Rosslyn priest quits over Da Vinci Code hype

[kskiska]

THE priest of Rosslyn Chapel has resigned amid widespread speculation that he is no longer prepared to tolerate the worldwide hype generated by The Da Vinci Code.

The Rev Michael Fass, who has previously spoken out against the "sensational speculation" surrounding the chapel, will leave his post in July.
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Ever since the author Dan Brown identified the historic Midlothian church as the hiding place of the Holy Grail in his best-selling book, visitor numbers have soared.

It is understood Mr Fass, 61, has told friends all the fuss over the phenomenon of The Da Vinci Code had made his position unbearable. They say the Episcopalian priest found his work among the 300-strong congregation in the village of Roslin was being undermined and the chapel was becoming a "Disneyland" for fans of the novel.

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http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=792572006&format=send

[Erika]

1. Lost opportunites to convert n/t

[blackhorse]

2. Precisely . . .

. . . the moment people begin to show real interest in the origins of Christianity and the role the chapel played in susequent developments, he takes off. Perhaps he should have been a monk instead.

(Edited to correct sloppy expression of a concept)

[regnaD kciN]

5. You're wrong...

The people flocking to Rosslyn because of DVC are not "showing real interest in the origins of Christianity." If they had such an interest, they would have done the modicum of study that would have proven conclusively that the claims of that novel are utter bullshit.

No, the people who flock to Rosslyn are much the same as those who flock to Roswell -- believers in an absurd conspiracy theory who will not let any facts stand in the way.

(Ironically, there's not much difference between DVC devotees and the fundies who still hold to creationism. In each case, they'll pledge themselves to an absurd theory, then refuse to listen to inconvenient facts that stand in the way of their belief.)

[blackhorse]

7. No.

Granted there is an upsurge at places like Rosslyn from the tourist crowd.

Fact is, though: Brown's book, though fiction, has popularized interpretations of the real origins of Christianity that are at odds with those of the clergy. There *are* plenty of people with real interest in these topics, your dismissal of them notwithstanding, and they *are* visiting sites like Rosslyn with a new awareness of the topic.

You are aware that debunkers are just as eaten up with their own ideas as followers of an "absurd conspiracy theory", or do you deny that as well?

BH

[regnaD kciN]

10. Wishing doesn't make it so...

Fact is, though: Brown's book, though fiction, has popularized interpretations of the real origins of Christianity that are at odds with those of the clergy.

No, Brown's book has popularized fanciful interpretations of the alleged origins of Christianity that are at odds with the facts. Every claim made by Brown about "the origins of Christianity" is ludicrously easy to rebut.

You are aware that debunkers are just as eaten up with their own ideas as followers of an "absurd conspiracy theory", or do you deny that as well?

No more so than "debunkers" of creationism or "intelligent design" are "just as eaten up with their own ideas." In each case, the evidence is crystal-clear, and offers no support to either creationists or Brown and his devotees.

[blackhorse]

23. Wow,

You must be His Man on Earth to be so sure of your *opinions*.

The real origins of Christianity are not nearly so clear-cut as you would like to believe. However, please believe whatever you wish. And I'll believe I want to believe. Do you realize your tone comes off sounding like an inquisitor out to unmask heresy?

"Ludicrously easy to rebut" . . . if one is eaten up with own's ideas as a debunker. Comparing tin-hat folks and their debunkers is like looking at mirror opposites. The fanatical need to debunk of the debunkers is just as suspect as those who feel compelled to believe in every conspiracy theory.

Why the spurious comments on creationism and ID? They had nothing at all to with any comments I've made on this thread.

BH

[SpiralHawk]

13. "...much the same as those who flock to Roswell..."

You shall pay for that slur, Earthling !

[gorbal]

15. Your lack of faith in your fellow man astounds me

Rosslyn Chapel has a deep and fascinating history. "The Davinci Code" served to bring peoples attention to the place, but so what. Let people learn how wrong the book is, there are plenty of mysteries to uncover about the place.


You can get a history of the place here-

http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk/history/history-pt1.htm

[rocktivity]

22. DING DING DING! BareNakedLiberal, you're our grand prize winner!

....If they (were)..."showing real interest in the origins of Christianity", they would have done the modicum of study that would have proven conclusively that the claims of that novel are utter bullshit.
Actually, they wouldn't even have done that. They would have realized that DVC is a work of FICTION.


...people who flock to Rosslyn are much the same as those who flock to Roswell -- believers in an absurd conspiracy theory who will not let any facts stand in the way.
But I have to give the Rosewell-ers the edge: their theories are at least rooted in rooted in reality. You may not believe what the Rosewell witnesses have had to say, but THEY do. Whereas the DaVinci Code author made the whole thing up and ADMITS it!

P.S. The article provides a quiz you can take on the church, LOL!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Kailassa]

3. So much "christianity", so little love.

[regnaD kciN]

6. Talk about jumping to conclusions...

The priest in question decided that he could no longer minister there when the church was being overrun by tourists. How that translates to an alleged lack of love is a mystery to me.

[az chela]

4. The problem is they have used radar technology

and found vaults under the chapel and between the chapel and the castle and they know that the treasures from Solomons temple were taken there but they will not let anyone use cameras or any equipment to see if the knights and the treaure are under there.It took 9 knights templars several years to get the treasure and take it there.

[regnaD kciN]

9. Right....

Not only the treasures from Solomon's temple (including, presumably, the Ark of the Covenant), but also the burial places of Mozart and Jimmy Hoffa, the weapons used by British Secret Service in the assassination of Princess Diana, the controllers for steering the remote-control jetliners into the World Trade Center on 9/11, and several UFOs that used the vault as an "astral portal." :eyes:

(Although I understand that the latter may have been removed by teleportation technology and transported to a hanger in Area 51. They may have taken Hoffa, too.)

For other info on the site, check here.

[davidinalameda]

28. is there a stargate as well

:rofl:

[dogfacedboy]

8. Why the closed minds?

Why can't the 'faithful' see the possibility that the Da Vinci Code is correct? I'm not saying it is or isn't, but why the closed minds?

[regnaD kciN]

11. Because the "faithful"...

...at least those that have given any study to the matter, know the clear-cut historical evidence that gives the lie to Brown and his claims in every case.

Calling bullshit on something this absurd is no more an example of a "closed mind" than refusing to accept the possibility of Ann Coulter's claim that all liberals are traitors who want the United States to be destroyed.

[AnOhioan]

14. Clearcut historical evidence.....

Sorry..not buying it. IN fact is makes much more sense that IF a man by then name of Jesus even existed, he was just a man...probably had a wife, probably had kids.

This nonsense about divinity is just that. No offense intended but the whole concept just goes against common sense.

I the catholic church biased against women? No doubt. Has the catholic church been complicit in such wonderful historical episodes as the Inquisition, the Crusades, the looking the other way during the Holocaust, the current sex scandals? Yes on all counts.


If the book is fiction fine, if it is though I have to wonder why the faithful are all up in arms? Maybe they doth protest too much?

Just my two cents from a reformed catholic.

[Howardx]

18. present your "evidence" here

i would like to see it. for the record, the bible isnt proof jesus existed.

[SPKrazy]

19. Remember, DaVinci Is A Work Of Fiction

and is not represented as anything else

and yet people (and it seems like you, but I could be wrong) act as if it is supposed to be a non-fiction work.

Please, the book was fun, the code-breaking, the fantasy, the story line, is all just fun!

It isn't a threat to anyone

As for the priest, he probably doesn't like the upsurge in tourism

[CHICKEN CAPITOL USA]

12. why?

same reason traditionally "real men" won't ask directions if they're lost--
gotta be a "real man" ya know!

this IZ the way it IZ and that's all there IZ to it!

gotta love it though!!

[gorbal]

16. It is an important part of some people's faith to believe christ a virgin.

Not that you didn't know that already, but that would explain the massive umbrage many people take on the subject. There really isn't any "Historical" evidence that Christ even existed, so who knows what really happened. I believe he was a virgin as much as I believe his mother was, it is what he stood for that counts in my book.

I had a great deal of fun with google and wikipedia after reading "The Davinci Code". If it had a similar effect on others I can't thnk the effect is a negative one. Learning is always good.

[SPKrazy]

20. "it is what he stood for that counts in my book"

absolutely! wonderful!

those who are up in arms over a work of fiction should really think about what you said!

[SPKrazy]

21. It Is A Work Of Fiction

but the uproar about it is as if a piece of fiction is going to tear down the "Church"

if in fact, Jesus did exist, it would be logical that he would have married, and married people tended to have kids unless there was some fertility problem.

I think Jesus existed, or at least the idea of him certainly did and does.

As another poster said:

"it is what he stood for that counts in my book"

[tanyev]

17. Nice sleepy little post not so sleepy anymore?

Life's rough like that.

[smirkymonkey]

27. How can you be a closet alcoholic with all those people around?

Jeez. :evilgrin:

Heh heh.

[Ayesha]

24. The Da Vinci Code movie mostly left out the real controversy

and the one that there is considerably more evidence for in the Bible and Gnostic texts, which is that Mary Magdalene was a disciple, and Jesus' intended successor after his death. He imparted her with special knowledge to prepare her for this role, and taught her about the concept of spiritual resurrection (as opposed to bodily) and many other topics which the early church purged from the accepted canon. He even upset the other disciples, but he had the wisdom to choose a woman who was strong enough to stand up to them.

Jesus being married and having children is bothersome to the sex-phobic Catholic church, but ultimately a traditional wife-and-mother role for Mary M. doesn't challenge their beliefs all that much. The idea of a woman as leader of the church, however, threatens them at the core. THAT's why they're so angry, or rather terrified, of this book and film. One decidedly mediocre book has popularized the very ideas they've been trying to suppress for nearly two thousand years. People are starting to realize that the truth isn't necessarily what they've been taught, and in fact, we can't even know the truth. It is the concepts, the symbols, that matter.

[muriel_volestrangler]

25. A sign put up by one of the reverend's neighbours:

From Private Eye magazine

[funkybutt]

26. The Bible is Fiction

and so is the DVC