Tuesday, April 18, 2006

SHILOHMAN'S BOOK CORNER


FOR THE SELECTIVE READER

Has anyone read “The DaVinci Code” yet? There is a lot of conversation out here in the Mecca of the Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church of America. With the movie, starring Tom Hanks, nearing its release date, the discussions are starting to get rather hot and heavy. Evangelical world seems to be panicking. If you listen to what is being said you might come to the conclusion that Christianity is about to be overwhelmed by a tsunami of heretical worshippers of the Mother goddess. Holy Grail, Batman! It’s Armageddon!

I am an avid reader. I love novels. Especially historical fiction. “The DaVinci Code” would seem to be right down my alley. But I have an issue. I never read the really “hot” titles. I don’t like to read what everyone is raving about. I don’t know what that says about me. I should probably see a therapist about it. For example, I have yet to meet anyone from my era who did not read at least one C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien book, or at least something by the Inklings, while they were at Wheaton. I was so sick of hearing about Modern Mythology that I refused to read any of it. (Let me admit how stupid that was and how much I regret it. If Dr. Kilby was still alive and teaching I would go back now just to take his classes!) The point is, I have refused to read “The DaVinci Code.”

But there’s something that bothers me more than the faddish libre du jour. It’s when the evangelicals go into a rage about something and start getting all up in arms. You know what I mean. Remember “The Last Temptation of Christ?” And there are all those frantic emails that fly around every couple of years about Madeline Murray O’Hare pushing a bill through Congress to outlaw religious broadcasting. (I just got one of those a month ago and the woman is dead!) And of course there was that outrage over Disney’s promotion of the New Age Movement in Pocahontas. Those are the kinds of things that made me decide I had to be something other than an evangelical. (Those things and Pat Robertson!) So I decided to read “The DaVinci Code” and see what the threat is all about.

I read it yesterday. Remember, Monday is my day off so I don’t have to do religious stuff on Mondays. (No, I’m not a super fast reader. The print is big and there are over 100 chapters with a lot of blank pages. By the way, that’s a good way to bulk up your manuscript and make your book look like an academic tome!) Here’s my review:

I LOVED IT! Dan Brown has written a real page-turner! He has obviously done his research into the history (mythology?) of the Grail. He picks up on the idea of Jesus marrying Magdalene and carries it to its logical conclusion. There is a lot of action and the book moves along very quickly. There is tension and mystery. He puts out all kinds of strands of information that he weaves together brilliantly to a not-so-surprising ending. His character development is excellent; you really begin to relate to the characters and I always think that is important to one’s enjoyment of a book.

But what about the heretical message the book is putting forward? First of all, I don’t know if Dan Brown even believes what he’s written about the divine feminine, the Mother Goddess, Jesus and Magdalene, or the descendants of Jesus. Bluntly, I don’t see how he could. One doesn’t need an advanced degree in textual criticism or even a Bible degree from Wheaton (which I don’t have) to see the huge holes in theory. It is so blatantly fictional that I find it hard to take seriously. Brown just seems too bright to ignore the non sequiturs. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I have heard the complaint that this book has been instrumental in shaking peoples’ faith. Well, I’m not really sure that having one’s faith shaken occasionally is a bad thing. I would also suggest that if a book like this can cause someone to doubt their faith then he should think through his faith very carefully and see what it was built upon in the first place!

Here’s what I think. Followers of Jesus should probably read “The DaVinci Code” because it will give them a great opportunity to do some thinking before the movie comes out. Once the movie hits the theaters I can almost guarantee you that it will be the topic of conversation at your favorite pub or coffee joint. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to discuss it intelligently? People will be asking questions, I want to be able to sit there and talk about them while we watch the evangelicals picket the theater across the street.

Thanks again! It’s so kind of you to stop by!

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, I have read this book and I personally didn't think it was worthy of all the hype. My first problem with the story started with the death of the old man in the museum. After being mortally wounded he set off on a mission of setting up more riddles with his blood, body and soul than anyone could ever accomplish in one week while feeling well, let alone carrying a bullet in their gut. These impossible literary feats are too much for me, so it was all downhill from there.

Of course, this was just the beginning of a night which then goes on for the remainder of the book. The title could have been "The Longest Night"...ever.

12:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sorry this book is not for me. I'm too busy studying up on faith-centered eco-friendly farming techniques.
And protesting the WTO.

3:53 AM  
Blogger Shiloh Guy said...

Dear YBoSC,

Oh! You are so right! And that's why they call it FICTION!

Maybe I'm too easily entertained?

You should go home! Seattle is making you surly! Or maybe get Mrs. YBoSC up there sooner!

8:20 AM  
Blogger OG said...

Lame, lame, lame - and so was his Angels and Demons. Brown should have been sued for lameness, not copyright infringement.

You want historical fiction interwoven with the religious and/or mystical? try Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose or his brilliant Foucault's Pendulum.

11:54 PM  
Blogger Shiloh Guy said...

Dear OG,

Wow! You guys are pretty tough literary critics! I'm kind of embarrassed that I really enjoyed a book that you guys think is so lousy! Perhaps I should seriously consider retiring the Book Corner?

I'm wondering why I liked it so much, because I really did like it. Could it be that after all the negative evangelical hype I heard about it that I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't at all what I was expecting? It's true that I was expecting some savage attack on Christianity that would present a cohesive argument requiring thought and hard work to dispute. When I found what I considered to be an interesting story, I was pleasantly surprised.

Or, maybe I'm just not as sharp as you guys?

It's very likely the latter.

Thanks for your recommendations. It is from recommendations from friends that I have discovered all the good authors I read. (Well, at least I thought they were good authors.) I'll read your recommendations soon and I'll let you know what I think if Shilohman's Book Corner still exists!

Thanks for your input!

7:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't be so hard on yourself. The whole world loved this book, even Tom Hanks - a real great guy!

12:43 PM  
Blogger Yakimaniac said...

No no! Don't close down the Book Nook just yet. There is much to discuss on the topic of books and you're just getting started.

I have not read Dan Brown. Too busy with other authors. The brothers Yak are always swapping their books with each other. I just finished Heart of Oak by Tristan Jones, borrowed from the YB of YAK. A pretty good tale from the experiences of a Royal Navy "Matelot" on destroyers in WWII.

I agree with Og: Umberto Ecco's Name of the Rose is great! My son loved it even though a teenager.

Keep up the good work! The Cardinal's Book Nook is the next big thing here on the Quadblog!
Mr. Yak

4:00 PM  
Blogger OG said...

Not to pick a nit, but ECCO is a Danish shoe designer, Eco is the author.

And Tom Hanks seems like a nice guy, but he got paid to make that movie.

5:40 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home