Shroud of Turin! The Real Thing or a Real Fake?

Hi Think Atheist community it has been recently reported in a few news articles across the web that the Shroud of Turin (otherwise known as the Shroud of Jesus) is the real deal due to an alleged new found evidence. This comes as quite a surprise to me as it was sometime ago originally claimed to have been proven as a fake.

The original findings concluded and I quote:

" the Shroud was made in the 13th century, then it isn't a relic of Christ, for obvious reasons. Radiocarbon dating has repeatedly placed the Shroud as medieval in origin – specifically, between 1260AD and 1390AD." - Telegraph

To me that sounds conclusive enough to determine that the shroud is indeed a fake and forgery.

However more recent news reports claim that the tests may not have been that conclusive overall. They acknowledge that the material was calculated to have originated in the 13th century with the use of carbon dating, but also claim and I quote:

"the dating results might have been skewed by contamination and have called for a larger sample to be analysed." - Yahoo! News / Associated Press

Many of the newer reports claim that they have evidence that:

"The research in "The Mystery of the Shroud," by Giulio Fanti of the University of Padua and journalist Saverio Gaeta, is based on chemical and mechanical tests on fibers of material extracted for the carbon-dating research. An article with the findings is expected to be submitted for peer-review ...

the release of a book based on new scientific tests on the shroud that researchers say date the cloth to the 1st century." Yahoo News / Associated Press

However Pope Francis himself has yet to admit that the face impressed upon the cloth is or is not the face of Jesus. Personally I am not convinced myself at all and I find the "evidence" extremely vague to be honest. Why would the original findings conclude that the cloth was of the 13 century and then a re-test state that its now the 1st century? Something just doesn't feel right about this, its all so very vague to me.

What are your thoughts on this?

Sources:

"The Turin Shroud is fake. Get over it" - Telegraph

"Shroud of Turin goes on display amid new research" - Yahoo! News / Associated Press

2 members like this

Comment by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on April 5, 2013 at 12:50pm: Use the DNA from it to make 500 clones by implanting them into 500 virgins. (How many??) Do this around the end of next March. Then xmas 2014 would be really special. "Told you I'd be back"....

Comment by Doug Reardon on April 5, 2013 at 6:30pm: If you believe it's real, I've got a piece of the true cross for a very reasonable price.

Comment by SteveInCO on April 5, 2013 at 9:59pm: There are churches that claim to have Jesus' foreskin from when he was circumcised as an infant.

Comment by Suzanne Olson-Hyde on April 6, 2013 at 4:10am: @Jorita - Very narrow views, and very short on truth, are our friends the theists. People strung up on poles, trees, whatever was available, and yes, thousands. It was the most popular choice of torture of the day. Lovely human beings. It's fake and not a very good one at that.

@Dale - Exactly, or maybe a cousin.

Comment by Nerdy Keith on April 6, 2013 at 4:41am: @Steveln,

That sounds so disturbing lol

Anyway thanks for all your replies so far guys. Excellent pieces of information

Comment by SteveInCO on April 6, 2013 at 11:53am: Keith, I wrote an essay on the difference between the two nativity tales (Luke, the one that mentioned having to go to Bethlehem for a census, mentions this) and I joked that some church would make that claim. Found out later someone actually had. Honestly, you literally can't make this shit up, someone has already been there and was dead serious.

Comment by Nerdy Keith on April 6, 2013 at 6:21pm: Steveln, I guess when you try not to judge the believers so much, its easy to forget how strange their beliefs actually are. Its actually baffling when that realisation resurfaces

Comment by TheMostAthy on April 6, 2013 at 8:10pm: John 19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

The "manner of the Jews to bury" was to use many linen strips tightly wound around the body with "myrrh and aloes" used to help glue the strips together. Not one huge sheet under and draped over the body.