Fiction Facts versus Arturo Soto, MBA - Riga, May 2006.

fiction

Facts versus

Arturo Soto, MBA - Riga, May 2006

1. Introduction

2. The New Testament

3. Jesus and the Church

4. Other arguments on various issues

5. Opus Dei

Facts versus fiction

He was a teacher and a philosopher of peace and love

He wants to reestablish devotion to goddesses His wife was Magdalene (Holy Grail), He entrusted

to her his new movement and she gave birth to his offspring

Thirsty for power Peter from envy took control of the Church

Magdelene has to flee to France, where her child grows and begins the secret family of Jesus, which is constantly persecuted by representatives of “Peter’s Church”

BROWN’s “Real” history of Jesus

The Prioiry of Sion saved the true story of Jesus:

Merovingai, Da Vinci (saved the secret in pictures),famous scientists, knights templar

Opus Dei is currently the Church’s tool for destroying the secret

BROWN’s “Real” history of Jesus

Other arguments onDa Vinci

Until now “history is written by the victors” – the Church from the time of Constantine. “All for power”

Constantine forced bishops to accept a list of books of the Bible (the canon) and gave all power to Peter’s Church

The dominant church condemned other viewpoints Discrimination against women also started within the

church, against the will of Jesus

What documents does Brown use for support?

The cup of the Holy Grail: 1981 „Holy Blood and Holy Grail“. M. Baigent (psychologist), R. Leigh (author), H. Linoln (TV director).

„Templar Revelation“ L. Pichnett ir C. Prince (parapsychologist and alien specialist)

Goddess and Saint Mary Magdaliene: „The Woman With the Alabaster Jar“ M. Starbird: „it’s a fiction“ he admitted himself.

Gnostic Gospels

IN COURT FOR PLAGIARISM

FACTS The Gnostic “Gospels”

Gnosticism was a complex philosophy, a fashion on some intellectuals:

SincretismDualismOcultAntifeminist viewpoint.

The “gospels” of Thomas ir Phillip: II-V century texts,written not by direct witnesses of Jesus .

Jesus’s words were adapted according to gnostic ideas.

There is no hint of a marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdelene.

From the gospel of Phillip

From the parchment: “And the friend (...) Mary of Magdalene (...) she more than (...) the disciples kissed him (...)”

Da Vinci Code distortion : “And the Savior had a friend Mary Magdalene.

Christ gave her priority, often kissing her on the lips”

„Peacefully, its only a novel, nothing to worry about“

The author said, “all the art,architecture, documents and secret rituals described in this novel are real ir exact.”

He wants to “reveal the true history of humanity

(www.danbrown.com)

2. The New Testament

Da Vinci code: In the beginning there were about 80 gospels

and thousands of texts about Jesus.

„God didn’t send the Bible by fax...“

The victors chose the gospels they preferred most

FACTS 2. The New TestamentThe faith of the Church:

God didn’t leave books. He left people The first five decades Christians lived out their faith

without writings, for them the Old Testament and apostles examples and teachings were sufficient

Revelation of God were transferred from time to time from one community to another.

With the passage of time some documents were considered authoritative sources:

they appeared at the time of the Apostles or first witnesses of Christ;

they were used everywhere in liturgical rites;

FACTS history says...

33 years after Ch. 15010065

4 Gospels

32 years

122 years

Gnostic gospels

Are the Gnostic gospels more believable than the New Testament?

NO

Authors When written

The oldest copy

Span of years

Copies

Julius Ceasar 100-44 after Christ

900 after Christ

1,000 10

Aristotel 384 – 322 after Christ.

1,100 after Christ

1,400 5

Erodot 480 – 425 after Christ

900 after Christ

1,300 8

Demosten 283 – 222 after Christ

1,100 after Christ

1,300 200

Gospels 60-100

After Christ

150 after Christ

50 5400

Other ancient texts

FACTS 2. New Testament 100 AD there is already rules of faith

everywhere Most of the Christian writers are cited Used everywhere in liturgy It’s the best remaining and best documented

collection of ancient texts There are more than 5400 handwritten copies

saved in various libraries of the world 98 % of the New Testament handwritten

documents are identical to the current

FACTS 2. The New Testament

About 150 AD:All bishops recognised 4 gospelsOnly when the freedom to meet came

about, 393 AD Hippo meeting (and not 313 AD as stated by Brown) the bishops decided officially which Bible books are inspired by God according to tradition.

Gnostic books denied Jesus’ humanity.

According to Brown

Until 313 AD. Nobody believed in Jesus' divinity

Current Christianity was thought up by the Emperor Constantine.

Jesus was a clever teacher. There were thousands of texts about His humanity

spread everywhere. Constantine brought together the bishops in Nicea

so that they would pronounce Jesus’ divinity, though none believed it.

Did no one believe in

Jesus’s divinity until 313 AD?

FACTS persecutions until 313 AD

Pagan documents of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd centuries: Tacit, Svetonijus Celsas. Roman empire’s acts of martyrs. Witnesses of Passiones.

„Dark witnesses of Christians“, „hated peoples’ relations“, „disastrous superstition“, „they have their god and don’t want to sacrifice to the gods of the Roman Empire “

FACTS the Pagans wrote:

108 AD Plinijus wrote for the Emperor Trajan

“They usually come together and pray to Jesus as God on the established day before dawn. They also pledge themselves...”

FACTS From Neron’s (54-68 AD)

Religio illicita

What awaited the “first victors”?

Peter, Phillip and Andrew were crucified. Paul was beheaded, Jacob was chopped up, John was sent into excile and thrown into a boiling vat of oil, Thomas was killed with a spear in a stove, Jacob was beaten to death with a stick and stones, Baltram’s skin was pierced, Matt was killed with a sword, Judas Tadas was beaten with a stick, Simon was cut in half with a saw, Mattias was killed with an axe.

FACTS persecutions until 313 AD Domicion (81-96 AD) Trajan (108 AD) Here 10,000 died. Antonin Pijus (138-161 AD) Marcus Aurelijus (161-180 AD) Komodas (180-192 AD) Septimijus Severas (193-211 AD) Maksimas Traksas (235-238 AD) Especially Rome’s 1000 aniversary (248 AD) people’s

energetically raised against them. Decijus (249-251 AD) Valerijonas (253- 260 AD) Diokecianas (284-305 AD)

Other questions: Why didn’t it tolerate them

when Rome tolerated all philosophies and religions?

Why kill worshipers of goddesses if this was accepted in ancient Rome?

Why would people gives their lives for the “teacher” of this movement?

Through 11 persecution periods several hundred thousand people were discriminated against, tortured in stadiums, thrown into boiling old, killed…

From the resurrection of Christ Christians believed that Jesus is both God and man. Due to that:

FACTSConstantine and Nicea meetings

Constantine, from 313 AD, seeking to strengthen the Roman Empire, was favourable to Christianity

Therefore he called the Council of Nicea The Council of Nicea officially and

philosophically confirmed the original faith: “true God from true God,begotten not made, one in being with the Father,...”.

The bishops didn’t create anything new The vote went for: 298, against: 2 According to Brown “hardly 51 percent were

for”

4. Other arguments

Da Vinci Code

“Jesus inspired millions of people to overthrow the king from the throne, ...“

FACTS

Only half a million people lived in Palestine

In the neighbouring kingdoms of Palestine there are no historical writings about a Jewish leader overthrowing their kings...

Da Vinci Code

„The Gospels showed a too divine Jesus, seeking to create a myth of divinity”

FACTS

He was born, ate, drank, cried, made merry, got angry, suffered, died…

The disciples are described as cowards, selfish, egoists...

4. Other arguments

Da Vinci Code

„ It’s clear that He was married“

FACTS

The Gospels weren’t quiet about Jesus’s other relations: friendships, family. Why would they be silent on this?

Rabbis certainly married. He wasn’t a rabbi..

Celibacy, although seldom, was practiced: Essenians, John the Baptist, Paul...

4. Other arguments

Da Vinci Code

“the Church condemned Mary Magdalene and maintained that she was a demonic prostitute”

FACTS

Why is she always and everywhere mentioned as Saint Mary Magdelene?

Why leave her in the Gospel as the first witness of Jesus’s ressurrection?

4. Other arguments

Da Vinci Code

„The Church, fighting against goddess worship, discriminated against women...“

FACTS There is a special

devotion to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

How many female saints are there in the Church?

4. Other arguments

Da Vinci Code

„ Through many centuries, on a global scale witch-hunt burned 5 million innocent women “

FACTS The most recent research

shows that witch hunts: - took place in 1550-1630

AD, and not many centuries - killed 40,000 people, and

not millions - 20 percent of them were

men - 98 percent of cases were

in France (Catholic), Switzerland and Germany (protestant)

- They were carried out by Catholics and protestants. 50 percent were the states themselves.

4. Other arguments

Da Vinci Code

The Priory of Sion Established in 1099 AD „Les Dossiers Secrets“

Parchments, 1975 AD. Found in the Paris National Library.

FACTS

„Les Dossiers Secrets“ (Tuscan du Plantier 1967)was forged 1967 AD fraudently placed in the Library

The forgers confessed that the “Priory” was established in 1956 AD.

4. Other arguments

Opus Dei according to Brown

Da Vinci Code

Organisation of monks

Power hungry sect

Masochism practicing people

FACTS A Church approved lay

organisation The whole of Opus Dei

is equal to Hobart (Tasmania) city diocese

Penitence practice is exaggerated in the book

OPUS DEI A laymen´s organisation

Dr. Ernesto Cofino, GuatemalaFamily father

Tony Zwiefel, Switzerland. Engineer

Montse Grases, Spain. Pupil

Isidoro Zorzano, Argentina

St. Josemaria EscrivaSought holiness and

apostolate in the everyday Means? Sacraments Prayer The sacrifice of work Repentence and subjugation of the bodyThere is an old tradition of the Church. There

are many saints.To suffer together with Jesus and all humanity.To repent your own and other’s sins.Self control and restraintNo pain, no gain.

Conclusions

Faith in Christ is scientifically based on the Gospels. The Church never received “benefit” from faith. There are a lot of gaps in the faith of believers. The Church respected women more than others,

since it respected their dignity. If you want to know about the Church and Opus Dei,

it’s better to turn to trustworthy sources.

Literature Da Vinci Code. Dan Brown De-coding Da Vinci. Facts behind the fiction of the Da Vinci

Code. Amy Welborn. Our Sunday Visitor. Hintington IN, USA 2004

Dictionnarie de la Bible, Supplement. Letouzey et Ane. Paris 1988

Conocer la Biblia, J. Montforte, 39-42. RIALP, Madrid Katalikų Bažnyčios Katekizmas n. 120 Reasonable Faith, W. Craig, p. 194 Kleine Kirchengeschichte, Herder Taschenbuch Verlag, 1988,

p. 45 Geschichte der Katholischen Kirche. Leipzig 1989. p. 51-59 Šventieji. Fernando ir Gioia Lanzi, Alma Littera. P. 53.. The Scholar and the Godess, Charlotte Allenn, Atlantic Witches and Neighbors, R. Briggs, Oxford University Gli illuminati e il Priorato di Sion. Massimo Introvigne,

Piemmpe Spa, Italia 2005