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Olde Tyme Religion
Pope takes on Da Vinci Code heretics
2007-07-07
Posted by:lotp

#23  no, I'd believe you. A religion based on faith is always susceptible to doubts. That's why muslims kill apostates
Posted by: Frank G   2007-07-07 23:02  

#22  My point was, why give such a cheap and flimsy lie the gravitas of attention? But that's just me.

Would you believe me if I told you these people have been around in one form or another for the past 1850 or so years?

Only when Cteisas of Sinope started gnosticism, he didn't go on about all the secret gospels and whatnot the "official church" was suppressing. He basically said that most of the books of the Bible weren't scripture; he had a version he was spreading that had no old testament and didn't have three of the four gospels (and a version of Luke that was different than the one we have today).

Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2007-07-07 22:43  

#21  debunking only works for someone who'll listen appraise facts, and make a knowledgable judgement. Read Kos, FireDogLake, HuffPo, et al, and you will see people who don't have that capacity in politics - I'm sure there's a "Da Vinci Truther" Catholic site out there, I just have no desire to search for it. They are unworthy of the name Roman Catholic
Posted by: Frank G   2007-07-07 20:52  

#20  why give such a cheap and flimsy lie the gravitas of attention?

Unfortunately the Da Vinci Code thesis has been given lots of credence by places like the History Channel and MSM sunday news articles. It's an intentional attempt at eroding any understanding of or credibility for the Christian message.

Any decently educated person should see it for what it is - a mishmash of bits and pieces of Catharism, Albigensianism and your basis conspiracy theory. It appeals to the same people who find New Age theology to be, like, deep man.

Unfortunately, our younger generations have so little education in these matters that they cannot judge for themselves -- much less read 2000 years of Western literature and philosophy with any understanding at all. (And note, I'm not saying convert them - I'm saying educate them. Maimonides and Spinoza among the topics.)
Posted by: lotp   2007-07-07 19:46  

#19  Word, OldSpook. I can almost see Ayn Rand smiling down on you right now.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-07-07 19:43  

#18  And there's the problem - someone with a "Truther" mindset does not distinguish between fiction and reality, because they refuse to accept reality, so their version of "reality" is whatever they want it to be at the moment - allowing them to conveniently abandon any need for hard efforts at rational thinking and gathering facts, and it also allows them to abdicate responsibility for anything! Its the ultimate in intellectual slovenliness mixed with a lack of character, and flat out mental laziness.

They do all this by pushing everything that opposes their world view of how things should be onto a cabal of unknowns and conspiracies.

In this way, they are little differendt than their pagan forebaerrs who blamed everything on "evil spirits" and malign gods.

And they are every bit as despicable and violent when pushed to actually have to think and use a non-relative moral compass.
Posted by: OldSpook   2007-07-07 19:18  

#17  My copy of the Code clearly states on the cover "A Novel by Dan Brown". I would have thought that might be enough of a clue with respect to the contents.
Posted by: Skunky Glins5285   2007-07-07 19:08  

#16  Since when has debunking a myth ever changed the opinion of it's followers? If these people were swayed by facts, the "Code" "Truther" crowd would have collapsed long ago.

Funny how that intellectual equation is so versatile.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-07-07 18:45  

#15  Aw c'mon Abdominal. It's already been done, and done too many times to mention. Since when has debunking a myth ever changed the opinion of it's followers? If these people were swayed by facts, the "Code" crowd would have collapsed long ago.

My point was, why give such a cheap and flimsy lie the gravitas of attention? But that's just me.

Oh, and just in case there are any passers-by who might need a reference, start with www.debunkingdavinci.com.
Posted by: mcsegeek1   2007-07-07 16:35  

#14  Benedict, Good on ya, but seriously, the Da Vinci Code is not worth attacking. My 5th grade daughter can debunk it in a few minutes.

Then why hasn't she done so, and stopped so many idiots from taking it seriously?
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2007-07-07 16:27  

#13  Of even more importance:

Pope Benedict XVI has restored the traditional Latin Mass - it no longer is constrained to special permission situations, and can be freely practiced by those who desire it and have the priests who can support it.

You guys should not underestimate the importance of this promulgation by the Pope. He is basically rolling away the liberalism and heterodoxy that have accumulated over the last 35 years, by allowing the faithful to force their priests to serve properly.

In essence, Pope Benedict is reawakening the old doctrine of the "Church Militant" ("Church of Struggle") to prepare the faithful for struggle, either spiritual (against the assaults and the exclusion of faith/faithful from society by modern leftists) or physical (the Chinese who imprison and kill Catholics, and the threat from virulent violent Islamism from Salfists, Wahhabists backed by the Saudis and Shia Apocalyptics in Iran).

What a blessing to have 2 of the most theologically strong Popes ever, at this juncture in History (the beating the challenge of Communism and Pope John Paul II, the Great; now the Pope benedict is facing the challenge of secular atheism and Islamism).

DOMINUS PROVIDEBIT indeed!
Posted by: OldSpook   2007-07-07 16:22  

#12  Benedict, Good on ya, but seriously, the Da Vinci Code is not worth attacking. My 5th grade daughter can debunk it in a few minutes.
Posted by: mcsegeek1   2007-07-07 16:17  

#11   Any believer who wants a scholarly rebuttal of all the 20th century nonsense which attempts to seperate we believers from the testimony of those who were with Jesus via this "historical Jesus" crap,check out "Jesus and The Eyewitnesses" by a Scottish professor,Richard Bauckham. Outstanding work,I wish the Pope well in his work as well.
Posted by: Lionel Chusoger3526   2007-07-07 15:24  

#10  Papal infallibility is a) a rather new concept and b) generally understood not to be in play unless specifically invoked.

Excalibur: After postmodernists and the neo-gnostics have been allowed to run riot in remaking christianity in their own image, I don't think there would be anything left with roots deep enough to withstand the next storm.
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2007-07-07 13:06  

#9  Thank you for the links. However, they would have been put to better use by sending them to the writer of the article.
Posted by: Pappy   2007-07-07 12:23  

#8  Catholic encyclopedias:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/index.html
http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-07-07 12:16  

#7  The writer obviously has no idea what 'infallibility' means.
Posted by: Pappy   2007-07-07 11:07  

#6  It's interesting that the Pope used to be in charge of the Holy Office (Doctrines of the Faith). This puts him at the top of the list of experts on doctrinal matters, with their incredible subtleties and nuances.

Perhaps a good comparison would be to George H.W. Bush, who as ex-head of the CIA was ranked to be the top intelligence bureaucrat in Washington prior to becoming president. Intimately familiar with how the bureaucracy functions, he knew how to use it to best effect.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-07-07 11:01  

#5  I'd gently suggest that the Protestants get their own leadership to support a crusade. Good luck with the Presbyterians, Lutherans and Anglicans.
Posted by: Steve White   2007-07-07 10:47  

#4  The Pope is taking on Europe with this move - hoping to recall her to her foundations in preparation for the wider struggle.
Posted by: lotp   2007-07-07 10:15  

#3  Pope takes on ... heretics
Weenie Roast time! :) Now where did I put the lighter fluid?...

Oh, well. I can dream.
Posted by: N guard   2007-07-07 09:52  

#2  Speaking as a Protestant "heretic" I would rather he stopped faffing around with Dan Brown, do civilization a favor and call for a crusade. Going after The Da Vinci Code while nuns are being murdered by dervish savages is no better than George Bush hand-holding saudi Orc chieftains.
Posted by: Excalibur   2007-07-07 09:44  

#1  Despite the papal doctrine of infallibility he makes a distinction between his personal beliefs and public persona, stating that “everyone is free . . . to contradict me”.

A very interesting man. If only our Islamic mates felt the same way.

Regarding papal infallibility it has been pointed out to me that doctrine can be changed but dogma can not.
Posted by: Gladys   2007-07-07 04:41  

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