Scoop reader reports that judge tells Dan Brown he is "a liar"

From Clive, a regular reader of this blog who lives in England and is following the Coded Court Case via TV, radio, and print, this comment:

More coded craziness from Court today. The Judge, Mr. Justice Smith is clearly getting very irritated by Mr. Brown. Called him a liar this afternoon.

Mr. Brown was asked to produce his own copy of HBHG to the court. It was noted that, of all the forty books that he used for his 'research', this book alone was the most used - more battered, highlightings all over the place, underlinings, etc.

The question was put to him; when did he say he used this book? Back came the reply: only near the end, when most of the novel was already written.

So why then all this marking and noting? Dan Brown claims that it was useful for after the book was published, when he had to give talks and interviews to sell the TDVC.

At this point the Judge said: Mr. Brown, I think that this book was your essential source. Brown denied it, at which point Judge Smith said that Brown was lying to the court.

My feeling on this trial is that Brown/Random House are going to lose big time.

What is the media spin over there? Here it has to be said that almost all the news outlets (except BBC, who seem even-handed) are treating Brown like some kind of literature giant and conquering hero who only wrote the truth (right, fictional truth of course; its only a novel; right?)

The spin over here, as best I can tell, is similar to that described above, although I don't think many journalists/writers would think Brown is a literary giant. Rather, they see him as part of the creative community and are worried that if he loses, it will open the door for other copyright enfringement and plagiarism cases. And I get the sense that some of them admire, to some degree, that he has made tons of money off of creating controversy (including bashing the Catholic Church). And some writers/columnists seem to think this is all nonsensical and that the authors of HBHG are simply greedy and that Brown is a victim. None that I have read think that Brown will lose or should lose. If he does, be ready for much gnashing of teeth about how this case will frighten novelists and destroy their livelihood (for example, this piece). Perhaps. But I doubt it. I once was a creative type and know that, generally, they tend to overreact a bit. (Come to think of it, perhaps I still am a creative type, based on some of my posts.)

Comments

[Courtenay]

Hi Carl, nice site you have congratulations.

Im living in New Zealand and one of the authors of HBHG is a Kiwi so there is some local interest in this case. I havent followed it closely but from what I recall Random House publishes BOTH books, so there are no losers here at all. More than a wiff of a PR job to me.

As for Catholic bashing, yeah well maybe, but its a work of fiction not history and as a Catholic I have no problems with the book (though IMHO its a dull lifeless plodder of a read). Getting worked up about it doesnt register on my radar--ho hum, I consider there to be far more pressing issues for Christians to worry about in the world!

I dont know enough about the specifics of the case but as most of the journalists seem to suggest it will be difficult for the prosecution to win this case against Brown re plagiarism vs adapting someones idea.

Id be surprised if Brown loses, though the comments from the Judge dont bode well!

Peace!

[Jackson]

Hi Courtenay, I'd suggest that, in fact, addressing the poisonous ideas that Brown and his ilk are spreading is of the greatest importance.

As for TDVC being fiction, I suggest that you read Carl Olson's article called "The 'It's Just Fiction!' Doctrine." Then you should read his book, The Da Vinci Hoax. Devastating.

[Courtenay]

Hi Jackson I better have a read then eh :)
Thanks

[Jackson]

C, here's a link to that article:

http://tinyurl.com/rphmt

[Cristina A. Montes]

If Dan Brown loses the case, it would be a big embarrassment for the countless infatuated columnists and book reviewers who gushed about TDVC being meticulously researched.

And as for Catholic bashing and TDVC being just fiction, I've said this and I'll say it again (and again and again): the problem with TDVC is not just that it bashes the Catholic Church; TDVC also grossly misrepresents facts and misleads gullible people. I think this should be a serious concern regardless of what one's religious sympathies are. If a lot of people seriously believe a horse is a cow, or boiling radioactive milk makes it safe to drink, or that putting seaweed on your stomach makes you thinner (actual claim!) or that Adolf Hitler is half-Filipino (here at home, I've heard of a crackpot theory that our national hero, Dr. jose Rizal is Hitler's father), or that the depiction of outer space in "Star WArs" is accurate (see www.badastronomy.com), it should be a serious concern.

[Jeff Tan]

"its a work of fiction" -- I have to express some caution about being too relaxed about DVC. We know it's a work of fiction but many others out there don't. I once overheard two schoolboys (perhaps 14 years old) trying to convince a third schoolboy about the falseness of his Christian faith, based on what they've read from DVC. In a separate case, a friend of mine is of late being subjected to agressive evangelization by a friend of his who cites the alleged Constantinian origins of both the canon of Scripture and the doctrine of Christ's divinity.

Lots of people treat DVC as factual. I think it'll help if they are told that, not only is the book a work of fiction, but that the book is written in such a way as to mislead people into treating the fiction as fact.

[Sandra Miesel]

But Brown, according to another media story claimed that he hadn't read HBHG until after the novel had been sent to his agent. Whence cometh the similar paragraphs and the names of characters, not to mention the lists of Grand Masters of the Priory?

By not putting his wife on the stand, she can't be in danger of committing perjury.

[John]

I agree with Christina - we cannot overlook the tens of thousands of Catholics whose faith is so tenuous that a challenge to them based on this book will put serious doubt into their hearts and minds.
May God rebuke him we humbly pray

[Charles Scofield]

The DVC is fiction. A fiction book is susposed to be written so people believe it is possible, even dan brown has said it is just a story. Can you really condemn DVC just because some people are niave enough to believe it. People are just too touchy now adays and people need to stop complaining about DVC.!!!!!

[Steve]

That's all well and good, but what about the rights of the people who originally researched, formulated and presented these concepts for public contemplation. Whether you choose to believe them or not, we only succeed and grow as a society with open and honest(!!) debate. Dan Brown robs us of that opportunity and has robbed the original authors of their due credit. His work deserves to be publicly humiliated as it denies us the possibility of informed discourse born of speculative literature.
Ask any professional musician. Todays commercial pop music, in many instances, borrows a peice from here and a peice from there. Sure you have a hit single that generates huge revenue, but what of musicianship and creativity? I feel that many musicians would agree that individual creativity has declined severely. Do we wish to send our literature down the same road? Books for pure profit and aggrandisement of the individual as opposed to information and ideas presented to inform and illuminate.
This is a landmark case and all those pseudo-intellectuals should be shaking in their boots. To return integrity to an art form occasionally it must be deconstructed. If the revealing of Dan Brown for what he truly is (a writer with few original ideas and alot of stolen ones) becomes required for this purpose, then so-be-it.
Truth as a torch, the more it's shook, the more it shines.

[Jane]

Hi ! Your site is very interesting. Thank you.

[Dominic]

The DVC is just another in the miriad atempts by the Left to ''de-mythologize''
Christianity.
The book is a direct assault on the Divinity of Jesus,His Chastity;and it has the nerve to openly suggest that He and Mary Magdelene had sex.
This book and it's ''author'' are nothing less than demonically inspired and possessed.
Only someone with a corrupted mind and twisted soul could ever concieve of even putting these filthy ideas down on paper,let alone getting them published.
And the backlash for weak-spirited Christians has already begun,with this perversion being thrown at them at every turn.
This book is a stumbling block that needs to be removed.
I recommend that if anyone can buy a copy or copies,do it.
Then burn them.

[Courtenay]

Excuse the spelling and grammar I have 5 mins and no spell check but anyway...Dominic why dont you tell us what you really think! Oh my, burning books!

Jackson I did read the links needless to say I found Carls rebuttals rather flaky . I am certain he is well aware of how poorly his thoughts would stand up to close scrunity-- sheesh mate you consider them devastating? Really?

I have no intention of doing a hatchett job on him as Im no guru myself on the symbolic logic front, nevertheless I consider his arguments to be very flabby and flacid. I will elaborate if you want to discuss just how devastating such thoughts are.

Perpective is an interesting thing and I didnt realise when I stumbled on this site just what angle most of you folks seem to be approaching your faith from. Entrenchment and seperatness spring to mind but I guess we are called to a counter culture and to live life as a contradcition in a sense . Church history has always been one of plurality and tension of thought , you folks seem to have your niche but its not something I would embrace after a brief look around. The influence of nutjob protesant evangelical old testament type distortion of christian morality on conservative Catholics in the US++what did Jesus mean by loving our enemy as ourselves. Hmmmm but I digress....

[Pasaribu]

How pity you are? Dan Brown was an incorrect novel fiction author, just why? Because his real motive is collecting money from 40,000,000 book copies of Da Vinci codes! He loves the money so much and had denied The Lord JESUS CHRIST as a real human saviour. It was written in The Bible that many fake prophets will misled all the 'weaks' who did not know the truth of the salvation by the blood of JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Now the question is how could a Dan Brown will be saved and enter the HEAVEN, by his 30 pieces of gold just like the 'stupid' Judas Iscariot? Thanks!

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