Shrouded

I read an article today entitled “Scientist recreates Turin Shroud to show it’s fake.” I chuckled when I read the title because I thought it was pretty stupid to say that just because they can make one that looks like the original that it means the original is a fake. That’s like saying if we can create fire by rubbing two sticks together like they did before matches then the original fire was fake.

To me, the disturbing part isn’t whether or not the shroud is a fake, I could care less, it’s that they’re touting this experiment as a means to take a shot at religion. They know they can’t disprove Christ completely, so they have to go after the next best thing: the religious icons.

Intelligent people understand that even if a religious icon is proven to be a fake, it doesn’t change the message of Christ. Unfortunately there are unsaved people out there that view this revelation to mean that Christians are liars, and now they’ve been found out.

It’s a simple tactic to chip away at the legitimacy of religion and scare people away from seeking God.

If you think I’m being paranoid, then think about the fact that the entire experiment was commissioned and funded by the Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics. Why would they go through such lengths to prove the shroud is a fake? What would be the purpose of an organization that doesn’t believe in God to spend a lot of money just to say “Ha! You’re religious icon isn’t real!”

This of course brings up the inherent problem of people putting stock in a religious icon as something of faithful significance.

Christ stayed away from that kind of stuff. His only ceremony was the last supper, and the only icon he presented, in my mind anyway, was washing his disciple’s feet.

But unfortunately various religions use icons as part of their belief system, and when someone debunks the icon, it leaves a hole in their faith, and brings doubt upon whether or not the god they believe in is truly real.

The Shroud of Turin is just a cloth with an impression on it. No one knows for sure if it was on Jesus or not, so the easy answer is to believe that it is not.

Stick with the things that are real, like the teachings of Christ. You can’t go wrong with that.

“God, the enemy never rests in their effort to keep people away from you. Help those of us who believe in your grace and glory to do a better job of making sure they fail. Amen.”