I agree that some of the reactions to both the movie and book versions of “The DaVinci Code” are overreactions. Yet some of it is not.

In this age of sound bites and half-truths (we used to call them lies), the American public, for all it’s potential, has grown lazy and ignorant. People tend to believe everything they see on TV, everything they read in the papers; they do little, if any, research for themselves. This is why, if you go by only what you see in the mainstream media, you likely think that not a single good thing has happened in Iraq during the last three years. But I digress.

Consider, for example, the issue of evolution. I work at a newspaper, and I can tell you with 100% confidence that every story on archaeology written by The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times is written with the built-in assumption that evolution is a proven fact, as concrete as the sidewalks under pedestrians’ feet. A judge in this country has even ruled that science textbooks can’t even have a simple one-paragraph disclaimer reminding readers that evolution is a theory. And to correct a colleague, the evolution assumption of these news stories is not the product of individuals quoted in the stories (although it’s true that the quotees are always – I repeat: ALWAYS – in favor of evolution). No, the assumption is the product of the reporters; each and every one of them engages in bad journalism by first presuming a theory to be fact, then writing that “fact” into the story, and never – I repeat: NEVER – including opposing viewpoints.

Or consider abortion. How many stories do you ever read in the newspaper about women who had abortions and now suffer because of it? Who experience deep shame and regret? Who would tell others to avoid making the same mistake ... that is, if anyone from the mainstream media would actually take the time to interview them? But no. All you hear about are the glories of abortion, as trumpeted by Planned Parenthood and other such propaganda machines.

So how does this relate to “The DaVinci Code”? Well, I’ll give you a local example, which probably is true in your area, as well: Walk into the neighborhood Barnes & Noble bookstore and you can observe three noteworthy things: A large table full of DaVinci Code products (some of these, I concede, are anti-DaVinci Code, thought not most); an entire rack of anti-Biblical Jesus books on audio (conveniently located next to the checkout line); and the distinct absence of any strong up-front showing by orthodox Christian products (for these, you need to go to a far corner of the store, where other customers likely won’t be bothered by any proselytizing). And what stories make the papers? Ones about Magdalene theology, abusive priests, and the heretical Gospel of Judas; none, for example, about the great efforts by Christian child-assist groups Compassion International, WorldVision, and Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse.

But the DaVinci Code’s Sir Leigh Teabing may have said it best – and hung himself, as well as his author – when he said (my paraphrase), “The mind sees what it wants to see.” I’ve come to the following conclusion: Those who want to believe the true (Biblical) account of Jesus will believe, no matter how much junk is thrown at them, and those who don’t want to believe will never believe, even if all such controversial material was kept hidden from them, even if Jesus Himself stood in front of them, in the flesh. These people will always have a ready excuse.

So in the end, I say: Bring all the junk into the Light. The Bible, God’s Word, says

that it will stand forever and everything else (including all false doctrines) will pass

away, and that the products of darkness cannot survive long once exposed to the

Light. So let’s have a discussion about this particular doctrine (Magdalene theology,

the Gnostic gospels, etc.). After all, it’s not often these days that we get to talk legally

about Jesus on such a large public stage.