This is in fact an offensive, biased and misleading exhibit, in which the current state of research on the Dead Sea Scrolls has been carefully distorted to cater to a Christian perspective.
In a word, the Raleigh museum (which is run by the North Carolina Department of the Environment) agreed to downplay and conceal the evidence brought to light by a major group of secular-minded, Jewish researchers who, over the past decade, have rejected the old "Essene" theory of scroll origins, and to physically exclude them from participating in the lecture series accompanying the exhibit.
Since the museum is a state-run institution, the role of government officials in displaying religiously controversial artifacts must be addressed.
This is, of course, a serious issue that should be carefully examined by major news sources. Instead, we have silence, viciously implied innuendo about Jewish culture coming from North Carolina authorities, mendacious claims about a fabricated "consensus" of scholars that no longer exists, and a continuing pattern of catering to evangelical (and, I might add, financial) interests.
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This is in fact an offensive, biased and misleading exhibit, in which the current state of research on the Dead Sea Scrolls has been carefully distorted to cater to a Christian perspective.
In a word, the Raleigh museum (which is run by the North Carolina Department of the Environment) agreed to downplay and conceal the evidence brought to light by a major group of secular-minded, Jewish researchers who, over the past decade, have rejected the old "Essene" theory of scroll origins, and to physically exclude them from participating in the lecture series accompanying the exhibit.
Since the museum is a state-run institution, the role of government officials in displaying religiously controversial artifacts must be addressed.
This is, of course, a serious issue that should be carefully examined by major news sources. Instead, we have silence, viciously implied innuendo about Jewish culture coming from North Carolina authorities, mendacious claims about a fabricated "consensus" of scholars that no longer exists, and a continuing pattern of catering to evangelical (and, I might add, financial) interests.
For further information on this propoganda masquerading as an exhibit, previously dished out to the public in various private "science" museums around the country, see, e.g., http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/did-christian-agenda-lead-biased-dead-sea-scrolls-exhibit-san-diego.