Brilliant!

So the Smithsonian Channel (never heard of it) is postponing its blockbuster documentary that will apparently shake Chrisendom to its core. The subject of this program, as you may have guessed, is the tiny, business card-sized piece of papyrus that purportedly proves that Jesus had a wife. They cite "upcoming tests" as the reason for the delay.

(external)Documentary on papyrus fragment purporting that Jesus had wife delayed amid doubts on veracity.

Christian tradition has long held that Jesus was unmarried. Any evidence to the contrary would shake up debates about priestly celibacy and the role of women in the church.  

So let me get this straight: Four Gospels, and twenty-three other books of the New Testament can be regularly misinterpreted or even completely ignored, but this one fragment of writing of unknown and questionable origin is going to change Church teaching that much?  Not to mention there are various non-Christain sources that at least support the earthly existance of Jesus. Even these sources have verifiable origens. Seriously? Where have wer heard this arguement before?



Brilliant!



The Smithsonian Channel promoted the fragment as "one of the most significant discoveries of all time." After scholars began questioning it, the channel initially said it had no plans to delay the broadcast. But later it decided to postpone the Sept. 30 premiere.



So, if all it takes is small scrap of paper to get some Ivy League professor to proclaim the greatest discovery ever, I can make it easy for them. I'll have one of my children write something like "Jesus is God" and "The Catholic Church is the One True Church" and drop it off at Harvard. This could be the "next big thing."

Hey, an American 4 year old writing in crayon can be just as much of an "expert source" as an anymonous 4th Century Copt, right?