When I started writing this I thought I will write a movie review but my mind, as always, dragged me towards a broader, more appropriate approach in presenting, rather questioning what was showed in the movie, or the book as a matter of fact.
I think the story apart from depicting the fight between science and religion, church and the Illuminati, Langdon and the mysteries also raises a subtle question.
"Did such things happen before? Was there someone like Camerlengo Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor's Character in the movie) before who tried to make-up a story of faith in order to strengthen the faith of the followers, to stop people from turning away from their religion? If not a single man(or woman) then a group of people. Or simply does our faith today stand on the foundation of falsity?"
If the answer is NO, the question is "Are you sure?"
If the answer is YES, then "Uh-oh!"
Every person,today, is emotionally attached to their religion, and their religion could be "Atheism". They cannot tolerate a word said against their belief even if the question is posed to them in the most respectable and beautiful language and the words dipped in honey. But unfortunately only a handful are "knowledgebly" and "logically" attached to their system of belief. Nobody reads the scriptures of their own religion leave apart reading that of others.
Anyways, my question was whether the scriptures or related works we have read or will read are not just another "made-up" story. A question very difficult to answer but not impossible. There is always a logical and mathematical approach to truth and truth is never illogical. Logic should never be kept in the cupboard while learning religion. Sooner or later we will be able to relate the events and logic. One example that I can suggest is worshipping more than one God. Was one God not sufficient or was it necessary that God takes so many forms so that humans can imagine better. Is it not another made-up story by different people around the world, at different times and places for material and social profits? Polytheism seems illogical to me.
Another way of ensuring that we dont fall for a false story would be comparision. Comparision between two statements made on the same topic would tell us if there are any contradiction and a contradiction always points towards human intervention. To err is human, remember. But the statements should be chosen wisely, in context, for comparision. You cannot compare a monotheist religion and polythiest religion on the number of Gods they pray and say that they are opposite and so both are errors. You should compare points within the same belief. Simlarly you cannot quote out of context and say that Krishna in Bhagwad Gita persuades Arjuna to kill his brothers. As I said, a wise decision should be made while comparing.
Another way of approaching would be using probability. If you dont understand a point of view it is not always necessary that it is illogical or made up. Say if eight of the ten points made seems logical to you and remaining two points doesnot make sense then probability would suggest that the remaining two points are also 80% logical. But again wise decisions should be made in choosing the points. Also a probablity is a "probable" entity. Wisdom will help here.
Scientific developments and historical dates are another tools that can be used.
But again I will come back to my first point... to relate the verses logically, to compare them or to apply probability have we read or learnt enough?
