James Cameron Sets Sail Again (and basically aboard the same ship as before)
I don't know if you've heard the latest from film-maker James Cameron, but he's found the grave of Jesus. Yeah, really, along with Mary Magdalene...and Jesus' kid, too. Now, I heard this story yesterday and chuckled then because it was pretty ridiculous. Clearly, Cameron is out to make another Titanic (along with the bankroll that comes with it!). This time, I believe it's going to be a titanic failure for many reasons. Here are just a few:
First, Cameron doesn't have a very good track record with the facts related to his stories. Even in the case of Titanic, many of the "theories" Cameron advanced as fact have been repeatedly disproved by the experts, including the way in which the ship made her final voyage to the ocean floor. Cameron starts out as a member of the same club Oliver Stone is a member of which lives according to the motto, "Everything is a conspiracy!" What, exactly, is conspiratorial? Whatever will bring in the biggest bucks.
Second, the archaeologist who originally worked on the tomb in question has virtually laughed off the claim:
Thirdly, there is classic evidences related to the resurrection of Jesus that includes the fact that all but one of Jesus' immediate followers were martyred because of their belief that Jesus had been resurrected, not to mention the hundreds who died during that first century because of their belief in Christ's resurrection. It is possible to believe that someone might die for something they believed to be true, but based on the kind of brutality that Jesus suffered in His death, unless they saw convincing proof to the contrary (read: Jesus alive before them), there is absolutely no way these very ordinary men could have begun the world-changing movement that started through them. They most certainly would not have had any reason to die for what they knew to be a lie.
Along with this is the fact that, if the resurrection of Jesus did not happen, it would have been quite easy to prove at the time, putting a quick end to this new religious movement (and there were certainly enough people who wanted to do just that). They could have either simply produced the body of Jesus following the crucifixion, which the Jewish officials could not do, though all believed at the time (and most today still do) that the crucifixion did, in fact happen (which Cameron's theory would have to deny and disprove, historically) or go to Jesus' house and have dinner with he, his wife, Mary, their little boy and his mom and show that this man was still alive. This would have certainly disproved that Jesus was actually killed. There is no record of anyone knowing or talking to Cameron's Jesus, including 1st Century Jewish historians such as Josephus, because it didn't happen. Jesus was killed. Even the most liberal, non-Christian historians acknowledge this. Cameron is living in a fantasy world, presenting a story that, based on what is known historically, is harder to believe than any account of someone being raised from the dead.
Cameron wants to re-write history so he can make a buck. Fine. If over 2,000 years of trying hasn't disproved the historicity of Christ's resurrection, I'm quite sure one James Cameron will come no closer. Make your movie...make your money. Some will unfortunately believe him, but it won't do a thing to hurt Christianity. That would be a titanic undertaking James Cameron just isn't up to.
First, Cameron doesn't have a very good track record with the facts related to his stories. Even in the case of Titanic, many of the "theories" Cameron advanced as fact have been repeatedly disproved by the experts, including the way in which the ship made her final voyage to the ocean floor. Cameron starts out as a member of the same club Oliver Stone is a member of which lives according to the motto, "Everything is a conspiracy!" What, exactly, is conspiratorial? Whatever will bring in the biggest bucks.
Second, the archaeologist who originally worked on the tomb in question has virtually laughed off the claim:
Bar-Ilan University Professor Amos Kloner, a Jerusalem archeologist who officially oversaw the work at the tomb in 1980 and has published detailed findings on its contents, dismissed the claims.By the way, where was Joseph, Jesus' father (step-father, of course)? Wouldn't he have been in the same tomb? And how, exactly, does a poor family like that of Jesus afford the kind of burial that these bones were found in?
"It makes a great story for a TV film," he told The Jerusalem Post Saturday night.
"But it's impossible. It's nonsense," he said.
Thirdly, there is classic evidences related to the resurrection of Jesus that includes the fact that all but one of Jesus' immediate followers were martyred because of their belief that Jesus had been resurrected, not to mention the hundreds who died during that first century because of their belief in Christ's resurrection. It is possible to believe that someone might die for something they believed to be true, but based on the kind of brutality that Jesus suffered in His death, unless they saw convincing proof to the contrary (read: Jesus alive before them), there is absolutely no way these very ordinary men could have begun the world-changing movement that started through them. They most certainly would not have had any reason to die for what they knew to be a lie.
Along with this is the fact that, if the resurrection of Jesus did not happen, it would have been quite easy to prove at the time, putting a quick end to this new religious movement (and there were certainly enough people who wanted to do just that). They could have either simply produced the body of Jesus following the crucifixion, which the Jewish officials could not do, though all believed at the time (and most today still do) that the crucifixion did, in fact happen (which Cameron's theory would have to deny and disprove, historically) or go to Jesus' house and have dinner with he, his wife, Mary, their little boy and his mom and show that this man was still alive. This would have certainly disproved that Jesus was actually killed. There is no record of anyone knowing or talking to Cameron's Jesus, including 1st Century Jewish historians such as Josephus, because it didn't happen. Jesus was killed. Even the most liberal, non-Christian historians acknowledge this. Cameron is living in a fantasy world, presenting a story that, based on what is known historically, is harder to believe than any account of someone being raised from the dead.
Cameron wants to re-write history so he can make a buck. Fine. If over 2,000 years of trying hasn't disproved the historicity of Christ's resurrection, I'm quite sure one James Cameron will come no closer. Make your movie...make your money. Some will unfortunately believe him, but it won't do a thing to hurt Christianity. That would be a titanic undertaking James Cameron just isn't up to.
Labels: Cameron, Christianity, David C. Price, Film, James, Jesus, Resurrection
posted by DAVID C. PRICE at 2/27/2007 11:51:00 AM
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