When the Homily is about Immunology

Jesus' DNA evidence

I'll not be watching the "scientific" fluff that James Cameron will be marketing on the Discovery Channel this weekend. I've read enough to see that it is all speculative crap....big surprise. Article HERE.

Yes it all sounds exciting in the press releases: "DNA evidence" is a great way to solidify in people's mind that whatever conclusions are offered are infallible. Of course when I hear "DNA evidence" my attention is focused.

So the DNA proves that the tomb contains the body of Jesus? Did they perhaps compare the DNA there with the DNA from the shroud of Turin? Perhaps they compared it to DNA taken from the wine of a transubstantiation believing parish? Or maybe God has certain DNA markers not found in "normal" human DNA? Well let's see what earth shattering evidence they gained fromt he DNA: "Mitochondrial DNA examination determined the individual in the Jesus ossuary and the person in the ossuary linked to Mary Magdalene were not related."

That is staggering evidence indeed. These two were not related, please cue the ominous music, Christianity is sinking and there aren't enough lifeboats!

That's it? THAT'S their DNA evidence? To prove that this is Jesus Christ's tomb? And his wife, Mary Magdalene? And their child, Judah? (What? No DNA test on Judah to see if the 'Jesus' and 'Maria' are mom and dad?)

And the rest of the evidence seems to rest on nomenclature statistics. Brilliant. I am convinced. Notice how often you see "likely" and "suggest" and "theorized" but there is precious little use of the word "proof."

What a bunch of fluff. Say "DNA evidence" and the faith of unbelievers will be bolstered. The rest of us might consider reading the details. Cameron's conclusions appear to me to require a GREAT GREAT deal of faith.