Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.-- John 14:6
Some people believe that religion - including Christianity - is about being successful at manipulating the supernatural realm. Whether it's potions, incantations, or spiritually-infused "relics", the underlying belief system is the same: having the right "stuff", or going through the right series of motions, somehow connects you to and allows you to manipulate supernatural forces.
The Shroud, real or fake, doesn't matter. The Bible isn't a magical book - it's an ethical book. Our relationship with God is based on our ethical standing before Him. No amount of relics, or icons, or potions, or incantations can change that. God is not some impersonal force that we can manipulate if we're skilled enough. The Shroud may very well be what some think it is - proof that Jesus was crucified for our sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father and make intercession for us daily. If it's a 13th century fake, so what?
Jesus was still crucified for our sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father and make intercession for us daily. Choose today whom you will serve.