David Inman called my attention to this article:

Jesus' Family Tomb Discovery is a Titanic Fraud

"It's time the Discovery Channel discovered ethics and stopped with the sensationalism", says Donohue

NEW YORK, February 26, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - "Titanic" director James Cameron and Canadian TV-director Simcha Jacobovici are claiming they have evidence of a Jerusalem tomb that allegedly houses the remains of Jesus and his family.  However the foremost archaeologists in Israel have slammed the claims as totally without foundation.

Israeli archeologist Amos Kloner, who was in charge of the 1980 investigation of the tomb which is the subject of the new claims by Cameron-Jacobovici, said "The claim that the burial site has been found is not based on any proof, and is only an attempt to sell."  Kloner added, "I refute all claims and efforts to waken a renewed interest in the findings. With all due respect, they are not archeologists."  Kloner said that while "it makes a great story for a TV film," there is "no likelihood" that Jesus and his relatives had a family tomb, and dismissed the claims as "impossible" and "nonsense."

"Not a Lenten season goes by without some author or TV program seeking to cast doubt on the divinity of Jesus and/or the Resurrection," said Catholic League president Bill Donohue, commenting on the hype generated.  "Last April," added Donohue, "NBC's 'Dateline' featured the wholly discredited and downright laughable claims of Michael Baigent, and two years ago ABC treated us to a special that questioned every aspect of the Resurrection."  He concluded, "Now we have the Cameron-Jacobovici thesis."

Archeologist Joe Zias, who spent a quarter-century at the Rockefeller University in Jerusalem, said "Simcha has no credibility whatsoever."

Donohue points out that "Jacobovici's credibility explodes when one considers that he still believes the 2002 tale about an ossuary with the inscription, 'James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.'"  On June 18, 2003, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in a unanimous decision the 15-member committee, condemned the 'James ossuary' as a modern forgery.

Donohue blasted the Discovery Channel for airing both the James ossuary fraud and the current one.  "The Discovery Channel aired the 2002 hoax and now it's back with the Titanic fraud. It's time the Discovery Channel discovered ethics and stopped with the sensationalism," he said.

Original Article (219 KB PDF)

(c) Copyright: LifeSiteNews.com is a production of Interim Publishing. Permission to republish is granted (with limitation*) but acknowledgement of source is *REQUIRED* (use LifeSiteNews.com).

Pastor Ed's Comments

It could very well be that after this hoax is revealed to be what it is, that we will have opportunities to witness because of it.  The three great strengths of the argument for Christianity are (1) fulfilled Bible prophecy, (2) the resurrection, and (3) the survival of the nation of Israel.  So, although those looking to put down Christianity will cling to the "Jesus family tomb" myth immediately, the loss of credibility which will result may create a special void in which we can be God's witnesses.  But it will probably become darker before it becomes brighter.