As if Hollywood didn't already confuse enough people with last year's biblically illiterate, sensational, fictional DaVinci Code, big name director, James Cameron is claiming the bones of Jesus have been found and guess what, he was married! If this weren't so sad it would be laughable. Check it out at http://www.getreligion.org/?p=2243
First, the box they are attributing to Jesus' burial was unearthed in Jerusalem in 1980 so this is nothing new. In fact, learned and credible arhaeologists dismissed that notion 27 years ago based on their own research and expertise. Secondly, they are now saying there is DNA evidence. Oooooooooooh shadows of Grissom and the CSI team holed up in a lab somewhere testing the Lord's bones! There's a problem though. DNA has to have a base line to establish it. What are they using to establish Jesus' baseline? There's no DNA on file of his family. No hair, bones, blood, teeth, etc., to establish the Lord's earthly line. I guess they could just test the earth to get His Father's DNA. And given the importance of family tombs and birthplace in the ancient world, why would a Galilean be buried in Jerusalem?
Now the most important point. The one Christ followers cling too. Since we believe Jesus had a bodily resurrection and ascension to heaven after His crucifixion based on scripture, exactly where did they get the idea he left his bones behind? What are they basing it on? At least we are basing our claim on 2,000+ year old gospel accounts from eyewitnesses (apostles) that have been passed down and accepted through the ages by people far more intelligent than me, or Cameron. We didn't just pull this out of thin air. James Cameron admitted himself that there is not enough evidence to disprove or sway a person of faith from the traditional story. So why are you connecting your Titanic name to this James? You can bet it's for headlines, press and coverage.
The last thing I need is Hollywood insiders to explain incredible matters of faith. I mean it's not like they have a great track record on historical matters of faith. I appreciate their right to hold this view, but I am so weary of people taking liberties with my Savior's heritage, character and integrity. And CNN's Paula Zahn actually asked with a straight face as she teased the story, "And what could it mean to Christians if Jesus' bones were found?" She went on to tease, "What could be the most stunning find in Christian history." Paula, here's the answer: NOTHING! We live by faith. Faith is about the unseen. We actually believe the biblical narrative and we actually believe that Jesus walked out of a tomb, left it empty and 40 days after ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God Almighty. Quit trying to fire up a story that's not there. Amazingly, there's not one credible biblical scholar who supports Cameron and his team! For people of biblical faith that screams volumes.
Biblical anthropologist Joe Zias (the Curator of Archaeology and Anthropology for the Israel Antiquities Authority from 1972 to 1997) says Cameron's teams claims simply aren't true. Keep in mind Zias is a scholar whose given his life to biblical archaeology, not a Hollywood, headline grabber trying to promote his latest movie. Also note that Cameron and his partner are documentarians, not archaelogists, scholars, etc., and they are promoting a film that will have sponsors and ultimately put money in the producers pockets. A spokesman for the Catholic League in the U.S. pointed out on CNN (2/26) that every year for the last 20 years or so, there have been things like this that have surfaced in the Lenten season to sow seeds of doubt and generate headlines. He added that not one of them has ever offered empirical evidence to support their claims. For example the age old myth that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.
First, the box they are attributing to Jesus' burial was unearthed in Jerusalem in 1980 so this is nothing new. In fact, learned and credible arhaeologists dismissed that notion 27 years ago based on their own research and expertise. Secondly, they are now saying there is DNA evidence. Oooooooooooh shadows of Grissom and the CSI team holed up in a lab somewhere testing the Lord's bones! There's a problem though. DNA has to have a base line to establish it. What are they using to establish Jesus' baseline? There's no DNA on file of his family. No hair, bones, blood, teeth, etc., to establish the Lord's earthly line. I guess they could just test the earth to get His Father's DNA. And given the importance of family tombs and birthplace in the ancient world, why would a Galilean be buried in Jerusalem?
Now the most important point. The one Christ followers cling too. Since we believe Jesus had a bodily resurrection and ascension to heaven after His crucifixion based on scripture, exactly where did they get the idea he left his bones behind? What are they basing it on? At least we are basing our claim on 2,000+ year old gospel accounts from eyewitnesses (apostles) that have been passed down and accepted through the ages by people far more intelligent than me, or Cameron. We didn't just pull this out of thin air. James Cameron admitted himself that there is not enough evidence to disprove or sway a person of faith from the traditional story. So why are you connecting your Titanic name to this James? You can bet it's for headlines, press and coverage.
The last thing I need is Hollywood insiders to explain incredible matters of faith. I mean it's not like they have a great track record on historical matters of faith. I appreciate their right to hold this view, but I am so weary of people taking liberties with my Savior's heritage, character and integrity. And CNN's Paula Zahn actually asked with a straight face as she teased the story, "And what could it mean to Christians if Jesus' bones were found?" She went on to tease, "What could be the most stunning find in Christian history." Paula, here's the answer: NOTHING! We live by faith. Faith is about the unseen. We actually believe the biblical narrative and we actually believe that Jesus walked out of a tomb, left it empty and 40 days after ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God Almighty. Quit trying to fire up a story that's not there. Amazingly, there's not one credible biblical scholar who supports Cameron and his team! For people of biblical faith that screams volumes.
Biblical anthropologist Joe Zias (the Curator of Archaeology and Anthropology for the Israel Antiquities Authority from 1972 to 1997) says Cameron's teams claims simply aren't true. Keep in mind Zias is a scholar whose given his life to biblical archaeology, not a Hollywood, headline grabber trying to promote his latest movie. Also note that Cameron and his partner are documentarians, not archaelogists, scholars, etc., and they are promoting a film that will have sponsors and ultimately put money in the producers pockets. A spokesman for the Catholic League in the U.S. pointed out on CNN (2/26) that every year for the last 20 years or so, there have been things like this that have surfaced in the Lenten season to sow seeds of doubt and generate headlines. He added that not one of them has ever offered empirical evidence to support their claims. For example the age old myth that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.
Not everyone in the media is buying into this load of bull. An editorial from the Chattanoogan: http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_102430.asp. And this from the major Canadian news source: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070226/jesus_tomb_060226/20070226?hub=TopStories
Sadly, many people who are biblically illiterate will buy into this Titanic-sized myth and perpetuate the story like an urban legend forwarded non-stop by old Aunt Betty who never bothers to stop and consider if what she's forwarding to the entire family is even true. It could be worse, we could have the Scientology couch jumping crowd, or Oprah's regular spiritualist weighing in on this. Here's an observation worth noting. How come they never touch Muhammed and his ancestry? I'll tell you why, the Muslim world would not tolerate attacks on their founder's character and integrity. Christians shouldn't tolerate it either. One crucifixion was enough.
Sadly, many people who are biblically illiterate will buy into this Titanic-sized myth and perpetuate the story like an urban legend forwarded non-stop by old Aunt Betty who never bothers to stop and consider if what she's forwarding to the entire family is even true. It could be worse, we could have the Scientology couch jumping crowd, or Oprah's regular spiritualist weighing in on this. Here's an observation worth noting. How come they never touch Muhammed and his ancestry? I'll tell you why, the Muslim world would not tolerate attacks on their founder's character and integrity. Christians shouldn't tolerate it either. One crucifixion was enough.
I think the Catholic priest who serves as an NBC new analysts on such matters, Father Thomas Williams nailed it when he commented on Cameron's films claims during a Today Show segment with Meridith Vieira 2/26: "Well Christianity really stands or falls with the fact of Jesus' bodily resurrection from the dead and that he physically ascended into Heaven." Well put Father Thomas!
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