The Da Vinci Deception uses Q&A format to dispel the falsehoods contained in DVC.

Example taken from text below:

QUESTION: But the Da Vinci Code says the bible evolved though countless additions and revisions. After all, there weren't printing presses or copy machines in the ancient world. How do we know that the New Testament we have today is an accurate representation of the original NT?

ANSWER: Let's compare the NT manuscript traditions to the second best attested work of antiquity: The Iliad, the ancient Greek epic by Homer. Homer wrote The Iliad around 800 BC, but we have no original manuscript of the work. Or modern day editions of this classical work are based on manuscripts that date from long after Homer's lifetime. Of the approximately 650 extant manuscripts of The Iliad, the oldest dates from around AD 200 to 300 - about 1000 years after Homer's lifetime! Nevertheless, most scholars recognize that these very late copies of The Iliad are reliable representations of Homer's original work, even through they date from more than a millennium after Homer himself.

The New Testament has a much stronger manuscript tradition than The Iliad. First, there are many more ancient manuscripts of the New Testament: we have well over 5000 manuscript copies of the New Testament in whole or in part. Second, these manuscripts are much closer in date to the originals. The New Testament was written within the first century AD, and we have copies of some of those New Testament writings within just a few decades after they were composed.

We have fragments and major portions of individual New Testament books dating from the second and third centuries, AD, and we have bond copies of the entire NT from the 4th and 5th centuries. So there are only 200 to 300 years between the copies and their original manuscripts. But with the very reliable Iliad, there's a 1000 year gap between Homer and the earliest extant copies of the work. Therefore the NT has a much stronger manuscript history than any other work of the ancient world.

QUESTION: Okay. But how do we know these NT manuscripts faithfully represent the original texts?

ANSWER: Because when you place those 5000 or so existing NT manuscripts side by side, they match up almost perfectly. It's important to note that these manuscripts were copied by many different people, from various parts of the world, at different times. Yet scholars have shown how these 5000 copies are 99.5% a match with each other on all major points. There may be some minor variations in terms of spelling or word order or vocabulary, but nothing that changes the sense of a particular verse or passage - nothing affecting matters of doctrine or morals.

This remarkably low rate of variation between the thousands of NT manuscripts should not surprise us. Remember the early Christians who passed on the Scriptures were copying the sacred texts they used for teaching, praying and worship. Indeed, they believed they were copying the very Word of God Himself. These manuscripts were copied with great care and reverence. In sum, the NT is the most reliable text we have from antiquity...

If the New Testament is not trustworthy, then no writings from the ancient world can be considered reliable - not Cicero, not Homer, not Plato, not Caesar. If we can't trust the NT manuscripts, then all university history and classics departments across the country should be shut down because they have no reliable documents from which to teach!

___________________
- rabbit.joker [funny¿rabbit] | www.rabbitjoker.com |www.ddtt.org

Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).

Last edited by rabbitjoker on May-20-2006 at 21:38

i don't understand why clergy all around the globe is angered so much - the book is freaking fiction

i'm not beting, but i'm sure there were books of similar nature done before, are they just jealous that Brown is now one of the most rich writers in the world?

the amount of religious anger these past couple of weeks makes me wonder if they do, in fact, have something to hide, and Brown's book just makes they feel threatened

___________________
Just surrender yourself to the rhythm,
With your hands up in the sky,
Feel the energy deep inside your system
And leave this world behind...

Of course the Church has something to hide. They're as full of shit and corrupt as any other global corporation. And that's precisely what they are!

Ian Mckellan hit it square on the head by saying the Bible should have a disclaimer at the front seeing it is a work of fiction.

personally, the movie doesn't look that interesting so I'll wait for it to hit the cheap theatre here.

___________________
"No offense, but you're stupid"

quote:

Originally posted by FunkyGroove i don't understand why clergy all around the globe is angered so much - the book is freaking fiction i'm not beting, but i'm sure there were books of similar nature done before, are they just jealous that Brown is now one of the most rich writers in the world? the amount of religious anger these past couple of weeks makes me wonder if they do, in fact, have something to hide, and Brown's book just makes they feel threatened

Ok now, fess up, who's using FunkyDrew's account?

___________________
I'm the trouble starter, fuckin' instigator.
I'm the fear-addicted, danger illustrated.

quote:

Originally posted by Cosmic Fur Ok now, fess up, who's using FunkyDrew's account?

wtf?

___________________
Just surrender yourself to the rhythm,
With your hands up in the sky,
Feel the energy deep inside your system
And leave this world behind...

The book may be fiction, but I've heard from many sources that the author is projecting his views as fact.

Also, anything to attack/question the views of something so powerful is going to be challenged back. We all know confrontation and religion go hand in hand

I for one enjoyed how everyone is wrapped up in a movie around the world so much on religion. Proves my thoughts that religion was 'created' for a basis of control.

___________________
djchrisallen.net | myspace | ava recordings | facebook | facebook fan page | twitter

quote:

Originally posted by FunkyGroove wtf?

There's the FunkyMove we all know and love.

My previous post was just highlighting how strangely coherent, intelligent, and on-topic your post was.

___________________
I'm the trouble starter, fuckin' instigator.
I'm the fear-addicted, danger illustrated.

quote:

Originally posted by Cosmic Fur There's the FunkyMove we all know and love. My previous post was just highlighting how strangely coherent, intelligent, and on-topic your post was.

wow, well thank you

i'll try to come up with stuff like that more then

___________________
Just surrender yourself to the rhythm,
With your hands up in the sky,
Feel the energy deep inside your system
And leave this world behind...

quote:

Originally posted by [NFC]Wave Proves my thoughts that religion was 'created' for a basis of control.

interesting insight. And I agree totally....perhaps not created as such, but definitely used by the powers that be for exploitive purposes over the course of history.

___________________
"No offense, but you're stupid"

quote:

Originally posted by [NFC]Wave The book may be fiction, but I've heard from many sources that the author is projecting his views as fact. Also, anything to attack/question the views of something so powerful is going to be challenged back. We all know confrontation and religion go hand in hand I for one enjoyed how everyone is wrapped up in a movie around the world so much on religion. Proves my thoughts that religion was 'created' for a basis of control.

someone once said - religion is opium for the masses

many dictators in the past felt very threatened by the amount of power religion and clergy can have on people

___________________
Just surrender yourself to the rhythm,
With your hands up in the sky,
Feel the energy deep inside your system
And leave this world behind...

quote:

Originally posted by FunkyGroove many dictators in the past felt very threatened by the amount of power religion and clergy can have on people

If I was a dictator I'd be scared of God as well.

___________________
- rabbit.joker [funny¿rabbit] | www.rabbitjoker.com |www.ddtt.org

Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).