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History is rife with hoaxes, ranging from simple pranks to more elaborate schemes. Religion, especially Christianity, often adds an extra layer of intrigue: the mystical adds another dimension to everyday deceptions. Over the centuries, numerous Christian hoaxes have emerged to shape societal perceptions, leaving a monumental impact.
Click through to discover the biggest Christian hoaxes of all time.
During the year 1869, while digging a well in Cardiff, New York, laborers came upon what appeared to be a fossilized man. Standing approximately 10 feet (3 meters) tall, some saw the discovery as proof of the Bible's reference to giants.
The Cardiff Giant, however, was a deception by a man called George Hull. Hull devised the scheme following a dispute regarding Genesis 6:4 (a passage referencing giants) during a Methodist gathering. He wanted to show how easy it is to deceive others.
Published in 1894 by Russian journalist and explorer Nicolas Notovitch, this book uncovers the enigmatic years of Jesus. According to the author, Jesus embarked on a journey to India, acquiring knowledge from both Hindus and Buddhists.
Notovich's writings were said to be based on a Tibetan manuscript he found at the Hemis Monastery in India. However, contemporary scholars reject Notovich's claim that Jesus traveled to India, considering it a fabricated story.
The text called 'The Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles,' or the 'Sonnini Manuscript,' was initially printed in 1871 in London. It purportedly translated a Greek manuscript that concluded the Book of Acts.
The manuscript was believed to be the 29th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, documenting Paul the Apostle's trip to Britain. However, the original manuscript has never been found, leaving scholars to consider it a hoax.
This Greek writer identified himself as the embodiment of Dionysius the Areopagite (the real on is pictured), a convert of Paul the Apostle mentioned in Acts 17:34.
His works, called 'Corpus Areopagiticum,' had a substantial impact on Western mysticism, although the idea of channeling a dead man via writing might unsettle skeptics.
The 'Prophecy of the Popes' comprises of 112 cryptic Latin phrases that supposedly foretold the succession of Catholic popes, beginning with Celestine II (1143–1144). Saint Malachy, a 12th-century Irish archbishop, is credited with this prophetic text.
The Benedictine monk Arnold Wion published the 'Prophecy of the Popes' in 1595. However, experts suggest that despite its ancient prophetic claims, it was likely written just before its publication.
The Priory of Sion, established in France in 1956, was a fraternal group. It claimed its origins from a clandestine society founded in 1099 by Godfrey on Bouillon, a French leader of the First Crusade who became ruler of Jerusalem.
The concept of a Jesus bloodline was the foundation of Priory of Sion, a notion that gained notoriety through books like Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code.' Despite various conspiracy theories, this entire phenomenon has been widely regarded as a hoax.
'Oahspe: A New Bible', authored by American dentist and spiritualist John Ballou Newbrough in 1882. It is supposedly written by automatic writing (i.e. he was spiritually guided to write the words). However, the book is marred by numerous factual inaccuracies and unfulfilled predictions.
The title page of the book declares: "A New Bible in the Words of Jehovih and His Angel Ambassadors. A Sacred History of the Dominions of the Higher and Lower Heavens on the Earth for the Past Twenty-Four Thousand Years together with a Synopsis of the Cosmogony of the Universe; the Creation of Planets; the Creation of Man; the Unseen Worlds; the Labor and Glory of Gods and Goddesses in the Etherean Heavens; with the New Commandments of Jehovih to Man of the Present Day."
The 'Monita Secreta,' also known as the 'Secret Instructions of the Jesuits' is an alleged code of instructions to make the Jesuit Order more powerful and influential.
According to scholars, instructions came from Claudio Acquaviva, the fifth Superior General of the Society of Jesus. However, it is believed that they were actually written by Polish friar Jerome Zahorowsk, after he was expelled from the order. It's essentially anti-Jesuit propaganda.
In 1836, Maria Monk revealed an alleged account of sexual abuse of Catholic nuns and clergy-inflicted infant deaths in Montreal, Canada. Scholars dismissing the book as an anti-Catholic hoax.
In 1910, Ernst Edler von der Planitz released an alleged translation of a fifth-century Coptic papyrus. However, no evidence of the original works has ever been discovered.
The Holy Fire is an annual phenomenon in Orthodox Christianity, that occurs on Great Saturday (the day prior to Orthodox Easter), at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
It is believed that the fire originates from a blue light emitted from Jesus' tomb. It transforms into fire and illuminates the candles in the hands of clergy and pilgrims. Numerous theories have been proposed, such as the use of white phosphorus, which has self-ignition properties.
This letter is believed to have been written by Publius Lentulus, governor of Judea, in the 15th century. It provides a physical description of Jesus Christ, which may have influenced his artistic portrayal throughout history.
Part of its text reads: "He is a man of medium size [...] His hair is of the color of the ripe hazel-nut, straight down to the ears, but below the ears wavy and curled, with a bluish and bright reflection, flowing over his shoulders. It is parted in two on the top of the head, after the pattern of the Nazarenes. His brow is smooth and very cheerful with a face without wrinkle or spot, embellished by a slightly reddish complexion. His nose and mouth are faultless. His beard is abundant, of the color of his hair, not long, but divided at the chin."
The text accredited to Jewish historian Flavius Josephus was, in reality, authored by Italian writer Luigi Moccia in 1927 as a publicity stunt for one of his books.
The Bible refers to a lost book, which prompted the creation of a couple of forged versions in the 18th and 19th centuries. However, these books were debunked as hoaxes.
American preacher Levi H. Dowling authored this book, which was published in 1908. 'The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ' combines astrology and mystical wisdom.
In 2002, an antiquities dealer in Israel announced the discovery of an empty ossuary that allegedly belonged to James, the brother of Jesus. The inscribed box in Aramaic stated: "James, Son of Joseph, Brother of Jesus."
However, in 2003, the Israeli Antiquities Authority determined that the inscription on the ancient ossuary box was a contemporary forgery.
In 1993, George Jammal made a claim of discovering Noah's Ark in Turkey. A TV special titled 'The Incredible Discovery of Noah's Ark' was aired, but later revealed to be a hoax.
Noah's Ark has not yet been discovered, but scientific evidence suggests that the Great Flood described in the Bible could have occurred.
Souce: (Live Science)
See also: Science confirms these parts of the Bible are true
Divine deceptions: Christian hoaxes through the ages
From ark tales to mystical manuscripts
LIFESTYLE Religion
History is rife with hoaxes, ranging from simple pranks to more elaborate schemes. Religion, especially Christianity, often adds an extra layer of intrigue: the mystical adds another dimension to everyday deceptions. Over the centuries, numerous Christian hoaxes have emerged to shape societal perceptions, leaving a monumental impact.
Click through to discover the biggest Christian hoaxes of all time.