When I Decided to Attend… a Discourse on Religion by Dan Brown
It was quite an experience to hear author of The Da Vinci Code speak on various topics, and most of what he said made sense
Unlike some people who take religion a bit too seriously, I am neither very religious nor particularly sold out on spirituality. On the contrary, I believe there is only one life to live, and it needs to be lived without any restrictions. Religions have a tendency to impose too many restrictions. Likewise, spirituality is something that has to come from within. It cannot, and should not, be drilled into an individual’s psyche. Unfortunately, in most cases, the latter is true.
That being said, it is not that I am anti-religion, or do not believe in spirituality. It is just that I want to experience it on my own terms. If (and when) I head to a place with religious significance, my idea is to take turns to soak in the tranquility of the setting and admire the architecture. If that is how I get to experience spirituality, so be it.
I neither have a blinkered vision when it comes to either religion or spirituality, nor do I restrict myself from experiencing facets related to them. It is just that I would rather experience something on my own than have it imposed on me.
As such, I end up going to seminars and symposiums where talks are held on religion and spirituality. One such gathering involved a lecture by an American author known for a plethora of thriller novels. It was during a business trip that I got to know from my colleagues that Dan Brown was in town. With no plans scheduled for that evening, once the work for the day was over, I headed to the auditorium where the discourse was scheduled.
It was about religion and…
It was absolute mayhem outside, with many trying to make their way in. After some effort, I managed to find my seat. In a matter of minutes, the audi was packed to capacity. A few minutes later, the man who everyone was waiting for had arrived on stage, and the discourse was soon underway.
“To this day, both science and religion battle to be that infallible source from which we draw our truth,” he began, before proceeding to elaborate on the topic, “Some of us find our miracles in the pages of the holy scriptures and some in scientific discovery.
“When science gets confused, it starts using phrases like uncertainty principle, margin for error, theory of relativity. Slowly, physics turns into metaphysics, numbers become imaginary and matter itself comes into question. It is interesting now that particle physicists now believe that matter (everything around us) is nothing but trapped energy, manifesting itself in different forms.
“We live in an exciting time. Right now, for the first time in history, the lines between science and religion are starting to blur. Scientists studying the sub-atomic particles are having spiritual experiences. Religious gurus are reading books about physics and learning about experiments they have always believed in, but failed to quantify.”
There was pragmatism in the gist
Brown spoke non-stop for a couple of hours. While it was not practically possible to record or write every word that he said, I did take down a few notes, that I am conveniently using in this post.
For someone like me, who views religion and spirituality through a scientific lens, most of the discourse made sense. Here’s a bestselling author who was talking about topics that are usually and rather unnecessarily controversial, with a pragmatic perspective. Brown summed up the discourse very aptly.
“To me, science and religion are partners. They are two languages trying to tell the same story. Both are manifestations of man’s quest to understand the divine,” he said, adding, “But while science dwells on the answers, religion savours the questions.
“There are many questions that science has answered. Ironically, we turn to God (spirituality) for the answers to some existential questions that science has never managed to answer. Why are we born? What are we doing here? What happens after death?”
The Da Vinci Code — the book and the movie
I have palpably not read all of Brown’s books, but among the ones I have read, I’m biased towards The Da Vinci Code. It is not that claim that it is his best book. It is just that it is the first book of his that I happened to read, and it has remained a favourite since.
In fact, when the movie based on it released some time in 2006, I went to the theaters expecting to see a taut thriller from one of my favourite directors (Ron Howard). Not to forget, Tom Hanks is an absolute favourite, and I have hardly missed any of his movies since I saw Philadelphia, followed by Forrest Gump.
Besides, I have been a fan of Audrey Tautou ever since I watched Amélie. In fact, a few months after The Da Vinci Code was released, I happened to see another of Tautou’s well-known films. It was a beautiful romantic comedy titled Hors de prix (Priceless, in English), and it has continued to remain one of my favourite films. That being said, since my expectations of The Da Vinci Code were pragmatic, I enjoyed it a lot more than those who got irked by its references to religion.
While I have also watched the other two films in the Robert Langdon series — Angels & Demons (2009) and Inferno (2016), also directed by Howard, the first remains a personal favourite. As such, I was waiting for Brown to mention the book. Eventually, he did.
“With respect to The Da Vinci Code, I thought I would first finish the Robert Langdon series, let the books breathe for a while and then let them be made into movies,” explained the author. “And there is an analogy here, borrowed from quantum physics. If a book is made into a movie, all possibilities cease to exist, except one. It is so true.
“All people watching a movie in a theater have the same experience, while every reader has a different experience of the same book. Just take the case of Harry Potter. Every child imagined a different picture of Harry and that magical world till the movie was released.” These words kept resonating in my ears long after the discourse was over.
In the final analysis
Religion and spirituality can be a beautiful experience when viewed through a scientific lens. It can help relax, ensure peace of mind and play a significant role in ensuring personal development by assuaging various emotions within, like anger, anxiety, fear, guilt, grief.
However, it is the opposite that is true. The human species has over the years developed a tendency to use religion to flare up things. Bluntly put, it is slowly being turned into a weapon of mass destruction, if the many related incidents in recent years are anything to go by.
While the political overtones, and agenda-driven aspects of religion are something I don’t really care about, it is the scientific element that I am attracted to. As such, it was anything but a surprise that a lot of what Brown spoke on that fateful evening made sense to me. I continue to view religion and spiritualism from a scientific lens.
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