The Shroud of Turin

I’ve been interested in the Shroud of Turin, the shroud that many believe shows the image of Jesus Christ, for many many years.  I can’t quite remember when I first leaned about it, but I’ve been a follower of news events and a somewhat amateur armchair historian ever since.  I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on pictures of the shroud, and the sense of awe and wonder that filled me.  At the time I first laid eyes on it, I was a believer, but I was not a Christian.  The very existence of the shroud is very compelling and over the years, there has been a lot of talk, research, analysis and debate on if the shroud is real or a forgery.  In fact, there are claims that it is the most studied object in history.  Whether that is true or not, I couldn’t say.

I’m not going to try and convince you, the reader, that the shroud is real or fake.  That’s not my place.  Firstly, I’m a firm believer in historical objects, as well as science.

At the present time, science has presented the shroud as a fake, that was somehow created in the middle ages.  How it was made is an answer that science can not answer, and a lot of smart people have tried.  A lot of smart people have also tried to refute the statement that it’s a fake, and their arguments are compelling and in my opinion, have merit.  The fact remains, however, that the final truth has not been found and it’s quite possible it never will be.

So, what exactly is the Shroud of Turin?

It’s a linen cloth, that was used to wrap a dead body, that somehow bears the 3 dimensional image of the man it covered.  Front and back.

There is evidence that shows that the man was crucified.

There is evidence of blood on the shroud from piercings from the crucifixion.

There is evidence that suggests wounds that can seemingly only be explained by a crown of thorns.

This is a picture of the shroud itself.  If you look closely, despite it’s small size, you can just make out the faint image of a man in the cloth.

So what’s all the hub-bub, bub?

So what makes the shroud so important, and please understand, it is very important.  The fact is, if this is in fact the shroud that covered the body of Jesus, then it makes it one of the most important historical treasures of all time.  If it’s real, and in fact the shroud that covered Jesus, we would know exactly what he looked like, as well as having historical evidence of his existence, and the Gospel stories of his death.

The following is a negative image of the face on the shroud, that allows you to get a clear image of what the person looked like.

The light colored places on the forehead is blood.

Some Historical Information on the Shroud

So how did the shroud come to light?  How was it found?  Who found it and why has it been suggested to be THE shroud?

I won’t go into the full historical chart for the shroud.  If you are interested, you can visit here to see for yourself.

On April 10 or 16th, in the year 1349, a French Knight by the name of Geoffrey de Charny writes the pope with his intention the build a church and it is said he was already in possession of the shroud.  Supposedly he picked it up in Constantinople.

30 years later, the first “showing” of the shroud takes place.

After that, there is along history of the shroud being moved around and displayed.

It is suggested that there is evidence of additional historical data on the shroud has been discovered.

There is evidence that the cloth, now called the Shroud of Turin, really was a treasure of the early church; not the Pauline communities with which we are so familiar, but the Church in the East. Edessa, in the Fertile Crescent of the upper Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and the Euphrates, was a major city on the Silk Road and undoubtedly one of the earliest Christian communities. If you traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch, you were two thirds of the way to Edessa. Turn left to go to Tarsus, turn right for Edessa. There is some evidence and a strong tradition that Thomas and Thaddeus Jude (Thaddeus of the 70, Thaddeus of Edessa) went to Edessa as early as 33 CE. There is a legend that they carried with them a cloth bearing an image of Jesus. In 544 CE, a cloth, with an image believed to be Jesus, was found above one of Edessa’s gates in the walls of the city, a cloth that Gregory Referendarius of Constantinople would later describe with a full length image and bloodstains. There is strong evidence that the Edessa cloth is in fact the Shroud of Turin.

Now the shroud is a relic of the Catholic Church, who will neither confirm or deny it’s belief on if the shroud is in fact real.  It’s home is currently in Turin, Italy.

Science weighs in

Of course, when you have a historical object, the first thing that happens is scientists want to examine it and verify it’s authenticity.  Apparently, a number of attempts have been made to examine the shroud by historians and scientists, when the Catholic Church permits.  That doesn’t happen often.  So what were the conclusions?  Carbon 14 dating, a method used to date objects, was finally performed and the results came back showing an age of the middle ages.  If this testing is accurate, then the shroud is not real.  However, there are fierce defenders and scientists who claim the carbon 14 dating was not performed correctly.  How?  Because of where the sample was taken from, as well as the high possibility of foreign material embedded in the cloth giving false results.  Long story short, someone once tried to burn the shroud and it has been suggested the sample used for the testing came from a repaired section of the shroud.  There is evidence, in fact, that the shroud has been “repaired” a number of times over it’s history.  Experts in science, paints, photography, and other copying methods have examined the shroud and can not explain how the image was made.

Believers weigh in

Believers in the shroud, the ones who are totally convinced that the shroud is the one used to cover Jesus, dismiss the scientists claims that it is a fake.  We are talking fierce debates here.  To the believers, the shroud is real and that is that and the fact that science hasn’t been able to explain everything about the shroud, as well as the possibility of mistakes in testing, have only fueled the debates, and their belief.

So what is my take on it?

I won’t give an opinion either way, though I do in fact have one.  I will let you decide for yourself.  What I find so interesting is that there are two factions of experts, scientists and lay people coming at the shroud from two directions.

One direction is the faction that seems to find it necessary to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that the shroud is fake.

The other direction is the same type of people who find the need to prove that it is real.

They can’t agree on anything.  They can’t agree on testing methods, of results, of this and that.  It really has muddied progress in my opinion.

But as usual, what I want to focus on is the group that wants to prove it false.  There are scientist out there who are Christians, but it seems that the only ones whose voices are heard are the ones who are not.  I just don’t, for the life of me, why there exists so many that find the need to prove that Jesus wasn’t real, that he was a story, or wasn’t the Son of God.  They are the ones who want to show you that God doesn’t exist.  That life has no meaning, that the teaching of Christ, although nice, aren’t worth the paper they have been recorded on.  They are the ones who insist that happiness can only be found in what you do, selfish acts for yourself.  Harsh?  Maybe, but if the shoe fits……  I realize that not all of those who don’t believe the shroud is fake fits into this category.  I just find it frustrating.

So what is the harm?  Even if the shroud is fake, I can see no harm in the way people view it.  As long as they are not idolizing it of course.  To me, looking at the shroud is like looking at a cross.  It serves as a representation of our faith in Jesus Christ, just like the cross.  Where is the harm in that?  This is why the Catholic Church refuses to weigh in on the matter.  I happen to agree with this stance right now.  Maybe one day, science will give us all the answers, but as of right now they can’t even come close and I’m not just talking about the shroud.

To those of you who want to laugh and scoff at the existence of Jesus and of God and that Jesus was His Son, then I find your lack of belief a little sad.  Why?  Because to you, there is nothing to look forward to, no ultimate hope, no ultimate goal.  To you, life is just an existence.  To me, that is not living.

For information on the Shroud of Turin, visit the official website: The Shroud of Turin

Of course, any mistakes in this post are my own.

~ Kev

What about my needs?

I’m 42 years old now. I’ve survived my childhood as a hyperactive kid, my moody and broody teenage years, my ridiculous notion that I was grown up and ready to conquer the world in my twenties, the infamous “Christ Complex” at age 33, a small child who has grown into a beautiful teenage daughter, twenty years of marriage and I’m now looking at the quickly approaching middle aged mark.

At times, I think I’ve done pretty well for myself.  Other times.. not so much.  Still, I’m still married, I have a wonderful daughter and most days I feel pretty blessed.

I have grown over the years, no doubt about it.  Not just up and out, but emotionally and mentally as well.  Despite the fact, there are still moments of insecurity and other issues that plague me.  I know I’m not alone in this, because people have talked to me, I’ve read articles, and etc.

When I was a baby, where I’m sure various people dropped me on my head on a number of occasions, my needs were fairly simple.  I needed touch, food, sleep, care, love.  I needed help in learning some basic things.  Like how to walk, how to talk, what to do and what not to do.

As I became self aware, as a child, not much changed there.  Oh I might have been able to walk and run, but now I needed to know how to walk and run in the right direction.  I still needed touch, food, sleep, care, love, how to talk, and what to do and not what to do.

As I became a teenager, despite my actions to the contrary, I still needed… the exact same things.  But I also needed to learn to love, not the simple innocent love a child has, but a more grown-up love.  Instead of getting all of those things, it had come time for me to learn to give some of those things as well.

As a young man, in my twenties… well, I still needed the same things.  I still needed to give those things.

In my thirties and now in my forties, well, nothing much has changed.  Except I have learned more about love and the things I really need, and how better to give those things that others require of me.  Perfectly?  No.  I’m far from perfect, being only a man, but I try and I continue to learn.

I still need to be touched.  I still need to feel wanted and needed, I still need care, I still need love, I still need food and sleep, and I still struggle in learning what to do and what not to do.  Add that to the fact I still need to learn to walk and talk, just not like I did as a child.  Now, that walking and talking involves relationships, friendships, my marriage, my daughter, and my relationship with God.

There are days when I still feel like I have so much to learn.  In truth, I do.  I have come to realize that in these things, I will never stop learning and never be perfect.  It just isn’t possible.

I’ve also come to realize something very important though.  The things I need, the things i still need, well I can’t always depend on people for those things.  The reasons are legion.  But it’s true none the less.  Sometimes I’m needy, and other times I’m not.  I would like to think that I’m one of those people who the non-needy days out weight the needy ones, but if I’m honest with myself, I know that isn’t true.  My wife is one those people.  Most days it looks like she really doesn’t need anyone or anything.  Strong and independent.  I wish I could be more like that.  I can also see that my daughter is taking after her mother.  She to is strong and independent.  When I sit and think about it for to long, well, it shames me that I can’t be more like them.  This is no reflection on them, my parents, or my friends, but being a kinda needy person, coupled with people who aren’t, well, often times the things I need they can’t give me.  It just doesn’t occur to them, because they are strong and independent.  Don’t get me wrong, they DO try.  More often than not, and I’m not complaining.

But, back to what I realized though.  There is only one that truly knows me, so deeply, so intimately, that this one can give me everything I need.  This one understands me in ways that no one else does, and no one else ever can.  Every fault, every desire, every need, every thought process, this one knows.  Even the dark deep secret things that I never let out to see the light of day, this one knows… and understands.

Care?  This one gives it.

Love?  This one not only gave it, but continues to give it.

Food?  This one promised to provide, and has never let me down.

Sleep?  That is more of a natural thing, but often when I can’t sleep, this one helps.

Needed? This one makes me feel needed and wanted.

Touch?  This one touches me in ways that go beyond the physical, beyond anything I could have imagined.

Someone to talk to?  Check.  Teaching and helping me with my walks?  Check.  Helping me with the direction I am supposed to take?  Check.

In short, this one gives me everything I need, day after day, week after week, month after month and all that is required is for me to ask for it.

I’m talking about Jesus of course.  The one who truly knows me.  The one who promised never to leave or forsake me.  The one who loves me beyond measure, beyond comprehension.  The one who gave his life, willingly, for me to have the opportunity for eternal life.  The one who knows all my faults and mistakes, and loves me anyway.  The one who is proud of me, when I accomplish something, and rejoices with me.

That’s powerful.  That’s awesome.  That’s sobering.  That’s inspiring.

How can I not love him?  How can I not want him?  How can I not need him?

How can you not?

~Kev

Salvation in all it’s glory

I imagine the day was pretty warm.  The region is known for it after all.  Which means that there were a lot of people who were hot, tired, scared, and cranky.  Just days ago, they were celebrating.  They had their freedom, a miraculous freedom, of their entire people.  But days later, that feeling of victory and celebration turned sour, leaving shouts of anger and ridicule.

God had given Moses a monumental task.  In the form of a burning bush no less.  Can you even imagine it?  You’re investigating a strange light you suspect is a fire up on a mountain, and what you find is a bush that is burning, but not being consumed.  Then there was a voice.  Coming from the bush.  Would you think you had lost your mind?  Maybe that is exactly how Moses felt at first, and I imagine he did.  For a moment, he must have thought that he had had to much to drink the night before.  If that was how he felt, those feelings were quickly dashed, as he felt the Presence of the One who Created and Ruled over all.  Once he felt that presence, he was quick to answer that voice, and take off his sandals.  I would love to feel the presence that Moses felt that day.  To make you go from thinking you’re imagining things, to following His orders so fast, it must have been something else.

Shortly afterwards, I imagine Moses wished he was imagining things.  For what God commanded he do had the once proud prince of Egypt trembling in fright.  Well, how would you feel if God told you to go head to head with a powerful leader?  By yourself?  Scary thought?  Oh yeah.

Moses tried to weasel his way out of it, coming up with excuses, but God was having none of that.  He had made His decision.  He had heard His people crying out, and now the time had come to act.  Moses was chosen as His representative.  Running from God’s commands is not something you can do, as Jonah certainly found out.  When God points His finger and says you’re it, He means it.  Reluctantly, Moses agreed, but then again, what choice did he really have?

But as he traveled back to Egypt, the one time prince turned shepherd, a change overcame him.  I only imagine it was because he could feel God’s presence traveling with him.  The one time prince turned shepherd became a force to be reckoned with.  I imagine that once Moses realized it, it was a very heady feeling.  Yet it didn’t make him enter Egypt and beg for an audience with Pharaoh with a swelled head.  That to, I believe was due to the presence of God.  I  mean don’t you think that if you suddenly realized you were capable of showing a powerful leader reasons why he should let a large group of slaves free, you might be thinking you were “The Man”?  Maybe, but not Moses.  Instead, he took that new found purpose and along with his “public relations officer”, he confronted Pharaoh and miracles happened.  In the end, Pharaoh did what God wanted, after all, who can stand against God?

But days later, after getting out of town, loaded down with wealth and supplies, Pharaoh had a change of heart, that God allowed.  Why?  Because God had a point He wanted to prove.  Not to just the Egyptians, not to just the Israelites, but to modern day us.

Pharaoh and his arm pursued, with the idea of getting the slaves back.  He chased down Moses and the newly freed rich slaves and backed them into a corner.  They were between a rock and hard place, literally.  There, by a large rock, they gathered, facing the Red Sea.  Behind them was the army.  This is when the jubilant free people turned scared, mean, and cranky.  Would you blame them if you had been there?

But this is when God moves again.  He had already supplied a number of miracles for all to witness, yet still, the people cried out to Moses.  Since he was their leader, at least the one they could see, the blame fell on him.  To them, the one who had freed them was God, but somehow, now that they were in danger, it was all Moses’ fault.  How terrible Moses must have felt!  But wait a minute… did he feel terrible?  No, no he didn’t.  The shepherd did what shepherd’s do, he let his flock.

God but a barrier between the army and the flock, and for the moment, everyone was safe.  But was that enough?  Strangely enough, no.  But God wasn’t finished quite yet.  As Moses raised his arms, and called out to God, God answered, and He parted the Red Sea.  What a sight that must have been!  I can imagine it, but yet I can’t really IMAGINE it.  Not only was the sea now parted, but the ground that was once covered in water was dry.  So the once proud prince turned shepherd, lead his flock to the other side to safety.  Of course, once they all were there, and God removed the barrier, they all started to fret again as the army started to cross.  But God still wasn’t done.  He wanted His people safe.  So as the army crossed, God closed the sea, giving the Israelites complete freedom.  He saved them, in a very miraculous fashion.  Salvation came to them that day, despite their bickering and whining.  Because that is how God works.  God is in the Salvation business.

And don’t you forget it.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

I had high hopes and dreams.  But, it’s time I faced the truth and get over myself.

I love to write.  I love to share my opinion.  I happen to think I’m clever, funny, and witty.  Problem is, I’m not half as clever, funny, and witty as I like to pretend.

I’m not really sure what I expected out of starting this whole blogging adventure.  But somewhere deep inside, I think there were visions of hordes of fans who wanted to read what I had to say.  Not only about my passion, Christ, but also about everyday matters and things I get into.  I imagined those hordes of fans leaving comment after comment, to show me I was touching people, or making them laugh, or getting them to tell me I was full of crap on some of my opinions.

But reality is often a harsh mistress, know what I mean?  Instead of hordes of fans, I have a handful.  It’s unfortunate, but even my family isn’t interested in keeping up.  Which is ok.

I’ve been blogging now since 2006.  I started out on Myspace and then went though about a year where I posted nothing.  All of my posts were related to Jesus and the Word.  I don’t know how many people have actually read my posts, but I’ve always felt like I was making a difference somewhere, somehow, in someone’s life.

So I threw myself out of the frying pan, and into the fire, and started blogging with intent.  As much as I hate to admit it, it was an experiment and it’s time for that experiment to come to a close.  As of this moment, I’ve had 668 views of my blogs here on WordPress.  Unfortunately, 95% of those have come from blog rolls like the site Condron.us.  3 % has come from people doing specific google or yahoo searches for items mentioned in the news and they are expanding their knowledge.  The other 2% have come from people who I know, or who have stumbled across my blog.  With stats like that, it’s time I face the music, and throw in the towel.  This is just not working out like I had hoped.

I will still be posting, but it will be with far less frequency.  Most everything I post will be related to Jesus, or the Word.  No more Twittering, no more blogs with me trying to be amusing.  I’ll still post things not related to Jesus and the Word, but it will mostly be for myself, not with expectations of anyone following along with avid interest.

If you really want some awesome information and insights into the Word of God, and Jesus, make sure you check out Pastor Nathan Boehm’s Blog, as well as his other blog Word Nuggets.  You will love both of them.

So, I will see you when I see you, and have something better to post.  For those of you have kept up, thank you and I hope you will continue to do so.

~ Kevin