More Secular Than Thou

Click to enlarge:Top: A piece of stone box discovered during excavation of the Balatlar Church in the northern province of Sinop, Turkey. Archaeologists say the stone box contained what its owners believed was a piece of the cross of Jesus. Bottom: Gulgun Koroglu, an archaeologist at Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts in Turkey, didn't give a reason for her conclusions. I have a Google alert set up to follow this. Regardless of the accuracy of the claim, it's a fascinating archaeological find.

Story: We found piece of Jesus' cross > 

John Calvin's been quoted a lot recently on this, even in secular media. This is what he wrote:

... there is not a church, from a cathedral to the most miserable abbey or parish church, that does not contain a piece [of the cross]... ; if we were to collect all these pieces of the true cross exhibited in various parts, they would form a whole ship’s cargo. Source: John Calvin's Treatise On Relics >

I'll bet old John kept stuff around that meant something to him, a lucky rabbit's foot from Noyon Elementary School, perhaps.

Everyone keeps artifacts that remind them of pleasant memories. I have something I call my "Dee Dee Box." it holds all sort of things from my daughter Dee Dee, from hospital bracelets and onesies to preschool artwork. Since Mimi was born, I've been adding her stuff too.

It seems to be a human quality to imbue physical objects with non-physical energy. That's why we collect things that belonged to famous people - signed books, athletic jerseys, classic cars.

c0

Click to enlarge: Signpost from the TV series M*A*S*H at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Every one of us has had the experience of seeing or touching something that was used by someone else and feeling closer to that person for it. I first recall having had that experience when I saw Archie Bunker's chair, Dorthy's emerald slippers, and the signpost from M*A*S*H, all in one visit at the Smithsonian.

It's no different with splinters of the cross or hems or bones.

So let's stop being more-secular-than-thou and making fun of those that revere holy relics. We all do it.

[2013-08-02]

c0

[still testing some things; pls bear with me]