Renny001’s Blog offers a perspective on skepticism and debunking:
Skepticism should be applied to claims made about physical facts and events, as well as the truth-claims of individuals and belief sytstems. There is, however, a difference between skepticism and debunkery. Skepticism proceeds from doubt; debunkery begins and concludes with a kind of solidified, inevitable doubt necessitated by ideology rather than detailed survey and rational interpretation of fact(s). In this post I would like to address two examples of what I consider to be debunkery, and how they represent faith-statements rather than factually-based conclusions. I will be including links so that the reader can judge the “pro” side for him or herself. The two examples are the Shroud of Turin and the Roswell, New Mexico UFO “crash” case (aka “the crash at Corona”).
Denial of Shroud authenticity is mostly based on the C-14 testing of 1988. The testing occurred; a date was procured, with parameters limited to a period of approximately the 13th-14th century. Case closed. Or, perhaps, not. Critical review of the testing has found it, to say the least, somewhat lacking in normative features.
Thomas de Wesellow labeled the carbon dating of the Shroud a “fiasco.” But it’s still there and the skeptics’ incantations awaken it every so often to haunt us again. It remains an easy out for those who can’t deal with the reality of Jesus Christ and the possibility the Resurrection is real. In my manuscript in progress, I have just finished Chapter 10 which deals with it and I am contemplating whether to release in some way which will not hurt the whole project which is “rounding the far turn and heading for the finish line.”
Unfortunately, I have a jury to pick tomorrow in a difficult case that dragged along for more than seven years while the defendants slowed things down, hoping my client and I would just go away. We haven’t and as difficult as the case may be I have a duty to finally get it to trial.
In the meantime if you haven’t read it yet I touch in a cursory fashion on the issue in my Quantum Christ blog. See “The Shroud of Turin: Henrietta Lacks and ASM Carbon Dating.” http://quantumchrist-jck.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-sgroud-of-turin-henrietta-lacks-and.html There’s a typo in the URL but it works.
But “Oh, to be torn twixt love and duty.” Anyone know where that comes from? Not to worry, I will not forsake the Shroud.
HIGH NOON! Stanza 3:
“O to be torn ‘twixt love and duty!
S’posin’ I lose my fair-haired beauty!
Look at that big hand move along
Nearin’ high noon.”
Dave,
You are a true Renaissance man. You never cease to amaze me with your vast trove of knowledge.
On the other hand: Did you have to “google” it?
Dan,
Just a note of thanks for posting my Shroud blog article on your wonderful site. I am immensely flattered that you did so.
– Steve Bastasch –
rennyo01