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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2001-05 > 0989970805


From: "Todd A. Farmerie" <>
Subject: Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 17:53:25 -0600
References: <01c0dd7a$b4107560$LocalHost@fti/62hzcyc>


Annie Natalelli-Waloszek wrote:
>
> It's incredible that you can't admit that this is just your
> opinion...

It would be inaccurate for me to do so, since it is not just my
opinion, but that of the vast majority of historians and
genealogists who have actually looked at the descents in question
with a critical eye.

> there's a heck of a lot of evidence for the arguments;

There is no evidence for their central claims, and large portions
of the genealogy is entirely devoid of historical support.

> have you at least
> read the thing before "evaluating it & all it contains & refers to?

I have, and found it wanting.

> by what perch to do you permit yourself to slander the BBC's motives
> as purely profit oriented?

The only work I specified by name was _Bloodline of the Holy
Grail_. Now in the subject line you talk about _Holy Blood, Holy
Grail_, and here the entire BBC. If you are going to incorrectly
label critical evaluation and generalized discussion as slander,
perhaps you could at least get right who it is that I have
supposedly slandered.

> why cast such ideas around? Short on real arguments?

(As opposed to this content-filled post of yours?) What is there
to argue? These works are devoid of historical value. They
connect people with no documentable relationship, for the sole
purpose of creating a fabulous (in more senses than one) descent
from Jesus. There are no valid historical sources which support
any of the novel connections. They knew this (or should have)
when they wrote their books. While one could speculate regarding
the possible motives for producing such a work, there is
certainly no point in arguing over what these might have been, as
it is not relevant to the fact that the books have no historical
value.

Before this gets completely out of hand (as if it hasn't already)
perhaps you would like to discuss the actual genealogical
connections suggested by one of these books, and the contemporary
sources that support the descent. (No, I thought not.)

taf

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