I know there are many negative comments about Angels and Demon written by Dan Brown, and directed by Ron Howard. The comments are subjected to the cine-graphic, direction, or even plot. There is a natural tendency to compare between the book and the movie.
For me, I am just going to input about my thoughts generally about Angels and Demon.
In my diaryisblog years ago, I have written about Christianity, comments about faith and the books Dan Brown wrote. These views have not changed, and hence I would not be repeating the same for they are in
http://diaryisblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/important-discussion-faith-christians.html
It is about the updates and the new things I have learned or realised.
(From Wikipedia)For me, I have done research on Christianity on the whole, and especially with regards to the series, Catholics. From a friend (in which I shall not named), I know the terms to "sub-divide" Christianity is known as "Denomination". There is Protestants, Catholics (Also many types), Evangelists (Anglicans) and others smaller modern units like Opus Dei.
Roman Catholics is the biggest denomination of all, with around 1/6 of population (around a whopping 1.47 Billion people) and still increasing at a fast rate.
I am not a Catholic, Roman Catholic and most likely, I would never be one.
I am a Chinese Buddhist, who believe in harmony and Yin-Yang balance. What I have always questioned, intrigued and fascinated with is "FAITH". And how traditions are meant to be logical and how religion have always been about helping humans and not restricting them to progress and enlightenment. Science is the technical, Faith and Religion is the soul.
I am bemused (as shown in one segment of the show when the Vatican Police do not know about the power of Carmelengo and the what the "above" like Cardinals' roles are) that many people who proclaimed to be people of faith actually do not understand their religion well enough. I am talking religion as a whole and not just Catholics. Taking religions classes is one thing, but to truly understand, questioned amiably and read up is not what many people will do.
The last part of the series is what I have always pondered and realised.
Many wise men in the past also have issues with regard to the flaw of humans. This includes Sun Zi, who hesitates about writing/completing the Art of War, but come to a realisation that humans will always have weaknesses and therefore war will always happen, regardless of whether his book and ideals are distributed to the mass. In fact, his ideal is to save lives, so that wars can be won quickly and minimised in terms of casualties.
Religion can be flawed, no matter what the argument is. It is due to the fact that it is always and still the apostle successor, the priests, the holy man who interpret the words of "God" or bible, or Quran or teachings, and they may be wiser and more holy but they are still humans.
Science for all its logic would also be flawed, as humans have weaknesses and have flaws, as the universal truth and patterns are seeked to ensure more fairness and higher technology. Humans are the one who encompass, discover and apply the Science and technology. This is why I believe academics and intellects tend to shy away from extreme views, and give coherent and justification to their points of views, as much as possible. The application is meant for the economics and the politics.
One of the part that touched me is when the Carmelengo look at Robert Langdon in the eye and ask him whether he believes in God personally, supposedly ignoring what other people in the world want him, as an academic, to answer?
I believe I would be stunned if this question is thrown to me in the eye. My answer would still be the same as Robert Langdon. I believe there should be "higher beings", but personally, I will never know (at present) or understand who is these "higher beings" and how or whether "HE" is watching over me. As an intellect, with both logics and even emotions, I cannot give in or answer to things that I do not understand at all, to the monothelite God, the source of all.
To the Christians, the higher beings is God, Holy Spirits (Trinity), Angels, Jeus Christ, Mother Mary ...
To the Muslim, almost the same with Allah ... ...
To the Taoists, the immortals - the Emperors, real historical figures and ancestors ...
To the Buddhists, Buddhas, Bodhisavatta, Arhats ....
To the Hindus, Lord Shiva, Brahmas, Vishnu ... Holy Man ....
To the Romans and Greeks, Pagan gods ...
To the Eygptians, Ra, Iris, Oasis ....
This is why there must be a "higher being" to guide us and so forth. Of course, my inquisitive mind would have asked who is this higher being? And why is this higher being so special? Is this higher being flawless? And who will watch the watcher?
With this, in terms of Greek mythology, Zeus give humans hope, the last important creed of all, for all the evils released into the world.
History will judge how the past works and the society will determine the codes and conduct, the trend and development of human progession. Answers would always be questioned, and questions would always raise new possibilities.
With this, I end with an intellect mind that all of us must have faith or even hope, intellects or not, holy man or not, wise man or not, academics or not, impartial or not, we are still humans with emotions after all ... ... (Unless the emotions are detached ... ... but things might still turn bad relatively and so flawed as a judgement?) Flaw will always be there, and as for how we deal with it, it is a testament and determination of wisdom and resolve ... ...
