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First Person: Help Me! I’m Desperate!
 The truth is that almost everyone—scholar and layperson—believes that the James Ossuary inscription (“James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus”) is a forgery.
And no wonder. A committee of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has declared it a forgery. The alleged forger, a Tel Aviv collector named Oded Golan, is now on trial in Jerusalem for forging it. Last Easter, “60 Minutes” broadcast a segment devoted to the James Ossuary that seemed to confirm this conclusion. They even found the missing Egyptian who helped Golan make his forgeries!
So what’s to argue about? True, BAR first exposed the inscription to the public in a cover storya that made the front-page of The New York Times and practically every other paper in the world the next day. Isn’t it about time to just admit we made a mistake? After all, nobody’s perfect.
James OssuaryI am an amature archaeologist and scientist that does believe in God, I analize everything. So, I would like to know more about where it was found and if it was in its primary context. • • • • • • • desperationno, it's not enough! Regardless, your editorials are erudite and enjoyable. • • • • • • • James OssuaryEven provenance can be faked. In the end, my conclusion is that the IAA wants to be the sole authority for what is a genuine antiquity. I say every man for himself, so to speak, those who have examined the artifact (or any antiquity) need to express their opinion based on their expertise (ie if you are a scientist DON'T COMMENT on the scientific) and then let the world judge based on those expressed opinions. Like you said there is no IAA report...only individual submissions..so that is what we are left with. Maybe you publish a book with the various conclusions. =) • • • • • • • James OssuaryI have not seen a scientific (chemical-analysis) challenge to the finding that the patina 'fingerprint' on the James Ossuary is similar to or the same as the patina on the other ossuaries recovered from the purported family Tomb of Jesus. To me this evidence was convincingly demonstrated in the James Cameron/Simcha documentary, and because it is science-based, it should be relatively easy to refute or verify. Let's have it, rather than argue on the basis of religious convictions or dislike of a particular individual, namely Golan. • • • • • • • OssuaryRemember the IAA and others automatically assume that any unprovenanced artifact is fake. Only if you dig it up at an authorized dig, photograph it and otherwise verify its location, will they consider it authentic. Of course, most of us feel this is untenable. As frequently pointed out, many of the Dead Sea Scrolls just showed up at a dealer's shop. It will be interesting to see the IAA's reaction to the new 3-day stone, also unprovenanced like Methusaley. • • • • • • • One Issue at a TimeWhether the ossuary is a forgery is one issue. What it says about a historical Jesus or James is another. The difficulty I've run into addressing either of these issues is some reference to other ossuaries from this time and place that have been found and what a comparative analysis would tell us -- either about the chemical state of the stone or about the practices that were common in the choice of engraving. Could it be that this ossuary is so unique? And if it is so unique, shouldn't that give us pause in both evaluating either its authenticity or its historical meaning? sl • • • • • • • James OssuaryHershel, thanks for your fair critiques of the work of the IAA and its director. I suspect the silence indicates they just hope you will give up in frustration. I hope you won't. Everyone wants to know whether it's real or forgery, but we may need to settle for inconclusive. IAA should be committed to the truth enough to acknowledge when available evidence has not reasonably led to a conclusion. • • • • • • • Re: Why are you desperate?The idea that James was Yahshua's step-brother by Joseph from a previous marriage has absolutely no Scriptural support. There is, in fact, no Scriptural evidence whatsoever that Joseph was married prior to his relationship with Miriam, the mother of Yahshua. This belief is pure dogma, and not derived from any biblical argument. On the other hand, there is one Scripture that speaks about Yahshua's brothers and sisters and His mother Miriam. In fact, James is named as one of four brothers of Yahshua (see Matthew 13:55-56). There are also a half dozen other Scriptures speaking of Yahshua's brothers and mother, suggesting that they were Miriam's own children by Joseph and that she gave birth to them after Yahshua the Messiah was born (See Matthew 12:46, 13:55, Mark 3:31, Luke 8:19, John 7:5,10). Therefore, the inscription on the James ossuary is scripturally sound. • • • • • • • Why are you desperate?To Hershel: Why are you desperate? It is obvious James pre-planned his ossury? Now if you really want to stir up a can of worms I suggest you ask your readers was James really the brother of Jesus or was he a step-brother? Joseph had sons before he married Mary. James never spoke of his mother. Seriously after re-reading James letters to the 12 churches, he was proud to be apart of Jesus' ministry. I agree in James pre-planning his death he would have included Jesus as his brother. He chose the inscription and inspected it before it was placed in the family tomb to wait. I can not say whether it is a forgery or not but it certainly makes sense to me. Don't be desperate, think of all the above alternatives and smile. History determines the character of James and everyone can make their own decision. Refuse to be part of the forgery market. BAS reports findings and captures pho tos of artifacts that gives meaning to biblical study. BAS has made me do more biblical study than I would have ever done on my own. Just keep on keeping on and laugh this one off. • • • • • • • James OssuaryGreetings Herschell; I don't think you made any mistake. I do think the reason why other paleographers may not want to get involved is simple. (Money) They make money on IAA sponsored digs etc. If they speak out against the IAA, The IAA won't hire them in the future. As for the forgery trial lasting three years, don't they have anything better to do with tax payer's money? Ah well, I guess not. The courts in America aren't much better. • • • • • • • James OssuaryAll sixty minutes want is sensationalism, as it gains an audience. Now if it (sixty minutes) produced a panel of discussion and proper scholarly input the outcome would be different. Great to see BAR digging deeper! It seems there is a lot of ulterior motives behind the scenes both at the Israeli Antiquities Authority and sixty minutes. Keep up the pressure Hershel Shanks! • • • • • • • James OssuaryPlease keep up the preasure on the world of Scolars. Its the best james bond movie ever. • • • • • • • ossuaryI agree with Hershel Shanks--if these eminent Israeli inscription experts AREN'T calling it a forgery, why should we? I fear there are WAY too many people with an agenda/biases involved that might be reluctant to give this an objective hearing. I want to know what 60 Minutes is hiding... • • • • • • • The James OssuaryIf the ossuary is a fake, it likely was intended to pass enough to make the seller a buck more than anything. The ossuary only makes Jesus more real, not less. • • • • • • • |
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The Dead Sea Scrolls—What They Really Say
Real or Fake? Forgery Conference Report |
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