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This weekend my wife and I watched a documentary titled, “Jesus and the Shroud of Turin.” I thought I would post my thoughts on the documentary and also briefly discuss the Shroud of Turin.

Review of Jesus and the Shroud of Turin Documentary DVD

Having a deep fascination with religion, I occasionally seek out documentaries and films covering religious topics to rent from Netflix every once in a while. I especially like the short documentaries by A&E and the History Channel. I also like the independent documentaries and the blockbuster religious films.

While searching, I came across a documentary about Jesus & the Shroud of Turin. The Shroud is something that has always really fascinated me, and the reviews were very good on the movie (about 3.6 stars which is very good). So I added it to my Queue and finally got the chance to watch it.

Overall, I would say it was a great film, and definitely worth watching. My wife and I were both really impressed with it, and it left us both with a sense of intrigue (I always love when a documentary does that to me). It not only did a great job of giving a brief overview of the evidence and testing done, but it left me even more fascinated than before I watched it.

It featured a lot of the latest scientific discoveries with it, had lots of interesting commentary, and also made a very convincing case on how the Shroud has an excellent possibility of being the actual burial cloth of Jesus Christ. Overall, I would definitely recommend anyone who has an interest with the Shroud to watch it. Especially if you are open minded (or a believer).

I appreciated the fact that the film wasn’t presented from an entirely skeptical point of view, and didn’t dwell on the skeptical points (which tends to annoy me when I watch a religious film). I already knew some of the alternative/skeptical arguments, and I don’t really agree with them.

Instead, I wanted to hear some of the compelling science discoveries surrounding the Shroud that support it, and this is exactly what you will get. So it probably isn’t the most objectionable film, but it doesn’t need to be in my mind.

I rated it a full 4 stars on Netflix (I rarely give a 5 star rating). It was worth watching, captivated and intrigued my mind, and I am sold on it. I definitely think there is a strong possibility it is the burial cloth of Jesus Christ.

A Few Thoughts on The Shroud of Turin Cloth

Shroud of Turin

Just look at the “negative photograph” image that is created when photographing the Shroud. It is enough to send chills down someone’s spine. In fact, my wife and I got chills a couple of times while watching the DVD.

In fact, I was reading how when the first photograph was taken, and the negative viewed, the person who was developing the picture almost dropped the plate from shock!

I think what makes this so compelling is the amount of scientific evidence, the vivid imagery, the scriptural accuracy as it relates to the ghostly image, and more.

I am convinced that if this isn’t the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth, then it deserves an award for the “most convincing artifact ever in history!” When you consider the biblical accounts, the scientific evidence (such as pollen fibers, threads, 3D imagery, no paint, etc.), then it becomes quite clear that this cloth isn’t something to scoff at.

I suppose that is why there is such a fuss by so many people. Scientists are intrigued, religious folks are intrigued, and even skeptics are intrigued.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in God because of a cloth, and I never put my faith in religious artifacts–I put my faith in God alone. However, in my personal opinion I feel that the chances of this being the actual historical burial cloth of Jesus is nearly 100% when everything is considered.

Could They Clone Jesus’ From the Blood Remnants on the Shroud?

One thing that has always fascinated me was the prospect of being able to “clone” Jesus from the Shroud’s blood stains. The stains on the Shroud have been confirmed as blood, and they even have the blood type of the extra cloth believed to have been around his head (AB I think).

Imagine if they developed a technique to clone this some time in the near future. Could this be how the antichrist comes about that has been foretold by monotheistic religions for centuries?

It is well documented that when something (such as an animal) is cloned, it does retain the physical aspects of the original,  however, it does not always have the same personality.

So imagine someone with Jesus’ DNA (which in itself would be interesting), but they reject God 100% and by doing so become the “antichrist” and do everything BUT God’s will. They have Jesus ability of charisma, but without the “good intentions.”

Just a thought, and that idea fascinates me. After all, if they COULD clone the Shroud, it is only a matter of time before someone does it (and probably they will do so privately/secretively and without permission).

Hopefully, I will be long gone when that day comes =).

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I recently had time to watch Ben Stein’s documentary called Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. I suppose the main point of the documentary is that Ben Stein tries to make the point that Intelligent design is not necessarily a religious view point, and should be given a place in the school curriculum alongside the teaching of evolution. His main argument is that America has always allowed freedom, and by taking away freedom of prayer, freedom of teaching different views, that it isn’t right.

I agree with that. I think Intelligent design should be taught. Of course, an educational system should not dictate which religion or cosmological viewpoint is best, but I think it should be at least mentioned. Even though intelligent design is religious in nature, the fact is almost every religion deals with the origin of life. So in a way religion is closely tied with science when it comes to “why and how” are we here, and intelligent design should be mentioned in my opinion (without religious specifics).

He has a few parts in the movie that do make evolution itself seem quite ignorant that made me personally laugh (if you have seen the movie, then I am talking about the guy saying, “life started on the backs of crystals” with that creepy smile lol. That one got a laugh out of me.

Overall, I thought it was a good (not great) documentary. It wasn’t great for either evolutionist or creationists (or intelligent design folks). He made a decent case for intelligent design being a plausable way that the world could have came into existence, and then subsequently human beings and all creatures.

Ben Stein also makes the connection of Nazi regimes using a form of controlled natural selection, which illustrated how evolution itself can be a dangerous teaching if people try to take natural selection into their own hands (like Hitler himself did). It also mentioned the practice of Eugenics here in the U.S. as well.

I wish he could have included more interesting scientific facts supporting the case for intelligent design, but he didn’t really go into that. I think that would have made the documentary much stronger if he would have given a few examples of that. I can even find great articles on the web with some interesting facts backing intelligent design, so it was a disappointment that the film didn’t exactly get me pumped up or give a good jolt to my faith. Not that I need evidence to have faith (then it really wouldn’t be faith at all would it). But I personally feel that there are substantial scientific facts that do show that it is highly likely that a God exists.

But anyways, overall I guess it was worth seeing. It could have been stronger in terms of making a more convincing case for the reasons why intelligent design is a plausable theory. But the movie itself wasn’t a total waste of time either.

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Posted under reflections