An Aid To Memory

A lot of people are saying that instead of listening to what others say about the Da Vinci code, I should “read it for myself.” I do agree that if a person really wants to form an advanced opinion on something, it is best for her to read it for herself. For instance, there are times I want to just stop a conversation or debate with a “bible-believing” Christian and say “when you have actually read the Bible cover-to-cover as I have, we’ll continue this conversation.” I say this because many “bible-believers” have only read small portions of the Bible, yet have strong opinions about it. 

However, I do have a few issues with the whole “read it for yourself” wisdom. First, it is the “read it for yourself” mentality that has led to the creation of hundreds, if not thousands, of differing Christian denominations and ideologies. A person will read the Bible “for himself” and start a new church a week later based on his novel way of reading the Bible. Second, what if I could care less about the issue or book at hand, and don’t want to take the time to form an advanced opinion on the matter? What if I want the issue or book summarized for me by others whom I trust? I often hear, “don’t listen to what Christians are saying about the Da Vinci code; read it for yourself!” However, what if I could care less about the Da Vinci code? Honestly, I see it as just another fad, and like most popular fads, I don’t see what the fuss is about. Plus, I don’t read much fiction, and I don’t get to the library that often. I have a “waiting list” of books I need to read that dates back to 1999. I don’t have the time, will, or effort, to read the Da Vinci Code “for myself.” I do, however, trust the opinion of others to help me make an informed, but limited, decision about the book. Therefore if someone asks me what I think about the book, I can give my limited opinion. Now, if I were teaching a class on it, or writing a book about it, I would be sure to read the book. In fact, if I teach about it in class, I will definitely read it. Just some thoughts…

This entry was posted on Friday, May 12th, 2006 at 4:41 pm and is filed under Catholic Church + Postmodern Concerns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.