Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Jesus Tomb Film Scholars Backtrack (Discovery's "Lost Tomb of Jesus")
The Jerusalem Post ^ | 4/11/07 | Etgar Lefkovits

Posted on 04/11/2007 8:56:08 PM PDT by Reaganesque

Several prominent scholars who were interviewed in a bitterly contested documentary that suggests that Jesus and his family members were buried in a nondescript ancient Jerusalem burial cave have now revised their conclusions, including the statistician who claimed that the odds were 600:1 in favor of the tomb being the family burial cave of Jesus of Nazareth, a new study on the fallout from the popular documentary shows.

The dramatic clarifications, compiled by epigrapher Stephen Pfann of the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem in a paper titled "Cracks in the Foundation: How the Lost Tomb of Jesus story is losing its scholarly support," come two months after the screening of The Lost Tomb of Christ that attracted widespread public interest, despite the concomitant scholarly ridicule.

The film, made by Oscar-winning director James Cameron and Emmy-winning Canadian filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici, prompted major criticism from both a leading Israeli archeologist involved in the original dig at the site as well as Christian leaders, who were angered over the documentary's contradictions of main tenets of Christianity.

But now, even some of the scholars who were interviewed for and appeared in the film are questioning some of its basic claims.

The most startling change of opinion featured in the 16-page paper is that of University of Toronto statistician Professor Andrey Feuerverger, who stated those 600 to one odds in the film. Feuerverger now says that these referred to the probability of a cluster of such names appearing together.

(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: antichristian; atheistsareliberals; christianity; culturewar; discoverychannel; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; grinchstoleeaster; jamescameron; jamesossuary; jerusalem; jesus; jesustomb; letshavejerusalem; simchajacobovici; talpiot; tomb; whereisyourgodnow
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-90 next last
I thought this was interesting. I actually watched the show and it was downright sad. The science on which they based their conclusions was pathetic. The Discovery Channel pulled the "documentary" after one showing for very good reasons.
1 posted on 04/11/2007 8:56:10 PM PDT by Reaganesque
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Reaganesque

...hmm- I’m surprised they didn’t stand their ground and claim that there was a ‘consensus’ in the scientific community that it was Jesus’ tomb...


2 posted on 04/11/2007 8:57:42 PM PDT by verum ago (The Iranian Space Agency: set phasers to jihad)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Reaganesque

You should have seen the documentary Discovery aired a couple of days before Easter. Jesus, as a small boy, used His mojo to make another child disfigured because he had the audacity to bump into Him in passing. Then, when a playmate fell off a rooftop, and Jesus was blamed for his death, Jesus jumped from the top of the roof and raised the kid from the dead and demanded that the kid tell them the truth of what had happened. Finally, as Simon went to help Jesus carry the cross, Jesus did a Freaky Friday on him, so it was Simon who was really crucified while Jesus looked on and laughed. There was also something about Jesus becoming a giant after the Resurrection (wait, I thought it was Simon who died). No word on if he stomped Tokyo.


3 posted on 04/11/2007 9:01:02 PM PDT by Rastus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: verum ago

You mean like the “consensus” of 4 who support Global Warming in snow covered Chicago?


4 posted on 04/11/2007 9:03:29 PM PDT by Jaded ("I have a mustard- seed; and I am not afraid to use it."- Joseph Ratzinger)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Reaganesque

The Drive-by media pulled this sham during Lent and they don’t even get questioned about it. The Drive-by media has become a sad joke.


5 posted on 04/11/2007 9:14:27 PM PDT by GinaLolaB
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rastus

What data did Discovery use to support this oh-so-obvious malarkey? I’m very curious about this. It kind of reeks about End Times stuff when somewhat respected media starts blatantly spewing such garbage.


6 posted on 04/11/2007 9:14:44 PM PDT by Allegra (Hey! Quiet Down Out There!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Reaganesque; blam

Bttt for marker...


7 posted on 04/11/2007 9:21:52 PM PDT by tubebender (Whom keeps stealing my Tag Line???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pax_et_bonum

Check out this BS...


8 posted on 04/11/2007 9:25:00 PM PDT by Allegra (Hey! Quiet Down Out There!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Allegra

Global BS is much more threatening than global warming.


9 posted on 04/11/2007 9:30:55 PM PDT by pax_et_bonum (I will always love you, Flyer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

Sounds like the same kind of ‘science’ that Algore quotes from.... ( in other words, excrement comes out of both of his ends )
10 posted on 04/11/2007 9:40:24 PM PDT by wodinoneeye
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Jaded

really? I hadn’t thought of that.


11 posted on 04/11/2007 9:52:46 PM PDT by verum ago (The Iranian Space Agency: set phasers to jihad)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Allegra

They said it was authenticated text from around 133AD. If truly authenticated, they discovered early anti-Christian fiction. They had the audacity to refer to them as Gospels.


12 posted on 04/11/2007 10:02:25 PM PDT by Rastus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Allegra

This is apparently what I saw part of:

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-19-2003/0002079002&EDATE=

They originally ran this on Christmas Day. They reaired it right before Easter. Nice.


13 posted on 04/11/2007 10:09:22 PM PDT by Rastus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Rastus

“Claiming themselves to be wise, they became as fools.....”
— St. Paul


14 posted on 04/11/2007 10:24:06 PM PDT by XR7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Alamo-Girl; AnalogReigns; AnAmericanMother; Angelas; AniGrrl; annyokie; Aquinasfan; aruanan; ...
Jesus Tomb (?) PING!

If you want on or off the Shroud of Turin Ping List, Freepmail me.


15 posted on 04/11/2007 10:54:06 PM PDT by Swordmaker (Remember, the proper pronunciation of IE is "AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: XR7

Appropriate, indeed.


16 posted on 04/11/2007 10:55:39 PM PDT by mtntop3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Reaganesque
The science on which they based their conclusions was pathetic

O Timothy, keep what which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: (1Tim.6:20)

17 posted on 04/12/2007 5:26:45 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (For what saith the scripture? (Rom.4:3))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rastus
This reminds me of the Noah and the Ark movie that came out several years ago.

While floating along in the Ark, Noah was attacked by PIRATES.

I am not making this up.

18 posted on 04/12/2007 5:30:02 AM PDT by Miss Marple (Prayers for Jemian's son,: Lord, please keep him safe and bring him home .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Rastus
Oh, there are a ton of those stories, all medieval legends.

There's even an English folk song, "The Bitter Withy", I used to sing it quite a bit when I taught a history of ballads course . . . The Virgin has to go out, and she tells Jesus "let me hear no ill of you when I come home." He is playing with a couple of rich kids who mock him for being "but a poor boy, born in an asses stall", so he makes a bridge out of the rainbow and runs across it. The kids try to follow him and of course fall and are killed. And when the Virgin gets home, she pulls a withy (willow branch) and whips Jesus within an inch of his life. So he curses the willow tree - "Oh bitter withy, oh bitter withy, that caused me so to smart. The withy shall be the firstest tree to wither from the heart."

It's actually an interesting area of folk legends and ballads.

19 posted on 04/12/2007 6:22:44 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: AnAmericanMother

Those folk legends are why the Church is valuable in separating accepted scripture from fiction, which often I think were the medieval versions of super hero comic books.


20 posted on 04/12/2007 7:07:45 AM PDT by Miss Marple (Prayers for Jemian's son,: Lord, please keep him safe and bring him home .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-90 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson