"Interview with Professor Massimo Introvigne on Dan Brown..."


Dan Brown to Panorama magazine:

"I'm much more benevolent towards Freemasonry than the Catholic church"



Biographical note:


From Wlodzimierz Redzioch's timely interview in the February 2010 edition of Inside the Vatican magazine.

"Professor Massimo Introvigne is the founder and director of the CENSUR (Center for Studies on New Religions), the main European institution doing research on religious minorities and sects.

"The CENSUR organizes an international meeting every year.

"Author of many books, Professor Introvigne is one of the world's greatest experts on religions and religious movements."


Question of Professor Introvigne:


"You once accused Dan Brown of being anti - Catholic. Did he reply to you?"

Answer:

"Interviewed by the Italian magazine Panorama, Brown declared: The objection of this critic [Massimo] is true. I'm much more benevolent towards Freemasonry than the Catholic Church. (Panorama, October 29, 2009, p. 59)"

Question:


"You have been studying Dan Brown's literary production for many years. What do you think about it?"

Answer:

"I'm not a literary critic.

"Being a sociologist of religions, I'm concerned about the fact that many people see Dan Brown's books, not just as novels, but also as texts containing hidden truths.

"Dan Brown himself plays on this ambiguity.

"Sometimes he defines his work as mere fiction, sometimes he declares that what his novels say is true.

"The literary value of Dan Brown's books is sociologically irrelevant.

"What does really matter is that millions of people change their religious beliefs after reading his books..."