The Grand Patchwork

The Science of the Tree of Life: A Comparison of Catholic and Jewish Mysticism (Scroll down to the last paper below). Powerpoint slides follow the paper.

Why The Last Temptation of Christ was Banned

?The Last Temptation of Christ? and ?The DaVinci Code? vs. Censorship

Examples of Equal Male and Female Symbols in Deities across Various Religions

Why The Last Temptation of Christ was Banned

Abstract

The purpose of this section and of the papers presented here are to create a seguey from strict scientific thinking to strict dogmatic thinking which reside on opposite sides of the continuum, yet both share the realm of the seen. It was found that dogma concealed an underlying secret. One that points to the unseen and they may intend to keep it that way. The first paper in this section reveals the truth about the life and times of Jesus (or Yashewa/Joshua). The second paper reveals why these truths may have been concealed.

Why The Last Temptation of Christ was Banned

            The Last Temptation of Christ was an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel made into a movie by Martin Scorsese in 1988 that was subsequently banned in many countries including the Philippines and South Africa. Research revealed that the major reason the film was banned was because it presents Jesus as a mere man, rather than a divine being comparable to God (retrieved January 26, 2009). In the movie Jesus (played by William Dafoe) stated he had made many mistakes, he wants to rebel, is a liar, a hypocrite and is afraid of everything, he also blushes and looks away when he sees a woman. He also marries and has children in the last segment of the movie. There are many more examples of how Jesus was portrayed as a mere human capable of mistakes and contradictions. This seems to be the major reason for its banning.

The movie did, however also present Jesus as divine because he refrained from sex, killing, stealing and turned the other cheek because God told him to, he talks to animals, he made snakes appear, was an advocate for the freedom of the soul, and performed many miracles. Jesus was thus portrayed as both man and divine in the movie, but perhaps the divine aspects were overshadowed by the human representation in an overall perspective (see Figure 1 for a chart comparing how many times the movie portrayed him as a man or as divine).

There are many controversial interpretations of what Jesus was like in this film. For example, the movie not only portrays him as a mere human who experienced human tendencies, but also showed him as a political revolutionary that tried to take down the Roman Empire, and hints at the possibility he may have failed his mission. At the end of the movie when he is dying on the cross Jesus is said by critics to “abandon his divinity [to] live a normal life” (Robinson, Hyden, Tobias, Murray, Phipps, Heller, & Bowman, 2008). All of these scenes or interpretations in the movie have led The Last Temptation of Christ to receive the title of the movie “most complained about” (Studio Briefing, 2003). Other critics have accused this film of being “Pure fiction” (Writegrrl, August 7, 2007 retrieved, January 26, 2009).

This paper will investigate the claim of complete fabrication of the representation of Jesus in this film. Issues explored in this paper investigate whether Jesus was a man or a divine being, postulate a reason why it is controversial to portray Jesus as human, explore if Jesus was indeed a political revolutionary, and if he succeeded in his mission. (The issues of who is Mary Magdalene, was Jesus married to her and continued a bloodline, and why this marriage may be covered up will be addressed in the final paper when the Last Temptation of Christ is compared to the film the DaVinci Code).

Jesus: Man or Divine?

            Figure 1 suggests Jesus was portrayed more as a human over a divine being in the movie. Why would this be controversial? Both the Jews and the Muslims revere Jesus as an important prophet who was human and not God. Jesus is seen by them as another prophet among many included in the Bible and Qur’an. It is only Catholicism and Christianity that tend to represent Jesus as more than human.

The beginning of this superhuman representation can be traced back to Saul in the New Testament, who became Paul after his vision of Jesus. Due to his unusual vision, his subsequent preaching led to the interpretation of Jesus as a superhuman (Burstein, 2006). Thus, all factions of Christianity inspired by Paul including what would become Catholicism and Christianity adopted this interpretation (Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln, 1996; Knight & Lomas, 1997). Thus, it may have been historically accurate for the character of Saul/Paul to say “I created the truth” in this movie.

Most of the “miracles” Jesus performed were said to be metaphor by many historians and scholars (Baigent, 2006; Knight & Lomas, 1997; Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln, 1996). For example making the blind see could be a metaphor for helping people understand the divine ways of God (Baigent, 2006; Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln, 1996). Turning water to wine was also another metaphor for a normal person becoming enlightened (Baigent, 2006; Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln, 1996; Knight & Lomas, 1998; Knight & Lomas, 1997).  

Jesus was also said by these sources to be a part of a secret society called the Essenes who performed rituals that are still performed to this day by Freemasons (Knight & Lomas, 1998; Knight & Lomas, 1997). Such rituals include wrapping an initiate in a shroud and pretending to raise them from the dead (Knight & Lomas, 1997; Morgan, 1986). This ritual was a metaphor for ending the old way of life and beginning a new one as an Essene or Freemason (Knight & Lomas, 1998; Knight & Lomas, 1997; Morgan, 1986). Lazarus, historically Mary Magdalene’s brother was said to be initiated into this secret society and put through the ritual of being “raised from the dead” (Knight & Lomas, 1998; Knight & Lomas, 1997).

Explanations such as these provide evidence for the idea of Jesus as a man who was a prophet of God, rather than God. There are other examples however that cannot be explained fully by metaphor such as the healing of the sick. This could point to potential healing powers in Jesus. But research shows there are people who can heal with their hands and devices that utilize what is called subtle energy (Feinstein, 2008; Personal communication, M. Becker, November 10, 2008; DeMeo, 2004; DeMeo, 1998) or orgone energy (Reich, 1961; Reich, 1960).   

Why Discourage the Idea that Jesus was a Man People can Relate to?

            The major reason why a church would discourage the idea that Jesus was a person like the rest of us would be because it would loosen the church’s power over people and would leave it without purpose. This idea speaks to the difference between religion and spirituality. The distinction between these terms is that spirituality is a personal journey or interpretation of the path to enlightenment and religion is following other’s journey, interpretation or path (Personal communication, S. Sadava, December, 2008). This distinction has also been referred to by researchers in Psychology as religion as a means and/or quest and religion as a means to an end respectively (Ryff & Singer, 1998; Batson & Stocks, 2005; Ryan, Rigby & King, 1993; Watson, Morris, Hood, Milliron & Stutz, 1998; MacLean, Walker & Matsuba, 2004).

It has been postulated that when Jesus said “Come follow me” he meant, come be like me, follow my path toward enlightenment because it is the True way to heaven, rather than placing him on a pedestal to be worshipped as an idol (Baigent, 2006; Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln, 1996; Knight & Lomas, 1998; Knight & Lomas, 1997). But if one chooses the path of Jesus and follows a personal path to enlightenment, it could be conceived that person may no longer need the church. If people followed an inner path they would develop their own relationship with God thus rendering the church irrelevant. If one realizes they do not need the church because they can develop their own relationship with God, then the church would lose money, power and control over the masses (no pun intended). This could be one reason why it is dangerous to think we can relate to Jesus as a human. A potential reason why people prefer to follow the church’s path could be because following Jesus’ death the disciples and all those who did not believe in the Roman interpretation of Jesus and his message were brutally killed (Bucaille, 1995). The fear of these events and straying from the church’s interpretation could still exist in people today.

Was Jesus a Political Revolutionary?

            The movie also portrays Jesus as a political revolutionary. For example, in the movie Jesus said he wanted freedom from Rome and Judas was to kill him if his path strayed from that mission, and the charges in front of the cross included lifting his hand against the crown, conspiring and leading a revolution to bring about the fall of Rome. After his retreat in the desert he said “I believed in love, but now I believe in this” (the axe) and “I am inviting you to a war.”

            The term Messiah usually translates to “the Anointed One” from Greek word Christos (Knight & Lomas, 1997). But Michael Biagent (2006) interprets the translation of Messiah from Aramaic as “The Anointed king” (pg.16). Messiah also translates to “a person that will become rightful king of the Jews” (Knight & Lomas, 1997, p. 59), because historically Jewish kings were referred to as messiahs. This translation suggests the purpose of the Messiah was to become king of the Jews by taking down the kingship of their oppressors, who at that time were the Romans. It was, after all the Romans who took Jesus away and killed him for starting a revolt against the Roman Empire. Why else would it take a cohort (50 men) to take him away (New Testament)?

Did Jesus succeed in H/his Mission?

If the definition of Messiah is king of the Jews and if Jesus never became king of the Jews, then perhaps he may not have succeeded in this mission. Because Jesus’ movement was unable to free the Jews from Roman rule is one reason why they do not consider Jesus the Messiah. It is the Greek translation that suggests superhuman traits and this type of person is not known to the Hebrew Bible which believes the Messiah to be a “great military leader” (Knight & Lomas, 1997). If Jesus’ mission was to free the Jews from the Roman rule and become king, as the Messiah was prophesized to do, then he may not have succeeded in this particular mission.

Another interpretation of Jesus’ mission could be that he was to free souls and die for our sins. As a fellow colleague mentioned in seminar, Jesus denied the mission of freeing the Jews from Rome, but stated rather that his mission was to free souls (not Eric, Ayden, Justin or Mike). If this interpretation is taken, then perhaps Jesus did succeed in this mission metaphorically. Therefore, depending how you define Messiah, he did or did not succeed in his mission to free the chosen from the oppressed. And after all, as it was mentioned by another colleague in class “it is what you believe that counts.” (Lindsey, 2009). Should people be forced by killing and/or censorship to endorse other people’s beliefs or interpretations?

References

Baigent, M. (2006). The Jesus papers. Exposing the greatest cover-up in history. New York:

HarperCollins.

Biagent, M., & Leigh, R. (1998). The elixir and the stone. Unlocking the ancient mysteries of the

occult. England: Penguin Books.

Biagent, M., Leigh, R., & Lincoln, H. (1996). The messianic legacy. London: Arrow Books.

Biagent, M., Leigh, R., & Lincoln, H. (1982). The holy blood and the Holy Grail. United

Kingdom: Jonathan Cape.

Bucaille, M. (1995). The Bible the Qur’an and science. New Delhi: Millat Book Centre.

Burstein, D. (2006). Secrets of the code. The unauthorized guide of the mysteries behind the

DaVinci code. New York: CDS Books.

DeMeo, J. (2004) A Dynamic and Substantive Cosmological Ether, Proceedings of the

 Natural Philosophy Alliance, Cynthia Whitney, Editor, Vol.1, No.1, Arlington, MA.

p.15-20.

DeMeo, J. (1998). Wilhelm Reich’s discoveries. Oregon: Lithigraph.

Feinstein, D. (2008). Energy Psychology in Disaster Relief. Traumatology. 14, 124-137.

Knight, C., & Lomas, R. (1998). The second messiah. Templars, the Turin shroud and the great

secret of Freemasonry. London: Arrow Books Limited.

Knight, C., & Lomas, R. (1997). The Hiram key. Pharaohs, Freemasons and the discovery of the

secret scrolls of Jesus. London: Arrow Books Limited.

Morgan, W. (1827/1986). Freemasonry exposed. Chicago: Charles T. Powner.

Reich, W. (1961). The function of the orgasm. New York: The Noonday Press. 

Reich, W. (1960). Wilhelm Reich: Selected readings. New York: Farrar, Straus and

Cudahy.

Robinson, T., Hyden, S., Tobias, S., Murray, N., Phipps, K., Heller, J., & Bowman, D. (June 16,

2008). Admit none: 16 protested movies. Retrieved January 26, 2009 from,

http://www.avclub.com/articles/admit-none-16-protested-movies,2342/

Ryan, R. M., Rigby, S., & King, K. (1993). Two types of religious internalization and their

relations to religious orientations and mental health. Journal of Personality and Social

Psychology, 65, 586-596. 

Ryff, C. D., & Singer, B. (1998). The contours of positive human health. Psychological Inquiry,

(9), 1-28.

Studio Briefing. (December 18, 2003). Another Christ film judged “most complained about”

            retrieved January 26, 2009 from, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095497/news?year=2003

Watson, P. J., Morris, R. J., Hood, R. W., Millron, J. T. Jr., & Stutz, N. L. (1998). Religious

orientation, identity, and the quest for meaning in ethics within an ideological surround.

International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 8, 149-164.  

Writegrrl. (August 7, 2007). A list of banned books that may or may not surprise you. Retrieved

            January 26, 2009 from,

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/336687/a_list_of_banned_books_that_may_or.

html?cat=38

Figure 1: Jesus as portrayed by The Last Temptation of Christ

             MAN                                                                                                       

he says he has made many mistakes, he wants to rebel against everything, he says he is a liar, hypocrite and is afraid of everything, he blushes and looks away when he sees a woman, admits he wants a regular life and admitted liking it because it made him happy, he says he doesn’t know the answer and needs a sign from God, he had contradicting messages like this one (because scripture says do not put to the test the Lord your God), another contradicting message was going from love to the axe, his thoughts and feelings contradicted his words and actions (felt angry and wanted to kill, but out of his mouth came the message of love), he did become violent and angry, he suggests that he is possessed because he hears voices, doesn’t like hearing the voice of God and that hearing it is like the scratching of talons on his scalp and writhes in pain. He sins, feels pain walked on sand and stone. At the end he is called a coward, is seen witling wood, having a family, married to more than one person (but Mary of Magdalene was the sister of Lazarus), succumbed to Lucifer’s temptation and was called selfish. “He is real like us,” “I’m a man like everybody else…”

DIVINE

Refrained from sex, killing, stealing because tells him to, he talks to animals, people who have just died lead him to places, he made snakes appear, turned the cheek, even when Judas was sent to kill him, he had visions, power and could perform “magic’, he sees God in everything, even in ants, not afraid of dying, knows personal information about people he doesn’t know, was an advocate for the freedom of the soul, wanted to get rid of materialism in the temple, he tossed seeds from the apple and they grew instantly, There was telepathy between him and John as he was killed and he left the dessert, he took out his heart, cast out demons, healed the blind, raised the dead, turned water to wine, and conquered death.

            Perhaps there was a bias toward the idea that Jesus was a man/prophet. In my book the columns looked equal, but after typing them out, it does appear that Jesus was portrayed more like a man than a Divine being.

besides women, the Catholic Church has made sex evil (probably because it acknowledges the purpose of women). When one suppresses sex, an imbalance occurs which could explain why there are so many pedophiles and gay tendencies in the church. If women are demonized and sex is avoided, men become the alternate object of desire or desires burst out in inappropriate ways.

“The Last Temptation of Christ” and “The DaVinci Code” vs. Censorship

Forbidden Knowledge and the Dangerous Arts

March 26, 2009

“The Last Temptation of Christ” and “The DaVinci Code” vs. Censorship

The movies The Last Temptation of Christ and The DaVinci Code were banned mostly because they presented Jesus as more of a man than a divine figure. Countries such as South Africa and the Philippines have banned The Last Temptation of Christ. Similarly, The DaVinci Code was banned in Lebanon as it was considered “offensive to Christianity” or “insulting” (BBC News, 2004). However, these films were not only banned due to the portrayal of Jesus as a man, but as a man who married and perhaps continued a bloodline. This paper will investigate why the portrayal of Jesus as a man or as a married man who may have continued a bloodline may be considered “offensive to Christianity” or “insulting” and postulate a reason why interpretations such as these continue to be banned.

In order to answer the question of why the portrayal of Jesus as a man is offensive, one must ask, what makes something offensive? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is too subjective and open to interpretation that perhaps a more objective approach is necessary. This paper must then discover when something is not offensive, or find out under what conditions it could be wrong take offence. To answer these questions it may be necessary to investigate whether the claims are true or merely “pure fiction” (Writegrrl, 2007).

If the claims that Jesus was a man who married and continued a bloodline are true, then under these conditions, it would not make sense to say these films are offensive. It would not make sense because Jesus was “a man of integrity [who taught] the way of God in accordance with the truth” (Mathew 22:16; Mark 12:14; Luke 20:21; & John 14:6 from Biblegateway, New International Version). Therefore, this paper will search for evidence of the truth behind these claims to see if the idea of Jesus as a man who married and continued a bloodline has merit. If this interpretation of Jesus shows to be apt, then potential reasons why these films were banned regardless will be discussed.

Was Jesus Married?

There are many clues hidden in both the Bible and in the Gnostic Gospels found at Nag Hammadi in 1945 that Jesus and Mary may have been married or had a relationship. The non-canonical or Gnostic Gospels have many clues regarding the relationship between Jesus and Mary because the Gospel of Philip states, “The companion of the [saviour] is Mary of Magdala. The [saviour loved] her more than [all] the disciples [and he] kissed her often on her m[outh]… The rest of the disciples were offended by it and expressed disapproval. They said to him ‘why do you love her more than all of us?’ The Saviour answered and said to them ‘Why do I not love you like her?’” (Meyer, 2005, p. 63; Burstein, 2006).

An interpretation of this passage may lead one to believe that Jesus and Mary had an intimate relationship. However, the parchment was damaged in the critical place that stated where he kissed her and the end of this passage is not truly known (see Figure 1). The consensus among scholars is that he kissed her often on her “mouth” (because the Coptic letter “m” for mouth was undamaged) which is why it reads as such in the Gnostic Gospels (Meyer, 2005). Scholars disagree however, that the kiss signifies an intimate relationship between Jesus and Mary (Burstein, 2006) and say rather that it is symbolic of what is commonly called the “Kiss of Peace,” which is when one shakes hands at church with others (Burstein, 2006). The “Kiss of Peace” ritual is too new however, to be considered a symbolic reference to the kiss between Mary and Jesus. Scholars also say a kiss is symbolic in the early church a metaphor for giving birth (Burstein, 2006). This is odd because the symbolism of this metaphor may confirm rather than disprove an intimate relationship between them and supports the theory of a continued bloodline. None-the-less, this passage does not confirm nor deny a marriage between Jesus and Mary in the end.

Another clue in this passage is the word companion, translated from the Greek word koininos, which is more correctly translated as partner or consort (Burstein, 2006). According to Traditional Greek language a partner or consort was more commonly referred to as a woman a man has sex with (Burstein, 2006) and could thus imply marriage. This is widely debated because companion is also mentioned in reference to Jesus’ male disciples, but whether or not the companion was translated from the Greek word koininos is not known. Meanings get lost in translation quite a bit, especially going from Hebrew, to Greek then to English (Baigent, 2006). As in English, there are different words that mean similar things. Therefore, a different word for companion may have been used when referring to Jesus’ male disciples. Nonetheless this clue cannot confirm or deny a marriage between Jesus and Mary.

 A clue regarding the relationship between Jesus and Mary can also be found in the Gnostic Book The Gospel of the Beloved Disciple, which states that Mary was in Jesus’ lap during the Last Supper (Meyer, 2005; Burstein, 2006). The Eucharist, which was the ritual performed at the last supper of the breaking of bread and drinking of wine may have been a reference to an ancient Pagan ritual, “based on the ancient rites of the mystical marriage” (Burstein, 2006, p. 101). The idea of the Eucharist as a marriage could be a physical representation or a metaphorical one in that the Goddess Demeter, from the Mysteries of Eleusius in ancient Greek Mythology is symbolised by bread and wine is a symbol of the Godman Dionysus (Burstein, 2006). Whether the performance of the Eucharist is taken literally or symbolically, it still points to a male-female relationship. Since the Eucharist is also mentioned in the canon, we may not need to turn to the non-canonical Gospels to find clues of their potential marriage.

Clues of the potential marriage or relationship between Jesus and Mary can be found right in the Bible; in the Gospel of Luke, as symbolism to a marriage. For example, Mary anoints Jesus with oil called spikenard (also referred to as nard); and then wipes his feet with her hair (7:38; Burstein, 2006). The reference to the oil or perfume is important because it can also be found in John 12:3 “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet…And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” A clue to the significance of this oil can be found in the Old Testament’s Song of Solomon which is a Book depicting a deep love between a man and a woman (hence more than a friendship). Examples include “Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out” (1:3) and “While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance” (1:12).

Research into nard revealed it to be an Eastern perfume known to “waft around the bridegroom at the banquet table” (Burstein, 2006, p.77). The references to the perfume may therefore suggest that Jesus and Mary were more than friends.

Another clue of the potential marriage of Jesus and Mary can be found in John 11:2 “This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.” She not only anoints him with oil or perfume, but also wipes Jesus’ feet with her hair; as mentioned before (also found in Luke 7:38 and John 12:3). The ritual of anointing the man and wiping his feet with hair has been known in older Greek traditions as a sacred ritual of marriage called “Hieros Gamos” (Burstein, 2006, p. 77; Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln, 1996). Therefore, it seems as though the ritual of anointing with oil and wiping the feet denotes marriage, as well as the symbolism of the Eucharist: Both being a direct symbol of a potential marriage between Jesus and Mary.    

While it is tempting to use only these references, these Books and Gospels were written long after the events they describe take place, making these references less than reliable. Thus, evidence that is more tangible may be necessary to draw any conclusions regarding the authenticity of the claim that Jesus was married. Thus, perhaps a deeper look into ancient Hebrew customs may be necessary.

The customs of the ancient Hebrew tradition at the time of Jesus state that only a husband can see a woman’s hair down (Burstein, 2006; Baigent, et al., 1996). If a woman lets her hair down to a man other than her husband, it was considered grounds for divorce (Burstein, 2006). In the Gospel of Philip, under the heading Pure Marriage it states “No one can know when a husband and wife have sex except those two, for marriage in this world is a mystery for those married (p. 82)…If marriage is exposed, it has become prostitution, and the bride plays the harlot” (Meyer, 2005, p. 83). Could this be an explanation for why Mary was perceived as a harlot or prostitute?

In regard to the ointment, this passage goes on to say “Let her show herself only to her father and her mother, the friend of the bridegroom, and the attendants of the bridegroom. They are allowed to enter the bridal chamber every day. But let the others yearn just to hear her voice and enjoy the fragrance of her ointment…” (Meyer, 2005, p. 83). The ointment is mentioned again here in association with marriage and perhaps this is where the idea that the bride must not be seen before the wedding comes from.

Another ancient Hebrew custom at the time of Jesus states that in order to be referred to or considered a rabbi, he had to be married (Baigent, et al., 1996). Jesus was referred to as rabbon (the word for rabbi) on many occasions throughout the New Testament (Burstein, 2006). In other words, Jesus would not be allowed to be referred to as a rabbi or represent God if he were not married! This (in the author’s opinion) is the most convincing argument for the marriage between Jesus and Mary.

In addition, according to the culture, the only person asked to have anything to do with food and wine preparation at a wedding is the bridegroom himself (Baigent, et al., 1996). A dig further into John 2:1 revealed that his mother was present at this wedding, and according to the Hebrew Tradition at that time, the only time a son was permitted to be accompanied to a wedding with his mother, was at his own wedding (Burstein, 2006; Baigent, et al., 1996). Speaking of wedding symbolism, according to the Pagan myth of the wedding between the Godman Dionysus and Ariadne (from the Eucharist symbolism mentioned earlier), he too turns water into wine as a symbol of marriage (Burstein, 2006). This suggests that the wedding at Cana (John 2:1) could have been Jesus’ own wedding! Therefore, there are many clues that suggest or provide evidence for the idea that Jesus was married.

There may be symbolic, metaphoric and even factual custom evidence for the idea that Jesus and Mary were married, but if they were married, where is the record or the marriage certificate? The DaVinci Code claims that the treasure found by a man named Saunier was indeed that of a marriage certificate certifying the marriage between Jesus and Mary.

Further investigation into the details regarding the discovery of Saunier revealed that Saunier was a priest who while modifying his chapel in Rennes-le-Chateau in France he knocked down one of the pillars at the entrance. Inside this pillar was something of great curiosity (Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln, 1982). He then met with his superior Bishop of Carcassonne, then left for Paris and returned a very wealthy man (Burstein, 2006; Baigent, et al., 1982). His new wealth did not make him happy however and his redecorating project ended in a large tower attributed to Mary called the Tour de Magdala, which housed his library. A weird statue inside the entranceway was built, and was dedicated to the demon Asmodeus who is the custodian of secrets (also referred to as the guardian of hidden treasures; also see definition of apocalypse).

The inscription above the entranceway to the tower translates to “This place is terrible.” (Baigent, et al., 1982). The church also happened to be on the site belonging to the fourth Grand Master of the Knights Templar and there were also skeletal remains said to have been found at the site (Baigent, et al., 1996/82).

The DaVinci Code portrayed this secret treasure or codex found by Saunier as the documental evidence of the marriage between Jesus and Mary. Yet, what was actually found in that pillar is still speculation. One could however, postulate that it may have been documentation of a marriage between Jesus and Mary, especially if Saunier ended up rich after his meeting in Paris regarding the find (Baigent, et al., 1996/82). Therefore, in the face of the research, there may be tangible documentation for a marriage between Jesus and Mary. But, since it is not known what was truly found by Saunier, this piece of evidence may not be valid enough to draw a conclusion from. However, aside from tangible proof, due to the considerable amount of clues found in the Gnostic Gospels, the Bible and Jewish customs at the time of Jesus, it may be safe to conclude that Jesus and Mary may have been married. Thus, this idea should not be offensive.

Did Jesus Continue a Bloodline?

Both The DaVinci Code and The Last Temptation of Christ suggest that Jesus and Mary were married (which we can now conclude with some certainty is an apt interpretation) but also suggest he had children or continued a bloodline. If the early church recognized a kiss as a metaphor for giving birth, this claim fits right in. The stories of the Holy Grail are stories of the lost Goddess, or the lost Sacred Feminine (Burstein, 2006; Baigent, et al., 1996/82; Brown, 2003), or Sangraal, which has also been translated to “holy blood” (Burstein, 2006; Baigent, et al., 1996/82). Thus, many of Brown’s (2003) ideas do fit nicely into the story because he proposes that Mary was pregnant at the time of the crucifixion.

Further research into this matter reveals that shortly after the crucifixion Mary fled to France (some sources say with Lazarus her brother) and claim she arrived in a town called Aix where there happens to be a ceremony and feast every year, still celebrated in her honour (Burstein, 2006). It was there that it was said Mary gave birth to a female child named Sarah (Baigent, et al., 1996/95).

The ceremony and feast may be the only tangible evidence of a potential bloodline, but Baigent et al. (1996) attempt to follow the bloodline to the present day only to be stuck half way. It is only when one accepts the Merovingian link that the Sangraal or holy blood can be traced to a family now residing in Milton Ontario. Therefore, there may not be enough evidence to conclude fully that Jesus indeed continued a bloodline. But whether these claims are true or not, the interpretations of Jesus’ life that differs from the Catholic interpretation, continues to be censored or banned.

Why Cover Up this Marriage and Potential Bloodline?

The biggest question from a censorship perspective is “Why is it so controversial to suggest Jesus was married?” One potential reason would be that the Roman Catholic Church would lose its influence over the masses. It would undermine and make people question the idea that Catholicism is the only “true religion, or true interpretation of Christianity” (author’s interpretation). If Jesus was married, he may have passed the true rites of Christianity to his wife or down through his bloodline if he were married and had children.

There does seem to be evidence for this idea because Mary was the first to see Jesus after the crucifixion (Mark 16:9). It was then that she was given the title “Apostle to the Apostles” (Burstein, 2006) and was told to relay the message that Jesus was resurrected the other disciples and Peter, (Mark 16:7). If there is anything that scholars and the Gospels Mathew, Mark, Luke and John agree on it is (1) that Mary was one of the female disciples that followed Jesus. (2) She was present at the foot of the cross with Jesus’ family during the crucifixion (3) Mary was the first person Jesus appeared to after the resurrection (Burstein, 2006) and (4) Mary was given the title “Apostle to the Apostles” by the Catholic Church to remedy the prostitute title against her.

What is interesting about this title is that it implies she may have been given a status higher than that of the other disciples. Thus, it does imply that she received something the other disciples did not. There may be evidence for this because the Gospel of Mary from the collection of Gnostic Gospels tells a story of how Peter got very angry with Mary because Jesus appeared to her first, and he actually made her cry (see Meyer, 2005, pp 37-41). Peter did not want to take orders from her and did not want to admit that Jesus picked her over him to receive the rites to Christianity. Peter was depicted throughout the Gnostic Gospels as a woman hater.

This interpretation of the event may be the most dangerous to the Catholic Church because they get their rite or interpretation of Christianity from Peter (and Paul). If it was realized what was really meant by Jesus giving Mary this title, then it would reveal that the Catholic interpretation might not be the true interpretation sanctioned by Jesus (not to mention poke holes in the Papal Infallibility). This could be one motivation to suppress and ban the idea of a marriage between Jesus and Mary; because if he were married, the rites to teach Christianity would be given to Mary, not Peter. Peter was always angry towards Mary and they were rivals.

Another potential reason for the banning of interpretations portrayed in The Last Temptations of Christ and The DaVinci Code, contrary to that of the interpretations upheld by the Catholic Church may have something to do with the point Brown (2003) is trying to get across in his movie The DaVinci Code. Brown (2003) points out that the role of women in the church is unsatisfactory and questions why women do not play a bigger role today when (according to the codices found at Nag Hammadi), women played a greater role in the past. There are curious questions about what happened in early Christianity that ended with women playing a marginal role today and it could be due to the idea that Christianity was passed down to a woman, rather than a man.

In the Gnostic Gospels, Jesus teaches a lot about egalitarianism and how women should be seen as equal to men (Meyer, 2005). This could be what caused most of the controversy with Jesus’ movement from the Jewish Orthodox and Roman Empires’ viewpoint. Egalitarian views were in direct violation of the Orthodox Jewish Tradition women were not to preach. The Orthodox sect also happened to be in cahoots with the Roman Empire (who also agreed women had no place in the church) and banded together as allies to do away with the Jewish Zealots who were attempting to revolt against the Roman Empire. Due to the split in beliefs of this issue between the Orthodox Jews and the Zealots, some of the male disciples were angry and jealous that Jesus taught messages to Mary exclusively and were opposed to his egalitarian viewpoints (such as Peter). These issues and events may have caused the diversity in early Christianity after the crucifixion (Bucaille, 1995).

Following Jesus’ crucifixion, a feud began over who was to continue the legacy and the teachings of Christ. Especially because there were many who did not want to believe the rites to teach Christianity were given to a woman. Thirty Gospels about the life and teachings of Jesus have been discovered over the years, and only four were made a part of the New Testament we read today (Burstein, 2006). This speaks to censorship and begs the question of why most of these Gospels are not a part of the canon.

The most common reason for censoring or banning these other Books is because they portray Jesus as a mere human. This included any Book or interpretation that did not see Jesus as more than human. Any writing inconsistent with the view of Peter or Paul were omitted from the canon because the Roman Catholic Church gets their interpretation of Christianity from Peter and Paul. Could alternate interpretations be banned to consolidate Roman control over the masses?

Another reason for the exclusion of some Books over others in the canon is that they did not conform to the Orthodox and Roman interpretation of church proceedings (as discussed earlier. The Orthodox Jews believe that women have no place in the synagogue. All popes and religious leaders in Rome (or the Vatican) are also men. Thus any doctrine, movie, book, or work of art that gives power to women in the church was banned. Therefore, deviating interpretations may have been banned because they spoke of egalitarianism or equal rights between men and women in the church. The DaVinci Code’s message has a lot to do with the sacred feminine and the importance of the female aspect of God and deliberately points to the marginalization of role of women in religion. Were these films banned due to a hidden agenda to keep men in power? 

       Research regarding this issue is interesting because there does seem to be merit to the claim of a hidden agenda to keep men in power. If Jesus did pass the true rite to teach Christianity to a woman, then this event and the egalitarian message would be an enemy to the Romans because it leads to the notion that woman are sanctioned to teach the word of God and implies that woman can be teachers of doctrine. If this notion was truly an enemy of the Roman Empire, then the first step in preventing this movement would be to persecute and kill all women who showed signs of religious propensity or prophesy, especially Mary which is why she fled.

This inevitably led to the Witch Hunts and the killing of millions of women (Read, 1990). Therefore, any fruit of the woman or of feminine power was a threat to the structure of the Roman Empire. This movement did not only lead to the demonizing of other gods such as the Pagan’s horned “Green Man,” but to the demonizing of women and everything they represented (video). The DaVinci Code expresses this beautifully with its depiction of the pentagram drawn in blood on the body of the museum caretaker. The pentagram, which is actually the symbol of the path of Venus in the sky and also the symbol of the woman has been slandered and made to be a sign of evil; thus demonized.

Other examples of the demonization of women and what they represent are: the menstrual cycle is referred to as “the curse” and women were exiled while menstruating. Women are represented as the dark side of the Yin Yang and the concept of dark and darkness has also been demonized. For example, villains were always depicted as wearing black. The English language is very biased towards men. The Earth is referred to as “Mother Earth” and is therefore seen as a thing to be conquered. It is also below heaven, which is a male characteristic according to Kabbalah (Matt, 1997), and hell is associated with below heaven and thus also with women. Emotional expression was considered to be more of a feminine quality; thus emotions were suppressed and considered to be a sign of weakness. As a consequence, rational capacities are considered superior and our culture has followed this lead. The struggle to keep men in power has been going on since the Fall itself (as it was woman who bit the apple and caused the fall and are thus evil). Therefore the patriarchal movement may have been at stake due to Jesus’ teachings and relationship with Mary. Unfortunately interpretations contradicting the Catholic interpretation are still being banned and it is not clear if we do still live in a patriarchal society.

If Jesus’ egalitarian teachings are true and women are indeed equal to men, then nature will find a way to balance the scales. Women are climbing to many high places where only men used to be. There may be a “glass ceiling” effect still in place, but there does seem to be a shift toward equality. Especially because the number of women in university compared to men is significant. This means that in the future women may be more educated than men and thus be more qualified to get the higher paying jobs. Also, emotional or intuitive capacities are now considered to be equally valuable as rational capacities in Psychology (Personal communication J. Mitterer, 2009), and men are diagnosed as being ill if they cannot get in touch with their emotions (Levant, 2006).  

 Both Jesus and Buddha taught the importance of the Middle way or balance, and this pattern can be seen throughout history. When one force rises up, the other rises back in response and the Earth maintains its balance. The biggest evidence for the need for equality or balance between male and female energies can be found in the balance created by the Earth after the Witch Hunts. The pope at the time (Pope Gregory IX) was also burning the cats because apparently they too were evil: This led to an imbalance in the food chain causing an unusual number of rats and plague was the result (Copley, 2008). Ironically, the plague killed an overwhelming amount of men compared to women, thus restoring the balance of the sexes to the Earth (Read, 1990).

The search for a reason why these two films were banned may have uncovered an ancient battle of the sexes or the struggle for men to retain power. This speaks to a problematic bias in our culture that may perpetuate opposition rather than complimentary tendencies. If The Last Temptation of Christ and The DaVinci Code were to sit down and dialogue with one another, they would probably end up agreeing with everything said. This would eventually lead to going out for a beer and the new found friendship would then make the Catholic Church very nervous.

Works Cited

BBC News, 2004. DaVinci code banned in Lebanon. retrieved February 23, 2009 from

            http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3663344.stm Published: 2004/09/16.

Bucaille, M. (1995). The Bible the Qur’an and Science. New Delhi: Millat Book Centre.

Burstein, D. (2006). Secrets of the Code. The Unauthorized Guide of the mysteries behind the

DaVinci code. New York: CDS Books.

Biagent, M., Leigh, R., & Lincoln, H. (1982). The holy blood and the Holy Grail. United

Kingdom: Jonathan Cape.

Biagent, M., Leigh, R., & Lincoln, H. (1996). The Messianic Legacy. London: Arrow

Books.

Copely, J. (2008). Cats and the black plague: Persecution of felines increased death toll for

humans. Retrieved March 17, 2009 from   

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/336687/a_list_of_banned_books_that_may_or.

html?cat=38 http://cats.suite101.com/article.cfm/cats_and_the_black_plague

Levant, R. F., Cook, S. W., Smalley, K. B., Good, G. E., O’Neil, J. M., Owen, K., &

Richmond, K. (2006). The normative male alexithymia scale: Measurement of a

gender linked syndrome. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 7, 212-224.

Read, D. (1990). CBC’s The Burning Times. Ottawa: National Film Board of Canada.

Writegrrl. (August 7, 2007). A list of banned books that may or may not surprise you. Retrieved

            January 26, 2009 from,

Figure 1: The damaged parchment showing the passage on her m[outh] (Burstein, 2006, p. 126).

The spot referred to is not part of the damage on the outside of the parchment, but the only whole in the middle.

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Taoism / Buddhism
The yin yang represents the male and female attributes fused into a unifying symbol

Hinduism
Lots of male/female union symbolism ;) if you know what I mean nudge nudge wink wink (see Kama Sutra). One way enlightenment is reached is through sexuality and orgasm, according to the Hindu tradition. Also, the male God = Shiva and the Female God or feminine energy of the universe = Shakti.

 
Ancient Egyptian
Triangle = male
Inverted triangle = female
Together = the star of David

Judaism
"On the day that God created Adam, in the likeness of God He created him, male and female He created them. He blessed them and called their name Adam...Genesis 5:1-2
Talmud "Any man who does not have a wife is without joy, without blessing, without goodness.

Ancient Kabbalah
From the Zohar - Blessings are found only where male and female are found. A human being is only called Adam when male and female are as one."
In all Kabbalistic writings God" makes up both T'firet (male) and Shekkhinah (female) entities.

 (chapter XLII) Mathers
"And when He wisheth to separate them He causedth an ecstasy (or trance) to fall upon Microprosopus, and separateth the Woman from His back. And He conformeth all Her conformations, and hideth Her even unto Her day, on which She is ready to be brought before the Male.(1028-1029) And when they are associated together , then are They mutually mitigated in that day on which all things are mitigated. And therefore are the judgements mitigated mutually and restored to order... (v1039).

Aztec Religion

Talks about two souls within a crystal skull that are waiting to be released at the end of times to reveal the secrets of their culture (who were said to be survivors of Atlantis). Why couldn't these two characters be male and female counterparts?

Christianity
Jesus = male
Mary = female
Their story and symbolism = the story of Sophia Wisdom and Consciousness, Hercules and Helen, Aphrodite and her journey through moral values back to her father, Dionysus and Demeter, Hermes and Persephone, story of Phado, Herodotus, Elohim and Eden, Adam and Eve (who also has another side like these other famous characters - Lilith) ...(Sources include Secrets of the Code by Dan Burstein and some from Gnostic Gospels of Jesus - Meyer)
= the keys to the kingdom of heaven
Gospel of Thomas
"and when you make male and female one, so that the male is no longer male and the female no longer female, then you shall reach the kingdom of heaven."
Gospel of Philip
"If the female had not separated from the male, the female and the male would not have died. The separation of male and female was the beginning of death. Christ came to heal the separation that was from the beginning and reunite the two, in order to give life to those who died through separation and unite them.
   

When Eve was in Adam, there was no death. When she was separated form him, death came. If she enters into him again and he embraces her, death will cease to be.

        ?The father of all united with the virgin who came down, and fire shone on him. On that day that one revealed the great bridal chamber, and in this way his body came into being. On that day he came forth from the bridal chamber as one born of a bridegroom and a bride. So, Jesus established all within it, and it is fitting for each of the disciples to enter into his rest.?
Rest is our inheritance, the treasure of heaven
Check this out!!!!! Here are the English translations of the Hebrew names from Adam (following Seth's line cuz Abel was killed by Cain who was banished)

Genealogy of Genesis (Missler, 1998 ? yfiles.com)

Hebrew Name                                               English Translation

ADAM                                                                              MAN

SETH                                                                           APPOINTED

ENOSH                                                                           MORTAL

KENAN                                                                          SORROW

MAHALALEL                                                        THE BLESSED GOD

JARED                                                                     SHALL COME DOWN

ENOCH                                                                           TEACHING

METHUSELAH                                                  HIS DEATH SHALL BRING

LANECH                                                                        DESPAIRING

NOAH                                                                                 REST

Is it a coincidence that the meanings of the names make a sentence? ?Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the blessed God shall come down teaching. His death shall bring (the) despairing,... rest.?