Josh Bunting in The Beast writes It’s a Pious Fraud, I Can Tell By the Pixels:
A couple weeks ago I heard about a presentation at a local church. Some guy called Russ Breault (unfortunately not pronounced BRO!) was going to talk about the Shroud of Turin and how it was magic. Or something like that.
The Shroud of Turin is a linen cloth with the image of a person on it. Some Catholics claim the cloth was Jesus’s burial shroud and that God Photoshopped a .jpg of Jesus onto it as part of his resurrection.
One of the few cool things about living in this area is that the Center For Inquiry’s (CFI) world headquarters is right here near the North Campus of the University at Buffalo. So even though Buffalo’s a rotting medium-sized rust-belt city, we have a higher percentage of skeptics here. The lead paranormal investigator at CFI is a guy named Joe Nickell and he’s written a book on the Shroud of Turin, concluding that it’s a forgery from the Middle Ages. And it’s not blood on the cloth but paint. Also, it’s French. So take that, Christians.
This paragraph got my attention. It’s sort of convincing, isn’t it, that the Nickellodians are not up to the challenge. Are you listening Jabba?
The funniest independent line of evidence against the shroud’s authenticity is that the “blood” on it is still red. That’s a neat trick seeing how blood stains darken pretty quickly. Much quicker than 2000 years, actually. Of course any hardcore believer could just handwave this and any other line of evidence that contradicts their preconceived notions as part of some supernatural intervention. God made the blood stay red to test our faith. God made the Carbon decay slower to test our faith. That sort of thing.
Was he sleeping during Russ’ talk?
“So take that Christians” !!! Take what ??? The fact that you’ve got an axe to grind with Christianity…or the fact that you’ve got to be the most ill-informed or ignorant person to date making comments concerning the shroud.Before accusing others of being asleep perhaps you better talk to the man in the mirror first…and tell HIM to… WAKE UP !!!
I don’t know if he was sleeping Dan, but he definately had his Blinders on. To john; it’s no use getting upset over these type of people, I know cause I used too. Dealt with the same ignorant types on youtube and elsewhere. I’d give it one shot and if they don’t want to listen, move on. Thats all thats expected of us anyways.
Ron
I expect anyone that says it is a forgery to show a replication of the shroud produced by someone until that happens their judgement is fallacious and has no basis.
I am reminded of His admonition: “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven . . .”
He knew we would face this every day.
So there’s this farmer guy, see! And he’s got all this seed, like; But he wants to get the most out of his property and maximise his yield. So he scatters the seed all over the place! But what do you know!? It only ever took root on good ground. Not sure if there’s a lesson in religious economics there or not! Maybe it’s over to us to cultivate the ground first.
I don’t quite grasp what your saying Dave.
R
R: Don’t worry, the disciples had to have it explained to them too.
Check out the original version, Parable of the Sower – Matt 13:3-8; Explanation – Matt 13:18-23.
To hear and accept the message, you need the right disposition, whether it’s the gospel, or any other truth whatsoever, even such as “What is the Shroud?” A closed mind won’t make it – see the lampooning of Christians in the original heading.
But God still wills that all may hear his message. Maybe we can help those with crippled minds and attitudes, but that kind of soil needs some fairly tough and harsh cultivating. Hope I’ve made it clearer. We have a lot of rural countryside in NZ.
Hey I understood the parable, from even back when I was a kid, and I’m a city boy ;-). I just wasn’t clear on what you were saying. As for tough and harsh cultivating, I’ve tried that, doesn’t sink in, trust me. God may will all hear his message but God gives free will also. So as Jesus taught his deciples; tell them, if they don’t hear, walk away…and I try to follow that model.
Ron