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You are perhaps a bit too new to FR to understand what is meant when one refers to a poster on FR as wearing a tin-foil hat.

Could be, although both the shroud and tin-foil hats serve to:

1. Tin foil hats and the shroud set people apart from the "Unbelievers" (The ACLU, David Limbaugh's "Persecutionists", The Passion Movie haters, anyone applying a little discernment to their artifact-worship.)

2. To serve as a show to others as to how serious they are to others. e.g. I'm willing to accept God on faith, and I'm even more serious than you because I believe in the Shroud of Turin and weeping Mary statues, etc.

3. Tin foil hats and the shroud server to create great, "Yes!" "No!" Uh-huh!" "Nya-uh!" ad infinitum arguments without actually inspiring any real conversation.

Perhaps the tin-foil hat was a stretch, but I have no love or respect for the shroud, and I wince when people cling to it as some kind of proof of Jesus' existence.

What I've been trying to say is that I believe Christians should testify and share their Faith by showing God's love instead name-calling, threats of hell, and the idol-worship of man-made pieces of cloth.

Perhaps the tin-foil hat was a stretch,

We agree.

but I have no love or respect for the shroud, and I wince when people cling to it as some kind of proof of Jesus' existence.

I'm interested in it as a testable archaeological artifact. I don't forclose the possibility that it could be THE shroud. If it happens to be the actual shroud, and proves itself to be so, then that could be pretty neat. As an accomplished scientist, I will look at it from this perspective as well. No one can positively say one way or the other right now, though even I must honestly admit that at this time the evidence appears to be building for it rather than detracting from it.

It challenges my faith in no way at all, however it proves to be. If I were you, I wouldn't let it challenge your faith either.

Just don't refuse to believe it out of hand, simply because of how some people may look at it or how you feel they have become inappropriately attached to it. If it strengthens their faith, so what? Who are you or I to say otherwise or judge their faith? Don't fear that there actually may be a true testable artifact from the crucufixion of Christ, just to fear it. That is actually more "tin-foil" hat-ed than you may realize.

Who knows...they might even locate the Holy Grail some day too. Keep an open mind and remain intellectually honest.