[Mr Ramsbotham]

I'm sure Barrie Schwortz is very sincere in his beliefs, but I hardly consider him objective in his pursuit of the Shroud's actual origin. I once approached him with a hypothesis of mine regarding the mere probability that the Shroud had a natural, though unintended origin, basing my conclusions on the well-known Byzantine history of the Mandylion. He dismissed me out-of-hand, and from his remarks, it's obvious that he's bought into the idea of the Shroud as a relic from the perspective of faith, not reason. Nothing is going to shake that faith.

To be perfectly fair, I must say that my hypothesis was greeted with equal dismissiveness by those on the other side of the fence; those whose particular article of faith is that the Shroud must be a painting, and have no desire to see it in any other light. There's faith on both sides of the aisle, equally rabid and equally hostile to anything that doesn't fit the standard perspectives.

[Swordmaker]

He dismissed me out-of-hand, and from his remarks, it's obvious that he's bought into the idea of the Shroud as a relic from the perspective of faith, not reason. Nothing is going to shake that faith.

The probable reason he dismissed your theory out of hand is that he has access to all of the current research on the Shroud. He has seen and heard everything that has been proposed... and some DO need to be dismissed out of hand because they do not match the known facts. Faith has nothing to do with Barrie's fascination with the Shroud.

Barrie publishes articles both pro and con about the Shroud... when they are scientifically based. Wild conjecture and theories not based in history or science are rejected.

In about 10 minutes, I am leaving to see and talk to Barrie. I know him and he is devout in his Jewish beliefs.

[Matchett-PI]

"There's faith on both sides of the aisle, equally rabid and equally hostile to anything that doesn't fit the standard perspectives."

There are two types of faith - one is logical and rational (to the extent that the belief is formed by properly functioning cognitive faculties). That sort of "faith" is based upon perfectly valid / warranted presuppositions. The other type of "faith" is illogical and irrational because it's based upon feelings / emotions / superstition.

For instance, you will find that the sort of "faith" it takes for a rational mind to believe that others besides himself have a mind --(and aren't just pre-programmed robots)-- is never militant, rabid or hostile about that "faith".

Then there's the other sort of faith.