The Da Vinci Hangover

So despite all the panning, banning, protests and hunger strikes…Tom Hanks, the evil albino, and (I think) a dog named Toto managed to attract more folks out to see their flick

By Lane Palmer, Christian Post Guest Columnist Monday, May 22, 2006

So despite all the panning, banning, protests and hunger strikes…Tom Hanks, the evil albino, and (I think) a dog named Toto managed to attract more folks out to see their flick than flies at a barbeque...

I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.

There was a time when a film like this would have been laughed out of Hollywood for its lack of artistic value, historical misleadings, and especially its blasphemous and insulting attitude towards the Savior of the world.

That was then…this is now.

Now we have millions flocking to find out what the big secret is. Who knew what and when? What was covered up and for how long? Will I ever see Tom Hanks as anyone other than Forrest Gump?

Momma always said there’ll be days like these.

Our culture is now officially addicted to conspiracy theories, and will shell out $10 or more to sit through the cinematic dietary equivalent of cotton candy on the silver screen.

So now we as Christians have a choice. We can go out with guns blazing and shred through the lies in The Da Vinci Code like a hot knife through butter, then walk away having felt victorious as we leave our unsuspecting victims in a pool of intellectual mud and blood…or we can take an entirely different approach…one that is much more in line with our calling as believers:

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: `Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." (Mark 12:28-31)

The question for us now is not ‘how can we put the smack down on Da Vinci Code followers?’ Rather it is “if I were a Da Vinci Code follower, how would I like to be treated?”

If I were a Da Vinci Code follower, I might be interested in all the factual errors, but I’m pretty sure I’d be more interested in someone telling me about a real conspiracy theory…one that is shocking at its core and far-reaching in its implications.

It’s called grace.

No, grace is not an albino nun who is covering up a terrible secret like the Apostle Paul secretly placed bets on Greek athletes…

Grace is the only way to find forgiveness and eternal life. Grace is the truth that we can’t get rid of our moral guilt through religion, good deeds, or denial. Grace is the message that the price has been paid in full, all we need to do is receive it by faith.

Grace is a conspiracy because it tells us we are helpless and hopeless when it comes to restoring our relationship with God, which is why every religion except Biblical Christianity has some form of works/good deeds at its core.

And that’s rotten to the core.

So now that The Da Vinci Code has downloaded itself into our society like a bad virus, let’s take this awesome opportunity to pull back the curtain on the greatest secret in the universe that shouldn’t be kept inside the church walls:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

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Lane Palmer is the Youth Ministries Specialist for Dare 2 Share Ministries in Arvada, Colo., where he works with youth leaders and students, equipping them to be effective in sharing the gospel. For more information on Dare 2 Share Ministries, please visit www.dare2share.org. Find out how Dare 2 Share Ministries and Focus on the Family® are working together to capture the hearts of this generation of teenagers, visit www.capturetheirhearts.com. Send feedback to lane@dare2share.org.