The Da Vinci Code Personal Unedited Research - Outreach

Introduction: The Search for Truth
There is no question or doubt that Dan Brown has written a spell-binding novel. We all
love a good story, but even more, we love “a good conspiracy.”
As we indulge in the “conspiracy,” we also need to begin the “quest” and “search for the
truth.” Dan Brown needs to be congratulated on his great writing and the ability to
produce a thriller that is so hard to put down. Multitudes of authors envy his writing
ability.
Over the years while lecturing in more than 1000 universities in 107 different countries, I
have had the opportunity to participate in more than 250 debates with scholars,
historians, and philosophers.
I never enter the research phase to "win the debate," but rather to find the truth. As I
examine the material relevant to the theme of the debate, I have to ask myself several
questions:
1) Is this the truth or is it someone's personal opinion, bias, or prejudice?
2) Is there sufficient credible evidence to support the truth claim?
3) Is it relevant to the argument?
For me to be energetic in a debate and to speak with authority, I must be convinced in
my own mind that my position is valid and intellectually defensible. If I have developed
the arguments skewed by my own personal bias or prejudice, or twisted the facts to
support my position, then it shouldn't take a worthy opponent long to expose me and win
the debate.
As a believer in Christ, I am committed to the Truth. Jesus said in John 8:32, "You shall
know the truth." He did not say you should ignore the truth or distort the truth. If anyone
should be committed to knowing and following the truth, it is a Christian.
As a university student, I was an obnoxious, antagonistic agnostic. During my pursuit to
expose the Christian faith as an “historic construct” by his followers, I was confronted
with historical evidence about Jesus being the Son of God and the Bible being reliable
and accurate. This evidence not only appeared to be "credible" but it also ran contrary
to my position and to what I was so passionately wanting to prove.
Finally, the evidence compelled me to change my attitude and my viewpoint. I no longer
pursued the "truth" to refute Christianity, but rather to simply ask the question, “Is it
true?” and then let the evidence speak for itself. It was through this process that I came
to Christ.
It was imperative that we approach the historic claims of The Da Vinci Code in the same
way. People perceive the book as a fictional novel based upon "fact."
http://www.truefoundations.com Page 4