Fiction, Reality, and the bottom line

Brown fans boost Vatican tourism

The faithful are flocking to Rome for Easter week, but the Vatican is also attracting pilgrims clutching blockbusters rather than bibles. (From the BBC News online

I confess that I am among the numerous people that have "fallen under the spell" of Dan Brown. I have read both Angels & Demons, and its very famous sequel, The DaVinci Code, and I must admit that the way he writes, and the neat blending of sites, facts and fiction are very compelling. And for those who were enclined to finding conspiacies behind their bedroom doors, it is almost inevitable that they would believe that there is some truth to even the fictitious parts of the story. The ensuing controversy over the book, especially in strongly rationalistic - yet vey catholic - France, only helped to expand the doubts and the mystery. And apparently, many are creating lucrative activities on the basis of these mysteries. But beyond that, it does give an opportunity for many to question - and discover - the Catholic church, and to explore deeper the history of Christianity, and the various pagan religiions and rites that are part of human history, but that Judeo-Christian societies have done a good job at casting away in the shadows, out of our sights, and into the underground. So the Church might be upset, and they might fight some characterization of their own organization, and some diversion from their established doctrines... but at the end of the day, everybody gains in interest, knowledge and awareness - including the Church itself. Somehow I cannot see that as a bad thing. Just a few thoughts, and I still wonder...