The Davinci Code - Real Life Issues in the Text

Recently I have been reading The Davinci Code, by Dan Brown.  The Davinci Code is about two strangers, put together by the act of fate, and their attempt in finding the Holy Grail.  These two people are Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu.  Sophie's grandfather, the currator of a famous art museum, is shot and killed in the museum.  Sophie's grandfather is the leader of a secret society called The Priory of Sion.  His killer is an albino monk named Silas, a member of the Christian sect Opus Dei.  Some members Opus Dei practice a form of self inflicted pain called Corporal Mortification.  The Opus Dei is a real orginazation that exists in the United States today.  This is a problem because many people choose to hurt themselves daily because they believe that it cleanses them.

This is an example of what a cilice may look like.

I think that the author thinks that this is a very bad thing.  In the story, Opus Dei is seen as the bad guys, showing that their practices may also be bad.  The object that Silas wears around his leg to inflict pain, a Cilice, does a lot more to Silas than hurt him.  When Silas confronts Robert and Sophie, trying to steal the keystone that shows where the Holy Grail is, Robert's friend hits him with his crutches on his Cilice.  This causes Silas to crumple in pain and be captured by Robert and Sophie.  This means that the Cilice leads to Silas' defeat.  Dan Brown also shows Opus Dei as a corrupt organization that manipulates people with money, even though Opus Dei is a church sect.  This is a real problem in today's world.