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This it the weirdest thing I've read today.

(Slightly more detailed article here.)

I read that as "David Cameron". No wonder I was surprised.

I call bullshit.

However, if real, it kind of disproves that whole resurrection thing...

's got to be bollocks - not only did he rise from the dead on the third day but he ascended into heaven as well, so his remains could not be here on earth.
Of course, it's quite possible that the bible is a fairy tale and the coffin in question is that of a hippy rabble-rouser that was whacked by the rabbis and the Romans for being a threat to the status quo, but that's a different thread.

Fabulous

nothing like having something groovy to talk about before easter...

Who are they going to test the DNA against to "prove" that it's Jesus? Have they got a sample of God's DNA kicking about?

Anyway, according to the New Testament, there was no coffin. Jesus was supposedly crucified, then wrapped in linen, then resurrected.

Even if this isn't a forgery -- which would be my first best guess; anyone remember the James Ossuary? -- Jesus (Yeshua) was a pretty common name in 1st century Judea. So were Joseph and Mary. You would need some pretty convincing evidence that these bones were from the Jesus, not just a Jesus.

markfiend wrote:Anyway, according to the New Testament, there was no coffin.

Can you see the flaw in your argument?

Honestly Mark, one day your reliance on the Scriptures will be your downfall.

Well, yes.

Dark wrote:I read that as "David Cameron". No wonder I was surprised.

So did I...

smiscandlon wrote:

markfiend wrote:Anyway, according to the New Testament, there was no coffin.

Can you see the flaw in your argument?

Honestly Mark, one day your reliance on the Scriptures will be your downfall.

He's right, however. My impression is that back then, they didn't bury the dead. They used tombs or crypts, in which the body would reduce to the skeleton, at which point the surviving family members would collect the bones and place them in an ossuary to be kept at home, and someone else would take up residence in the tomb, decay, etc...I don't think the practice of burial in the sense that we tend to understand today shows up for another few hundred years at the earliest. So then, how would one actually know that one had found Jesus' tomb? Odds are, one wouldn't. As for DNA, I'd imagine that at best they've found a family with suggestive names, so obviously the DNA is alike. I don't think Yeshua--where we get Jesus--was an uncommon name, nor were the local variants of Mary and Joseph. The whole thing strikes me as a bloody stupid publicity stunt.

sultan2075 wrote:The whole thing strikes me as a bloody stupid publicity stunt.

Especially as James Cameron has made a documentary about this "find"...

sultan2075 wrote:He's right, however. My impression is that back then, they didn't bury the dead. They used tombs or crypts, in which the body would reduce to the skeleton, at which point the surviving family members would collect the bones and place them in an ossuary to be kept at home, and someone else would take up residence in the tomb, decay, etc...I don't think the practice of burial in the sense that we tend to understand today shows up for another few hundred years at the earliest. So then, how would one actually know that one had found Jesus' tomb?

But they've found a group of ossuaries with names on them and, and the mathematician James Cameron went to said that it would be a 1 in 600 chance of not being Jesus!

But let's just ignore the professional archaeologists who discredited this hypothesis 27 years ago.

"They are common names, these were archaeologists. They never went to statisticians," Jacobovici said. "We're just reporting the news. We're not statisticians. We're not theologians ... Now the debate is going to begin because statisticians say it is significant. DNA experts say it is significant."

SOURCE

I still don't get this. Do they actually have DNA of Jesus and his family to test this DNA against?

nick the stripper wrote:I still don't get this. Do they actually have DNA of Jesus and his family to test this DNA against?

Duh. Have you not read The Da Vinci Code? There are loads of Jesus' descendants around to test it against.

Seriously, although there are no bones in these "coffins" (actually ossuaries) they're hoping to get remnants DNA to show that they were all members of the same family.

Like that proves anything...

markfiend wrote:Like that proves anything...

It does when you combine it with the statistics of 1 in 600!

This all seems like a very bizarre dream/tacky publicity stunt.

this stuff is great when the Believers come knocking at your door with their good intentions...

ask them in for a cuppa...offer them some shortbread...and then discuss the thought that maybe some of their religion is founded on lies and manipulation of manuscripts...

or...better still...don't answer the front door

The Mum, as ye probably all ken by now is a devout Holy Roman, last week not one but two pairs of these 'nice young men in suits' came a visiting. I left her to deal with them (it was safer), I thought it would be a case of "Thanks, but I'm Catholic" <sound of door closing> but oh no! They wanted to come in and discuss it. Eventually I heard her say "Thanks again, but please leave me be, I have my faith you have yours. Don't force it".<sound of door firmly closing>

Molly 1 - 0 JW Division

I love The Mum

I can't believe that Father Dowling is a Doubting Thomas, next your going to tell me that Mary wasn't a virgin.

I'm was* waiting for the Cameron take on JC -

Terminator 4 - Christ on a Bike!


* buit it's already been done

I just love these hypocritical bible bashers

They read a book about some bloke . Who if you believe every word it says. Was nailed up over Easter, entombed for three days then rose again and then ascended into the Heavens.

Now.. if you then question them on it and tell them they may of actually found proof this guy existed, they kick off!! How dare you take the Lord's name in vain etc..

Now, if the Bible was just another book on the shelves of your local WH Smiths and you read it from cover to cover over a weekend and you had no prior knowledge of organized religion, would you suddenly find enlightenment or think it was a "Not a bad read in parts, bit scary in the first half - and became very repetitive and even more far fetched towards the end" ? - as for being factually based!! No chance. It would have to go along side the Harry Potter and UFO books.

If the New York Times reviewed the Bible as a piece of fiction in this modern age, it would probably receive 2 out of 4 stars for being a ridiculous piece of fantasy that would make a hilarious direct to video film.

indy wrote:I can't believe that Father Dowling is a Doubting Thomas, next your going to tell me that Mary wasn't a virgin.

That would be an ecumenical matter.

If the New York Times reviewed the Bible as a piece of fiction in this modern age, it would probably receive 2 out of 4 stars for being a ridiculous piece of fantasy that would make a hilarious direct to video film.

I actually disagree with you there. It has some rather good stories (my favourite being Job).

James Blast wrote:The Mum, as ye probably all ken by now is a devout Holy Roman, last week not one but two pairs of these 'nice young men in suits' came a visiting. I left her to deal with them (it was safer), I thought it would be a case of "Thanks, but I'm Catholic" <sound of door closing> but oh no! They wanted to come in and discuss it. Eventually I heard her say "Thanks again, but please leave me be, I have my faith you have yours. Don't force it".<sound of door firmly closing>

Molly 1 - 0 JW Division

I love The Mum

She makes a quality shortbread and kicks erse

On the topic, yes, it's fairly obviously bollocks isn't it?

1) The boxes in question were found back in 1980

2) Last time this made the news was back in 1996 and it was debunked by the BBC

3) There is NO expert on the planet would back this theory

4) Of all the boxes found Jesus is found inscribed on 26 of them

This seems to come up every once in awhile around Xmas or Easter, so don't believe the hype.