The "Ark of the Covenant" to be Revealed?

[HuskyCaucasian]

WorldNetDaily.com-

The patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia says he will announce to the world Friday the unveiling of the Ark of the Covenant, perhaps the world's most prized archaeological and spiritual artifact, which he says has been hidden away in a church in his country for millennia, according to the Italian news agency Adnkronos.

 

Abuna Pauolos, in Italy for a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI this week, told the news agency, "Soon the world will be able to admire the Ark of the Covenant described in the Bible as the container of the tablets of the law that God delivered to Moses and the center of searches and studies for centuries."

 

The announcement is expected to be made at 2 p.m. Italian time from the Hotel Aldrovandi in Rome. Pauolos will reportedly be accompanied by Prince Aklile Berhan Makonnen Haile Sellassie and Duke Amedeo D'Acosta.

 

"The Ark of the Covenant is in Ethiopia for many centuries," said Pauolos. "As a patriarch I have seen it with my own eyes and only few highly qualified persons could do the same, until now."

 

According to Pauolos, the actual Ark has been kept in one church, but to defend the treasure, a copy was placed in every single church in Ethiopia.

 

He said a museum is being built in Axum, Ethiopia, where the Ark will be displayed. A foundation of D'Acosta will fund the project.

[shipps]

I find this really really interesting.

[HuskyCaucasian]

I find this really really interesting.

The one thing I find odd is that NO major media outlet has picked up on this. I would think a story liek this would garner SOME attention, even if nothing more than a blurb.

[shipps]

The one thing I find odd is that NO major media outlet has picked up on this. I would think a story liek this would garner SOME attention, even if nothing more than a blurb.

 

I noticed that too which makes it all the more interesting to me. Rest of the world can focus on celebrities dieing and I will be intrigued by this. The lack of attention makes it even more mysterious and interesting.

[Soxy]

Sweet, we can put the shroud of Turin in the same museum.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Sweet, we can put the shroud of Turin in the same museum.

 

I just hope nobody tries to open the thing up and gets their face melted off.

 

 

 

[GoSox05]

I just hope nobody tries to open the thing up and gets their face melted off.

 

 

 

Well, unless it's another nazi. Than Oh well.

[southsider2k5]

I just hope nobody tries to open the thing up and gets their face melted off.

 

 

That's what I was thinking... Does anyone read the bible anymore?

[Milkman delivers]

Wouldn't this be like the biggest religious news in centuries?

[Soxy]

That's what I was thinking... Does anyone read the bible anymore?

I mean, all snarkiness aside. Why? The point is that we're supposed to take this on faith. We're supposed to take on faith the covenant, the struggles of the ancient Israelites, the resurrection. Why do people want to have physical proof? It's just so contrary to my understanding of what faith is. You can't prove it exists, so why get all excited about some (probably fake) artifacts?

[Balta1701]

"And here, this empty nail box once contained the nails that I used to put together the Ark of the Covenant. Some say any who open it are cursed. Some say any who open it will sneeze because of the dust bunnies collected within."

[southsider2k5]

I mean, all snarkiness aside. Why? The point is that we're supposed to take this on faith. We're supposed to take on faith the covenant, the struggles of the ancient Israelites, the resurrection. Why do people want to have physical proof? It's just so contrary to my understanding of what faith is. You can't prove it exists, so why get all excited about some (probably fake) artifacts?

 

The real Ark would kill people gawking at it. It makes it hard to take it seriously if it doesn't.

[Soxy]

The real Ark would kill people gawking at it. It makes it hard to take it seriously if it doesn't.

Eh, I just more or less meant it as a comment on the constant veneration of stuff like that. The search for Noah's ark, the piece of the "true cross," blah, blah, blah. It cheapens the whole thing.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Looks like some bad "journalism":

World Net Daily reported late Wednesday that Patriarch Pauolos of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church would reveal to the world the true Ark of the Covenant today, Friday, June 26. Pauolos is reported to have said in Rome... It is currently about 7:00 p.m. in Rome and no ark.

 

I've been trying to track down whether and to what extent this is a hoax. The World Net Daily article is based on a report from from a news agency in Italy, Adnkronos. The first problem with the WND report is that what they report as the Patriarch's words is actually only the original Italian article's lede...

 

Secondly, the Italian article is dated June 17, so the forthcoming Friday was June 19, not today.

 

Patriarch Pauolos actually did have a press conference June 19 where according to Adnkronos, he backed off saying:

"I am not here to give evidence that the Ark is in Ethiopia, but I am here to say what I saw, what I know and I can testify. I did not say that the Ark will be shown to the world. It is a mystery, an object of worship."

 

The original World Net Daily story was a matter of bad translation and not even looking at datelines. The story got legs, Bartholomew reported in previous posts, because of Christian Zionists eager to hasten the Second Coming. I would also note that WND was hawking a two DVD set on the ark along with the story.

Edited June 26, 2009 by Athomeboy_2000

[FlaSoxxJim]

Eh, I just more or less meant it as a comment on the constant veneration of stuff like that. The search for Noah's ark, the piece of the "true cross," blah, blah, blah. It cheapens the whole thing.

 

I won't venture down the path of what has or hasn't cheapened religion and faith over the centuries, but I get what your saying about the seeming contradiction of faith and the requirement of some physical proof or artifact. The thing is, if a discovery like this were ever shown to be genuine (not saying this current one has much chance of that) it would be an amazingly important archeological find, all spiritual matters aside. Even if I believe the Christian faith hold no more water than any other belief system humans have conjured up over the last 6,000 years, I think it would be really cool to find genuine artifacts dating back to the earliest days in the formation of those belief systems.

 

Unearthing an early Buddhist prayer wheel from the 4th century, or a 6,000 year old Sumerian tablet statue of Ninkasi is a cool thing on a secular level. Finding something specifically referenced in historic scripture like the Ark or Moses' stone tablets would be a couple orders of magnitude beyond that, and easily appreciated by the secular world (if it could be shown to be authentic), even if the spiritual folks don't need it and are content with faith.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Looks like some bad "journalism":

 

I'm waiting for an email from an Ethiopian noblewoman who needs me to send her $1,000 to free her father the imprisoned army general because only he knows where the real Ark is and can get it to safety before they deposit a bazillion dollars into my bank account to thank me.

[Soxbadger]

Every search for the ark I have seen shows the place in Ethopia where it is supposedly kept. I think only 1 person is actually able to view it.

 

I cant imagine that after thousands of years they are just going to "change things up".

 

My guess is that the Ark was destroyed long ago.

[StrangeSox]

Looks like some bad "journalism":

Shoddy journalism from WND? I'm shocked.

 

I won't venture down the path of what has or hasn't cheapened religion and faith over the centuries, but I get what your saying about the seeming contradiction of faith and the requirement of some physical proof or artifact. The thing is, if a discovery like this were ever shown to be genuine (not saying this current one has much chance of that) it would be an amazingly important archeological find, all spiritual matters aside. Even if I believe the Christian faith hold no more water than any other belief system humans have conjured up over the last 6,000 years, I think it would be really cool to find genuine artifacts dating back to the earliest days in the formation of those belief systems.

 

Unearthing an early Buddhist prayer wheel from the 4th century, or a 6,000 year old Sumerian tablet statue of Ninkasi is a cool thing on a secular level. Finding something specifically referenced in historic scripture like the Ark or Moses' stone tablets would be a couple orders of magnitude beyond that, and easily appreciated by the secular world (if it could be shown to be authentic), even if the spiritual folks don't need it and are content with faith.

 

It would certainly be an interesting archaeological find.

[shipps]

Okay,well it looks like back to Michael Jackson for shipps...

[knightni]

I find this really really interesting.

I find this highly highly unlikely Illinois Shipps.

[BobDylan]

I mean, all snarkiness aside. Why? The point is that we're supposed to take this on faith. We're supposed to take on faith the covenant, the struggles of the ancient Israelites, the resurrection. Why do people want to have physical proof? It's just so contrary to my understanding of what faith is. You can't prove it exists, so why get all excited about some (probably fake) artifacts?

 

I think I understand what you are saying, and I agree. But for the non-believers, I would love to see some proof. Or dis-proof, if you will.

[HuskyCaucasian]

^^^^^^^^

Best signature EVER!!!