Daily Encounter: A Biblical Answer to the Da Vinci Code for Friday, May 19, 2006

This makes sense. I share this from Daily Encounter:

Daily Encounter: A Biblical Answer to the Da Vinci Code for Friday, May 19, 2006: "Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by Richard (Dick) Innes of ACTS International

Friday, May 19, 2006

1. A Biblical Answer to the Da Vinci Code

2000 years ago: 'When they [the religious leaders] heard this [Peter and the disciples preaching about Jesus Christ], they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: 'Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God' (Acts 5:33-39, NIV).

In a letter to the editor of the New Zealand Herald newspaper, Barrie McClymont, director of the ACTS International in New Zealand wrote:

'In 1988 I was visiting Universal Studios in Hollywood as a tourist when I witnessed a few hundred people in a nearby section protesting against the film 'The Last Temptation of Christ.' While I understood their purpose I felt that such a public protest was simply drawing attention to the film pointlessly.

'Sure enough the film died a natural death as a piece of nonsense. Most folk today cannot even recall its existence. Over my years I have watched a number of easily forgotten attempts to challenge Christianity with material like the 'Da Vinci Code.' These theories died in short order as will the current material.

'The sub-leader in Monday's New Zealand Herald from the Sunday Telegraph correctly related the material to the G. K. Chesterton quote that 'when a man stops believing in God, he doesn't then believe in nothing, he believes in anything.' The only reason the current Da Vinci Code gets wide attention [in New Zealand] is substantially related to the copyright debate and not to its veracity. These things die on their feet.'"