With all the hype about the Da Vinci Code, our kids are sure to be interested in it.  So, why not use it as a tool for ministry.  Ask a couple kids to spend a summer afternoon with you at the movies.

Let’s face it, it’s a good movie and not particularly “bad” when it comes to language and that sort of thing.

If you watch it with your kids, here’s a list of 4 things you can discuss with them.  These are “at least” four of the untruths from the movie (and book) along with Bible verses.

1. That Scripture is not accurate.
2. That Jesus Christ is not God.
3. That Jesus was married and fathered a child.
4. That Scripture has been changed in order for women to be oppressed.

1. Scripture is accurate. - The other supposed Gospels, with the exception of 1 or 2 were all written over 100 years after Christ was crucified. Unlike the 4 gospels included in the New Testament, these other gospels had absolutely no eye witness accounts from which to draw their information.

2. Jesus is God. – Jesus claimed to be God over and over again. To the Pharisees, he exclaimed “Before Abraham was, I Am,” the same term used by God when he came to Moses in the burning bush. Jesus also said “I and the Father are one.” And, he also never stopped anyone from worshipping him. If he weren’t God, but were a “good” man, he would have surely stopped them.

3. Jesus was not married. There is no account anywhere, (even in the unincluded “gospels”) that Jesus was married. Dr. Hunter pointed out a humorous example of an instance that Jesus himself sort of proved he wasn’t married. When Christ was on the cross, he calls out to John and says that John is to take Mary (Jesus’ mother) as his mother. Likewise, Mary is to take John as her son. Now, Mary Magdalene was sitting right there, too. For Jesus to have ignored his wife in this situation would have been ridiculous.

4. Scripture consistently supports the equality of women. It was the woman at the well to whom Jesus first revealed who he truly was, and it was another woman to whom he first came when he was resurrected. Both of which he told to go and tell others, giving them an apostolic duty. Paul does make a distinction between men & women when it comes to overseeing the organization of the church, but these passages are not oppressive toward women.

My pastor, Dr. Joel Hunter, did an entire sermon on it.  Here’s the mp3 you can download.

Da Vinci Humor

From Youthblog…

I’m told that a Theologian was asked by Radio 4 to comment on the book and his reply was rather dismissive, consisting merely of, “Did you ask a marine Biologist to comment on Finding Nemo?”

Second was from Tom Hanks when asked if he and his wife had qualms about the story. His reply,
“No, absolutely not. My heritage, and that of my wife, suggests that our sins have been taken away, not our brains.”

More:  Here’s an article about the Da Vinci Code from Christianity Today: Breaking the Da Vinci Code.