Ted Hoffman

Let it go Haran. No need to hold onto the anger towards her.
Its a forgery. The rest is irrelevant and a waste of time - if she is wrong, its her loss. Move on. Its a closed chapter.

Haran

Yes, Obi Wan.

It's more irritation than anger, and that's awfully easy for you to say when it's not you personally whose been slandered by her in front of the whole world...

The main reason for the continued comments were due to the fact that new information had come to light about expert opinions on the ossuary and because several still seem to think that Dr. Altman is an "expert" in semitic paleography. I think that notion has been dispelled. If not, then you're right. People will believe anything, so I should just let it go.

Vorkosigan

Good news. It looks like Cross' position was mispresented to begin with. I should have known better than to believe that people who would destroy an ancient artifact to create a fake and then lie like hell to protect it would not stick at misrepresenting Cross' position. >sigh<

Eh? What's that....never mind this conversation.

<shifts position on sand to squint at babe further up the beach...>

Vorkosigan

IGS now says Patina is Fake

Is that Dandy Don and Frank back there singing....turn out the lights, the party's ooooovver.



Vorkosigan

Sauron

Ah, gee. And I remember how Layman tried like hell to convince me that these IGS reports were the final say on this issue. Even while I pointed out to him, that forensics wasn't their speciality, and while I reminded him that they had to issue at least one major clarification of their first statement.

Now they've backpedaled themselves so far that I think they've transformed into tricycles. Schadenfreude is definitely on the menu today.

Anyone seen Layman lately? He's been unnaturally quiet since the ossuary self-destructed......

Vorkosigan

Sauron, the terrifying thing is that if the IAA had not definitively proved that it was a fake, the ROM's "analysis" might be the default. It is easy to see why Shanks wanted a North American team to do it. Given the biases made obvious in the ROM's "analysis" and overall treatment of the artifact, it is clear that we would now be looking at an authenticated artifact, with all that entails.

But don't worry. The letters of Paul and Ignatius are authentic. We know it.....even though we couldn't spot a cheap fake when it was held up to the light for 8 months. This Ossuary has been a wonderful device for exposing the pervading historicist bias of New Testament studies.

Vorkosigan

godfry n. glad

Smackdown!

Check out this correspondence betwixt Shanks, Lemaire and Frank Moore Cross, as posted up on "breaking news" on the BAR website:

http://bib-arch.org/bswbbreakingHSALFMC.html

gng

Steven Carr

Cross writes 'Meanwhile I hope you will delay before continuing to press your case for authenticity.'

Ever the optimist! Shanks has books to sell....

Haran

Interesting bit from FMCross about the half-done forged seals possibly found in the raid on Golan's "workshop" which he got from some report.

If Golan is guilty and the evidence does seem to now be pointing in that direction, then why is he not under arrest?? What is going on? Are they still building a solid case against him, or do they not have enough on him yet?

The whole deal stinks, whether done only for money or religious reasons...

The only "bias" that was taking place, in my opinion, Vork, was from those who definitely wanted the thing to be authentic or inauthentic. Those who seemed to want it to be one way or the other came to very quick and over-confident conclusions (whether we are talking about Altman or some Christians who unreasonably and immediately accepted it as fact early-on). Others reserved an ultimate decision in the hopes that they could trust fellow human beings to be presenting correct information.

Oh, by the way, I've heard that Dr. Altman has a book coming out soon...no, not on the James ossuary, but it's pretty good timing for her wouldn't you say?? So much for the earlier theory that this "side" stood/stands nothing to gain...

Toto

Since Golan is not a violent criminal, and all the evidence is circumstantial, I would imagine that the Israeli police are in no hurry.

Dr. Altman is a scholar and scholars publish (or perish). Her upcoming book is not being hyped as an amazing new proof or disproof of Jesus, and I doubt that she got a 6 figure advance for it. You have provided no motive for any alleged "bias" on her part.

You can preorder her book here:

Absent Voices: The Story of Writing Systems in the West