imageJohn G. Kays at the Student Operated Press writes Is the Shroud of Turin Simply Another Lost Masterpiece of Leonardo Da Vinci?

I`m not yet completely convinced that this is correct, but I sure saw some strong arguments put forth that successfully persuade you (or me) that Leonardo had the skills and cunning necessary to pull this sort of high-tech hoax or scam off, without a hitch. This leads me to the question of whether maybe Leonardo had some kind of grudge, either against Christianity, or more specifically, against the Catholic Church as it was represented in Italy in the early 16th century.

Later:

I need to mention Lynn Picknett also in this `first photograph` regard. Her controversial book, Turin Shroud: In Whose Image? The Truth Behind the Centuries-Long Conspiracy of Silence (Clive Prince is her co-author) concurs with Nicholas Allen`s conclusion that the image was created through a primitive genesis of photography, to produce the `fraud of the millennium.` Another interesting fact I just learned today (which tends to undermine what little I already know about the history of photography), is that the Camera Obscura has been around since 400 B.C.

Finally, and what is probably the most convincing evidence for DaVinci as the creator of the Shroud, is provided by Lilian Schwartz. First, she was able to prove in 1987 that the Mona Lisa is actually a clever disguise of Leonardo`s self-portrait. From another self-portrait of Leonardo, which was a proportions study, Lilian was able to match it to the facial image of the Shroud. A perfect match (nearly)! This was the icing on the cake.

We just had this discussion back in November in Poor Leonardo must be turning over in his grave. If Lilian’s match is right. It also means Leonardo Da Vinci is portrayed in the 6th century Christ Pantocrator icon at St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai. He must have developed a time machine to travel back many centuries.

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Kays continues:

Leonardo was just like the CIA pasting a head of Oswald on the torso of an obscure stand-in agent, posing with the rifle on Neely Street in Dallas (otherwise known as the infamous Backyard Photos). DaVinci may have been a member of a Secret Society who had a beef against the Catholic Church and put him up to it, possibly for a sizable purse in payment. Or we could just forget the whole ball of wax! The Shroud transcends a scientific explanation, unless? Or where`s Dan Brown when you need him?

Speaking of Dan Brown, it is important to remember that he states that works by Picknett and Prince were an important inspiration for The DaVinci Code.

And speaking of the CIA, it’s hard to know which conspiracy theory, Leonardo da Vinci and the shroud or The Stargate Conspiracy. In the latter – not intended to be thought of as fiction – we learn that the CIA and MI5 are manipulating a secret cult of powerful and rich leaders, including leading scientists who believe that they are in direct contact with extraterrestrial intelligent beings from the star Sirius. These extraterrestrial beings are claiming to be the gods of ancient Egypt, the very gods responsible for the image of a face on Mars. Why are secret American and British agents, with help from NASA, doing this? To create a new insidious mind-control religion. As icing on the cake, in their own words:

We reveal the ground-breaking research that provides a plausible answer to the most enduring questions about the ancient Egyptians’ achievements and beliefs – and, explosively, uncover the true nature of the gods themselves . . .

Have fun: Is the Shroud of Turin Simply Another Lost Masterpiece of Leonardo Da Vinci?