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1.) Dialoguing Da Vinci - Page 1

    By Paul Proctor

    Apparently, the new feature film starring Tom Hanks, called The Da Vinci Code, will start rolling in theaters on May 19th. Articles written by alarmed Christians, challenging its heretical content, are already appearing on various news and opinion sites across the Net; and I suspect will dramatically increase in number over the next several weeks. It is, of course, a highly controversial film based on a best-selling book by Dan Brown that is sure to whet the appetites of conspiracy buffs worldwide, not to mention, fuel the already present doubts and misconceptions of those who do not know or believe the Word of God.

    In my estimation, it's not really a quest for truth that will draw the mainstream to this movie but rather the marketing of excitement, adventure, crisis and rebellion, resulting in a greatly intensified polarity and outrage between Christians and the world, until a call for peace and unity goes out from the pulpits of America and a synthesized solution is offered by trained "Christian" facilitators waiting in the wings to help dispel our divisive differences and unite the "brotherhood of man."

    Their solution?

    Dialogue!

    What I believe we are witnessing is the beginning of rather a large-scale exercise in the Hegelian Dialectic, orchestrated by the-powers-that-be to ignite hostilities between the religious and the secular for purposes of uniting them on the common ground of a convoluted Christ through Diaprax. Already Sony Pictures has established a website they call "The Da Vinci Dialogue," where, according to Laurie Goodstein of The New York Times, they "will post essays by about 45 Christian writers, scholars and leaders of evangelical organizations who will pick apart the book's theological and historical claims about Christianity," many of whom come from the very heart of the church growth movement, meaning they are well versed in the dialectic process.

    One such writer is the president of Fuller Theological Seminary, the birthplace of the CGM:

    "Dr. Mouw, who contributed an essay on, 'Why Christians Ought to See the Movie,' said: 'It's going to be water cooler conversation, so Christians need to take a deep breath, buy the book and shell out the money for the movie. Then we need to educate Christians about what all this means. We need to help them answer someone who says, So how do you know Jesus didn't get married?'" - Laurie Goodstein

    See how the dialectic works? Hypothetical questions like the one Dr. Mouw posed, shrewdly steer Christians away from faithfully proclaiming a positive to instead, foolishly trying to prove a negative, something that is extremely difficult, if not impossible to do; thereby abandoning the presentation of the Gospel and the call to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ in order to participate in conjecture and controversy that only results in diversion and confusion.

    It seems it's not enough anymore to merely proclaim the Word of God to the lost as Jesus commanded. According to Dr. Mouw we must reward the writers, producers, publishers and promoters for their blasphemous books and movies with our purpose driven patronage so we can artfully engage the damned in dialogue and field their foolish and distracting questions.

    "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." - Titus 3:9

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    Christians are called to proclaim God's Word, not indulge the abstract and obstinate. When we set aside the power and simplicity of the scriptures to try and artificially accomplish from without what only the Holy Spirit can do from within, we become sidelined by our own self-confidence, yielding nothing of eternal value and bringing no glory to God.

    "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD." - Jeremiah 17:5

    Just for the record, I do not believe The Da Vinci Code is going to convert Christians into occultists anymore than The Passion of The Christ converted occultists into Christians. Movies do not have the capability of regenerating or degenerating hearts; they can only accentuate or aggravate what is already there. The power that transforms the lost from death to life comes from the Spirit-filled preaching of God's Word, not from the theater.

    "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." - 1st Corinthians 1:21

    Like modern day church growth dramas and productions, motion pictures just manipulate feelings and emotions through a perceived reality using actors and scripts that stir the passions and tickle the ears of willing participants until the credits roll and moviegoers are forced to return to the real world in the same spiritual condition they arrived in at the ticket counter. Does this make it OK to watch films about a fabricated Jesus? Absolutely not! Only the faithless and undiscerning are enchanted by lies.

    The danger that The Da Vinci Code presents is the same danger Eve faced in the Garden of Eden. Like the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil, it is not the presence of this movie that is a threat; but rather our disobedient dialoging with devils ABOUT IT; taking our hearts, minds and attention away from God's Word and redirecting our focus toward doubts, desires and delusions until they become stronger within us than our fear of the Lord.

    "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." - Ephesians 5:11

    The Bible does not encourage us to dialogue with devils; we are instead commanded to resist. That is accomplished by proclaiming the Word of God in the face of evil like Jesus did Satan in the wilderness, not by conversing with those who hate God's Word to try and build a relationship FIRST in hopes of persuading them into cooperating LATER. If you do not resist evil, it will not flee from you; it will only befriend you and distract you by your own willingness to engage in faithless chitchat.

    "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith." - 1st Timothy 6:20-21

    While I share the indignation of my brethren over this made-for-profit monstrosity that peddles yet another flesh-friendly Jesus for the Antichrist, I have to ask: Why is the church so indignant over Hollywood's heresy and yet so passive about its own? Why is it acceptable for church growth leaders to twist and theorize their way around the eternal truths of scripture for the sake of a better attendance and offering and not acceptable for Tom Hanks and Ron Howard? I don't know about you, but I'd say The Da Vinci Code is looking more and more like poetic justice for the postmodern church; returning to it a generous portion of the same dialectic poison it's been serving seekers for years.

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    "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." - Galatians 6:7-8

    The Da Vinci Code's blasphemy is nothing new. It's just another highly promoted, celebrity-enhanced, big budget effort to discredit Jesus Christ and His Word. There can be no one-world religion until this happens. THAT is the agenda.

    Even so, I believe the half-truths and heart-felt heresies being sold to seekers at church today are far more dangerous than the boldface lies blaring away down at the Bijou because they come camouflaged as "Christian" and are therefore more believable to the biblically ignorant and spiritually blind, particularity in a church setting where gullible participants go along to get along for the love and acceptance of a compromised collective.

    So, with that in mind, if you're heart is set on seeing The Da Vinci Code, just put your money away and be patient. I'm sure it will end up on the big screen down at your friendly neighborhood mega church. I have no doubt that many of them will start using it to draw crowds for more dialogue.

    Sin, you see, has become an evangelical tool for the postmodern church.

    "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." - 2nd Thessalonians 2:12

(My Note:  Brothers and Sisters, maybe Christians can turn this blasphemy into an opportunity to witness for our Lord and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST. If we don't, the devil will simply use it for his purposes without any opposition.

Amen Brother, I personally would not spend my money on going to see this movie. As you know, Hollywood made a big stink about Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ, the movie didn't even get an honorable mention, but who cares, God certainly will reward Mr. Gibson. I'm sure though that this movie will be getting nominations and awards, just as Broke Back Mountain. Hollywood is satan's favorite tool to use agains Christianity and Jesus. I agree all Christians should be educated enough to be able to answer some of the questions and comments that no doubt will come from unbelievers. I trust that the Holy Spirit will help me when it comes time for me to confront these issues, that is why it is so important to submerge ourselved in God's Word. I also recall seeing a book on how Christians can answer questions and confront issues regarding th Da Vinci Code. I might have seen it on a Christian Book buying club, but I don't recall. It might be worth buying it to use as an additional tool.

Amen sister, hollywood is definitely being used by satan to further his agenda. There have been so many movies made recently that are leading people in the wrong direction. There is no one in my entire family that wants to see this movie, Thank God for that. Most of us are in fact doing quite the opposite. We are telling people that if they want the truth about Jesus to read the Bible. There are many good movies out that would be much more worthwhile seing than this one. Even the three stooges is more edifying than this movie (I always did like their sense of humor).

People in general are lazy PR, especially unbeliever, sometimes I just don't understand it, they would rather spend their money, sit in a theater, stuff their faces with popcorn and soda, while they are being fed a LIE. It's so much easier to hold their Bible in their hand and just simply ask God to open their eyes and help tem understand the Bible and they will not only see and understand, but they will be able to help others too. I am praying the the Lord of the Harvest send out more laborers, and I am praying that God will use this evil and turn it to good, I am praying that anyone going to see this movie will be so disgusted by it, that they will be more open to hear the Truth. It's sad, but it's the way humans have become, I compare it to many who hear all their lives that smoking causes cancer, and they wait till they are diagnosed with cancer, then they quit smoking.
I pray that people will open their eyes and see that tomorrow and not even later today belongs to them, it belongs to God only.

Amen sister, AMEN!

*Yawns.*

:D  Hello Sapphire, I'm happy to see your excitement over this thread. So, how have you been doing?

Love In Christ,
Tom

Hebrews 10:19-23 NASB  Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

I'm actually doing really well. Having the best school year of my life. Senior year in high school...gotta make the best of it, you know.

But yeah, I really should get around to reading this book...keep hearing rave reviews about it.

I figure, as long as I know the difference, all the religious hoohah doesn't bother me. I'm going to have to deal with it sooner or later in life.

And besides, isn't this book labeled as "FICTION"?

Hey Sapphire, how is your driving going? Got any tickets yet? ;)

Hello Sapphire,

I don't think that Da Vinci is presented as fiction, but that's only one problem. Making God the object of blasphemy and ridicule is not a matter for entertainment. The eternal consequences for many lost people certainly won't be entertaining. If you look at the big picture, it's a very ugly picture that the devil loves.

I would ask any Christian: If today is the end of the age of Grace, would you want your lost friends and family members spending what little time they have left in going to this movie? AND, how do any of us know that we will even be alive tomorrow, regardless of whether this is the end of this age or not? If you knew that today was your last day, what would you do with it?

Love In Christ,
Tom

Hebrews 10:23-25 NASB  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Fiction or not, it blasphemes Jesus and He is REAL. People that don't really know Jesus will not think of it as being fiction.

Amen sister. Anything that blasphemes Jesus should not be taken lightly nor should it be considered good viewing fiction.


2Jo 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Satan's Trap Of Deception

We are seeing more and more of satan's deceptive practices coming to light in the world of today. There is a strong push to get people to think that God and the Bible are simply myth and nothing more. There is the push on evolution that has been ongoing for some years now. There are many cults that have been around for many years and many more forming that would have us believe that if there was a such a person as Jesus then He was nothing more than just a man.. Out of the many of these deceptions is The Da Vinci Code. I have not seen the movie as of yet (naturally as it is not out yet) but if this movie accurately reflects the book then it too is just as blasphemous.

Dan Brown’s bestselling novel—The Da Vinci Code—which has sold 6 million, is the latest Satanic attack against our Lord Jesus Christ and His inerrant Word. Brown seductively weaves a highly imaginative story in a vain attempt to prove that the Jesus believed by Christians today is not the same Jesus who lived in the first century. According to The Da Vinci Code, the true historical Jesus was only an ordinary man and not God at all.

Brown questions the inspiration, preservation, and canonicity of the Scriptures. The Bible he says, “is a product of man, … Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book. … [T]housands of documents already existed chronicling His life as a mortal man. To rewrite the history books, … Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible, which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ’s human traits and embellished those gospels that made him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up, and burned.”

As far as Brown is concerned, the historical and factual gospels have been destroyed in the 4th century. What remains today are the spurious and fictitious Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John that promote a mythical, godlike Jesus. So, all this while, Christians have been reading the wrong Gospels and believing in a false Jesus!

 How do we know that the Bible today is truly the Word of God, perfect and without mistakes? Simply because God says so! The declaration, “Thus saith the LORD,” or “Hear the Word of the LORD,” or “The LORD spake … saying,” appears over 3,000 times in the Bible. Be not deceived, the Bible is altogether God’s Word, not man’s word. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (theopneustos, literally, “God-breathed”) and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim 3:16-17). The Bible was written over a span of 1,500 years by more than 40 different writers, and despite all its diversity, its miraculous unity is obvious. It goes without saying that though the Bible has many writers, it has but one Author—God Himself. That every one of the OT prophecies concerning Christ’s first coming has been fulfilled precisely proves the Bible’s authenticity (eg, Isa 7:14 cf Matt 1:22-23).

How do we know that the Scriptures that we have today are the true ones, and not those that have been lost for over a thousand years? We know this because God promised to preserve His words perfectly and perpetually. Psalm 12:6-7 says, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” Jesus Himself promised, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt 5:18). “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33). “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

 The Apostle Peter told the Church to trust in “a more sure word of prophecy”—the Holy Scriptures—as written by eyewitnesses: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man (and certainly not by the will of Constantine): but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet 1:20-21).

If we are truly born again and the Spirit of God dwells within us, we cannot but know and believe the Truth of God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:17). “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth … He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13-14). “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (1 John 2:27).

Historical and scientific evidences that prove the Scriptures may be helpful, but ultimately, the only basis of our faith and practice must be the Scriptures and the Scriptures alone. The Perfect Bible (and we have it today and know where it is) is our supreme final authority.

 In The Da Vinci Code, it is Satan’s voice you hear. True Christians will not follow. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life” (John 10:27-28).

We have experienced the good news and resurrection power of Christ in our life, and we cannot deny that our Lord and Saviour is indeed 100% God and 100% Man, and that His Word is 100% inspired and 100% preserved.

It goes without saying that The Da Vinci Code is truly Fiction. The Bible, on the other hand, is purely Fact. We have a Perfect Canon and a Perfect Text. May we never add to it, nor subtract from it (Rev 22:18-19), but love it and obey it (1 John 2:3-6)! “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Ps 11:3).

The Deception of The Da Vinci Code


The Da Vinci Code is a Satanic masterpiece. It is utterly deceptive, and particularly so in Chapter 55. In this chapter, you find the two talking snakes, Teabing and Langdon, seducing Sophie with their sophistry. Alas, the helpless lass is mesmerised, and the serpentine duo go for the jugular with their venom of lies.

Deception #1: Da Vinci’s Fresco Tells the Truth, Not the Bible
 

The Da Vinci Code assumes that Leonardo was telling the truth concerning who Jesus was and what happened in His life. Teabing pontificates, “In fact, Da Vinci painted the true Grail.” At the end of the chapter, Teabing again presses the point that Da Vinci’s fresco is truthful and not the Bible, “You will be shocked to learn what anomalies Da Vinci included here that most scholars either do not see or simply choose to ignore. This fresco [of the Last Supper], in fact, is the entire key to the Holy Grail mystery.”

Refutation

It must be said that Da Vinci, born in 1452 and died in 1519, was not an eyewitness to the Last Supper. How can his painting then be regarded as an authoritative depiction of that event? We should rather trust in eyewitness accounts. Matthew and John who were there recorded what happened during the Last Supper in their respective Gospels. The truth is not in the painting of Da Vinci, but in the testimonies of Matthew and John, and of Peter and Paul as found in Mark and Luke, who wrote under divine inspiration (2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

One proof that Da Vinci’s fresco is historically unreliable is that he painted Jesus and His disciples dining at a long and high table with some sitting down and others standing up. The people in those days did not have their meals in such a way. In those days, they had their meals in a reclining posture. This fact is accurately reported in the Four Gospels where we find Jesus and His disciples reclining on mattresses around a low table during the Last Supper (cf John 13:23, 25).

Deception #2a: If You Believe in the Bible, You Must be Stupid

In order to cause Sophie to doubt, Teabing made her read a couple of Da Vinci’s sayings that demean believers of the supernatural and miraculous. Quotation of Da Vinci #1 reads, “Many have made a trade of delusions and false miracles, deceiving the stupid multitude.” In other words, Sophie is made to think that anyone who believes that the Bible is a supernatural God-given Book, and that the miracles recorded therein are true, must be simple-minded and stupid.

Refutation

People ought to realise that Da Vinci is but a creature, and not the Creator. Da Vinci is dead, but Jesus is alive (1 Cor. 15:1-20). As such, it is not what Da Vinci says in his paintings that we should worry about, but what Jesus the risen Lord says in His Word.

Who are the fools in God’s eyes? They are those who deny His existence and His miracles. Twice in the Psalms, God says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Ps. 14:1, 53:1). The judgement of such fools as recorded in Romans 1:18-22 applies to Teabing, Langdon, and the author Brown himself, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” The truly blind are they who deny the miracle of creation, even the Creator God—the Lord Jesus Christ—Himself (John 1:3, Col. 1:16).

Deception #2b: If You Believe in the Bible, You Must be Blind

Quotation of Da Vinci #2 states, “Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!” Teabing could be quoting Da Vinci out of context. Whatever the case may be, Teabing is trying to tell Sophie, “Don’t be blind! Don’t be misled! Stop believing in the Bible! Stop following Christ!”

Refutation

Da Vinci says “Blinding ignorance does mislead us,” and so it does. Jesus speaks against “blinding ignorance” and calls on all to seek and know the truth. “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:6-9).

From where do we seek the Lord? “Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail” (Isa. 34:16). Why the book of the Lord? Because “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.  The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Ps. 19:7-8).

How should we seek the Lord? We should seek Him by faith, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). We do not see in order to believe, we believe in order to see. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). We should seek Him with great reverence, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7). “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Prov. 9:10). 

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Page Two

Deception #3: The Bible is a Product of Man, Not of God

Teabing tells Sophie, “The Bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book. … More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a relative few were chosen for inclusion—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John among them.” Teabing lies to Sophie, “The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great. … Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible, which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ’s human traits and embellished those gospels that made Him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up, and burned.”

Refutation

It is not true that the Four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—were 4th century inventions of Constantine and the Nicaean Council. The Four Gospels were written in AD 40-50 shortly after Christ rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. The Early Church Fathers—Papias (in AD 110) and Irenaeus (in AD 180)—mentioned them by name and affirmed their Apostolic origins. It is thus not the over 80 gospels that Teabing mentioned that were the early and authentic Gospels but the Four that we have in the Canonical Scriptures today, totally inspired and entirely preserved to this day.

It must be pointed out that the over 80 gospels that Teabing regards as authentic do not paint Jesus as a mere mortal at all, but super-divine in a fairy-talely way that can only come from the corrupt imagination of unregenerate men. As a matter of fact, these false gospels deify Mary more than they do Jesus which eventually led to Mary-worship that we see in the Roman Catholic Church today. It is no wonder that God’s people have always rejected those 80 gospels as spurious. A born-again, Spirit-indwelt Christian (John 14:16-17, 1 John 2:27) when reading about the boyhood of Jesus in these false gospels can easily tell that they are myth and not truth (see The Lost Books of the Bible, especially 1 Infancy 14-15, about Jesus being bitten by a mad and demonised Judas, and Jesus being a proud and boastful show-off).

Teabing’s claims that Constantine (1) was “a lifelong pagan who was baptized on his deathbed,” and that he (2) financed a new Bible in AD 327 to consolidate his power as emperor, are lies. The truth is: (1) Constantine lived from AD 285-337, and became a Christian in AD 312—i.e. 25 years before his death! (2) The NT Canon as we know it today existed since the first century. By God’s special providence, it was the Council of Carthage of AD 397 and not the Council of Nicaea AD 327 that settled the NT Canon; this happened 60 years after Constantine’s death!

Teabing says that the Scriptures “evolved,” and there is no such thing as a definitive version of the book. This is nonsense. As already discussed above under “Blasphemy,” the biblical doctrine of the Verbal Plenary Inspiration (VPI) and Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) of the Scriptures tells us that we have an absolutely perfect and definitive Bible today as found in the infallible and inerrant Hebrew and Greek Scriptures underlying the Authorised King James Version. Dr E F Hills of Harvard says that the logic of faith is the key to such a certainty, “You must begin with Christ and the Gospel and proceed according to the logic of faith. This will lead you to the Traditional text, the Textus Receptus and the King James Version.” See Edward F Hills, The King James Version Defended (Des Moines IA: The Christian Research Press, 1984), 220. See also my paper, “A Plea for a Perfect Bible,” The Burning Bush 9 (2003): 1-15.

Deception #4: Jesus was Only a Man, and Not God at All

Teabing says, “Jesus Christ was a historical figure … a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal. … Jesus’ establishment as ‘the Son of God’ was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea. … A relatively close vote at that. … Many scholars claim that the early Church literally stole Jesus from His original followers, hijacking His human message, shrouding it in an impenetrable cloak of divinity, and using it to expand their own power.”

Refutation

The Council of Nicaea was convened to hear the case of Arius, a priest from Alexandria, who taught that Jesus was only half God and not fully God. Arius said that Jesus (1) was a creature and thus not the Creator, (2) had a beginning and thus not eternal, (3) was different from and not the same as God Himself. But God raised up a defender of the faith in Athanasius. In the Council of Nicaea, Athanasius argued from the Scriptures that the Lord Jesus Christ was fully God and fully Man (John 1:1, 14, Col. 2:9, 1 Tim. 3:16), eternally begotten of the Father, not created (John 1:3, 3:16, 18, 10:30, 1 John 4:9). Arius was declared a heretic. The vote was hardly close—315 for Athanasius and only 3 for Arius. Arius was defrocked and excommunicated.

Furthermore, Teabing’s claim that the deity of Christ was a NT invention is not true at all! It was not the NT that first spoke of the deity of Christ but the OT. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy” (2 Pet. 1:19). The OT prophetic Scripture had already made mention of a coming Messiah who would be none other than God Himself. Isaiah 7:14 was one such prophecy, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Jesus Himself fulfilled this prophecy in 5 BC as announced by the angel Gabriel. Jesus was Immanuel, “God with us” (Matt. 1:22-23). It is significant to note that Isaiah’s prophecy of the virgin-born Son of God was given 750 years before Jesus came. It goes without saying that the lie that Jesus was never God but made God by the Council of Nicaea in AD 325 was not Constantine’s invention, but Teabing’s.

Today, Arius’ teaching is found in a cult called the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and in the corrupt modern versions of the Bible (like the NIV) that are based on the Alexandrian text. It would be no surprise if Arius and his followers had altered the inspired text to create their own text to undermine the deity of Christ. It is indeed troubling to note that in the NIV, I Timothy 3:16 should read falsely, “He appeared in a body,” which undermines His deity and humanity. The true reading is, “God was manifest in the flesh” (as accurately and faithfully translated from the original by the KJV) which tells us that Christ is Theanthropos—100% God and 100% Man. Deception abounds today not only in the cults that claim to be “Christian,” but also in the modern versions that claim to be “Holy Bible.”

Deception #5

THE DA VINCI CODE only focuses on those who are part of the "divine bloodline," or those who have special knowledge about God. Thus, the theology of THE DA VINCI CODE is bad news for anyone who wants to be saved. If you don't have special knowledge (as in Gnosticism), and/or are not part of the bloodline, then you will be excluded from salvation.

Refutation

We know this is not true and that God would "have all men to be saved" (1Tim 2:4)


“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Tim. 4:1-2). In the face of such dangers, what must Christians do? The Apostle Paul exhorts, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Tim. 4:16).

May the Lord protect His Church from falling into Satan’s trap of deception.

Brothers and Sisters,

Their is no doubt in my mind that the DaVinci will deceive millions, including many who call themselves Christians. It's simply a slick and well-packaged lie of the devil.

We know that at any given time that hosts of people are considering a decision for Christ. It makes me very sad to know that DaVinci will cause many to die in their sins without JESUS.

Christians should pray and continue to yield to the Will of God in whatever work He has for us to do. We can use this as an opportunity to witness, and we should.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 139:16 NASB  Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

"Da Vinci Code" fuels US religious publishing boom
Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:20 AM ET6

 By Claudia Parsons

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A wave of religious books is coming to bookstores to cash in on "The Da Vinci Code" movie in May, including a book saying Jesus survived crucifixion and an Evangelical novel with a modern-day Mary Magdalene heroine.

Americans are finally able to buy Dan Brown's best seller in paperback on Tuesday, three years after it was first published, and with "Da Vinci Code" fever as strong as ever, it's never been so profitable to write about Christianity.

After Brown's book sold 40 million copies worldwide, books that once might have been released in a limited print run will be stacked at the front of bookstores this spring.

Even Michael Baigent, who sued Brown in a London court this month for plagiarism, is riding on the "Code's" coattails, publishing his latest book, "The Jesus Papers," on Tuesday.

Baigent's previous book examined the controversial idea Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, and had children -- a key plot element in "The Da Vinci Code." His new book suggests Jesus did not die on the cross and lived on for years.

The new batch of "Da Vinci Code" spin-offs comes ahead of the May 19 release of the movie starring Tom Hanks.

Ehud Sperling, publisher of Inner Traditions, already owes a lot to Brown, who credited several of the publisher's books as sources, fueling a jump in sales for unlikely titles.

"The Gospel of Mary Magdalene," one of the so-called Gnostic Gospels not included in the New Testament, has sold more than 100,000 copies. "That's amazing for a translation from the Coptic," said Sperling, who has several new releases.

DEFENDING THE FAITH

Evangelical Christian publisher Tyndale wants to do more than sell books -- it aims to defend the faith. It has created a campaign titled "Da Vinci Didn't Convince Me" aimed at some 2,300 stores in the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA).

"The church needs to equip itself to answer the questions that this movie will raise," said Les Dietzman of CBA member Berean Christian Stores, an Ohio-based chain of 17 bookstores.

Erwin Lutzer's "The Da Vinci Deception" has sold some 300,000 copies. He likened the movie to a "spiritual tsunami."

"'The Da Vinci Code' is the most serious assault against Christianity that I have ever witnessed," Lutzer said.

Lutzer, an Evangelical minister in Chicago, has prepared discussion packs for churches in the Tyndale package.

"The majority of people in our churches are going to see the movie and we're not telling them not to," he said, adding that he plans to see it so as to be able to discuss it.

Karen Kingsbury, a Christian fiction writer whose books have sold more than 4 million copies, has written a new book called "Divine," a parable about a modern Magdalene figure.

"There's different ways you can go after reading 'The Da Vinci Code.' You can just take it as entertainment and walk away or you may say 'I need to learn more about the history.'"

"But maybe even bigger is going to be that our society has a very strong curiosity about Mary Magdalene," Kingsbury said.

Amy Welborn, the Catholic author of "De-Coding Da Vinci" who has written a new book about Magdalene, says she is wary of giving credence to a work of fiction by protesting too much.

"What 'The Da Vinci Code' says about Jesus and Mary Magdalene is silly," she said.

On the more academic side, Oxford University Press is publishing "Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene," by Bart Ehrman.

Ehrman, author of the 2004 book "Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code," said most such books were by Evangelical Christians or Catholics worried about defending the faith.

"That wasn't my concern at all. I'm just interested in the historical issues that 'The Da Vinci Code' raised."

Still he may be popular among such Christians because he says there is no evidence for the marriage of Jesus to Mary Magdalene and he dismisses the more controversial theories put forward by Baigent and others.

"There's not a single scholar on the face of the Earth who buys any of it," Ehrman said.

"Da Vinci Code" fuels US religious publishing boom (http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyid=2006-03-28T161944Z_01_N27277269_RTRUKOC_0_US-LIFE-DAVINCI.xml&rpc=22)

Amen Sister Terri, you know I don't care what other people think or say about me either, as long as God knows that I am His child. I am not on earth to be a people pleaser, I know God doesn't need me I need Him. Too many people want to believe other people opinions and theories and ignore God's Word, too bad that they will learn the truth the hard way. I pray for the lost and the decieved every night.

Sister Terri, My prayers are with you as always.

Dear sister, I am so sorry I didn't return your call my computer was down I just got it fixed this week and it has been a very tough week for me, going to doctor appointments, lab tests, e-rays, more medication, more pain you name it. Please don't hesitate to PM me or call me if you need to. I've been moving very slowly these last few days, I even had to break out my walker which I hadn't used in 5 years. I am here for you so please just let me know. I may try to call you later this afternoon, but I am on some new meds now and they affect me differently, so I don't do much but read the Bible and other Christian books and a lot of praying.  You will not be bothering me I promise, it will do me a lot of good to take my mind off my situation and help you out, we will both be blessed.

'Da Vinci Code' Judge Slams Lawsuit

By JENNIFER QUINN, Associated Press Writer Fri Apr 7, 5:54 PM ET

LONDON - "The Da Vinci Code" author Dan Brown and his publishing house were cleared of copyright infringement in a British court Friday, with the judge finding the lawsuit based on a contrived and "selective number of facts and ideas."

Authors Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh had sued Random House, claiming Brown's best-selling novel "appropriated the architecture" of their 1982 nonfiction book, "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail."

"It would be quite wrong if fictional writers were to have their writings pored over in the way DVC (`Da Vinci Code') has been pored over in this case by authors of pretend historical books to make an allegation of infringement of copyright," Judge Peter Smith said in his 71-page ruling.

Both books explore theories that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, the couple had a child and the bloodline survives, ideas dismissed by most historians and theologians.

"The Da Vinci Code" has sold more than 40 million copies — including 12 million hardcovers in the United States — since its release in March 2003. It came out in paperback in the United States last week, and quickly sold more than 500,000 copies. An initial print run of 5 million has already been raised to 6 million.

Those sales should go even higher with the planned May 19 release of a film version starring
Tom Hanks.

The decision was lauded by Brown, Random House and those who believed the case was a test for fiction authors wanting to use the research of others in their work.

"Cases like this hopefully will clarify what copyright is all about," said Allan Adler, vice president for legal and government affairs at the Association of American Publishers.

"Copyright doesn't protect ideas and copyright doesn't protect facts. That's why we have genres, fiction and nonfiction, and a number of people can write novels based on the same idea and still have freedom of expression."

Brown, who testified for a few days and then returned to his home in New Hampshire, said in a statement that a novelist must "be free to draw appropriately from historical works without fear that he'll be sued and forced to stand in a courtroom that call into question his very integrity as a person."

The case proved a distraction for Brown, who dislikes publicity and has been trying to complete a much-anticipated follow-up to "The Da Vinci Code," and a costly embarrassment for Baigent and Leigh. They spent two years on the lawsuit and nearly $3.5 million, between their own legal expenses, and Random House's fees. Though Smith ruled against allowing the authors to appeal, they can still apply to higher courts.

No decision on an appeal has been made, Leigh said.

The authors must also find an interim payment of $600,000 by May 5. In court, their lawyer said at least one of the claimants will have to sell their home to make the first installment. When Leigh was asked if his house would be going on the market, he smiled and said wryly, "what house?"

Random House may end up the biggest winner. Its legal costs are covered and, as publisher of "The Da Vinci Code" and "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail," it benefits from increasing sales for both books.

After the ruling, Leigh lit up a cigarette at his lawyers' office — "I'm more eloquent when I smoke," he said — and announced that he and his co-author never intended for the case to have an impact on artistic freedom.

"I would simply want the interpretation of that material to be their own," he said. "If it is not their own, I would like it to be acknowledged."

Brown said in his statement that he was "still astonished that these two authors chose to file their suit at all." But he did have kind words for the courthouse itself, hinting fans someday will read more about it.

"I found the London High Court building to be a magnificent example of neo-Gothic architecture," wrote Brown, who set "The Da Vinci Code" in Europe. "I look forward to returning soon to view it from a vantage point other than the witness stand."

'Da Vinci Code' Judge Slams Lawsuit  (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060407/ap_en_ot/da_vinci_lawsuit;_ylt=AswOTP.Q7RSjCI3.eqB1gbes0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3YXYwNDRrBHNlYwM3NjI-)