One of my blog policies has been that whenever some item is found in Israel that is suppose to date from the time of Jesus, is to not post on it and wait a week.  That has held me in good stead since they always turn out to be fakes that oddly turn up only during Lent/Easter.  This time 70 thin lead books have shown up along with the hype about what it could mean concerning Jesus.  As of today I was able to still find plenty of stories about this find.  This is despite the fact the Bibliobloggers called them fakes on Friday.  Via Michael Barber:

While media reports have sensationalized the story, academic bloggers have been slowly picking this apart. Mark Goodacre has an excellent round up. See also James McGrath’s post.

How do we know the discovery is a fraud? Well, for one thing, as Peter Thonemann at Oxford has pointed out, the Greek text was written by someone who apparently doesn’t know the Greek alphabet! Most amusingly, the writing mixes up the Lambda (the Greek “L”) and the Alpha (the Greek “A”). Not a very promising sign of authenticity!

So. . . we can all move on now. Of course, don’t hold your breath for the retractions.

The media always hopes for that bit of evidence to prove Christianity false despite the fact that the Crucifixion and Resurrection were historical events that were documented to some extent outside of Christian sources.  Really I wish they would find some authentic document of that time period.  When it turned out to attest to the historicity of the times boy would they be bummed.  I can just see their sour faces.

Yes it is getting harder to do parody.  Here is another instance of Prophetic Parity.  First the real news story.

Terry Brown
From: Herald Sun

SINFUL drivers can repent on the run with the opening today of Australia’s first drive-through confessional.

The pray-as-you-go service is to become slicker, with a sin-selection board to be installed by Easter and a smartphone app on the way.

South Melbourne Catholic priest Fr Bob McGuire said yesterday that the move brought the church up to speed with modern life.

“Everybody drives past this place but no one comes in,” Fr McGuire said.

“Now they can stop at the window, open their window and confess their sins. Then I’ll reassure them that they’ll be right.”

Do you think the drive-through confessional is a good idea? Tell us below

The 60-second car wash for the soul includes a symbolically refreshing spray of rose water.

A flashing green light will signal when a driver’s sins have been forgiven. “When you’re driving out you’ll be clean as a whistle,” Fr McGuire said.

The seven cardinal sins – lust, gluttony, greed, laziness, wrath, envy and pride – will be numbered on a sign, Chinese menu-style.

Father Z has comments.

This is treating Confession like a joke.

This is Father McGuire – what the heck is he wearing?  Not exactly a purple stole.

A picture of Father McGuire in action with his sprayer.

On 7 September 2009 Maguire announced on his blog that he had been contacted by church authorities and asked to tender his resignation on his upcoming 75th birthday. He replied with a public announcement that he would leave the decision of whether he should stay or go to his congregation.

His bishop wrote a column on why McGuire must retire, yet ended up leaving him in the parish till 2012 with the resulting public outcry.  What he is doing now goes beyond embarrisment and must be stopped by Archbishop Hart.

Now for my previous parody:

The question though is what is the best method to get American to frequent the confessional? In this fast food culture maybe we could appeal to a fast food idea like drive thru confession. I propose a new company called Jiffy Shriven after the Old English term to go to confession.

Here would be my logo.

And a sample drive thru.

And to easily remind people when to return to confession, the following sticker could be placed on the driver side windshield.

While your there they could also check your holy water font or holy water bottle level to see if more fluids need to be added. Though you won’t have to worry about them trying to hawk other sacrament while there. You won’t hear “I noticed you are not looking so well. We can give you final unction as part of a package deal.”

Norma Jean Coon recently announced on her site.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has lifted any canonical sanctions that I incurred by attempting ordination as a deacon. A letter from Bishop Robert Brom states that I may now return to the full practice of our Catholic faith. I have been very touched at the remarkable support of my actions and the prayers offered in my behalf during this trying time. I wish to thank all those who have prayed for me and for my family. The prayers and masses have been deeply appreciated. May Lent and Easter hold many blessings for you and your family.

Sincerely in our Lord,
Norma Jean Coon
March 25, 2011

Maybe Norma Jean Coon could get in touch with Father Bourgeois.

The excommunicated founder and leader of annual protests against U.S. military training for Latin American soldiers—protests in which Jesuit and other Catholic universities have played a major role—has been ordered by his Maryknoll superior to recant his vocal support of women’s ordination.

In a letter dated March 18 but disclosed yesterday, Roy Bourgeois, who has been automatically excommunicated and then laicized following his participation in a 2008 ceremony to “ordain” a Catholic woman, was given 15 days to recant or he will be formally dismissed from the Maryknoll Fathers.

Via Campus Notes

Please pray for Father Bourgeois that he will repent.

So if you were accused of indecent exposure, assault and five counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and plead guilty on one count how do you get a book deal? Simple just be a priest who was laicized and excommunicated and has a bone to pick with his faithful bishop. Life Teen founder Dale Fushek has a book out.

Similarly Father Cutie who broke his promises as a priest and had a secret affair also got a book deal where he attacks his bishop.

Both men not only left the Church but started up again as Protestants and complain about how they were treated. Fushek started a Praise and Worship Center – you know one of those open and non-judmental churches where of course you wouldn’t want to make a judgment about Fushek “flicking” of a young man’s genitals.

These of course are the exceptions since there are plenty of books by priests faithful to the Church who have good things to say about their bishop who got book deals – oh wait.

I have also wondered why is it that usually when the founder of a movement goes so much awry that the movement they started is reevaluated or ended, yet Life Teen just goes on.

Though I am biased in this regard since I consider Life Teen masses totally wrongheaded. You don’t get teens to learn to love the Mass by presenting a different Mass with secular overtones. If they start going to Life Teen Masses because they like the music, will they keep going as adults? I am very curious if any study has been done showing if members of Life Teen keep going to Mass as adults?

My bias is based on the fact that as a teenager I went to Mass with my mother at a parish with rock music where popular songs were used and people held hands and swayed almost like a wave. I even sang in the small ensemble. They really reached out for youth and even as a young atheist I could put up with going to Mass because of the music. That the year I sang for that parish I got no doctrinal content is no surprise or that the two priest there later left the priesthood. I might not have been open to the truth of the Church at that time, it just would have been nice if they had made an effort towards actual catechesis instead of feel good worship that didn’t make an atheist uncomfortable.