O, Draconian devil! Oh, lame saint!
Thoughts on da Vinci Code.
Religion had always been a sensitive topic not only in the society I live in, but in my own home as well. In a generation of households where we are raised with the same beliefs and in all hopes a strong faith, religion is still one subject that for the sake of harmony- we try not to tap. Open discussion regarding contradicting opinions on this has never been tackled, not in my family… not until I came across this book.
Growing up in a catholic, although very untraditional home has certainly got my religious ideals mixed up. I started wondering why what is said to be right, what is perceived as a Christian life; these values- the proper preservation of morals and biblical norms are not lived by... and as years came to me, I somehow felt that the rules don’t quite apply anymore. Our religion is and had always been considered the pillar of strength and even the backbone of this society and we have witnessed how opposing it threatens such evident chaos, wars, confusion and pandemonium. I have always wondered why rather than discerning and studying these opposing religious ideas, many retrieve and defensively lash out. As a result, I watch people pretending to live by it, in fear of being condemned by a prejudiced society and denied by an unwelcoming church. I was always told that to question is to doubt, and doubt meant lack of faith… and that the lack of faith in my own religion is evil, so I never did. I wouldn’t even dare think about it- the why’s, how’s, and what if’s, I have tried to dismiss… but I needed answers. And if questioning my own faith meant I lack confidence in my own religion, then maybe I do. Maybe I need to seek answers in order to realize where my faith lies.
I had always been curious about this book. I have heard it about a dozen times from friends, saw it displayed in every bookstore on my usual visits, when finally I got a hold of it. And let me tell you, just the mere presence of the Da Vinci Code lying on my shelves alone has raised tension in our house. But I was glued to it; the intrigues it brought fueled my curiosity to a point that (due to my ignorance on the history of my religion, of other religions and theology), I found myself researching on the subjects and historical origins of Paganism, the Vatican and Opus Dei. I couldn’t read through the pages of this book without knowing enough or at least having a basic significant knowledge of it. More so, I needed to know if the locations are real and if most of the information is based on facts.
Admittedly my confused perceptions on religion got even more confused, and my thoughts were bewildered. History is for the winners? Fabricated truths? Jesus is married? Sang Real? The Holy Grail is Mary Magdalene? Even after tedious research I never did know if any of these are true, but then again, so is the Bible. Here’s what I know, if the slightest possibility do exist, and if in the near future it’s proven to be in fact accurate, it does not change my faith in any way. And I still believe in the same things, although I look at the Catholic Church rather differently now, it’s flawed… but what isn’t? It’s human. I believe all religions are flawed for man is flawed. Even if given foundation, it is still man who built upon this foundation alone.
My dad thought this book is purely based on assumptions and false theories. My tito joey also refers to it as ‘the work of the devil’. My mom said she would not even touch it claiming her faith is too strong to entertain such, while my younger sister for the lack of a fundamental opinion sided with her. When I had first heard of its controversies, I too thought of the same things. Back then, I stood firmly right where they are. But I realized now, that it was just out of fear- in a ‘this is how I’m suppose to react when my religion is opposed’ kind of way. In the bosom of my heart, due to my urge to quest and the discontentment of my mind, I felt that I can’t give a concrete opinion on something I knew nothing of. So here, now I can. I then bravely raised the questions and freed all of doubts; in a table of people ready to lash me with scorning judgment, the first question I asked; “Has any of you actually read the book?” And as expected, almost instantly my opinions were dismissed.
“The new millennium has passed, we are now entering The Age of Aquarius—the water bearer—whose ideals claim that man will learn the truth and be able to think for himself.”
I’d like to think that what I’ve embarked on is a quest to make myself aware of the different beliefs there are, even if they are contrary to mine. It has challenged the concepts I have been accustomed to my entire life. Some never even touched a book or considered entertaining thoughts of another religion… only the brave venture out to do so. It takes guts to be open-minded, to be able to consider the possibility that the religion we were rooted upon is not the religion we would be most at ease and in spiritual link with... I have.
Faith is the acceptance of that what we imagine to be true although we cannot prove it, we still choose to believe in. I am sticking with the story I grew up with, the one I choose to believe… the origin of my faith; where my one belief that there is an almighty God, seeps through.
Religion had always been a sensitive topic not only in the society I live in, but in my own home as well. In a generation of households where we are raised with the same beliefs and in all hopes a strong faith, religion is still one subject that for the sake of harmony- we try not to tap. Open discussion regarding contradicting opinions on this has never been tackled, not in my family… not until I came across this book.
Growing up in a catholic, although very untraditional home has certainly got my religious ideals mixed up. I started wondering why what is said to be right, what is perceived as a Christian life; these values- the proper preservation of morals and biblical norms are not lived by... and as years came to me, I somehow felt that the rules don’t quite apply anymore. Our religion is and had always been considered the pillar of strength and even the backbone of this society and we have witnessed how opposing it threatens such evident chaos, wars, confusion and pandemonium. I have always wondered why rather than discerning and studying these opposing religious ideas, many retrieve and defensively lash out. As a result, I watch people pretending to live by it, in fear of being condemned by a prejudiced society and denied by an unwelcoming church. I was always told that to question is to doubt, and doubt meant lack of faith… and that the lack of faith in my own religion is evil, so I never did. I wouldn’t even dare think about it- the why’s, how’s, and what if’s, I have tried to dismiss… but I needed answers. And if questioning my own faith meant I lack confidence in my own religion, then maybe I do. Maybe I need to seek answers in order to realize where my faith lies.
I had always been curious about this book. I have heard it about a dozen times from friends, saw it displayed in every bookstore on my usual visits, when finally I got a hold of it. And let me tell you, just the mere presence of the Da Vinci Code lying on my shelves alone has raised tension in our house. But I was glued to it; the intrigues it brought fueled my curiosity to a point that (due to my ignorance on the history of my religion, of other religions and theology), I found myself researching on the subjects and historical origins of Paganism, the Vatican and Opus Dei. I couldn’t read through the pages of this book without knowing enough or at least having a basic significant knowledge of it. More so, I needed to know if the locations are real and if most of the information is based on facts.
Admittedly my confused perceptions on religion got even more confused, and my thoughts were bewildered. History is for the winners? Fabricated truths? Jesus is married? Sang Real? The Holy Grail is Mary Magdalene? Even after tedious research I never did know if any of these are true, but then again, so is the Bible. Here’s what I know, if the slightest possibility do exist, and if in the near future it’s proven to be in fact accurate, it does not change my faith in any way. And I still believe in the same things, although I look at the Catholic Church rather differently now, it’s flawed… but what isn’t? It’s human. I believe all religions are flawed for man is flawed. Even if given foundation, it is still man who built upon this foundation alone.
My dad thought this book is purely based on assumptions and false theories. My tito joey also refers to it as ‘the work of the devil’. My mom said she would not even touch it claiming her faith is too strong to entertain such, while my younger sister for the lack of a fundamental opinion sided with her. When I had first heard of its controversies, I too thought of the same things. Back then, I stood firmly right where they are. But I realized now, that it was just out of fear- in a ‘this is how I’m suppose to react when my religion is opposed’ kind of way. In the bosom of my heart, due to my urge to quest and the discontentment of my mind, I felt that I can’t give a concrete opinion on something I knew nothing of. So here, now I can. I then bravely raised the questions and freed all of doubts; in a table of people ready to lash me with scorning judgment, the first question I asked; “Has any of you actually read the book?” And as expected, almost instantly my opinions were dismissed.
“The new millennium has passed, we are now entering The Age of Aquarius—the water bearer—whose ideals claim that man will learn the truth and be able to think for himself.”
I’d like to think that what I’ve embarked on is a quest to make myself aware of the different beliefs there are, even if they are contrary to mine. It has challenged the concepts I have been accustomed to my entire life. Some never even touched a book or considered entertaining thoughts of another religion… only the brave venture out to do so. It takes guts to be open-minded, to be able to consider the possibility that the religion we were rooted upon is not the religion we would be most at ease and in spiritual link with... I have.
Faith is the acceptance of that what we imagine to be true although we cannot prove it, we still choose to believe in. I am sticking with the story I grew up with, the one I choose to believe… the origin of my faith; where my one belief that there is an almighty God, seeps through.
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