My goodness, things get downright silly sometimes on Facebook. I mean, I always begin with the acknowledgement that It's Facebook, Dude, not the lecture hall at Oxford--meaning that I will take note of some news article, perhaps express my reaction in a comment, and move on.
There was an article yesterday, for instance, declaring that "science" had now disproven the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin. Well, if you read the article, you find that no such thing has been "disproven". To be sure, new doubt has been cast on the most recent official study of the shroud; but then again, if shroud research adheres to its long, contentious character, doubt will soon be cast on the doubt.
So, I said something to this effect, and noted, as well, that this "bombshell" new study and refutation of the old is concerned with only one aspect of the many layered questions and mysteries of the shroud (namely, the dating of a small fragment of the shroud). In other words, casting doubt on one thing does not cast doubt on all things.
Well, this comment was met with aggressive, sometimes insulting responses and demands. Produce your evidence! Show us your research! Cite and detail your sources! Lol.
Umm … no. I have neither the energy nor the time--nor, indeed, the inclination to satisfy the demands of anonymous 'Facebook scholars'. Material on the shroud is both voluminous and readily available for study. Do your own research, man!
I mean, I don't know whether the Shroud of Turin is authentic or not, and I'm skeptical both of the believers and the skeptics. I find the artifact curious and interesting, and so I have always followed the latest research. Aside from being a curiosity, however, the thing is not really of earth shaking importance one way or the other.
Ah ha! You won't answer!, they say. So that means you don't know what you're talking about! Ha! Busted.
Well, no, it means that I have no idea who you even are or why I would be spending precious time and effort to fulfill your demands for documentation and bibliography and footnotes. I mean, gosh, I was just passing through and dropping a short line!
I mean, It's Facebook, Dude!
There was an article yesterday, for instance, declaring that "science" had now disproven the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin. Well, if you read the article, you find that no such thing has been "disproven". To be sure, new doubt has been cast on the most recent official study of the shroud; but then again, if shroud research adheres to its long, contentious character, doubt will soon be cast on the doubt.
So, I said something to this effect, and noted, as well, that this "bombshell" new study and refutation of the old is concerned with only one aspect of the many layered questions and mysteries of the shroud (namely, the dating of a small fragment of the shroud). In other words, casting doubt on one thing does not cast doubt on all things.
Well, this comment was met with aggressive, sometimes insulting responses and demands. Produce your evidence! Show us your research! Cite and detail your sources! Lol.
Umm … no. I have neither the energy nor the time--nor, indeed, the inclination to satisfy the demands of anonymous 'Facebook scholars'. Material on the shroud is both voluminous and readily available for study. Do your own research, man!
I mean, I don't know whether the Shroud of Turin is authentic or not, and I'm skeptical both of the believers and the skeptics. I find the artifact curious and interesting, and so I have always followed the latest research. Aside from being a curiosity, however, the thing is not really of earth shaking importance one way or the other.
Ah ha! You won't answer!, they say. So that means you don't know what you're talking about! Ha! Busted.
Well, no, it means that I have no idea who you even are or why I would be spending precious time and effort to fulfill your demands for documentation and bibliography and footnotes. I mean, gosh, I was just passing through and dropping a short line!
I mean, It's Facebook, Dude!
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