Subject:  An important reflection on religions! |
Author:
Liberal
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Date Posted: 23:46:24 02/06/05 Sun
In reply to:
XOX
's message, "Da Vinci Code writer Dan Brown is a liberal Christian" on 11:12:41 12/22/04 Wed
From the interview, Dan Brown sounds like a Unitarian Universalist actually.
I have just finished The Da Vinci Code. Yes, I am a late comer, please don’t tease me. An ingenious novel of gripping cinematic pace. It’s simply addictive! The Jesus’ wife Mary Magdalene conspiracy is intriguing for Christians too.
A important quote from The Da Vinci Code for reflection on religion:
Langdon [a religious symbologist] smiled. “Sophie [a cryptographer], every faith in the world is based on fabrication. That is the definition of faith---acceptance of that which we imagine to be true, that which we cannot prove. Every religion describes God through metaphor, allegory, and exaggeration, from the early Egyptians through modern Sunday school. Metaphors are a way to help our minds process the unprocessible. The problems arise when we begin to believe literally in our own metaphors.”
…
“The Bible represents a fundamental guidepost for millions of people on the planet, in much the same way the Koran, Torah, and Pali Canon offer guidance to people of other religions. If you and I could dig up documentation that contradicted the holy stories of Islam belief, Judaic belief, Buddhist belief, pagan belief, should we do that? Should we wave a flag and tell the Buddhists that we have proof the Buddha did not come from a lotus blossom? Or that Jesus was not born of a literal virgin birth? Those who truly understand their faiths understand the stories are metaphorical.”
Sophie looked skeptical. “My friends who are devout Christians definitely believe that Christ literally walked on water, literally turned water into wine, and was born of a literal virgin birth.”
“My point exactly,” Langdon said. “Religious allegory has become a part of the fabric of reality. And living in that reality helps millions of people cope and be better people.”
“But it appears their reality is false.”
Langdon chuckled. “No more false than that of a mathematical cryptographer who believes in the imaginary number ‘i’ because it helps her break codes.”
(from Chapter 82)
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