Finding Jesus
James Cameron, the famed director of such hits as The Terminator, Aliens, Titanic and, of course, Aquaman, has found Jesus.
No, not in the born-again wacky way, he actually found Jesus’ body.
This weekend in a Discovery Channel special called The Lost Tomb of Jesus, Cameron and Israeli filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici put forth a case that the tomb of Jesus Christ and his family has been unearthed.
The film focuses on ossuaries — bone boxes — found in a tomb dug up during construction of an apartment building in Jerusalem in 1980.
Inscriptions on the boxes say Yeshua bar Yosef (Jesus, son of Joseph), Maria (Mary), Yose (Joseph), Matia (Matthew), Mariamene e Mara (Maria the Master) and Yehuda bar Yeshua (Judah, son of Jesus), the Washington Post reported. Filmmakers maintain that “Mariamene e Mara” could be Mary Magdalene and that Yehuda bar Yeshua could be her son by Jesus.
Who knows how accurate the film’s claims are? But then again, who knows how accurate the bible’s claims are? Either way, if what is uncovered in The Lost Tomb of Jesus is true and Jesus’ bones were in that box, well then, Jesus did not ascend to the heavens in full body after all. Therefore, he was nothing but am ordinary carpenter (which is still significant as I challenge any of you to find a Jewish carpenter since.) And, if Jesus was just an ordinary carpenter and not the son of God, well then, I guess James Cameron just increased the Jewish population by a billion percent!
But, consider this: Say the only part of the story the New Testament got wrong was Jesus’ whole resurrection and full bodied trip to heaven but he was still really the son of God. That would mean that now that we have Jesus Christ’s bones, we can get God’s DNA! We can clone God!
This is gonna be bigger than Titanic!!!
March 3rd, 2007 at 10:38 pm
I’ve written a comprehensive rebuttal of the films claims. Please read it and decide for yourself whether or not the film claims are solid or a hoax.
You will find it at extremetheology.com
March 3rd, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Chris: I agree with you and your lengthy explanation. To believe Cameron and Simcha’s theories you must do a ton of assuming and suspension of disbelief. Almost as much assuming and suspension of disbelief as you do to believe that three days after dying, a Jewish carpenter rose to the heavens in full body.
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:12 pm
I’ve got to agree with the good Doctor here; it is a lot of suspension of disbelief and I’m never really sure I’ve bought into the whole ascension to Heaven story but I have purchased a large amount of faith over the years, just not the organized religious type.
What I firmly believe, though, is that this whole “finding of the Holy Family’s bones” is going to stir up a lot of arguments and controversy! Now that you can take to the bank and draw a lot of interest on!
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:21 pm
I recently read “The Jesus Dynasty” by Dr. James D. Tabor which talks about this and it was extremely interesting to look at Jesus and his brothers from a dynastic perspective and Paul the Apostle as the driving force behind Christianity.
The birth of Christianity has always intrigued me and it’s adoption by Constantinople after persecuting Christians for 300 years. Imagine if the Romans hadn’t adopted it - the empire ruling most of the known world?
Well I’m going off! I was almost a theology major and thought of going into the seminary, couldn’t see myself being chaste LOL.
Starrlight sent me an-email asking me to say hello to you from her: HELLO!
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Hi Starrlight. Where is she?
March 4th, 2007 at 1:15 am
Hi Dr. B.,
It’s funny that we say that they found Jesus’s Family Tomb and we still can’t figure out who’s the father of Dannielynn.
We also had a hard time believing in a carpenter named Noah.
Have a good one my friend.
March 4th, 2007 at 1:31 am
Good one, Cyber-Shep! Maybe Dannielynn is the second coming?
Seriously though, all religions ask us to believe some really wacky stuff. Burning bushes? Parting seas? Walking on water? 72 virgins?
March 4th, 2007 at 8:02 am
I guess that’s all we need right now, another piece of real estate to fight over in the Middle East.
March 4th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
In the middle ages, mendicant friars used to sell parts of the “true cross” and the like to the gullible masses (who were about everyone in those days). Now we have someone selling a story on the mortalness of Christ to the gullible masses (who are about everyone these days).
There is nothing capable of raking in the big bucks like religious relics.
March 4th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Having been raised a Roman Catholic, and having moved away from the church years ago, I have always had my beliefs and my doubts about the things written in the Bible.
Let us remember that these “stories” were written by humans, Not supernatural beings.
Look to our own history books and see the inaccuracies you find there and the incredible stories that are hard to believe.
All fables are handed down and revised and expounded on as time moves on.
In the end does it matter to those who believe? Each religion has their stories, none can be verified.
Sure there can be some proofs found …chariot wheels found on the bottom of the Red Sea.
I remember I once heard that what happened was Moses led his people across at low tide and then their pursuers tried to follow as the tide came up and swallowed them.
Possible? Who knows…we do not know the contour of the land back then, or the true width of the Red Sea during those times.
Did Cameron find the bones of Jesus and, if he did, does that mean he was not the son of God?
The one thing I know is, that, in all likely hood, our great-great-great-great grandchildren will be posed with these same questions.
March 4th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Well said, Bond. Now, why do people put so much stock in these fables that were a product of an ancient game of telephone? They’re taken so seriously and literally that wars are fought over them. How do those people not find that ridiculously stupid?
March 4th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
I thought Indiana Jones found Jesus in the Temple of Dome? Or was that someother movie? Star Wars maybe?
March 5th, 2007 at 12:04 am
Was it a temple or a dome?
March 5th, 2007 at 1:37 am
You always put an interesting spin on things. Fascinating discussion.
Loved slaghammer’s comment. So true.
March 5th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
good question
March 6th, 2007 at 5:11 am
Dr. B, leave it to you, to make this story fall out funny. I got all serious (surprise surprise) about this on my blog. I wish I could have this much humor….
March 6th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Norm Abram, Jewish carpenter extraordinaire. ‘Nuff said.
/happy atheist
March 6th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Norm does build a killer sukkah. Good point, Shrew
March 6th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Dearest Doc:
I heard Arnold was going to play Jesus .. he did after all say ‘I’ll be back’.
March 6th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Anndi: You know I love you which is why it will hurt that much more to tell you how incredibly lame that joke was…And I’M as corny as they get!
March 7th, 2007 at 2:47 am
Dearest Doc:
I wish I could have been inspired, but alas…
March 7th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
but I still do love you…I even told you on the radio show.
March 7th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Dearest Doc:
Yes dear… that was quite the spontaneous declaration… I promise to call in next week.. or did the psychic already tell you that?