How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
"Sophie," Langdon said quietly, "it's important to remember that the ancients' view of sex was entirely opposite from ours today. Sex begot new life – the ultimate miracle – and miracles could be performed only by a god. The ability of the woman to produce life from her womb made her sacred. A god. Intercourse was the revered union of the two halves of the human spirit – male and female – through which the male could find spiritual wholeness and communion with God. What you saw was not about sex, it was about spirituality. The Hieros Gamos ritual is not perversion. It's a deeply sacrosanct ceremony." (74.32)
This is another interpretation of religion that Dan Brown is using to his advantage. Hieros Gamos is not understood to be the same thing across various religions, so he's taking one view of the sacred ritual and running with it.
Quote #11
All evening Langdon had suspected that Sophie's grandmother was closely tied to the operations of the Priory. After all, the Priory had always had women members. Four Grand Masters had been women. The sénéchaux were traditionally men— the guardians— and yet women held far more honored status within the Priory and could ascend to the highest post from virtually any rank. (105.18)
This seems…a bit contrary in and of itself, doesn't it? If they truly believe in the sacred feminine, wouldn't it make sense that she wouldn't need "guardians"? Isn't that pseudo-sexist thinking, which would be contrary to believing in the goddess? We're confused.