I neglected to inform the world that my recording of a Men’s Breakfast at King’s Community Church, Hedge End (Southampton) is now available. It didn’t seem to be the right context to talk about the sacred feminine and goddess spirituality, so instead I talked about The Da Vinci Code and conspiracy theories. I highlighted a number of features of conspiracy theories and suggested that, despite Dan Brown’s protests, The Da Vinci Code strongly fits the criteria. I compared the lack of evidence for the ideas which Brown claims he believes with the strong evidence for the historically orthodox understanding of Christianity and the gospels.

All my available recordings are at www.tonywatkins.co.uk – or follow the Read More link below.

Related posts:

1. The Da Vinci Code – more audio I’ve now added the recordings of Wednesday evening’s events...
2. Da Vinci Code audio I’ve done a number of Da Vinci Code events...
3. Getting Da Vinci-ed out! I’m beginning to feel like I’ve overdosed on Dan...

I’ve now added the recordings of Wednesday evening’s events at Above Bar Church, Southampton, which I shared with David Couchman of Focus.

I talked about the appeal of The Da Vinci Code, its opposition to orthodox historical Christianity, the sacred feminine and goddess spirituality.

David addressed three key claims in the book: that the Gnostic gospels discovered at Nag Hammadi are earlier than the biblical gospels and give us a more historically truthful account of Jesus, that the council of Nicea in AD 325 voted to treat Jesus as divine although he had only been considered mortal until that point, and that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.

Related posts:

1. And more on The Da Vinci Code I neglected to inform the world that my recording...
2. Da Vinci Code audio I’ve done a number of Da Vinci Code events...
3. Getting Da Vinci-ed out! I’m beginning to feel like I’ve overdosed on Dan...

I’ve done a number of Da Vinci Code events recently, some of which I recorded. The audio files are now available online for a limited period (as new material becomes available, older material will be kicked out).

The first is from an event in London which includes some material on Leonardo and on the supposedly factual Priory of Sion. Dan Brown claims that its history goes back to 1099, but in reality it only goes as far back as 1956 when it was started by a convicted fraudster Pierre Plantard.

The second is from an event in Whiteparish, Wiltshire, and includes material on spirituality in The Da Vinci Code – in particular the quest for the sacred feminine and goddess spirituality. You can read my article on this on CultureWatch.

Related posts:

1. The Da Vinci Code – more audio I’ve now added the recordings of Wednesday evening’s events...
2. And more on The Da Vinci Code I neglected to inform the world that my recording...
3. Getting Da Vinci-ed out! I’m beginning to feel like I’ve overdosed on Dan...

I’m beginning to feel like I’ve overdosed on Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. Hardly suprising I guess since it’s been such a huge bestseller since publication and especially given the amount of over-the-top hype from Sony (which is, frankly, setting people up to be disappointed with the film – all the advertising makes people expect one of the finest cinematic experiences of their lives). I’ve been researching various aspects of it for a year now – and loads in the last few months while we were waiting for the film.

I’ve spoken at three Da Vinci Code events so far (click on the ‘read more’ link below for recordings of two of them) and have another half dozen lined up. I enjoy the events themselves, even though I’m fed up of the book and film. The next one is at Above Bar Church, Southampton tomorrow, Wednesday 31 May. This one will be a double act with David Couchman from Focus who has also done an incredible amount of research. It should be a lot of fun – come along and ask hard questions!

You can read my articles on The Da Vinci Code, incidentally, on the CultureWatch website:

Dan Brown’s Secrets in which I end up naughtily suggesting (tongue firmly in cheek!) that Dan Brown himself is at the centre of a global conspiracy. As soon as you formulate a far-fetched scheme like it, any counter-arguments to the idea immediately become evidence in its favour. Just like any conspiracy theory – including Dan Brown’s.
The Quest for the Sacred Feminine – a much more significant article in which I discuss the Goddess spirituality which Dan Brown is advocating. It’s easy to see why it’s attractive, but there is a much better alternative!

Related posts:

1. And more on The Da Vinci Code I neglected to inform the world that my recording...
2. Da Vinci Code audio I’ve done a number of Da Vinci Code events...
3. The Da Vinci Code – more audio I’ve now added the recordings of Wednesday evening’s events...