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Tomb of Jesus doc uproar
AP via Sun Media ^ | 2007-02-26 | Marshall Thompson

Posted on 02/26/2007 8:07:03 AM PST by Clive

JERUSALEM (AP) — Archaeologists and clergymen in the Holy Land derided claims in a new documentary produced by the Oscar-winning director James Cameron that contradict major Christian tenets.

“The Lost Tomb of Christ,” which the Discovery Channel will run on March 4, argues that 10 ancient ossuaries — small caskets used to store bones — discovered in a suburb of Jerusalem in 1980 may have contained the bones of Jesus and his family, according to a press release issued by the Discovery Channel.

One of the caskets even bears the title, “Judah, son of Jesus,” hinting that Jesus may have had a son. And the very fact that Jesus had an ossuary would contradict the Christian belief that he was resurrected and ascended to heaven.

Most Christians believe Jesus’ body spent three days at the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City. The burial site identified in Cameron’s documentary is in a southern Jerusalem neighborhood nowhere near the church.

In 1996, when the BBC aired a short documentary on the same subject, archaeologists challenged the claims. Amos Kloner, the first archaeologist to examine the site, said the idea fails to hold up by archaeological standards but makes for profitable television.

“They just want to get money for it,” Kloner said.

The claims have raised the ire of Christian leaders in the Holy Land.

“The historical, religious and archaeological evidence show that the place where Christ was buried is the Church of the Resurrection,” said Attallah Hana, a Greek Orthodox clergyman in Jerusalem. The documentary, he said, “contradicts the religious principles and the historic and spiritual principles that we hold tightly to.”

Stephen Pfann, a biblical scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem who was interviewed in the documentary, said the film’s hypothesis holds little weight.

“I don’t think that Christians are going to buy into this,” Pfann said. “But skeptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear.”

“How possible is it?” Pfann said. “On a scale of one through 10 — 10 being completely possible — it’s probably a one, maybe a one and a half.”

Pfann is even unsure that the name “Jesus” on the caskets was read correctly. He thinks it’s more likely the name “Hanun.”

Kloner also said the filmmakers’ assertions are false.

“It was an ordinary middle-class Jerusalem burial cave,” Kloner said. “The names on the caskets are the most common names found among Jews at the time.”

Archaeologists also balk at the filmmaker’s claim that the James Ossuary — the center of a famous antiquities fraud in Israel — might have originated from the same cave. In 2005, Israel charged five suspects with forgery in connection with the infamous bone box.

“I don’t think the James Ossuary came from the same cave,” said Dan Bahat, an archaeologist at Bar-Ilan University. “If it were found there, the man who made the forgery would have taken something better. He would have taken Jesus.”

Although the documentary makers claim to have found the tomb of Jesus, the British Broadcasting Corporation beat them to the punch by 11 years.

Osnat Goaz, a spokeswoman for the Israeli government agency responsible for archaeology, declined to comment before the documentary was aired.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; jamescameron; jerusalem; jesustomb; letshavejerusalem; simchajacobovici; talpiot
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To: darkwing104

I think you are absoluly right.

These fake tombs have been poping up for centuries.

How many churches in france claim to have the "holy foreskin" of christs circumcision as a young jew?

how many fake crosses?

how many fake gospels?


Cameron will creat a backlash against his movies. He must no longer get residuals for titanic.


21 posted on 02/26/2007 8:33:21 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Clive
Most Christians believe Jesus’ body spent three days at the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City.

Ummm. You don't believe that, you're not a Christian. Kinda by definition, don't you think?

22 posted on 02/26/2007 8:33:56 AM PST by SamuraiScot
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To: Clive
There are about 10 million graves of Jesuses in Old Mexico.
23 posted on 02/26/2007 8:34:50 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Islam is a religion of peace, and Muslims reserve the right to kill anyone who says otherwise.)
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To: truthingod

In follow up, I am not suggesting that christians should be anything like the islamic radicals. It is behavior that is a fundamental difference between christianity and any other world religion. We must simply let people know our displeasure in ways that helps people see that Jesus is alive in us--with love, compassion and care just like He did.


24 posted on 02/26/2007 8:35:01 AM PST by truthingod
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To: truthingod
The difference, I believe, that the faith of Christians can't be tested by mere speculation. We are pretty much know what we are dealing with...idiots. Christians were warned about false prophets and other hooligans, we know them. Christians know of their imperfections and ask for forgiveness.

Muslims foundation is weak and any exposed flaws must be removed so the rest of the world never see their imperfections. Even when it means killing thousands to do so. They justify such actions with rhetoric and never seek forgiveness.


25 posted on 02/26/2007 8:39:15 AM PST by darkwing104 (Let's get dangerous)
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To: longtermmemmory

This doesn't even rise to the level of The Passover Plot. Does anyone remember THAT one?


26 posted on 02/26/2007 8:39:19 AM PST by Paisan
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To: Clive
Check out this paragraph from Drudge Report link:
Jodi Magness, associate department chair of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told Discovery News that, based on the New Testament writings, "Jesus likely lived during the first century A.D."

That has got to be one of the funniest (also insert word stupidest) things I've ever read in my life.

27 posted on 02/26/2007 8:40:12 AM PST by LivingNet
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To: LivingNet

We know the liberals were out to shine last night-and so one of their own is out to make sure we remember him this morning. Why doesn't Mr. Cameron go out and film a documentary about the "clinton war machine" does it exist? Who has been dealt with because of it? Why doesn't he investigate the truth about the "Lincoln Bedroom" during the Clinton years in the White House? How many US secrets fled through that room? Why doesn't he investigate the claims in Mr. Carter's most recent book?


28 posted on 02/26/2007 8:44:23 AM PST by truthingod
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To: JamesP81

Many Mexicans are named Jesus. Maybe they are descendants. Maybe they should file lawsuits laying claim to the bones or at least a share of the profits from their exploitation.


29 posted on 02/26/2007 8:45:04 AM PST by John Semmens
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To: VRWCmember

Bit outside my expertise, but was he from NAZARETH by way of BETHLEHEM? And a POOR carpenter, to boot?

Yeah, he'd have a nice upper class tomb.

LOL.


30 posted on 02/26/2007 8:46:25 AM PST by MeanWestTexan (Kol Hakavod Lezahal)
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To: truthingod

Titanic is gone from the must have library. No longer will we tolerate it as a Feb 14 mushy romance movie.

This is about the Hollywood set attacking Christianity.

These were disproven as fakes for this claim YEARS ago.

Cameron is trying to do a fake but accurate story.


31 posted on 02/26/2007 8:47:10 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: longtermmemmory

It needs to be noted that muchof the Old Testament and New Testament writing has been proven through archeological work and also through other documents. So, why now try to disprove the one important fact in all of Christianity? The other facts are out there--why not accept this one as well?


32 posted on 02/26/2007 8:47:36 AM PST by truthingod
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To: Clive
“I don’t think that Christians are going to buy into this,” Pfann said. “But skeptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear.”

Thereby separating the sheep from the goats.

33 posted on 02/26/2007 8:48:33 AM PST by AppyPappy (If you aren't part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
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To: SquirrelKing

"Jesus [a.k.a. Joses or "Joseph"] has been a common name in Palestine for centuries."

I meet Jesus and his mother Maria the other day. Jesus cuts my lawn. Young Maria sells home-made tamales. Daddy Jose is a carpenter.

Maybe they're the holy family.

(Yes, this was sarcasm, pointing out the absurdity of this claim.)


34 posted on 02/26/2007 8:49:22 AM PST by MeanWestTexan (Kol Hakavod Lezahal)
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To: longtermmemmory

Sounds a bit like the Da Vinci Code. You have to go a far stretch to believe this guys work or words. What is his motivation? Does he honestly think that true Christians are going to fall for this nonsesne? Who is he trying to convince--the already non-believer? You have to be willing to step over a complete body of evidence to fall for this.


35 posted on 02/26/2007 8:50:20 AM PST by truthingod
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To: truthingod

James Cameron, like all good milque toast liberals, is affraid Hilary Clinton will b*tch slap him and make sure he understands who is whose female dog.

Lets see a documentary about Mohameds blood lust and pedophilia. That when we see some real documentarian courage.


36 posted on 02/26/2007 8:51:20 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Clive
Maybe it was the son of some Puerto Rican guy named Jesus. Ya never knows...

BTW, I have no dog in this fight, but it seems to me that even by secular archeological standards, this whole premise does not stand up to scrutiny.

37 posted on 02/26/2007 8:51:41 AM PST by Paradox (Secular Conservative, thank God!)
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To: MeanWestTexan
LOL

I was trying to think of something crafty like that - such as seeing Jesus' grave in Mexico...

38 posted on 02/26/2007 8:53:02 AM PST by SquirrelKing (_8 ( ])
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To: cripplecreek

Cameron is a high ranking member of the Illuminati..... /so

This should be filed under:
Anything for a buck.


39 posted on 02/26/2007 8:54:25 AM PST by Jaded ("I have a mustard- seed; and I am not afraid to use it."- Joseph Ratzinger)
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To: longtermmemmory

Apparently Barak is willing to take on the Hitlary and her ilk. Mr. Geffen seems quite content to go on the offensive as well. Hollywood shone last night but without one of their "stars"--where was there any reference to Clinton at all? It would seem if they all had decided on her, we would have heard about it. BTW-Al finally got to give his acceptance speech.


40 posted on 02/26/2007 8:55:23 AM PST by truthingod
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