i started and finished the da vinci code this past week. i was surprised at how detailed and well put together the novel was. the author put together a story that tells a detailed controversial history of the bible, the catholic church, and the secret societies that encircle them both. you’ll notice that is did say novel, not a history book. this book comes in the form of a enthralling dramatic well researched murder mystery that not only sparked my interest in the alternate history of the church but really made me think about how much the church is like today’s corporate america.

both the church and corporate america do everything within their power to change peoples perception of their indiscretions, including rewriting history. they amass huge marketing campaigns to deface their enemies or advertise their few successes. they beg borrow and steal to stay alive and then later deny any involvement or indiscretions that led to their failures.

anyhow, throughout the book during different plot points the main character referred to various books and research from which he extracted his knowledge. my interest in the topics that were discussed was piqued throughout the book so i decided to follow my interest and pick up a few of the books. i started reading holy blood, holy grail which actually came out in the early 80’s and made quite a splash around the release. i also plan on reading a few of the other books he recommends like the woman with the alabaster jar, the messianic legacy, the templarr revelation, and others.

i created a new ”religion” category that i’ll be posting things i learn or find interesting from the books. yet another new hobby for me … woohooo.