This is probably revealing my vast ignorance of historical research, but I've always been a little suspicious of people who claim to be able to solve mysteries hundreds or thousands of years after the fact. I know sometimes there must be old records discovered or DNA analysis performed or some other piece of voodoo that sheds new light on an old shadow, but I thought a big part of solving a mystery is the physical evidence, which rarely sticks around for that long.
I was recently watching a TV show about Jack the Ripper. The producers claimed to have new suspects, despite the 122 year gap during which Jack was inactive and/or dead. It all sounded like hearsay and speculation to me. "Mr. X knew about anatomy. Ms. Z could have been physically strong enough to commit murder." OK, but that doesn't make either of them guilty. I know lots of people who have taken anatomy classes and lots of other people who are pretty strong. I'm pretty sure none of them are murderers (fingers crossed).
I think the same principle applies to people who try to analyze miracles and come up with an explanation for them. We don't really know exactly how Jesus walked on water or healed the blind. It might be fun to speculate that it was through quantum mechanics, but there is no proof. You can't say that definitively, despite what the people in the hallway the other night thought.
ha! I knew I wasn't the only one who learned about serial killers! let me explain. I didn't know who Ted Bundy was, but I knew he was the creepy famous serial killer. so I wikipediad him. worst idea of my life. but now it turns out you watch tv shows on Jack the Ripper, so we're equal! and just so you know, I was kind of tempted to go look him up after reading this post, but I remembered how freaked out I was after learning about Ted Bundy, so I chose not to. aren't you proud of my self control?
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of self control, Kristina. I'm gonna go read up on both of them now. I don't know enough about my serial killers. Rachel: I concur.
ReplyDeleteI can one up you all. I spent like 4 hours reading about the Manson murders late one night. That is some messed up -stuff-
ReplyDeleteRachel hates history anyway.