[smoak]

The NOVEL is well written IMO and that is where this argument should end. The "problem" this book has caused stems from the author's masterful marketing. Dan Brown goes on talk shows and claims his book has basis in fact and that he in fact does believe the thesis he suggests in the book which I believe can be summed up as:

1. Mary Magdalene and Jesus may have had a "relationship" (sexual, marriage, or some other form)
2. That relationship may have led to children, which may exist in bloodlines today
3. A secret organization possessed the knowledge of this "relationship"
4. Leonardo DaVinci was a member of this organization and pained clues to his beliefs into his works (ie, the last supper stuff).
5. The church is aware of this "secret" and guards it with a zealousness like no other.

And other sub-themes to numerous too list.

What does this amount to? Well, to me, nothing more than the previously mentioned Indiana Jones stuff. Great reads, great movies but do you really believe the Nazi's had the Arc of the Covenant? I am sure you could make a case for it though, just like every other theory out there with anything. Mix in some fact with the fiction and it becomes an even better "page turner." Think about all the publicity this guy drew for this book, all because of his claims of fact based fiction in the book. I say, well done Dan, great books, although they lack some more defined research, they are well written and the "promotional" premise of the fact based fiction was well executed.

Next up, Dan Brown v. Mel Gibson starring in Passion of DeVinci, You Can't Handle the Truth.