Turin Shroud Was Made For Medieval Easter Ritual, Historian Says

Guardian (UK) ^ | October 23, 2014 | Charlotte Higgins

[eastsider]

They seem to live by and demand 'physical proof' that God exists

Yeah, like God could actually, like, have a physical body. Sheesh!!! < /s >

[MDLION]

“I’ll bet that when Paul discarded the cloth that it no longer had healing powers”

You’re welcome to your opinion but doesn’t the Scripture suggest Paul already wasn’t in the presence of these relics which were even exercising demons?

“So extraordinary we’re the mighty deeds God accomplished at the hands of Paul that when face cloths or aprons that TOUCHED his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
-Acts 19:11,12

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Squawk 8888. This is always a merry bloodbath type of 'discussion', and I'm not going to be making further comment beyond saying, same wheels turning in the same ruts.

[2ndDivisionVet]

We couldn’t make it today with all our hi-test technology, but some monk or artisan in the middle ages was able to slap it together...

[ZULU]

Bull

[bert]

Years after the Easter Festival the shroud was sold as an authentic to gullibles that bought it to increase their parish prestige and offerings

[roamer_1]

I don't think it's Jesus' burial shroud because it shows a man with long hair. Here is what the Bible says about long hair on a man.

Torah calls for a man to 'poll' his hair - basically anything between short and the length of a fist at the nape of the neck. A proper poll is to gather the hair at the nape and cut it at the outer edge of the fist... Considering discrepancy, shoulder-length may not be considered 'long'. Incidentally, the beard would likely be handled the same way.

[21twelve]

“I’d rather think of the instant the Shekinah Glory of God surged into Christ’s lifeless body and burst forth from His Countenance”

There was a lady physicist that studied it - I think she came up with the 3-D imaging idea on it. She described it as a mini “Big Bang” - a “singularity”? event. Which - theologically makes sense too. With the resurrection of Christ it became a whole new world.

[ZULU]

The degree of historical and
anatomical accuracy reflected in the shroud was well beyond ANYTHING known to Medieval man. For one thing, the hair style of the image was true to the Time of Christ but never represented as such in any Medit al representation. In all Medieval representations the nails were placed inaturally in the palms. We know now they were placed in the wrists AS THE IMAGE REFLECTS AND the resultant flexure of the thumbs was likewise unknown to Medieval artists.

But most tellingly, the manner of its creation cannot be adequately explained or replicated today.

FINALLY, when any animal bone or vial of dirty water could be presented AND ACCEPTED as a genuine relic, WHY go through the trouble of such creation even if you were capable of it.

The man is an ass.

[Swordmaker]

So explain why there is no area at the top of the head that would indicate where the shroud would wrap over the skull as it would if it was real...

The simple answer is that there is. The claim there isn't comes from skeptics who have not examined the Shroud itself and make assumptions not based in fact. What they claim to be the joining of the two images is in fact a water stain. There is, in actuality, a space approximately 6-8 inches where there is no image between the frontal and dorsal images at the head where the cloth draped down.

You can see this is obvious in this paper with full interactive photograph in which you can magnify that area. Look for yourself.

[Melian]

Thank you for those facts— and the ping! The Shroud is here for those who believe in outward signs. Christ knew human nature needed tangibles to hold onto and instituted outward signs to give grace— sacraments! Why is it so hard for people to comprehend? He performed physical miracles and used physical materials to help with conversions. For me, the shroud is just another tool He left to help us understand.

[mountainbunny]

I have never thought it was the shroud of Christ, due to the fact that it would take it out of the realm of faith and into the realm of fact.

I have some relics of saints in my possession (the Curé d’Ars & Elizabeth Ann Seton among them), and I feel like their keeper. I do meditate on them, and pray, but they are different than relics of Christ himself. His existence as part of the Holy Trinity is a matter solely of faith.

We are to rely on faith, not things. As a Catholic, I rely on my faith.

[Swordmaker]

We are to rely on faith, not things. As a Catholic, I rely on my faith.

That's fine. But Jesus himself did not require just faith. When Thomas doubted, Jesus allowed him to touch the wounds and even required him to put his hand into His side:

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁵So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

²⁶After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

²⁷Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

²⁸Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

—John 20:24-29

Thomas called Didymus, had to be shown proof, yet Jesus additionally blessed those who had not seen and believed, but he did not condemn Thomas for his lack of faith, but who had to be shown proof. Jesus instead provided proof for Thomas. Thomas, the doubter, was still blessed as an Apostle and a believer. Who is to say Jesus would not provide proof for later day doubters?