Bishop Carlton Pearson Asks: Why All the Paranoia Over The Da Vinci Code?

Bishop Carlton Pearson Asks: Why All the Paranoia Over The Da Vinci Code?

Evangelical Pentecostal Bishop Says That God Has Not Given Us a Spirit of Fear

TULSA, Okla., May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement issued by Bishop Carlton Pearson of New Dimensions Worship Center:

"Why all the fuss about The Da Vinci Code? Is it not a fictional novel claiming to be nothing more?

Only those who are alarmed dial 911. Most of the people screaming about The Da Vinci Code are those who profess to be people of faith. However, what some are referring to a 'Faith-based community' is beginning to sound more like a 'Fear-based community.'

The panic of the religious right is obvious in their knee-jerk reaction to The Da Vinci Code or to anything else that challenges their often idolatrous traditions. What is the difference between the Christian response to The Da Vinci Code and the Islamic world's response to Salman Rushdie's 'Satanic Verses'?

As an evangelical Christian pastor, I usually do not read many fictional books; however, as I read the entire Da Vinci Code novel, I could barely put it down even though it clearly states that it is fiction. I loved the fact that the book, as will the movie, touches on several critical points of history that need to be honestly revisited.

While I do not necessarily believe that Jesus was married, it would not be totally unreasonable to assume that the man who said '... whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart,' may have had human attractions, as do other men, to a beautiful young woman attending to Him in the manner scripture suggests Mary Magdalene and other women did. He was, after all, a young single man.

Scripture also says in reference to Jesus, '... we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.' If in fact He was tempted as we are, then one of the only ways He could be so without sin, would be to marry.

According to Christian theology, It is not Christ's possible marriage to a woman that has made the difference in the world, it is His marriage to the church and to His purpose to redeem humankind to God that should be the only thing that truly counts. Even if He were married to Mary Magdalene or any other woman for that matter, it would not change His divinity or His teachings on divine matters of life, at least as far as I am concerned. After all, His favorite title for Himself was 'son of man,' not 'Son of God.'

True believers should be allowed to ask questions without being accused of being rebellious renegades and thus treated as second-class Christians. True believers simply believe, but having faith does not mean you are brain-dead. Having faith does not mean a person believes everything he is told about God by someone else - faith should be based on one's personal inward consciousness of the divine, not someone else's interpretation of that reality.

One of my favorite authors, Oswald Chambers, wrote: 'Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong; it may be a sign that he is thinking.'"

Contact:

Toneille Bent, Media Relations
New Dimensions Worship Center
(918) 392-9982
tbent@newdimensions.us

Website: http://www.higherd.org/

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.

Source: New Dimensions Worship Center

CONTACT: Toneille Bent, Media Relations, New Dimensions Worship Center,
+1-918-392-9982, tbent@newdimensions.us

Web site: http://www.higherd.org/

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