 I'm sorry to disappoint you ram_wolverine, but his facts are largely rubbish. Generally, Christians (and I can sense my myLot star rating dropping already, as the sheep negatively rate my answer, whilst not opposing it in text!) do not investigate their religion, before adopting it, but simply believe the words from the pulpit - it makes them feel there is something after death, that they are justified in their actions (because they go to church, they must be good people), and that they can behave as they like, because God will forgive them. They think that there is only 1 book in Christianity - the Bible. And, this ignorance allows them to go on with their lives with a contentment and self-belisf that they are better than others, and inherently good. At least, Dan Browns books have made a small number of them question the history of their faith.
Elsewhere on this site I have explained why celebrating a pagan Roman festival (Christmas) contravenes the first two commandments, I've also explained why the Gospel of Peter ('the rock upon which I build my church' - Jesus) is not in the Bible, and have even asked where evil begins and God ends (as so many Christians bandy the terms good, bad, evil, sin etc around), and not a single Christian has been able to reply, or even tries to, because then they would have to face the truth - the Roman Catholic church, and the religions which have been spawned from it, Anglica, Mormon, Baptist etc, is one of the most corrupt and egocentric organisations to have ever come into being, and is more akin to doing the Devils work than Jesus's! They have plotted, altered, subverted and abused the life of Jesus to obtain vast land, wealth and power.
I am not against Jesus, or God, and, in fact, by belonging to no christian organisation, live a life closer to the genuine teachings of Jesus than any Christian cult. However, christians would brand me a heretic, because I oppose their churches, though not their God.
My interest in religion began when I attended a private English Anglican school at age 11, and was almost immediately taught that the Garden of Eden story, was just that, a story, not to be taken as gospel fact. I attained an 'O' level in Religious Study, because R.E. is a compulsory subject in this Anglican state, for private schools, (and, most people know that the whole Anglican faith was based on a political falling out between Henry VIII & the Pope, not any Divine intervention), continued my studies attaining an 'A' level and Degree in Theology. I have continued to read texts from the first 6 centuries of christianity, becoming fluent in Latin, Greek & Aramaic, over my 28 years of study, yet any Christian disbelieves mt researched comments because their 4 years at Sunday school when children does not tally.
It has led me to believe that in the modern society, God, the church and Jesus are purely a comfort blanket to these people, to make them feel better about themselves, and justify hating others, as in the current ethos of anti-Islamic crusading by the Neo-con Christian leaders of both the US & UK.
Good on old Dan Brown, for at least raising a few eyebrows, though I expect his influence will just fade away, like the Cathars, Templars, Bulgars, & Marcian.
Enjoy the book for drama, not faith.
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