Scholars, Clergy, Critcize Jesus Documentary

[Kor37 9]

Scholars, Clergy Criticize Jesus Documentary

Film Contradicts Beliefs at Heart of Christianity

By MARSHALL THOMPSON

AP

NEW YORK (Feb. 26) -- Filmmakers and scholars on Monday unveiled two stone ossuaries they said could have contained the remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, but several other scholars derided claims in a new documentary as unfounded and contradictory to basic Christian beliefs.

 

"The Lost Tomb of Jesus," produced by Oscar-winning director James Cameron and airing on the Discovery Channel on March 4, argues that 10 ancient ossuaries -- small caskets used to store bones -- discovered in a suburb of Jerusalem in 1980 may have contained the bones of Jesus and his family.

 

One of the caskets bears the title, "Judah, son of Jesus," hinting that Jesus may have had a son, according to the film. The very fact that Jesus had an ossuary would contradict the Christian belief that he was resurrected and ascended to heaven.

 

"There's a definite sense that you have to pinch yourself, that what you're doing, that email you just sent, is real," Cameron said at Monday's news conference. He told NBC'S "Today" show earlier Monday that statisticians found "in the range of a couple of million to one" the likelihood of that grouping of names appearing together on ossuaries in one place.

 

Simcha Jacobovici, the Toronto filmmaker who directed the documentary, said that a name of one of the ossuaries -- "Mariamene" -- is a major support to the argument that the tomb is that of Jesus and his family. In early Christian texts, "Mariamene" is the name of Mary Magdalene, he said.

 

Most Christians believe Jesus' body spent three days at the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem's Old City. The burial site identified in Cameron's documentary is in a southern Jerusalem neighborhood nowhere near the church.

 

In 1996, when the British Broadcasting Corp. aired a short documentary on the same subject, archaeologists challenged the claims. Amos Kloner, the first archaeologist to examine the site, said the idea fails to hold up by archaeological standards but makes for profitable television.

 

"They just want to get money for it," Kloner said.

 

Shimon Gibson, one of three archaeologists who first discovered the tomb in 1980, said Monday of the film's claims: "I'm skeptical, but that's the way I am. I'm willing to accept the possibility."

 

The film's claims, however, have raised the ire of Christian leaders in the Holy Land.

 

Stephen Pfann, a biblical scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem who was interviewed in the documentary, said the film's hypothesis holds little weight.

 

"I don't think that Christians are going to buy into this," Pfann said. "But skeptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear."

 

"How possible is it?" Pfann said. "On a scale of one through 10 -- 10 being completely possible -- it's probably a one, maybe a one and a half."

 

Pfann is even unsure that the name "Jesus" on the caskets was read correctly. He thinks it's more likely the name "Hanun." Ancient Semitic script is notoriously difficult to decipher.

 

Kloner also said the filmmakers' assertions are false. "The names on the caskets are the most common names found among Jews at the time," he said.

 

William Dever, an expert on near eastern archaeology and anthropology, who has worked with Israeli archeologists for five decades, said specialists have known about the ossuaries for years.

 

"The fact that it's been ignored tells you something," said Dever, professor emeritus at the University of Arizona. "It would be amusing if it didn't mislead so many people."

 

Osnat Goaz, a spokeswoman for the Israeli government agency responsible for archaeology, said the Antiquities Authority agreed to send two ossuaries to New York, but they did not contain human remains. "We agreed to send the ossuaries, but it doesn't mean that we agree with" the filmmakers, she said.

 

Thoughts?

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Jeremiah 8:1 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

[Kor37 9]

Jeremiah 8:1 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

 

Are you saying that you believe that this was the tomb of Jesus?

[A l t e r E g o 9]

It doesn't matter to me if it was His or not, others could have been buried in His tomb, wherever it was, once He cleared out of it.

 

What matters, and the reason I posted is the Bible foretold this would happen. Are we praying yet?

[Theunicornhunter 2]

My first thought is that Cameron and company solicited the criticism to garner attention for his film. Not that he would ever sensationalize a historic event for personal gain.

 

Notice how the article repeated said "may" contain - he's hedging his bets.

[Kor37 9]

It doesn't matter to me if it was His or not, others could have been buried in His tomb, wherever it was, once He cleared out of it.

 

What matters, and the reason I posted is the Bible foretold this would happen. Are we praying yet?

 

 

Are you saying that the Bible foretold that we would find a tomb with Jesus' remains? That doesn't make sense.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Read the quote again Kor. Sheesh.

 

Jeremiah 8:1 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

[Kor37 9]

Read the quote again Kor. Sheesh.

 

Jeremiah 8:1 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

 

I'm sorry AE.....I wish that stuff was in plain English.. I still don't understand it.

[Odie 0]

Read the quote again Kor. Sheesh.

 

Jeremiah 8:1 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

 

I'm sorry AE.....I wish that stuff was in plain English.. I still don't understand it.

 

To get better and complete understanding of the Bible it better to read it in the original languages of the writers and understand the time period that it was written in.

 

Because the grave said Jesus it does not mean it was the Son of God who ascending in to Heaven. If He was ascended there would be no bones to find.

Edited February 27, 2007 by Odie

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Oh, ok Kor. It says: bones of people that lived during those times will be brought out of their graves.

 

That's exactly what's happened, bones from people (close to Jesus?) have been brought out of their graves.

 

Odie, you speak/read Hebrew and Greek?

[Kor37 9]

Bones of people have always been taken out of graves. This is nothing new is it? Just ask King Tut.

[Odie 0]

AE, I am slowly learning those languages because I want a better understand than what the English translation gives us. Do speak those languages, AE?

 

Is there really actually proof that these are close to Jesus? The last one that was found James the brother of Jesus was a fake. This one has good change of being a fake.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Bones of people have always been taken out of graves. This is nothing new is it? Just ask King Tut.

 

(To my knowledge,) taking bones of the "kings and princes of Judah" out of graves is new.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

AE, I am slowly learning those languages because I want a better understand than what the English translation gives us. Do speak those languages, AE?

 

Is there really actually proof that these are close to Jesus? The last one that was found James the brother of Jesus was a fake. This one has good change of being a fake.

 

No but I wish I did, reading the Bible in the original pen would rock.

 

I have not seen any proof yet. But even if it's proven these were relatives of Jesus so what? That shouldn't affect our Faith at all. True Believers cannot have their faith shaken, we know Jesus lives.

[Odie 0]

AE, I am slowly learning those languages because I want a better understand than what the English translation gives us. Do speak those languages, AE?

 

Is there really actually proof that these are close to Jesus? The last one that was found James the brother of Jesus was a fake. This one has good change of being a fake.

 

No but I wish I did, reading the Bible in the original pen would rock.

 

I have not seen any proof yet. But even if it's proven these were relatives of Jesus so what? That shouldn't affect our Faith at all. True Believers cannot have their faith shaken, we know Jesus lives.

 

My faith is not shaken one bit. There is no really way of know if they are relative since graves come up all the time. Because they say it is Jesus it does not make it so. I wonder during the first century how many Jesus's walk on the earth.

[Vulcan_lover 1]

Bones of people have always been taken out of graves. This is nothing new is it? Just ask King Tut.

 

 

Haha, that made me laugh Kor.

 

I don't really see how they could prove or disprove that those bones could be Jesus's, since as far as I know we don't have any record of Jesus's DNA to compare it to those bones.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Did anyone read the article - it concedes the reliability of Cameron's claims are pretty low.

 

It's like find a grave saying here lies Catherine - hmmm, I wonder which of the very many Catherines that might be. And if anyone did read the article - you see they reach their conclusion by making some unfounded assumptions (unfounded assumption means the conclusion isn't supported by the facts). The fact that two bodies aren't related on their maternal side doesn't support the conclusion they must be married - that is sloppy logic.

 

I am sure this is not the first excavation done in Israel

 

and if you read the last part of Jeremiah 7 before reading 8:1 you get the idea that people are digging up bones for some sort of idolatrous worship - a totally different situation than an archaeological excavation.

[Stephen of Borg 2]

AE, I am slowly learning those languages because I want a better understand than what the English translation gives us. Do speak those languages, AE?

 

Is there really actually proof that these are close to Jesus? The last one that was found James the brother of Jesus was a fake. This one has good change of being a fake.

 

No but I wish I did, reading the Bible in the original pen would rock.

 

I have not seen any proof yet. But even if it's proven these were relatives of Jesus so what? That shouldn't affect our Faith at all. True Believers cannot have their faith shaken, we know Jesus lives.

 

My faith is not shaken one bit. There is no really way of know if they are relative since graves come up all the time. Because they say it is Jesus it does not make it so. I wonder during the first century how many Jesus's walk on the earth.

 

indeed, the latest new hasn't moved me one bit either