It’s always exciting when scientists are able to corroborate fictional stories. Who wasn’t thrilled when paleontologists found the skeleton of Moby Dick? Who didn’t get excited when epidemiologists were able to isolate the “Captain Trips” virus? What child wasn’t delighted when zoologists successfully trained a mouse to ride a motorcycle?
I felt that same sense of excitement today, when I read that scientific tests had confirmed that certain bone fragments actually belonged to the apostle Paul:
Benedict said scientists had conducted carbon dating tests on bone fragments found inside the sarcophagus and confirmed that they date from the first or second century.“This seems to confirm the unanimous and uncontested tradition that they are the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul,” Benedict said.
I suppose the Pope’s conclusion isn’t perfectly obvious unless you also know that
(1) The apostle Paul dated from the first or second century, and
(2) No one else dated from that time period.
But those are both pretty much common sense. Hooray for science!
Interesting. I thought carbon dating was suspect, given that it implies a much older earth than is at all comfortable for strict creationists. I think maybe the remains belong not so much to the Apostle Paul, but rather to someone who died slightly later … Paul Lynde? Les Paul? the career of Pauly Shore?