The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code: A Challenging Response to the Bestselling Novel (Paperback)

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Product Description

Nationally recognized researcher Richard Abanes, author of Harry Potter and the Bible, looks at three of the most fascinating people in history: Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene, and Leonardo Da Vinci. Based on his extensive research, Abanes explores the answers to many of the questions that Dan Brown’s fictional thriller, The Da Vinci Code, raises

The Truth About the Da Vinci Code by bestselling author Richard Abanes is a user-friendly and easy-to-understood reference source for anyone wanting to make an informed decision about the claims made in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. Unlike other books that may appear in response to Brown's riveting novel, Abanes' book will be concise (96-pages), inexpensive, and formated in such as way as to help Christians and non-Christians alike find the facts they need in order to form their own conclusions about the contents of Brown's volume.

Each chapter of The Truth About the Da Vinci Code includes a short introductory section so readers can gain a greater understanding of the issues, then immediately provide a point/counter-point segment that details some of the most fascinating and controversial statements contained Dan Brown's book. Using this format will enable readers to find quick answers to some of their most pressing questions: Does Brown's novel accurately present history in general? Is it true that Jesus was married? Was Mary Magdalene supposed to take over the church as Christ's successor? What is the Holy Grail? Who were the Knights Templar? How did the secretive Priory of Sion come into existence? Can the Bible be trusted? What are the Lost Gospels? Was Christianity built upon "the greatest cover-up in human history"?

Using his expertise in the area of fringe religious groups, mythology, and occult literature, Abanes provides a fascinating answer to what so many reviewers have been saying about Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code -- i.e., it is all based on verifiable facts and documented events in history. If you, too, feel this way, then The Truth About the Da Vinci Code is the next book you must read. It might just change your mind. It will, at the very least, give you a lot to think about.

Join Richard Abanes as he "de-codes" one of the most controversial novels of our time and goes behind the scenes to separate fact from fiction. This is a quick reference guide for all readers. And the documentation is impeccable.

From the Inside Flap

Through Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code, you discover a lot of shocking facts about history and Christianity . . . or do you?

The Code: Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, whom he named leader of the church before his death.

The Truth: This claim has no support even from the Gnostic Gospels mentioned in Brown's book, let alone from historical data.

The Code: Since the year 1099, a supersecret society called "The Priory of Sion" has preserved knowledge of Jesus and Mary's descendants.

The Truth: Today's "Priory of Sion" was founded in the early 1960s by a French con man who falsified documents o support the story of Jesus' "bloodline."

The Code: As a "Priory" leader and pagan goddess-worshiper, leonardo Da Vinci coded secret knowledge about Jesus nad Mary into his paintings.

The Truth: Da Vinci had no known ties to any secret Societies. Any obscure images in his paintings likely reflect his personal creativity.

Probing, factual, and revealing. The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code gives you the straightforward information you need to dig through the fiction and unearth the facts.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (April 21, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736914390
• ISBN-13: 978-0736914390
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #197,062 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE ABANES CODE!!! -Happy Hunting, May 8, 2004

By A Customer

I just finished reading "The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code" by Abanes and LOVED it (for reasons I will explain).

But first, and this is hysterical-ABANES INSERTED A CODE INTO THE INTRODUCTION OF HIS BOOK. I couldn't believe it until I noticed certain letters that seemed to make words. And, as I continued to piece together the letters, sure enough, it all created a sentence with a message for readers. I won't spoil it for anyone, but it's there as plain as any code can be. You have GOT to try to figure it out. Way to go Abanes. This shows, at least to me, that Abanes has a sense of humor and is keeping all of this in perspective.

Now, on to the serious critique. Abanes shows in his very concise, fun-to-read, and highly informative book that Dan Brown, for all of the PR on his novel, is not only not a scholar, but actually seems to have deliberately misrepresented key historical documents and historical events. This is shown beyond debate.

One example, is how Abanes pulls two quotes from Brown's novel where a character quotes Leonardo Da Vinci's scathing words supposedly about the Bible (see Da Vinci Code, p. 231). Abanes, however, actually tracked down these citations and shows that in their context they have NOTHING to do with the Bible!!!! There is no way Brown could not have known that Leonardo was not talking about the Bible. It is very clear from the writings.

This is only one example of how the research in this book is phenomenal. I encourage everyone who wants to get into this type of fun stuff to get Abanes' book. I am very, very impressed.

As much as Brown's fans and critics of books like this one from Abanes are screaming about how ridiculous it is that anyone would be troubled about a work of fiction, Abanes smartly documents places where Dan Brown is saying that what he wrote is absolutely true (p. 9). I'd love to see Brown and Abanes in a debate. Now that would be fun.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Abanes should have Dan Brown's research assistant..., May 6, 2006

By	Roger N. Overton (Orange, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In a postmodern culture that often relativizes religious truth, it becomes harder to tell the different between fact and fiction. In the introduction to The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code, Richard Abanes notes that, "too many readers of The Da Vinci Code have already responded to the novel by trustingly embracing it as historically accurate." (9) Abanes' response is to compare the historical inaccuracies of the novel with the facts.

Richard Abanes groups his analysis into five main categories, each comprising a chapter of his book. These are roughly historical revisionism, the canon of scripture, the Christian view of women, the history of the Priory of Sion, and Leonardo Da Vinci. Each chapter has a very structured order- an introduction, a series of claims by the novel countered with the facts, and a conclusion.

Some will note that the last two chapters aren't so much a defense of Christianity as they are correctives of general history. There's an explanation in Abanes' conclusion. "This is not even a `Christian' issue. The issue is fact versus fiction. Truth verses lies. Accuracy versus inaccuracy. In other words, The Da Vinci Code would still be just as offensive if its misrepresentation of historical facts were used to attack Buddhism, Islam, or any other world religion instead of Christianity." (77)

The great strength of this book, as with other books by Richard Abanes, is the depth of research. Historical research is a skill that Abanes has refined well, in this case to the point of providing facts that many critics haven't uncovered. He's also very straightforward with his arguments. For instance, in discussing Dan Brown's confusion of male and female symbols with Egyptian ones, Abanes asks, "But why would Magdalene be associated with an Egyptian cow?" (47)

Though the book covers many issues, it fails to offer a helpful response to Gnosticism or understanding of the "sacred feminine." It also does not provide any resources for further study of the issues.

The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Codeshows Richard Abanes' strength as a historical fact-checker. Some will find a few of his points irrelevant to defending the Christian faith, and others will find it lacking in some crucial areas, but on the whole he offers an effective response to Dan Brown's novel.

41 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Concise and Organized Debunking, June 26, 2004

By	Devin Parker (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dan Brown explicitly states in the beginning of his novel "The Da Vinci Code" that "All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate." In a Today Show interview on June 9, 2003, Brown confirmed that his intention in writing "The Da Vinci Code" was to "challenge certain long-held beliefs or truths about religion." Therefore, those who make claims that "this is only a work of fiction" are clearly uninformed on the issue.

While I've disagreed with Abanes' conclusions in other writings ('Harry Potter and the Bible'), 'The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code' draws upon documented historical fact rather than Abanes' personal opinion, and thus is the same data provided in numerous other books published to answer Dan Brown's flaw-riddled conspiracy theories.

The reason I recommend this book above the others that I've read ('Breaking the Da Vinci Code' by Darrell Bock, 'Cracking the Da Vinci Code' and 'The Da Vinci Codebreaker' by Garlow and Jones, 'The Da Vinci Deception' by Erwin Lutzer, 'The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction' by Hanegraaff and Meyer, 'Cracking Da Vinci's Code: The Student Edition' by Palmer and Dunn, and 'Fear Not Da Vinci' by Flory, Monroe, and Gasque) is that the information here is concisely presented; Brown's claims are quoted verbatim from 'The Da Vinci Code' and reproduced in shaded boxes (with page references), followed by the facts which contradict Brown's claims. It is an ideal "quick reference guide" for those interested in discussing the issues that "The Da Vinci Code" book and/or movie raises.

Abanes' book is also the only among these volumes I've already mentioned which deals with the person of Leonardo da Vinci to any degree. Da Vinci's own writings tell far more about the Renaissance Man's religious convictions than Dan Brown's imagined "secret messages," and those historical documents are helpfully quoted here.

Again, the facts that Abanes lists here are available in many other books on this same subject, but I recommend 'The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code' specifically for those who want to learn as many of the facts in as short a time as possible (it's a quick read, at 96 pages with footnotes. Those who care to do deeper research can easily begin an investigation of their own starting with these footnotes, or with some of the lengthier books on the subject.

For the individual who wants to learn what's wrong with 'The Da Vinci Code,' there's certainly no shortage of information available.