These strange markings were found on the coffins
Posted on 02/26/2007 8:41:03 AM PST by Clive
Oscar-winning director James Cameron defended on Monday his controversial new documentary, which claims that Jesus may have been buried with a wife and son, against charges the film was trying to undermine Christianity.
Instead, the documentary that claims the discovery of the tomb of Jesus Christ and his family celebrates their existence, Cameron said at a press conference announcing the documentary "The Lost Tomb of Jesus."
The message that Jesus delivered 2,000 years ago resounds even today, Cameron said.
"My feeling is that his message of compassion, humility, love and forgiveness is every bit as much needed now in this divisive, materialistic and war-torn world."
But church representatives and archeologists are rejecting the claims of a Canadian documentary filmmaker who says he has found the tomb of Jesus Christ and his family, a claim that would have profound implications for the Christian faith.
"I think this is more fanciful and absurd theorizing. Every Christian knows that Jesus, the son of God and man, died and rose again on Easter Sunday," said Joseph Zwilling, a spokesperson for the Catholic Church in New York, where the news conference on the discovery will be held on Monday.
"No alleged DNA test or Hollywood film is going to change that," he told the New York Post.
Cameron and Emmy-award winning Toronto filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici
say that the tomb of Jesus Christ and his family has been found, a claim that would have profound implications for the Christian faith.
"This has been a three-year journey that seems more incredible than fiction," the Jacobovici said earlier. "The idea of possibly finding the tomb of Jesus and several members of his family, with compelling scientific evidence, is beyond anything I could have imagined."
The film suggests that ossuaries once containing the bones of Jesus and his family are now stored in a warehouse belonging to the Israel Antiquities Authority in Bet Shemesh, outside Jerusalem.
The tomb where the remains were found was unearthed in the Talpiot neighbourhood of Jerusalem during the construction of an apartment building in 1980.
During the excavation, archeologists found 10 ossuaries and three skulls. Six of the ossuaries had names inscribed into them: Jesus son of Joseph, Judah son of Jesus, Maria, Mariamne, Joseph and Matthew.
At the time, the finding raised few alarms, as these had been common names at the time of Jesus.
Years later, a BBC crew that stumbled across the collection in a store room belonging to the Israeli Antiquities Authorities began work program that focused on the tomb.
Jacobovici's documentary uses scientific methods, including DNA testing, statistical analysis and forensic examination, not available to the BBC 11 years ago.
If the claims are correct, and the tombs belonged to the holiest family in Christendom, the discovery could shake the foundations of the Christian faith with the speculation that Jesus fathered a child with Mary Magdalene.
DNA tests conducted for the documentary at Lakehead University on two ossuaries -- one inscribed Jesus son of Joseph and the other Mariamne, or Mary -- confirm that the two were not related by blood, so they were likely married.
"Perhaps Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married as the DNA results from the Talpiot ossuaries suggest and perhaps their union was kept secret to protect a potential dynasty - a secret hidden through the ages," narrator Ron White says in the documentary.
"A secret we just may be able to uncover in the holy family tomb."
Traditional Christian beliefs maintain that Jesus was physically resurrected to heaven while more liberal interpretations have permitted for a spiritual ascension.
The claims follow years of growing interest in the private life of Jesus, fuelled by the 2003 Dan Brown novel "The Da Vinci Code," which was made into a movie last year.
In Brown's novel, which was denounced by church figures around the world, Jesus is said to have married Mary Magdalene and sired a daughter.
Jacobovici has said the findings should not threaten anyone's belief in the resurrection, as he does not argue that Jesus did not ascend to heaven at least spiritually.
But critics are already speaking out against the documentary's claims.
"It's a beautiful story but without any proof whatsoever," Amos Kloner, professor at Israel's Bar-Ilan University, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Kloner researched the tomb for the Israeli periodical Atiqot in 1996.
"The names . . . found on the tombs are names that are similar to the names of the family of Jesus. But those were the most common names found among Jews in the first centuries BCE (before the common era) and CE (common era)."
In The Lost Tomb, however, University of Toronto statistician Andre Feuerverger calculates that the chances of the names being found together are 600 to one.
He says that the Maria on one of the ossuaries is the mother of the Jesus found on another box, that Mariamne is his wife and that Joseph -- inscribed as the nickname Jose -- is his brother.
Jesus' mother was known after his death as Maria, the Latin form of Mary, as more Romans became followers. Mariamne is the Greek form of Mary. Mary Magdalene is believed to have spoken and preached in Greek. Jose was the nickname used for Jesus' little brother.
Furthermore, the tomb is the only site where ossuaries have been found with the names Mariamne and Jose, the documentary's creators claim.
Another famous ossuary, inscribed James son of Joseph brother of Jesus, is also featured in the documentary.
Of the 10 ossuaries found at Talpiot, one later went missing. Many experts have speculated the coffin is that of James, which was put on public display at the Royal Ontario Museum.
Furthermore, forensic testing of the patina on the Jesus ossuary and that of James concluded they came from the same tomb.
Feuerverger says that if James is added to the equation, there is a 30,000 to one chance that the Talpiot Tomb belonged to Jesus' family.
Another calculation, commissioned by James Tabor, chair of the department of religion studies at the University of North Carolina, puts the odds at one in 42 million.
Another researcher, whose work has focused on the Middle East, biblical anthropologist Joe Zias, has rejected the claims as "dishonest."
"It has nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus, he was known as Jesus of Nazareth, not Jesus of Jerusalem, and if the family was wealthy enough to afford a tomb, which they probably weren't, it would have been in Nazareth, not here in Jerusalem," Zias told CBS.
The $4-million documentary will air on Canada's Vision TV on March 6 and two days earlier on Discovery U.S.
The companion book, "The Jesus Family Tomb" (HarperCollins) by Jacobovici and Charles Pellegrino, has just been released.
These strange markings were found on the coffins
Unless of course Mary was the wife of one of the OTHER men in the tomb. Like maybe Joseph's 2nd wife?
James Cameron should start looking for the bones of Mohamed and his horse. They should be near the dome of the rock.
"Traditional Christian beliefs maintain that Jesus was physically resurrected to heaven while more liberal interpretations have permitted for a spiritual ascension."
More liberal interpretations? In other words, a complete fantasy someone made up versus what the Bible says. Frankly, I don't know why liberals even bother referring to scripture, since they make it up as they go.
Let's not get too tough on Cameron. Many of you don't realize by the Romans did take DNA samples of all folks they had on death row, so all James needs to do is check the dna of the remains that he found against the Roman back log. Should be pretty easy. /sarcasm
"How can the proponents of this theory get around that? All a DNA test will prove is that they found a tomb of people who were related - not a revolutionary find."
As posted elswhere:
I met Jesus. He cuts my lawn. His young mother, Maria, sells tortillas. His father, Jose, is a carpenter and put up crown molding for me. Jesus helped.
Maybe they're the holy family?! Alive TODAY!
(yeah, sarcasm)
Wonder if this has come up as of late because of the gnostic lies showing up in their many forms. Why not this same old argument too trying to disprove Christ's resurrection. Don't these people have enough to keep themselves busy.
It's amazing that one of the greatest ancient books chronicles exactly what happened to Jesus with hundreds of eye witnesses and yet they treat it as mythology.
Although I wouldn't raise Cameron to the level of false prophet, I think he will receive the same rewards.
"Which, sounds like a rare occurrence, but it is not, because of course there were a lot more than 600 families in Jerusalem at the time."
Not to mention that the historical family was poor (and thus tombless) and lived in Nazareth, by way of Bethlehem, (and thus any tomb would have been there), looking at a Jeruselem tomb is patently silly.
This film fails to tell us that this particular ossuary has been proved to be a fake. The History channel did a whole segment on this fake ossuary this last year.
Cameron seems to be a little "different" even by Hollyweird standards. The guy's been married five times and is a member of the "Mars Society". Something tells me Cameron's "out there", lol.
Is this the mindset of "Jesus wasn't necessarily the Son of God, he was a really nice guy who had good ideas"?
Sounds like a liberal...I am willing to bet HE isn't materialistic...:)
>>Feuerverger says that if James is added to the equation, there is a 30,000 to one chance that the Talpiot Tomb belonged to Jesus' family.
Another calculation, commissioned by James Tabor, chair of the department of religion studies at the University of North Carolina, puts the odds at one in 42 million. <<
I dont understand how they can calculate even these long odds - without DNA from Jesus from a known source what can they compare with?
I like jelly beans and those little Chocolate Malted Milk eggs...So I choose not to believe this story as a way to keep my traditions alive.
I know its not the most convincing way to maintain my faith...but what works, works.
before anyone starts jumping to conclusions, we should watch the movie. Also, don't forget to check out the movie's official website at http://www.jesusfamilytomb.com
Probably just proves that the names are bogus. The box all but says "The Christ Family Plot".
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