..."authentic" turns out to be a slippery term as used by the National Geographic Society. No scholar associated with the find argues this is a first century document, or that it derives from Judas. The release says the document was "copied down in Coptic probably around A.D. 300," although later that is changed to "let's say around the year 400." This amounts to saying that "The Gospel of Judas" is an authentic fabrication produced by a group of Gnostics in Egypt. Gnostics believed that their direct knowledge of heaven permitted them to understand what no one else knew, or could know by historical knowledge. For ancient Gnostics to believe in their own powers of divination is charming; for their flights of imagination to be passed off as historical knowledge in our time is dishonest or self-deceived....'Gospel of Judas' Called an Anthentic Forgery, Bruce Chilton, NY Sun, 4/7/2006
It is probably less astonishing than one might suppose that the Geographic would participate in this "History Channel" hype of a find that Chilton and others, including James M. Robinson, described as "America's leading expert on ancient religious texts from Egypt," have described as bordering on outright fraud. Remember, this is the same publication than in the 1920's published nude photos of Africans, describing them in terms familiar to Margaret Mead, as little more than innocent primitives. That copies of those issues have been described as the Playboy for our grandparents' generation amounts to a just dessert for the sociological fabrications employed by the authors and photographers of the Geographic then. One might describe the current fabulation, replete with modern PR and an endorsement by the NY Times, as a continuation of an old club tradition.
It can't be a coincidence that this "discovery" is being touted as the equally fraudulent "Da Vinci Code" movie is about to be released. It is yet another transparent attack on Christianity, led by "scientists" more familiar with political correctness than with laboratories or rigorous analysis.
Perhaps references to it will be included in the next homily on global warming by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Luther
1 comment:
Luther,
Great entry. Fraud or no, the whole point of the timing of this "release" was highly suspect.
The Judas conspiracy story has, of course, been around forever, attributable, no doubt, to fragmented, non-canonical stuff like this "Gospel."
In point of fact though, isn't it interesting that all this PR flak, plus the film itself, are being brought out in conjunction with Easter, all the more to stir up outrage, resulting PR, and thus drive interest for the film.
Now, if we cast this whole sorry rollout in terms of Islam, we'd have a whole different story. I.e., if this film and supporting documentation could be construed as being an attack on Islam, let's say, activities would be far different. Politicians would denounce the document as a fraud and the film as needlessly provocative. Imams would issue a fatwah and death threats against anyone involved with the document and the film. The film would be withdrawn before it was released. And anyone involved in any of these projects would already be in the FBI's Witness Protection Program while living in fear of their lives.
Gotta love it.
--W
Post a Comment