A piece of Jesus' cross? Relics unearthed in

[docyabut2]

Turkish archaeologists say they have found a stone chest in a 1,350-year-old church that appears to contain a relic venerated as a piece of Jesus' cross.

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/piece-jesus-cross-relics-unearthed-turkey-6C10812170

[Echosignal]

More tourists = more money

[jaylemurph]

Turkish archaeologists say they have found a stone chest in a 1,350-year-old church that appears to contain a relic venerated as a piece of Jesus' cross.

http://www.nbcnews.c...rkey-6C10812170

...and if you believe this, I have a bridge not far from my house I can sell you, dirt cheap.

--Jaylemurph

[Jeremiah65]

It's all based on the "story" that Constantine's mother, Helena, actually found "the real cross" that Jesus was crucified on. I have never believed that story. First off, her pilgrimage was 300 or so years after the fact. Second, you have to remember that at the time of the crucifixion, Jesus was just another person to be executed to the Romans...they would not have done anything special with the cross to preserve it. They probably crucified many more on the same cross...or maybe just burned it.

Helena was trying to fortify the new religion of the empire. Sensationalism works.

Edited August 1, 2013 by Jeremiah65

[Ugly1]

Looked like a piece of stone to me.

[MyInnerShadow]

If they put together all the bits of wood that have been claimed as part of the True Cross, they'd have enough wood to build a life-size model of Manhattan and all its skyscrapers. The church building itself may be interesting, but I'm very sceptical regarding relics.

[+DieChecker]

That little stone is supposed to be the Chest? Maybe some kind of relicquary? The video said it could have the bone of a saint, or a piece of the True Cross.... So apparently they don't actually know if there is anything in the stone at all. Even if there was something in it. Bits of wood had been collected and saved as pieces of the Holy Cross for centuries before this church was built. Nothing amazing here, I am afraid....

[Grandpa Greenman]

Helena was trying to fortify the new religion of the empire. Sensationalism works.

Works on TV news ratings as well.

[ash68]

I thoroughly believe and have evidence that it was Brians cross.................and his wife !

[Zaphod222]

I wish I had all the pieces of Jesus cross that have been claimed over the years.

In that case, I could open a lumber yard.

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

Looked like a piece of stone to me.

exactly How are they so sure that this is THE cross that he was crucified on, I mean that seems like a huge assumption they jumped to

[dibatag]

I think the cross J.C was crucified on would have been used before and after him many many times, remember these so called relics were a nice little money earner for the church

[Truthseeker007]

Turkish archaeologists say they have found a stone chest in a 1,350-year-old church that appears to contain a relic venerated as a piece of Jesus' cross.

http://www.nbcnews.c...rkey-6C10812170

Which Jesus?

[Harte]

I've quoted this before, but I won't hesistate to quote it again, such is my admiration for Twain:

But isn't this relic matter a little overdone? We find a piece of the true cross in every old church we go into, and some of the nails that held it together. I would not like to be positive, but I think we have seen as much as a keg of these nails. Then there is the crown of thorns; they have part of one in Sainte Chapelle, in Paris, and part of one also in Notre Dame. And as for bones of St. Denis, I feel certain we have seen enough of them to duplicate him if necessary.

From "The Innocents Abroad." Cahpter 17.

If you haven't read this book, what in Hell are you waiting for?

Harte

[Parsec]

Well, with all the pieces of the True Cross around we could build a cathedral and with all the nails we can build at least a car!

[DeWitz]

I've quoted this before, but I won't hesistate to quote it again, such is my admiration for Twain:

From "The Innocents Abroad." Cahpter 17.

If you haven't read this book, what in Hell are you waiting for?

Harte

I'm not calling Samuel Clemens a plagiarist, but Martin Luther railed against the cult of relics back in the 1520's. Hell yes, they were--and still are--big business. Whatever one thinks of Luther (The Reformation's 'founding father,' or nutcase renegade with a taste for beer and ex-nuns?), he said, "Even if we had the bones of all the saints. . . together in one pile, they would not help us in the least, for they are all dead things that cannot make anyone holy" ('Large Catechism," 1528). Excerpts from his sermons are even more entertaining: "Your emptiness will be frothing over at the sight of a strand of Jesus' beard, at one of the nails driven into his hands, and at the remains of the loaf left from the Last Supper" ("Sermons II," English translation, 1957). Few would or could correlate Twain with Luther (especially Twain!), but there we have it!

[+DieChecker]

If people believe Jesus could turn a handful of fish and a couple loaves of bread into enough to feed 5000 then believing that the wood of the True Cross multiplied by two... or ten, is not beyond quick belief.

I do agree that many of these relics are unprovable in their authenticity. But since they are there to promote Faith and Belief, I guess they don't even really need to be real.

[jaylemurph]

I'm not calling Samuel Clemens a plagiarist, but Martin Luther railed against the cult of relics back in the 1520's. Hell yes, they were--and still are--big business. Whatever one thinks of Luther (The Reformation's 'founding father,' or nutcase renegade with a taste for beer and ex-nuns?), he said, "Even if we had the bones of all the saints. . . together in one pile, they would not help us in the least, for they are all dead things that cannot make anyone holy" ('Large Catechism," 1528). Excerpts from his sermons are even more entertaining: "Your emptiness will be frothing over at the sight of a strand of Jesus' beard, at one of the nails driven into his hands, and at the remains of the loaf left from the Last Supper" ("Sermons II," English translation, 1957). Few would or could correlate Twain with Luther (especially Twain!), but there we have it!

Throw in blazing anti-Semite and that about sums it up.

--Jaylemurph

[DeWitz]

Throw in blazing anti-Semite and that about sums it up.

--Jaylemurph

Sorry to have left that out. He actually wrote more screed against the Jewish people than "the Turk" (Islam).But it wasn't germane to relics. He also condemned the Roman Catholics and the reform movement that didn't agree with him. Some say he even hated himself, by way of explanation.

[Harry_Dresden]

...to put it mildly.. two thousand years of trying to pass of bits of wood as "holy relics" still has power over the gullible and weak.. and that's the REAL miracle!

[Harte]

I'm not calling Samuel Clemens a plagiarist, but Martin Luther railed against the cult of relics back in the 1520's.

Yes, but IMO, Twain's prose is the more humorous.

Harte

[DeWitz]

...to put it mildly.. two thousand years of trying to pass of bits of wood as "holy relics" still has power over the gullible and weak.. and that's the REAL miracle!

No question.

Edited August 11, 2013 by szentgyorgy

[DeWitz]

Yes, but IMO, Twain's prose is the more humorous.

Harte

No contest!

[+DieChecker]

...to put it mildly.. two thousand years of trying to pass of bits of wood as "holy relics" still has power over the gullible and weak.. and that's the REAL miracle!

2000 years and still it seems to be working for the majority of the worlds people. The Powerful and Strong still pay at least lip service to it in fear if nothing else of loosing saiid power and strength.

[ozmorphus]

The true cross of Jesus probably no longer exists. Back when Jesus was crucified people weren't interested in grabbing trinkets in the hopes they will be worth something or famous one day. These folks were all about spreading the Gospel and also fearing for their lives. His followers denied him, hid out and lied about knowing Him so I highly doubt they would flock to the cross and start yanking off pieces in front of Roman Soldiers.