h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

For those of you in the meditation group also I would recommend
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

A good novel but lots to make you think about.

The DaVinci Code is one of those rare books that has kept it's populatity for a long time after publication. It has been out for nearly a year and we still have a waiting list for it at the library. Normally, a book, even the John Grishams, are off of the hold shelf in 3 or 4 months.

At any rate, I haven't read it yet. Which really annoys me. One of my policies is that staff has to wait until a book is off of the hold shelf before checking it out. (It's a long, sad story but there is a reason I did this.)

I have had only two responses from my patrons about this book. They either love it and think it's a great novel or they tell me it's the work of the devil and should be taken off of the shelves. And of course someone overhears the latter remarks and asks to be put on the list.

H

Do try to read it Hypatia - someone touched on the basic plot in the meditation discussion - that Jesus did not die on the cross.

You are open minded enough to accept that it is not the work of the devil but a very thought provoking hypothesis.

Put yourself on the hold list under the name of Smith (or Smythe).



Jazz

I'm told that it is masterfully plotted and is a great read. The problem with novels about religious subjects is that some readers forget that they are 'novels'. A great example of this is the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. They are enormously popular with my fundamentalist Christian patrons. But some of them treat it as prophecy instead of speculative entertainment.

I personally think they're exploitative and couldn't get through the first one, but that's just me.

I remember a novel that was popular when I was in college. It was called The Q Document and purported to reveal the contents of a long lost book about Christ. Some of the good folks in my town objectd to that and asked that it be removed from the library. Our librarian refused, but that is the mentality of the area where I live. It gets pretty oppressive sometimes.

The work of the devil. That's something I'm gonna have to read!
I just popped across to my library catalogue and put a hold on it. It'll be a while before I read it, I'm number 94 in the queue.

A similar thing happened with Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It stayed on the hold list for nearly 2 years. I really wish I could write something that would be that successful.

94? You have to be kidding. Or else you do your holds differently than we do. Which of course is possible. Is there just one big list and whichever copy comes in first goes to the person at the top of the list? We did that before automation. Now we have to put lists on each individual copy.

H

We have one big list, and top of the list gets the first available copy. It's all automated on the system.
Putting lists on each copy sounds a bit tiresome.

It's very tiresome. But that's the way our software is designed. I wish we had a way to do the single list system, but we're so small that the software would cost too much. We don't have this situation that often. Most of the time we just own one copy of a book anyway.

I'm surprised that your software doesn't do it. If you don't have that situation often, then I guess it doesn't matter. It happens to us all the time. For instance we bought 150 (I think it was) copies of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Opps, sorry I'm afraid this thread has gone off track.

There was a tv special on the Da Vinci Code. That renewed interest in the book. And aren't they making a movie from it?

I did hunt up a print of the Last Supper and took a look at the figure we always assumed was John. It could be a woman.

Thanks for confirming the possible presence of the woman in the painting - I hadn't had a chance yet to check for myself.

I haven't heard of the making of a film of it - but if they did the British censors would probably ban it - it would create havoc in the Church of England, and other Christian denominations.

But you wouldn't be able to keep me away from it if it passed the censor - I'll look out for the TV programme if it gets over here.
Thanks again

Jazz

The tv show was really interesting. I've been trying to remember which network it was on for you. I'm thinking it was either the History Channel or A&E. Both of those channels show BBC documentaries sometimes, so maybe the BBC shows ones from them.

It is certainly understandable how legends would have grown up about Christ not dying on the cross. The resurrection and subsequent assumption into heaven is a pretty big pill to swallow.

I have several books with translations of the Nag Hamadi scrolls and other noncanonical first century writings. The notion that Mary Magdalen was a prostitute is totally unfounded. And Mary is given a much larger role in them than she is given in the Bible.

I'm really anxious to read the book. There is just one person ahead of me right now. With my luck a half dozen will show up before I actually get it checked out. I'm tempted to break my own rule and put my name on the list.

If I was there I'd buy you a copy.

But I suppose that is a heresy for the chief librarian.

Jazz

Hey, hey, hey. I have a copy of the book checked out and am anxiously awaiting quitting time so I can go home and start it.

I also have checked out another Dan Brown book titled Angels & Demons. It looks good too. Have you read it?

H

Hypatia,

Delighted you have got a copy checked out - I'm sure you will enjoy it as a good read, but also find lots to talk about as you progress into the plot behind the plot.

Don't get so involved in the book that you don't have time to keep in touch though.

No, I havn't read Angels and Demons - must see if I can get hold of a copy. He's a great writer.

Angels and Demons was written first and has the same main character.

Well, that was quite a roller coaster. I don't know what I think. The theory of Mary Magdalen and Jesus being married and the Holy Grail being their bloodline has been around a long time. I have always thought it made a lot of sense.

And of course it is the kind of theory that would inspire a violent reaction and attempts at suppression. So that part of the novel is very believable.

I guess I've always looked for logical ways to explain the miracles in the Bible. The unquestioning belief in the Resurrection and Assumption simply require more faith than I possess.

I have always resented the notion that women were not worthy to be disciples. I like the theory that Mary was not just a disciple, but the major disciple.

An excellent, thought-provoking book.

H

You finished it already Hypatia? It took me a week to get through it!

I see your reaction is the same as mine - the resurection of the body was always a matter for disbelief to me - and if the body went missing where did it go to, and was he dead? (Otherwise why remove the body?)

Another point to ponder is the virgin birth - if Jesus was conceived of the holy ghost and born of the virgin Mary why did the gospels go into such detail in the genealogy to trace _Joseph_ back to the line of David?

If the christ was to be born of David's line why not trace Mary's genealogy? since Joseph had nothing to do with it?

And I don't like the degeneration of women generally throughout history - they're lovely creatures, more caring, more understanding and more gentle than most men - bless them.

The virgin birth is preposterous. In the ancient world many of the religious cults claimed that their god was born of a virgin. So that is probably why that was put into the gospels. And Mary was venerated to counteract the Isis cult and a need for a goddess. Then there are the miracles. What kind of a god would it be if he couldn't work miracles?

And of course the resurrection is equally preposterous. If Jesus was crucified and then arose from the dead, why is so much emphasis placed on the crucifixion? It isn't like he was the only man ever crucified by the Romans. Or the only innocent man. Tens of thousands of men were executed in an equally horrific fashion. Jesus was in no way unique in this regard.

I haven't seen the Passion of the Christ yet but it is of course about the terrible suffering of the crucifixion. And it makes me ask the same question I've been asking all my life - why make such a big deal out of it. If they truly believe that he arose, then why don't they spend time talking about the positive aspect of the resurrection? Why is so much of Christianity about suffering and sacrifice when it should be about love and peace and overcoming pain?

I hate the Good Friday mass where you are supposed to kiss the foot of the crucifix. How ridiculous. I once had a priest tell me that if a person (meaning me) refused to kiss the crucifix then he was saying that he did not appreciate the sacrifice Jesus had made. It was telling Jesus that he had died for nothing. It's garbage like that that has totally turned me off of Catholicism.

I know that the resurrection is celebrated on Easter, but it isn't given nearly as much air time as the crucifixion. And the reason of course is that in this day and age it is so unbelievable.

I'm through ranting now. Gonna go soak my head.

Sounds like you're just too logical to be Catholic

I agree with you. Never knew about the kissing the foot of the crucifix before, but then never really went to church. The only time I ever attended mass was for a christening I was roped into going to. (I, by the way, was never christened. For that I'm very grateful to my parents.)
I have no recollection of what the priest was saying, I just remember feeling angry. I disagreed with nearly everything he said. Yet, like a puppet I kept standing and sitting when everyone else did. I drew the line at singing though. Yeah, okay I didn't know the words, but probably wouldn't have sung anyway!
The strongest memory I have of that day is the horrible bad breath of the man sitting next to me.

Don't soak your head for too long. You know, there's that oxygen thing.

We seem to be all of one accord - I never went to a Catholic mass and it sounds as if I would be equally put off. Kissing the foot of the crucifix sounds like idolatory to me.

The Church of England holy communion ceremony is where you 'eat this, this is my flesh' 'drink this , this is my blood shed for thee' which totally put me off. I know it was wine but the thought of it being blood was disgusting.

I sat and prayed about it, really distraught, and if I ever got a direct communication from God I did that day, my mind suddenly cleared and quietened with the thought 'It doesn't matter, it's just a ceremony'.That was over 50 years ago!

My few visits to Holy Communion since then (to encourage my children) I attended the service but didn't partake of the communion.

I have been to Catholic funerals but, like all funerals, the trite words spoken by most priests leave me cold and are no comfort. I know the words of a lot of the hymns off by heart but don't join in the singing now.

My early experience assures me that we have a direct line to God, if and when we feel the need to use it.

Haven't spoken on these lines for years and years, but I'm glad to find kindred spirits.

Jazz