Tomb of Jesus Found?

Christianity is sunk.

That is, if the claims of James Cameron, director of the Hollywood blockbuster "Titanic," are true.

In "The Lost Tomb of Jesus," a Discovery Channel documentary to be shown March 4th, producer Cameron and his director Simcha Jacobovici allege they've found the tomb of Jesus in the outskirts of Jerusalem. Inside are 10 small coffins, known as ossuaries, that contain the names of Jesus and his family members.

The discovery of this particular site isn't exactly new. Israeli archaeologist Amos Kloner found the tomb 27 years ago and reported on its content ten years ago. And what he thinks about Cameron and Jacobovici's claims are pretty clear:

“The claim that the burial site has been found is not based on any proof, and is only an attempt to sell...I refute all their claims and efforts to waken a renewed interest in the findings. With all due respect, they are not archaeologists.”

Meanwhile, Dallas Seminary professor Dr. Darrell Bock says the evidence presented is selective cherry picking. The film includes what's convenient for their thesis, while ignoring what's not.

Basically, in order to accept the claims of "The Lost Tomb," you need to believe that Jesus did not rise, but remained dead, his family got possession of his body, they hid his body for a year, they hid this information from everyone, and then after a year or so of human decay, the family took Jesus' leftover bones, put them into a little coffin ossuary, labeled the ossuary with Jesus' name, and buried them outside of Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Jesus' followers claimed he's physically resurrected and Jesus' opponents are unable to produce a body.

At today's press conference, Cameron said:

"This is the beginnings of an ongoing investigation. If things come to light that erode this investigation, then so be it."

Like the Titanic, Cameron's claims about Jesus will sink on its maiden voyage.


UPDATE: Brent Bozell unloads on the Discovery Channel.
UPDATE 2: Ben Witherington III: "Make no bones about it, they have not found Jesus' tomb."