Alpharetta, Ga. (BP)—While “The Da Vinci Code” has sold more than 40 million books and hits movie theaters worldwide May 19, most Americans are not buying its key theological premises, according to a poll commissioned by the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board.

The complex plot of Dan Brown’s fictional suspense-thriller revolves around a central theme alleging that Jesus Christ was not divine, that He married Mary Magdalene and that they had a daughter.

NAMB commissioned research firm Zogby International to conduct the poll, which involved a sample of 1,200 adults surveyed by telephone in March.

Twenty-three percent of respondents have read the book while 43 percent said they had not read it but were familiar with the content.

Among those who had read it, more than 60 percent believed that the Bible is closer to the truth, while 10 percent believed “The Da Vinci Code” is more truthful. Thirty percent of those who had read the book believed neither was truthful or were not sure.

Among the entire sample, 72 percent believed the Bible was closer to the truth; six percent accepted the novel’s account as the truth; and 22 percent were not sure or believed neither.

“The most striking result from the survey is that after either reading or hearing about ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ 44 percent of respondents were more likely to seek the truth by studying the Bible, while only 20 percent were less likely to study the Bible,” said Ed Stetzer, missiologist and director of NAMB’s Center for Missional Research near Atlanta.

Stetzer said Christians should view “The Da Vinci Code” as an opportunity for outreach.

“Perhaps an invitation to Bible study would be a more effective response to the hype and hoopla surrounding ‘The Da Vinci Code’ than protesting at the theater,” Stetzer said. “Since there’s not wide acceptance for the book’s premise or since many are unsure of the truth, Southern Baptists’ best response would be to bring them to the Word of God.”

More information about the study is available online at www.namb.net/cmr.