/quote]
In that sense, of course it's good! But I don't think blind faith, fideism, is good, and that's what I meant.

God bless,

Jen

[voiciblanche]

[quote name='BeenaBobba' date='Jul 5 2004, 03:43 PM'] I'm sorry this post was so long. Thanks for reading this if you made it to the end. [/quote]
Read it.

Good post, good thoughts - and I think you did well standing up for the Faith. Maybe another person would have spoken up faster and louder, and that's probably what we should all strive to do, but I think what you said was good. Sounds like it was a calm conversation without anyone biting anyone's head off, which is always good.

[VeraMaria]

God Bless ya Jen!!

My parents are reading 'Angels and Demons'...quite obessed with it too...as if they weren't anti-Catholic enough

[BeenaBobba]

[quote name='VeraMaria' date='Jul 5 2004, 07:15 PM'] God Bless ya Jen!! [/quote]
Thanks, Vera.

[quote]My parents are reading 'Angels and Demons'...quite obessed with it too...as if they weren't anti-Catholic enough [/quote]

That smells of elderberries that your parents are anti-Catholic. Were you always devoutly Catholic? If not, what helped you become a strong Catholic in the face of your family's anti-Catholicism? The fact that I'm 100% faithful to the Catholic Church doesn't seem to bother most of my family members.

God bless,

Jen

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Wow...Dan Brown, we meet again...

I'm sorry about this. I'm going to a family reunion in Washington, D.C., at the end of the month and I have two extremely liberal, nominal Catholic aunts who are going to be there (the type who think that every religion is correct, that morals are all relative, and that John Kerry is a hero and a martyr). I'm staying most of the nights with one of them, and if she attacks the Church, I'm going to have to defend it, even if it means I'll be sleeping in the rental car.

[quote]I used to be Catholic," she said, as if growing up Catholic ensures that one will be completely knowledgeable about all things Catholic. (We all know how that can go nowadays.)[/quote]

Over Christmas break, I was at the bookstore at one of the malls in Omaha and this young lady, her mother, and her baby daughter came in. The woman picked up a copy of [u]The Da Vinci Code[/u] and asked her mother if she'd ever read it. She said, "it's about Jesus and how He was really married to Mary Magdalene. It's supposed to be really good." Then the store clerk came up to them and said, "Oh, it is really good. You know, I'm Catholic, and I think it's fine."

I just about tore him a new one! He's using his being a Catholic to sell a heretical, anti-Catholic propaganda book?!

ARGH!

Then, I was in charge of Abbey Ministry at seminary, which meant that I led catechesis for tourist and retreat groups. In the union, this woman was hanging around with her group of teenage girls and they were asking questions about the faith, and one of them asked, "why can't women be priests?" Then the woman said, "women can be priests; the Vatican is just sexist." Well, my job is to represent the abbey and the magisterium, so I started correcting her and citing my sources. Then she started to argue with me, appealling to her experience and years as a Catholic and what she interpretted the documents to be saying. Finally, when I kept insisting, she gave me one of those phony blessings (like your aunt's phony smile) and said, "Well, God bless you anyway for your persistence."

ARGH!

I can't stand it when people do this kind of stuff! It's like the comedians who get up on comedy central and joke about clergy pedophilia and how they "graduated" from Catholicism when they were confirmed and how ridiculous the Church is and even make fun of the pope and his Parkenson's.

ARGH!!!

[BeenaBobba]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Jul 6 2004, 01:32 AM'] I'm sorry about this.  I'm going to a family reunion in Washington, D.C., at the end of the month and I have two extremely liberal, nominal Catholic aunts who are going to be there (the type who think that every religion is correct, that morals are all relative, and that John Kerry is a hero and a martyr).  I'm staying most of the nights with one of them, and if she attacks the Church, I'm going to have to defend it, even if it means I'll be sleeping in the rental car. [/quote]
Haha. I just had this mental image of you sleeping in a rental car all cramped up for God's glory! No, but seriously, I hope everything goes well on your visit. I'll say a prayer for you.

[quote]I just about tore him a new one!  He's using his being a Catholic to sell a heretical, anti-Catholic propaganda book?![/quote]

Yeah, it's sad. These people probably have good intentions, but ignorance is at the root of this problem. People, even poorly catechized cradle Catholics, can take this book to be representative of Catholicism as a whole. Of course, that's pretty darn problematic. We faithful Catholics have got a duty to educate people.

[quote]Then, I was in charge of Abbey Ministry at seminary, which meant that I led catechesis for tourist and retreat groups.  In the union, this woman was hanging around with her group of teenage girls and they were asking questions about the faith, and one of them asked, "why can't women be priests?"  Then the woman said, "women can be priests; the Vatican is just sexist."  Well, my job is to represent the abbey and the magisterium, so I started correcting her and citing my sources.  Then she started to argue with me, appealling to her experience and years as a Catholic and what she interpretted the documents to be saying.  Finally, when I kept insisting, she gave me one of those phony blessings (like your aunt's phony smile) and said, "Well, God bless you anyway for your persistence."[/quote]

Oi! At least she was friendly, though. Nihilism is pretty freakin' annoying, huh? Can I get a "ARGH! ARGH!"

[quote] and even make fun of the pope and his Parkenson's.[/quote]

Grr! That really upsets me! What's wrong with people?! :angry: I don't agree with John Kerry, but I wouldn't make fun of his disease (if he had a physical one, that is).

God bless,

Jen

[Mickey's_Girl]

BeenaBobba--

Don't worry that you were caught off-guard. The Holy Spirit can use what you said anyway. Just standing up for the faith means a lot sometimes...and in some situations, the quieter answer is the right one.

Hang in there, everyone! I'm sure I'll have stories to share soon enough.

MG

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote]Haha. I just had this mental image of you sleeping in a rental car all cramped up for God's glory!  No, but seriously, I hope everything goes well on your visit. I'll say a prayer for you.[/quote]

LOL

Thanks for the prayers.

As for you, I agree with Mickey's Girl, don't worry about being brave. Just say what you have to say and the Holy Spirit will strengthen you.

[crusader1234]

I'm a Catholic ( who knew!?!?!) and I know my 'debunking the Da Vinci Code' stuff, I even read the Gospel of Mary Magdalene to see what it was all about because I figured it would clear up stuff and if nothing else be an interesting read. It was sort of boring, kind of like fortune cookie confucionism.

Anyways, I actually DO reccomend the book to you Jen, because its actually pretty entertaining if you know how to disect it because it actually does have a lot of historical tidbits intermingled with the theological ... mishaps.

It sounds like your Aunt didn't understand what the book meant when it says "all descriptions of artwork and documents and architecture are accurate" or whatever - because its not talking about theology or interpretations of artwork, its just talking about the objective facts like "theres a hand there that doesn't make sense" not "theres a hand there that doesn't make sense and therefore we can conclude Peter was killing Judas and Jesus was holding hands with a GIRL!!! and theres an M which means that they are married!!!".

Anyways, its too bad that she bought into it in the wrong way, and that shes buying into lies that directly offend your faith. You could always try to convert her I guess? Haha..

Peace,

Rich

[Lil Red]

hi, jen! it sounds like you did fine, and keeping your temper when talking to someone closed minded is more than i could have done! god bless!

[voiciblanche]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Jul 5 2004, 11:32 PM'] Over Christmas break, I was at the bookstore at one of the malls in Omaha and this young lady, her mother, and her baby daughter came in. The woman picked up a copy of [u]The Da Vinci Code[/u] and asked her mother if she'd ever read it. She said, "it's about Jesus and how He was really married to Mary Magdalene. It's supposed to be really good." Then the store clerk came up to them and said, "Oh, it is really good. You know, I'm Catholic, and I think it's fine." [/quote]
We had the Scholastic book fair come to our school (CATHOLIC school, mind you) a few months back, and they had the Da Vinci Code sitting right there in the "Adult Reading" section. I was so mad. We have a copy sitting here in my house, too, in fact, it's right above my head right now. I wanna throw it in the fireplace. I tried to throw away a copy of one of the Left Behind books once, and my mum foudn it in the trash can and gave it to my sister. Grr.