Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE/ARTS
Wednesday 4 OctOber 2017
Dan Brown talks religion,

science and his new novel

By HILLEL ITALIE I did what every little boy agree.’ Those who would
AP National Writer does, I started asking the say, ‘Hey, this is actually a
NEW YORK (AP) — Dan questions,” he says. “I grav- really interesting dialogue.
Brown is once again taking itated towards science. It’s making me think about
on the big questions. Faith became difficult for religion in a new and excit-
“Will God survive sci- me.” ing way. Thank you.’ And
ence?” asks the author of Brown has the time and those who essentially say,
the blockbuster “The Da money to research his set- ‘We can’t be friends any-
Vinci Code” and other tings firsthand and spent more.’ You know what —
philosophical-religious thrill- extensive time in Spain those are outliers. The pri-
ers during a recent inter- over the past few years. mary reaction I get, from
view. “All the gods of our The country appeals to atheists to the deeply de-
In this Oct. 10, 2016 file photo, author Dan Brown arrives for the vout, is that the dialogue is
premiere of the movie “Inferno” in Berlin. past have fallen. So the him, he said, because of its
Associated Press question now is: Are we na- blend of old and new, of critical.”
ive to think the gods of to- supercomputers and deep ON WHY HE’S NEVER WRIT-
day won’t suffer the same roots in Western religion. TEN ABOUT EASTERN RELI-
fate?” The violent police actions GION
His new novel is “Origin,” against Catalans voting “I spent some time in India
already a chart-topper on independence were and thought I might write
on Amazon.com, and for “heartbreaking” but didn’t about Hinduism. But it’s so
Brown fans a familiar blend shock him; the “fault lines” far removed from my ex-
of travelogue, history, con- of Spanish culture were the perience I couldn’t even
spiracies and whodunit, reason he wanted to write get my mind around it to
with asides on everything about it. write about it. Christianity,
from the poetry of William Speaking from a sky-high Judaism and Islam share
Blake to the rise and fall of floor of a midtown Man- a gospel, and it’s the one
fascism in Spain. hattan hotel, looking out I grew up with. ... Hinduism
Brown protagonist Robert on the city on a sunny fall is not monotheistic; that’s
Langdon, a Harvard sym- afternoon, the 53-year-old my tradition. And this is a
bologist, is in Spain and Brown also discussed his religion of many gods. I
back in danger. A former feelings about technology, can’t decide whether it
student, Edmond Kirsch, the response to his books feels more advanced or
has been assassinated and the future of Robert less advanced. It’s just so
just as he’s ready to un- Langdon. different.”
veil a scientific-technolog- ____ ON WHY HE MAY WRITE A
ical breakthrough that he ON KIDS AND THEIR DIGITAL BOOK THAT DOESN’T IN-
promises will bring about DEVICES CLUDE LANGDON
the downfall of Western “The miracles for kids today “I think Langdon wouldn’t
religion and revolutionize — they have nothing to do mind a vacation. He’s had
how people think of life with Noah’s Ark. They have a tough few years. He’s
and death. Langdon, with to do with an operating the man I wish I could be,
the help of a prince’s way- system. When I was a kid, clearly. He has a knack for
ward lover and a voice the miracles of my life were falling into fascinating situ-
of artificial intelligence the resurrection, a candle- ations. He’s far more dar-
named Winston, attempts light service on New Year’s ing than I am. I probably
to find out what Kirsch had Eve, the virgin birth and would run away from most
planned. the three wise men. Things of those adventures.”
“The Da Vinci Code” out- have changed a lot and it ON WHY HE’S AN OPTIMIST
raged church officials and takes numerous amounts “We have plenty of tech-
scholars with such sugges- of magic to impress on a nologies we could use to
tions as Jesus and Mary child that something is spe- destroy the planet and we
married and had children. cial — because they have don’t. There’s more love
Brown acknowledged that something special every on this planet than hate,
the controversy led him to day of their lives.” there’s more creativity
avoid larger religious ques- ON WHAT HIS FRIENDS IN than destructive power. I
tions in his follow-up novel, THE CLERGY THINK OF HIS know it’s a strange day to
“The Lost Symbol,” but his BOOK be saying that, but there
skepticism remains. A na- “(They) would fall into three is more love than hate by
tive and longtime resident categories: Those that es- exponential factors and
of New Hampshire, he re- sentially say, ‘We’re going we’ll find a way to express
membered visiting Boston’s to have to agree to dis- that.”q
Museum of Science as a
boy and being confused
by the theory of evolution
and how it contradicted
the story of Adam and Eve.
Back home, Brown asked
a priest about the differ-
ences.
“This guy said, ‘Nice boys
don’t ask that question.’