The DaVinci Code

Dan Brown

Billions of words and tens of thousands of commentaries have been written about The DaVinci Code. There’s also been an awful lot written about a code that DaVinci might have created…..

Where to begin to provide a meaningful commentary from a Masonic perspective on the current craze? Perhaps with three words: “It’s a NOVEL!” That means – simply and plainly – that it’s a made-up story. Dan Brown’s introduction notwithstanding, anyone with a modicum of intelligence can easily figure out that the Priory of Sion HOAX is – well – a HOAX! And that Mr. Brown’s page-turner has only a far thinner attachment to truth than the plot set-up would have you believe.

We’re going to keep this brief because in reality, there’s not too very much to say. Some time ago in an airport we picked up a copy of Deception Point, another of Mr. Brown’s novels. It was a coast-to-coast flight and we’d finished it before touching down, leaving it on the airplane seat. Good read: just the genre that we find appealing. Angels & Demons? Bought it. Skimmed it. Didn’t get too very excited.

But back to the DaVinci Code: what seems so particularly intriguing is that if you’re a Mason, it’s all about the Masons. Conversely, if you’re into feminism, it’s all about the feminine mystique. And if you’re a devout Catholic (or Catholic-hater), it’s all about Opus Dei. SO many perspectives for one simple book but it’s a story book that’s a tale and nothing more. Entrancing, easily read, and a ‘great yarn’ (somewhat) but that’s where it ends.

There are a lot of folks who are now taking up the cause of book burning once again, crying "Blasphemy" as loud as they can. They want to boycott the movie, take economic measures against theatres that show it, have those who attend fried in cod liver oil and who knows what else. In some strange way, it's a bit like the recent splash over the Danish cartoons that so offended Muslims - but don't tell the Christians that!

Mr. Brown is reportedly preparing a new book (at one point rumored to have the title of ‘The Solomon Key’) for release in 2007 (pushed back from 2006) with - supposedly - Freemasonry as the central plot line. We’ll be back with some pithy commentary on that but for the DaVinci Code: well, we’ll wait for the DVD release.

Want to read some actual FACTS about the Priory of Sion hoax? Head to www.priory-of-sion.com where there’s a LOT of great documentation including some debunking of the Hiram Key. It should be noted that there are now MANY sites that attempt to capitalize on the Priory of Sion name in webspace with most being simple 'hoohey', designed to throw ads at you (at best) or take over your computer (at least). Those who have profited greatly from the hoax don't like priory-of-sion.com very much since it really does debunk their foolishness.

There is also an interesting page at http://www.fiu.edu/~mizrachs/poseur3.html where the author acknowledges that his original assumptions about the Priory of Sion have been debunked - and that the story, like SO many of these things that wind up as block-buster novels/movies, is nothing more than FANTASY. Is there more to the story? Who knows - but there aren't a bunch of albino priests running around trying to murder folks NOR are Masons keeping some secret about Jesus' life/death that the Catholic Church has suppressed. (However, if you talk very nicely to me, I might be convinced to share with you the super-secret egg salad recipe that Masons hold so dear....)

And what about the book that started the current craze of Templar/Masonic fantasy? The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail is an interesting book but not one we’d think would stand the scrutiny of a Master’s Thesis. We note that the authors have managed to boost their sales tremendously through their ill-fated lawsuit against Mr. Brown.

We should mention too that the website at http://prioryofsion.com/ - a name that was taken well before the current craze - is that of Thom Hartmann who now lives and works in Vermont. In a strange twist of things, this site's author once upon a time "worked" for Thom who was the Wizop and owner of a large number of CompuServe's forums. No pay and long hours but lots of fun as an online volunteer at a time when various 'movers and shakers' in business came to CompuServe for answers to their day-to-day problems. Thom had run a very successful newsletter business in Georgia and has transitioned to political commentary. He is an EXPERT on ADHD (although his ideas do not always set well with the 'drug-'em' medical establishment) and he has written some VERY insightful books on the ecology of our planet. Should you wind up at his site, you may wish to buy a book and learn what he's all about. Great guy whom I hope to meet some day. And while Thom is not a Mason, he was willing to take the Masonry Forum on CompuServe under his wing as their then-confused management was attempting to make changes that led to the company's loss of dominance in the online community.

And one last thing: if you've got a high-speed connection and really want a howl about the foolishness of it all, head to this link and watch the movie. Talk about funny....