Bible-based Christian Network Intel

Separating Fact from Fiction

Series schedule: November 2: Is history written by the winners? What are the facts about Constantine and his influence in shaping the beliefs of one third of our planets' population? November 9: Was the Holy Grail a person? Who were the Gnostics? Was there a secret society in France that was set up to protect the truth? November 16: Did Leonardo da Vinci use his art to communicate secret knowledge about the Grail? Is there any proof that he was a grand master of the Priory of Sion? November 23 or 30: What happened to the divine feminine? Has it been suppressed by those in authority? DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Locations Hawthorne Farm HF3-114 RSVP to Steve Ouzts Light lunch available for $5 Aloha AL3-222 RSVP to Nathan Monger Amber Glen AG4-108 RSVP to Sylvia Ayala Jones Farm JF3-203 RSVP to Chris Carlson Ronler Acres RA2-212 RSVP to Richard Crowley Folsom Nov 2: FM4-219 Nov 9: FM7-113, Nov 16: FM4-109, Nov 23: FM RSVP to: Lesley Artyn Burke DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Time for brief Q&A at end of presentation Please write longer questions on comment cards provided. DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction Questions & Answers

“…This fresco, in fact, is the entire key to the Holy Grail mystery. Da Vinci lays it all out in the open in The Last Supper.” The DaVinci Code p. 236 “…The Last Supper practically shouts at the viewer that Jesus and Magdalene were a pair.” The DaVinci Code p. 244 DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

“the Holy Grail is a person?” Langdon nodded. “A woman, in fact.” The DaVinci Code p. 237 “A woman who carried with her a secret so powerful that, if revealed, it threatened to devastate the very foundation of Christianity.” The DaVinci Code p. 239 DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

“This is the woman who singlehandedly could crumble the Church?” “that, my dear, is Mary Magdalene.” The DaVinci Code p. 243 DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

“It’s a matter of historical record.”… The DaVinci Code p. 244 ”…the marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene is part of the historical record.” …”moreover, Jesus as a married man makes infinitely more sense than our standard biblical view of Jesus as a bachelor.” The DaVinci Code p. 245 DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

“The Gospel of Philip is always a good place to start.” Sophie read the passage: And the companion of the Saviour is Mary Magdalene. Christ loved her more than all the disciples and used to kiss her often on her mouth. The rest of the disciples were offended by it and expressed disapproval. They said to him, “Why do you love her more than all of us?” The DaVinci Code p. 246 DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

“…According to these unaltered gospels, it was not Peter to whom Christ gave directions with which to establish the Christian Church. It was Mary Magdalene.” The DaVinci Code p. 248 DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

“Behold,” Teabing proclaimed, “the greatest cover-up in human history. Not only was Jesus Christ married, but He was a father. My dear, Mary Magdalene was the Holy Vessel. She was the chalice that bore the royal bloodline of Jesus Christ. She was the womb that bore the lineage, and the vine from which the sacred fruit sprang forth!” The DaVinci Code p. 249 DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

“According to the Priory,” Teabing continued. “Mary Magdalene was pregnant at the time of the crucifixion. For the safety of Christ’s unborn child, she had no choice but to flee the Holy Land. With the help of Jesus’ trusted uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalene secretly traveled to France, then known as Gaul. There she found safe refuge in the Jewish Community. It was here in France that she gave birth to a daughter. Her name was Sarah.” The DaVinci Code p. 255 DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Dan Brown’s Claims Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had a daughter through which the Merovingian dynasty was formed (and founded Paris, France). p 255, 57 Jesus wanted the leader of the Church to be Mary Magdalene not the apostle Peter. p 253 Leonardo Da Vinci knew about this. p 244 Priory of Sion had the duty to keep this quiet, protect the documents and bloodline. p 258 The Church agreed to a standoff with Priory of Sion. p 267 DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Exhibit A, The Last Supper Not an orthodox fresco Took 3 years to complete Deteriorated in Leonardo’s lifetime Restored many times From John’s Gospel –No chalice mentioned in John’s Gospel –No Eucharist described in John’s Gospel Letter “M” is a stretch Compare John to LDV’s John the Baptist DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction The Last Supper

DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction The Last Supper, Jesus (detail)

DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction The Last Supper, Peter & John (detail)

DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction The Last Supper, before restoration (detail)

DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction The Last Supper, after restoration (detail)

DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction Last Supper, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan

DB’s Claims about The Priory of Sion Founded in 1099—is a real organization. p 1 under FACT: Spun off the Knights Templar to retrieve a collection of secret documents from beneath the ruins of the temple. When the Vatican obliterated the KT, the Priory hid the documents The documents hold the secret of the Holy Grail DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

The Priory of Sion The real organization lasted from 1099 to 1617 as an authentic Catholic monastic order. Never had any influence over the Templars and does not exist today as a legitimate order, Catholic or otherwise. New organization with that name constructed its fiction of the bloodline of Jesus. Founded 1956 Idea came from German doctoral dissertation in 1928 known as Ninth Century. Picked up as fact in non-fiction book Holy Blood/Holy Grail DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Who were the Gnostics? Term to describe dozens of rival sects Expelled from Christianity in 1 st -4 th cent. Gnosis, Greek word for knowledge given to a special few Existed prior to Christianity We knew about them only through critics until 19 th century Writings rejected by churches very early Some writings discovered in DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Mary Magdalene Mary was not a prostitute Jesus cast seven demons from her She was from the town of Magdala Supported Jesus’ ministry She was a witness to the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus She was confused with other women in the Gospels by Pope Gregory (in the West), corrected during Vatican II DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

No references to marriage None of the Gnostic gospels within the Nag Hammadi library—the Gospel of Truth, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip— contain any references to a marriage between Mary Magdalene and Jesus. The Gospel of Mary also is silent on the issue. The Greek word for companion also means partner in faith. Word “mouth” is guessed at, missing in document. DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Jesus never Married Had Jesus been married, certainly Paul would have mentioned it in his first letter to the Corinthians in which he defends his and Barnabas’ right to be married. He mentions that some of the apostles and brothers of Jesus, even Peter, are married, but does not say anything about Jesus. DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Where does Dan Brown get his ideas? Misunderstanding of John’s Gospel Misunderstanding of Leonardo’s painting of The Last Supper Misunderstanding of Gnostic Gospel of Philip DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Why did Dan Brown put so much false information in his book? Carelessness, Incompetence, Flawed research, Deliberate distortion and outright deception,…or He wanted to promote spiritual discussion DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Questions & Answers DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Series schedule: November 2: Is history written by the winners? What are the facts about Constantine and his influence in shaping the beliefs of one third of our planets' population? November 9: Was the Holy Grail a person? Who were the Gnostics? Was there a secret society in France that was set up to protect the truth? November 16: Did Leonardo da Vinci use his art to communicate secret knowledge about the Grail? Is there any proof that he was a grand master of the Priory of Sion? November 23 or 30: What happened to the divine feminine? Has it been suppressed by those in authority? DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Locations Hawthorne Farm HF3-114 RSVP to Steve Ouzts Light lunch available for $5 Aloha AL3-222 RSVP to Nathan Monger Amber Glen AG4-108 RSVP to Sylvia Ayala Jones Farm JF3-203 RSVP to Chris Carlson Ronler Acres RA2-212 RSVP to Richard Crowley DaVinci Code Separating Fact from Fiction

Bible-based Christian Network Intel