Jim O'Shea's Blog

“Risen”, a major motion picture starring Joseph Fiennes and Tom Felton , follows the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Clavius, a powerful Roman Military Tribune, and his aide Lucius, are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion, in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem. Jesus’ image imprinted on His burial cloth (the eventual Shroud of Turin, which is the subject of “The Linen God”)…..only adds fuel to the raging fire!

 

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A very rare exposition of the Shroud of Turin begins this weekend at St. John’s chapel in Turin, Italy. For more detail, check out the link below.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peopleandplaces/millions-expected-to-view-turin-shroud-in-rare-display/vi-AAbgSOf

 

 

 

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Thanks to host Paul Brown and KTRS Radio for the opportunity to discuss my novel addressing the mysteries of The Shroud of Turin, “The Linen God”. Check it out!

http://www.larryconnersusa.com/podcas...

 

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YES….I had lunch with my daughter today in a small town very close to where I grew up in the north St. Louis suburbs.Ferguson, MO was a nice town then, and is a nice town today…….except for the fact that it is being held hostage by dozens of out-of-town “activists” with their own personal agendas, looters that aren’t even from Ferguson, and a horde of press that would boggle the mind….”journalists” who, in some cases, are making a bad situation worse with coverage that does not accurately reflect the situation.

As a father, I’m very sad for this young man’s parents, I can only imagine their sense of loss. But I also feel compassion for so many others impacted by these tragic events, not the least of which are the residents nearby who can’t get to their late night jobs because of all the craziness…..some who risk losing those jobs as a result. Or the kids who haven’t been able to start their school year. Or the merchants whose businesses are virtually shut down.

All because of an unprovoked shooting by a white police officer of an unarmed black man……which may or may not have happened. But I digress…..

New evidence (witnesses & medical) is suggesting the officer may have been under attack. However, even if this is the case and the officer is innocent, the Ferguson incident has uncovered a simmering distrust between the African American residents of Ferguson and its police department.

I pray justice is served and civic leaders step up to address the real issue in my home town.

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My newest book, “Wildest Dreams” is up for the “Top Novel of 2014″. Check out the link below:

http://www.tuscanyprize.com/blog/wild...

 

 

 

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Since “The Linen God” is based on the Shroud of Turin, I set a Google alert a year ago to let me know when new articles and blog postings hit the web relating to it. I’ve noticed a dramatic uptick in the recent month, leading me to believe interest in this amazing icon is increasing. I’d love to know other’s opinions on this subject. Please comment.

 

Thanks

 

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New analysis of the Shroud of Turin suggests it could be a medeival forgery. The theory follows the logic that whoever created it thought crucifixion involved the hands being nailed above the head because of blood flow. Of course, traditional “T” crucifixion would also involve blood flowing down the victim’s arms with the body slumping on the cross, but I digress.

 Matteo Borrini at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK wanted to know if the “bloodstains” on the left arm, the clearest ones, were consistent with the flow of blood from the wrist of a crucified person. So he asked Luigi Garlaschelli of the University of Pavia, Italy, to assume different crucifixion postures, while a cannula attached to his wrist dribbled donated blood down his arm.

They found that the marks on the shroud did correspond to a crucifixion, but only if the arms were placed above the head in a “Y” position, rather than in the classic “T” depiction, New Scientist reported. It would have been nice had they tested the “slumped body” configuration.

Borrini said that this would have been a very painful position and one which would have created difficulty breathing. Someone crucified in this way may have died from asphyxiation. He added that similar positions were used during medieval torture, but in those cases the victims were suspended from a beam by binding their wrists with rope, rather than using nails.

 

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A major plot point in “The Linen God” was a theory proposed by physics student and seminarian, Manny Lusum. In an attempt to prove the Shroud of Turin was actually the burial cloth wrapped around Jesus’ body after His crucifixion, Manny theorized the formation of Christ’s image on the Shroud came about via a burst of partical radiation caused by a supernatural event, the Resurrection. This ”Scorch Theory” is actually a widely-held viewpoint by many Shroud advocates.

A new study, led by Alberto Carpinteri of the Politecnico di Torino in Italy, claims neutron emissions from high-frequency pressure waves generated in the Earth’s crust during an earthquake at the time of Jesus’ death, may have produced significant neutron emissions. These emissions could have not only created the iconic image, but also affected the radiocarbon levels that later suggested the Shroud was a medieval forgery.

These neutron emissions could have interacted directly with nitrogen atoms in the linen fibers, inducing chemical reactions that created the distinctive face image on the shroud, the scientists say. The reactions also could have led to an inaccurate radiocarbon dating, which would explain the results of the 1989 experiments.

Stay tuned!

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This post is a little off-topic, but I hope it’s worthwhile.

My mother loved sweets, so she served them at every meal. As a result, I grew up with a sweet tooth and craved anything from cookies to donuts to ice cream, and everything in between.

A couple of years ago, I switched from cookies, et al as a snack food to various types of protien and energy bars. My primary goal was to increase the percentage of protien and complex carbs I was ingesting, and reduce the amount of simple carbs and sugars. These bars didn’t have any fewer calories than what I was replacing, just better content for muscle and heart health.

These nutritional products not only had lower sugar levels than the “junk food” I was eating, but the sugars they did include were rarely the common “simple sugar” monosaccharides (i.e. cane sugar or high fructose corn syrups). Instead, they used products like honey, sugar alchohols, agave nectar, and some artificial sweeteners.

What happened as a result was interesting and unexpected. I found I had much less craving for the foods I used to find very difficult to resist.  I now find it much easier to resist chocolate chip cookies, apple pie, ice cream, and brownies, and attribute it to the fact that my body no longer “craves” simple sugars. I still have somewhat of a taste for sweet things, but nothing like it used to be and I tend to satisfy that taste with healthier options.

I don’t think nutrion bars are the only way to do it, but I can say reducing your sugar intake will not only improve your health and waistline, but may also reduce your craving for the things that made you that way in the first place. It doesn’t happen overnight, but over time you may see some great benefits.

It worked for me……..so pass it on!

Jim

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In Spring of 2015, the Holy Shroud will be displayed once again in the Cathedral of Turin. It’s a surprising move since the relic is shown only in special occasions. The exhibit has been approved by Pope Francis, as a way to mark 200 years since the birth of St. John Bosco, father and teacher of the youth.

The exact dates of the exhibit are unknown at this point, but the Archbishop of Turin, Cesare Nosiglia, says the Holy Shroud will be on display for roughly 45 days, sometime between the Easter season and mid August 2015. He also says, he’s hoping Pope Francis will visit the Cathedral to directly see the Shroud and pray before it.

The Shroud is a piece of linen cloth that wrapped the body of a crucified man, and bears his image. According to tradition, it was used to wrap the body of Jesus Christ. The Shroud is also the basis for “The Linen God”.

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