When Dan Brown published his Da Vinci stuff, it wasn't immediately clear whether scholars needed to debunk it, because he appropriately labeled his work as fiction. It became clear that the book needed addressing only after the readers' credulity made it quite obvious the book wasn't, for most times, going to be read as a police story.

However, Dan Brown's fiction work was in a way less fictious than James Cameron's so-called documentary, because at least it used some sources, fiction works themselves. Not to mention, Brown was somewhat original, at least to the general public. Cameron now seems just cliché.

Cameron's greatest mistake, which now seems that it discredits him and threatens his professional career, was to label his work as a documentary. He had to enlist a scholar, James Tabor, whose work was known but not accepted for the most part. His assertions were that Jesus was not Joseph's son, neither God's, but rather the illegitimate baby of a Roman soldier, Panthera. Tabor was previously respected in the scholarly world, as new perspectives are always welcome, because they help other researchers temper and better equilibrate theirs.

Subsequent to his involvement in Cameron's project, his integrity was questioned and many have asked whether he is a scholar of fortune.

Bible scholar Ben Witherington III is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, has written over thirty books, including The Jesus Quest and The Paul Quest, both of which were selected as top biblical studies works by Christianity Today. He says of Tabor:

"In that book ['The Jesus Dynasty,'] he (Tabor) had quite a good deal to say about the Talpiot Tomb, and about Panthera being the father of Jesus, and about Jesus being buried in Galilee, and of course nothing about a ossuary which claims that Joseph is the father of Jesus. Why such a quick reversal of his earlier opinions? This makes him appear very quixotic, not a very reliable witness who sticks by his guns when he draws a conclusion, for he has now reversed himself not just on one or two minor points, but on several major ones."

Thus, Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici, by enlisting a researcher, putting forward "scientific evidence," made the greatest mistake, that of confronting head-on with the scholars across the world who already knew a great deal about the subject, some of them perhaps more than the three co-hoaxers combined. Comparatively, Brown's "sources" weren't exactly in the scope of scholars previously to his publication of The Da Vinci Code.

As such, I have information that at a few scholars already have begun to compile point-by-point dismissals of Cameron's and Simcha Jacobovici's 'The Lost Tomb of Jesus'. They emerged naturally from discussions between experts on bible studies lists and their own previous knowledge of the subject. I hope as soon as this weekend to present to you one of these debunking works, which the author intends to be a "viewers guide to the film probably called 'Cameron de-Coded' or 'The Family Tomb of Jesus for the Religiously Challenged'."

I remind you that dismissal of the basic claims in 'The Lost Tomb of Jesus' came immediately from Bar-Ilan University Prof. Amos Kloner, the Jerusalem District archeologist who officially oversaw the work at the tomb-cave in 1980 and has published detailed findings on its contents, on Saturday night dismissed the claims.

"It makes a great story for a TV film," he told The Jerusalem Post. "But it's impossible. It's nonsense."

"The claim that the burial site has been found is not based on any new idea. It is only an attempt to sell," Kloner said after watching the documentary.

"It's a waste of money."

Prof. Ben Witherington III was also quite clear, echoing the entire academic community:

"So my response to this is clear -- James Cameron, the producer of the movie Titanic, has now jumped on board another sinking ship full of holes, presumably in order to make a lot of money before the theory sinks into an early watery grave. Man the lifeboats and get out now," he wrote on his blog.

The Israel Antiquities Authority and Jerusalem municipal officials say they would consider opening the tomb alleged by documentary filmmakers to be the tomb of Jesus. The documentary will air on Discovery Channel on Sunday, March 4 at 9 PM.

PS:

"There's absolutely nothing in the Biblical material that identifies Mary Magdalene as a prostitute. Nor is there anything in the traditions about her that does so, let alone with the woman of ill repute mentioned in Lk. 7:36-50, before a 6th century sermon by Pope Gregory the Great. Moreover, this identification cannot be found in the East." - Jeffrey Gibson, D.Phil.