Customer Reviews

The DNA of God?

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It was the exclamation point. That's what struck many people as out of place. Scribbled on the blackboard, behind the scientists announcing the results of the Carbon-14 dating of the Shroud of Turin, conducted in 1988, were the dates "1260-1390!" As they were triumphantly announcing their success, the exclamation point seemed to be their way of saying "See, we told you so!"

Shroudies, devoted followers of the Shroud, were disheartened. Here were some of the most respected scientists in the world telling them their devotion was to a medieval forgery.

Who would have guessed that a pediatrician with a love for Mayan artifacts would be the one to prove these scientists wrong. It was through his studies of two ancient Mayan artifacts that Dr. Leoncio A. Garza-Valdes, author of The DNA of God?, first came in contact with the Shroud. His journey began after buying two jade pieces in 1970. When two "experts" in pre-Columbian art informed him they believed the pieces were fake, Dr. Garza-Valdes decided to find out for himself.

Dr. Garza-Valdes embarked on a series of tests to determine the true age of the artifacts. In his studies he discovered bacteria and fungus on the pieces which formed an organic "bioplastic" coating. This coating, it turns out, is the cause of an anomaly in the carbon dating process. Since the bacteria and fungus are alive and growing, the older the object gets, the newer it will seem to carbon dating tests.

He found this same bioplastic coating on the Shroud of Turin - it's what gives it its "sheen" that so many speak of when they see the Shroud. To confirm his findings, Garza-Valdes tested other objects as well, including an ancient Egyptian Ibis mummy. Each time the results were the same: Carbon dating proved inaccurate on ancient linens that were contaminated with the bioplastic coating. In the case of the Ibis mummy, the difference was 550 years between the wrappings and the bones of the ancient bird.

If the errors of earlier attempts to date the Shroud were the only findings presented that would be explosive enough. But we find out more. Further tests showed blood on the Shroud, determined to be that of a man, still contained human DNA. The blood, taken from the area behind the head of the Man on the Shroud, is type AB. Although only 3.2% of the human population have type AB, it is 600% more common in Jews from Northern Palestine.

So is this, in fact, the DNA of God Himself? Valdes-Garza makes it very clear that there is no direct evidence that the blood on the Shroud comes from Jesus of Nazareth. Here, as throughout the book, he only presents conclusions that he can back up with scientific fact. But that does not prevent him from offering his personal opinion. He believes the blood on the Shroud comes from none other than Jesus of Nazareth. If it is true, as the Council of Chalcedon or Fourth Ecumenical Council stated, Jesus Christ was "truly God and truly man," and if the blood on the Shroud is that of Christ, then we do have the DNA of God.

Garza-Valdes also investigates the origin of the image on the Shroud. Scientific research has never been able to explain how the image came to be on the shroud in the first place although many theories have been suggested and subsequently disproved. After dismissing the possibility that the image was painted on, Garza-Valdes proposes his own theory. Relative deposits of the bioplastic coating, he believes, formed the image. The areas on the Shroud that are darker on the positive image have a greater concentration of deposits. In the area of direct contact with the body, the bacteria had more to feed off - sweat, salt, oils, blood.

Wisely, despite personally believing in the authenticity of the Shroud, Garza-Valdes does not come to the definitive conclusion that the Shroud is in fact the burial cloth of Christ. As he points out, his conclusions simply demonstrated that the Shroud is much older that the medieval date ascribed by skeptics. Much of the other information only confirms some of what we read in the Gospels.

The DNA of God? is a very quick read. In fact, the actual text of the book ends at page 99. The next 200 are appendices and endnotes. For technical types you can even find a information dedicated to the "betaglobin gene segment from the occipital area blood glob":

Con

TCCTAAGCCA GTGCCAGAAG AGCCAAGGAC AGGTACGGCT

GTCATCACTT

1450

It continues for over a page, but you get the main idea. If you really want to know the specifics of the tests performed on the Shroud, the information is there for you.

The layman would still be interested in Appendix A, however. It provides some valuable background on the image on the Shroud, particularly on some of the trials the Man on the Shroud went through. There is even a forensic pathology report as prepared by a deputy coroner and forensic pathologist with the Los Angeles County Hospital.

But even with all the scientific proof and analysis, doubters will remain. The Gospels tell us that even after seeing the miracles of Jesus, there were unbelievers. So, in the final analysis, faith is the only real answer as to the mysteries of the Shroud.

If God were to give us definitive physical proof that would be far too easy. Can you really look at the wounds of the Man on the Shroud and not turn you eyes toward Christ? In the end, that is all the proof you need.

Dr. Garza-Valdes has brought the subject of the Shroud of Turin to the fore of world consciousness with electrifying illumination. His incredible journey into the world of ancient antiquity is thoroughly compelling and his scientific findings nothing less than extraordinary. Whether you believe the shroud to be authentic or a medieval forgery, this book will keep you riveted with every awe-inspiring page. The DNA OF GOD is a must read for anyone interested in the grail quest and the mysterious power held by one of the world's greatest treasures.

I read this book as part of a report I was doing. I found the evidence to be astounding. It really shows the inaccuracy of the Carbon-dating. We will never know how old the Shroud really is because of the biplastic coating that feeds on anaerobic conditions. I only hope that they don't place the Shroud in an oxygen-free container. That would be disastorous! I found Garza's book to be fabulous and enlightening. I plan on purchasing this book for my Uncle to read. What if this is the crucified body of Jesus? What a relic we hold in our mortal hands. For further reading, I recommend Ian Wilson's book and Mary and Alan Whanger's, "The Shroud of Turin: An Adventure of Discovery". This is another awesome book to read.

A truly fascinating book! Lots of new info for anyone interested in the Shroud, the origin of the blood, the suffering and burial of Jesus, archeology, biology, dating of artifacts, etc. The author explains new research showing why the Shroud and other ancient fabrics yield incorrect carbon-14 dates. He writes honestly, and risks speaking the truth despite politics and egos that get in the way. I found this book to be a riveting story of the author's discovery and problems encountered in understanding the Shroud's origin and history. It is intended for the non-specialist, although some of the 6 appendices are quite technical. The arrangement of the book is a little odd, and some terms and concepts are not adequately introduced. For those not familiar with the history of the Shroud, I recommend that Appendix A (part 1) and Appendix C be read before the main body of the book.

I have known Dr. Garza for a number of years. He was my children's pediatrician. He is a wonderfully gifted doctor, and a lovely Christian man, one of the most peaceful individuals you will ever meet. He possesses a brilliant mind and truthful spirit.
I was not surprised to hear he had written a book and was very pleased when I read it. I have always thought that the Shroud of Turin was legitimate, but it is a true fact, things can be faked. His scientific proof, in my opinion is indisputable. At least there will always be a question in most people's minds thanks to the research and genius of this man.
The most fascinating chapter in the whole book, in my opinion, is the one where he reveals the pathology of the Shroud. The descriptions of the way in which Jesus died and the proof that the Shroud holds is amazing. Dr. Garza is a genius and associates with other genius's as intelligent and openminded as himself when it comes to scientific study. Everyone in the book who is used as a source is equally knowledgable and committed to presenting the scientific evidence , not in convincing people of the Shroud's authenticity. You must decide for yourself if it is real. This is a book that offers the evidence, you make the choice.

This book is loaded with proof interpreted by one of the most intelligent and analytical of minds. It is an interesting read whether you are Christian or not. Concrete proof is hard to argue with, and to me this is one of the main things the book has to offer. Most of what the book tells you cannot be found in any other book about the Shroud. It is a must read for Christians, Scientists, and all thinkers alike.

.The DNA of God? brought the Shroud to life for me in a way no other book on the topic has done.I found it most moving to think of the Shroud as a "living picture"gradually revealed through nature.Although one cannot say categorically that the Shroud is the burial cloth of Jesus,Leoncio A.Garza-Valdes seems to have given it a real potential for authenticity,he has it in the right time,the right place,and most important biologically perhaps depicting the right person .A great read.

Whether you are interested in the Shroud of Turin or not, Dr. Garza-Valdes' engaging account of his microscopic discoveries never fails to engage. I have read other books on the Shroud, but I think this is one of the best on the subject.

In 1988 three teams of scientists announced that the flax used to create the linen wrap which would eventually be known as the Shroud of Turin was harvested between 1260 to 1390! The scientists provided the exclamation point at their press conference, and they have maintained this confidence despite independent evidence of spurious carbon-14 ratios in mummified artifacts. As the author argues, with words and photos, bacteria and fungi grow on wrapped bodies and the carbon these live creatures contribute to the radioactive measurement skews the dating process significantly toward the present. (The live growth contributes carbon ratios of age zero to the equation.) Using an optical microscope, one can readily see the "bioplastic" organic film over every fiber of the sample he obtained of the Shroud.

I am not a microbiologist or mass spectrometrist, but I am a scientist and such evidence cries out for retesting with whatever method will eliminate, reduce, or at least vary the amount of bacterial growth on the samples. One problem with the 1988 dating, which enabled all three teams to find similar dates, was that the samples were contiguous, all taken from the same area, and thus with all the same approximate proportion of bioplastic layering. Had the samples been taken from various areas, maybe someone would have questioned the process (which likely would have produced dates that were more scattered across teams). That such testing will probably not occur in the near future points to the arrogance of many of the players involved (including the scientists and the Catholic Church).

Although it seems unlikely that the actual burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth could have been saved all these years (though not as unlikely as believing a medieval painter painted the physiognomically accurate negative), if it was Jesus depicted in the shroud, what new information do we now know about him: he was 5 foot 11, had AB blood, XY sex chromosomes, and was nailed to an oak board (the author found an oak wood vessel in tape samples taken from the Shroud -- samples of the True Cross).

Much of this book is a personal journey and much of the exposition is redundant. This book could have probably been reduced to a fascinating article in the New Yorker. It is a quick read and very interesting for even the detached scientist as it details the creation of a new science, archeomicrobiology, the study of microbial impact upon archeological artifacts.

Dr. Garza-Valdes certainly writes well, and his account is personable and engaging. However, having read at least two other books on the scientific analysis of the Shroud, I found this book far too "fluffy."

I was hoping for more substance as far as the scientific methods used and conclusions drawn, as well as wanting more details about the reactions Dr. Garza-Valdes has had about his discoveries.

Ironically, I thought the most impressive evidence he found had nothing whatsoever to do with the blood evidence: the evidence of oak wood. Any medieval forger would not have the scientific ability or knowledge to plant microscopic pieces of wood so as to make the Shroud appear real. Yet with this--as with all other discoveries--very few pages are devoted to this significant find and/or its ramifications.

I recommend finding this book at your library, and reading other, more science-heavy books regarding the Shroud.

This is a copy of e-mail I have sent to the author of The DNA of God?. I give it a five star rating. I found it extremely easy to read; and found myself laughing, crying, and pounding my fists in frustration along with Dr. Garza-Valdez as I read his triumphs and near-misses involving this fascinating research.

Dr Garza-Valdez,

What a brave man you are! Where others fear to dip one toe you have faithfully and triumphantly strode one step after another. It is too bad that those closest to the Shroud; those who would dictate we believe in it according to faith are the first to deny the validity of your work-validity that would otherwise convert those who do not already believe in it, whose arguments are "there is no physical proof". I can only think that they do not want to accept your work because they are afraid-but of what? Perhaps if they did acknowledge your work they admit to the possibility that the works of the Lord and science go hand-in-hand: something I believe the Church in all its history has never desired to come to terms with (Look how long it took them to acknowledge the Earth was not the center of our solar system!). Yet those of us who believe in both Christ and science know better-that one does not exclude the other. I do not believe your work with the Shroud is finished. Our Lord has not brought you thus far to cut you off midway. Somewhere, someday a window will be opened and you will be able to fly again. And I will rejoice along with you when that day comes. It is such an honor to be able to share this exciting time with you. Thank you so very much. Be sure I will not hesitate to spread this book to my friends who don't have the priviledge of knowing you personally. The Lord continue to bless and make fruitful your research. Toni Covarrubias San Antonio, Texas