[Future Snake Eater]

...I will remain firmly on the side of those that say its the longest running hoax in history.

While the mountain of circumstantial evidence points to it being Christ's burial cloth, they cannot yet say "incontrovertibly" that it is His image. However, they do know for a fact that it is not a hoax. You can take that to the bank.

[Badeye]

I keep an old saying from the Civil War in mind.

"We placed our faith in God, but we kept our powder dry"

As I said, I don't besmirch anyone's belief in this matter, I'm just highly skeptical of all religious institutions raised up by Man.

With reason....

[the OlLine Rebel]

In any case, if the faithful are wrong, that doesn't make it a "hoax", either. It could simply be a misconception. Even if it was an ancient cloth, it could have been something some1 found and *honestly* thought was an image of Christ, and in his enthusiasm deceived alot of people.

Just cuz something is not what it's made out to be, doesn't mean it was a deliberate "hoax".