Just when we’d recovered from the buzz of “Naked Archeologist” Simcha Jacobovici’s “Exodus Decoded” documentary, we turn on the news to discover James Cameron (who narrated “Exodus Decoded”) talking about his and Jacobovici’s latest project: the unearthing of Jesus’s crypt. For more on this story, read my post at Beliefnet.

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Esther Kustanowitz

For more posts by Esther, see EstherK.com, MyUrbanKvetch.com and JDatersAnonymous.com.

35 Comments

  • More succinctly, would a “naked archaeologist” be a “boner”? 😉

    I just read the NYT article on it (are we receiving the same JTA daily briefing?). I’m surprised that they buried the bones, but I forget that the operating assumption at the time was that this was a Jewish burial, and therefore the remains had to be treated with respect in accordance with Jewish Law.

    I wonder if in the future they’ll take a DNA sample before re-interring (Jewish) remains from archaeological sites?

  • Nice post at Beliefnet… the few articles on this go back and forth between using the Aramaic/Hebrew and Anglicized names. The main argument against the doc’s validity is that the names were too common to say they were the Christian “First Family”.

    Some years back they found an ossuary with the inscription “Ya’akov bar Yoseph ahui diYeshua” – or Jesus’ brother James – but the box was completely devoid of any organic material for DNA testing. Which leads us to wonder why a burial box dating some years after Jesus’ death contains absolutely no organic material while these older ossuaries did. Here we find the same questions surrounding the Cameron (stunt) Production:

    http://www.catholic.com/library/Burial_Box_of_St_James_Found.asp

    Anyways, the only interesting thing about this debate is that it renewed my interest in name etymology. I’m wonder what name our Moshiac will have? I’m saying “Manny”. Think I’m wrong? Check it out here (a great site for name etymology):

    http://www.behindthename.com/

    Esther is related to Ianna, a Sumerian Goddess!! And (The) Middle – he’s Esther’s cousin!! And Toots and The Maytals is Hebrew for Toots and the Dew Drops. I hope James Cameron gets all this…

  • Ramon – The James Ossuary was discovered to be a fake though, so it’s no wonder at all that there was no DNA.

  • This work is important for one key reason: it might actually force Christians to give up this idea of literal interpretation of the scripture simply because if there is a body then no one came up from the dead and no one certainly was beamed up to heaven leaving nothing behind a la Star Trek.

    Now if I can only get some of them to admit they violate the commandments against idol worship by putting statues everywhere…

    And then there is the transmogrification/transubstantiation – that is just strange. But every Catholic I ask says it is just “myth”…hmm doctrine says otherwise.

    The coup de grase would be to get an educated Christian to admit they were able to spread Christianity by paganizing it to match the Roman pantheon perfectly.

    Egypt to Israel we cleaned the theological house only to have the illegitimate relatives move back in at the hands of Christ’s followers.

    And this corruption is somehow allowed to be related to our faith in the term Judeo-Christian. I have much more respect forth the internals of Islam then I ever will for Christianity.

  • Typo Lad said:
    February 28th, 2007 at 6:57 am
    Ramon – The James Ossuary was discovered to be a fake though, so it’s no wonder at all that there was no DNA.

    This was the opinion of the IAA. However, there are archeologists that disagree with the IAA’s proof of forgery.

    This work is irrelevant because it’s inconclusive and cannot amount to anything more. As such, it’s only served to antagonize Christians worldwide for the purpose of some theoretical sensationalism.

  • Ramon– Manny Ramirez is a hell of a hitter, but the Messiah?

  • Tom – those Red Sox are always hailing someone as their saviour to lead them out of the shadow of New York. They may have thought it was Manny but in fact it was David.

    Again, what I found interesting about this debate – the names found on the ossuaries. Their etymology tells us something about those times. Whether they’re who Cameron claims or whether they’re forgeries, even how a forger would have labeled an ossuary tells us something about history and theology.

    Which is why I brought up Emmanual. Tom, who shreds us on Christian theology, may be able to shed some light on how Isaiah’s “Emmanuel” has been incorporated (through Matthew?) into Christian theology. Emmanual, like Yeshua, was a common name during that time – if Yeshua Messiah was Jewish, and/or a Rabbi, wouldn’t he have called himself Emmanual out of deference to the Prophet?

    I don’t know, just interesting questions. More interesting than Cameron’s little stunt doc. There’s plenty of scholars here so bring it on.

  • I agree. The Naked Arch. is a Fraud. He claims to be a journalist not an Archeaoligist. Why does he show state he is indirectly. Because his is a flimsy whimsy phoney. He was proven to be so when confronted about finding the tomb of Jesus, all Jewish propaganda. He does a dis-service to the Jewish race.

    Will never watch his fraud show again.

  • I find giving credence to an obviously person of prejudice, wearing his stupid hat to condone his religion and feeling superior about his choice of display! All religions cloud issues to cover their lack of proof and to steer others in an effort to feel better about their own doubts/choices.
    There’s probably no God..So relax and try to enjoy your life!

  • one thing i have found from watching this show is that i find time to return to scripture to see if i have misread or mislearned something he has discussed. and even after all the studying i have done, i’m never above learning something new. one of my favorite shows is the one he has done on the exodus and the phsyical explaination of a Bible story, since God created everything, why would He not use the physical world to move His people away from the land where they were being mistreated

  • I have been watching youre show and I enjoy it. I have found a book that was writen back in the time of Jesus It was writen by Emperor Claudius and is called Claudius the god. It was writen by him and translated by Robert Graves and was published by random house new york. the copyright is 1935 and was renewed in 1962. I found this book while I was a patent in the V.A. hospital in North Little Rock AR. It was on a cart that sayed if you want a book feal free to take one. He was not around Jesus but wrote a page and a half about him and sayed his fathers name is Panthera. I thought you might be intrested it this. So check it out and maybe do a show on it.
    Thanks
    Robbie Burris P.N.S.N. USN Retired

  • The naked archeologist has revived my intrest in religion and archeology, i was raised in the assembly of god church in texas, and know nothing of hebrew religion. Exept of course, the pieces our sect chose to keep. He ask the same questions that i do, and trys to cut thru the bs.
    His slight irreverance is what draws me to him.
    He seems to be a good honest person who is actually intrested in teaching and learning.
    Thank you Rabi Jacobovici, you have taught me many things,

  • I really like the content of the program; but the background music, if one can call it that, is so irritating that I rarely watch a whole episode.

  • On a program I watched he said the only place that Jesus is mentioned outside of the new testament is in the writings of the jewish historian Josephus, thats WRONG Jesus is also mentioned in the dead sea scrolls….I watched the program only a few times because he has alot of wrong informantion..another time he talked about casting lots at masada and showed the marked lots to prove that they killed themseleves….they used these lots for food and water rations…he has alot of wrong information on the program…thats why I dont and wont watch it anymore.

  • I just wanted to let you know that I watch your documentary and enjoy it very much except the part where you add in the cartoons and strange people. Your show would be so much better kept on a serious level. Thanks for what you do. I would just rather not see the kids pulling hair or other funnies. Don

  • love it all and so do other or! they would not be watching the program, do a program of Abraham and Jacob tomb keep up the great work.