debunking the code

UPDATED: regarding the talk i mentioned, for information, please visit the penang diocese website.

if you read the star paper of 17 may (wed.), there is a column by one rufus bruno pereira on ‘the da vinci code debunked‘. he is from our catholic church. our office will be inviting him to give a talk on the same topic in penang at one of the church. for those who are interested to attend the talk, please contact me personally.

btw, i have not read the book and i will not bother to see the movie too. no, not because i don’t like it or believe it is blashphameous. it is just that i am not interested and also that i hardly get out to watch movies (prefer watching it on CD at home. maybe i’ll get one of da vinci code). in fact i am very happy that this movie was allowed to be shown, and i wished and wished that no church bodies or organisations would come out to say this movie should be banned. i want the movie to be shown and i want the world to see the reaction of christians.

any of you remember reading what marina mahathir wrote in her coumn on 3 may regarding this movie? to quote her:

A FRIEND was relating how after her daughter had read the Da Vinci Code, she had wanted to read the Bible. Which is not in itself a bad thing except that she was concerned that an impressionable young mind would not be able to differentiate fact from fiction. Also it seemed that perhaps what was needed is a Da Vinci Code-type book for Muslims to spark off the same level of interest in young people in their own religion.

Except that if anyone tried to write a similar thriller based around Islam, they'd be hounded and pilloried and threatened with death, thousands would riot in protest and people who would never have been able to read the book either because they are illiterate or can't afford it would have died.

Such is the difference between our religions. While there are many Christians who are upset about the book and movie, they are countering it with seminars and other educational events to balance what is being said in the book, even if the book is only fiction. There have not been Da Vinci Code-related riots or deaths thus far. Which speaks volumes for the adherents of the faith.

yep, that’s what we are doing – organsiing seminars and talks. of course to those who are strong in their faith, they don’t need these seminars or talks, but these seminars and talks had been/will be organised for those who seems a bit shaky… OR for those who are already strong but need to pick points from the seminar on how to counter-attack the points in the moive, so that they can answer their friends. like for me, i am very firm in my faith and this movie/book will certainly not rock my faith or put me in doubts, but the thing is i don’t know how to ‘debunk’ the points/facts? in the movie, so need to either read here and there or listen to talks. doing this is more for other people, not for myself. i mean for me to read or listen more so that i am more able to convince my friends, especially the non christians.

(note: this article of marina appears in the coming week’s herald, a local catholic weekly).

so remember, anyone of you in penang, if you are interested in a 2 hours talk on ‘debunking the code’, by bruno, do contact me personally, ok?. the talk will cover the following areas – the history of the book, history as a concept and the controversial issues in the book.
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lies and deception