Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Desertman84 After watching Unlocking Ancient Secrets of the Bible that somehow tries to prove the authenticity of the events and characters of the bible through science and archaeology,I come across this documentary entitled The Bible's Buried Secrets which does the reverse using the same method.It tries to do detective work to somewhat disprove the bible. It tries to answer questions such as the origin of both the Hebrew Bible and the Israelites.Added to that,they explore the emergence of monotheism that and how Judaism,Christianity and Islam emerged.Finally,they discus the authors of the scriptures and try to explain the authenticity behind the stories written.While I must say that the documentary can offend many Christians,I still found it informative.Added to that,I get to see another viewpoint about biblical history.But nevertheless,there were many things that bothered me.One of them is the fact that many of the scientists found their findings final and conclusive which I do believe isn't the case when it comes to archaeological artifacts for I do believe that there will be new ones that will be discovered in the future.Aside from that,I do not believe that political will is the sole reason why the bible existed for ages and why people believed in it.That is why I still find the documentary lacking and incomplete.Also,they limited their studies in the early parts of the Old Testament from Genesis to the time Joshua but never bothered to explain the later parts of it and the New Testament.Finally,I still believe that they should have addressed everything written in the scriptures and not only in events where archaeological evidence and artifacts aren't found.In summary,more studies should be made to finally conclude that the bible is inauthentic and man-made.

annzpics I must disagree with the above reviewer who claimed this program was "not fair or factual." She offered no specific objections to back up this claim. To refute the interviews with numerous internationally-respected archaeologists and dating scientists she offered only one name: a "PhD scientist" (not in archaeology) who has long been associated with organizations whose scientific credentials have long been discredited such as the Institute for Creation Research.In short: The words "fair" and "factual" do not mean the same thing as "doesn't challenge my pre-existing opinions." I must also (respectfully this time) disagree with the reviewer who claimed that the program was "not at all science". Nova has a long tradition of featuring "softer" sciences such as archaeology and psychology - it has never been limited to just physics or biology. Archeologists do use Biblical traditions and texts as guides to the possible cultural context of this ancient society, just as they would when studying any ancient society with such long-preserved texts. This does not make them ethnocentric. Nor does it invalidate their research, so long as the archaeologists remember to use them only as possible guides, not evidence. As for the alleged misstatement of facts, the reviewer did not offer specific examples and I was unable to spot any myself.The program was not perfect - there were some points, in the beginning, during which some nuance was lost, namely, the difference between showing the possibility that an event could have taken place vs. proving that the event actually did happen. The program did not claim the two were the same, but a less-than careful listener might be left with that impression. Additionally, during the introduction, which spent a chunk of time explaining what made the Israelites culturally significant to world history, the program felt a little more reflective and less detached than is typical for Nova. And the soundtrack did get a little heavy-handed at times.However, the program really hit its stride once it arrived at its first main theme, namely, the emergence of Israelite society in contrast to the wealthier Cananite one. This was Nova at its best: examining new data discovered by rigorous methods and explaining its impact on a larger theory or discipline. Here, they took new information discovered by archeology and showed how it has enriched our historical understanding of an ancient culture.The program lost some steam in its second half - unlike in the first half, it did not really build towards a single conclusion. Instead it reviewed a number of different archaeological finds that supported or clarified the current historical understanding of Israelite society over the course of the first millennium BCE until the end of the Babylonian exile. Nevertheless, overall it was a very good viewing experience about a very interesting topic.

zubdog This show is entertaining and informative, but not at all science and as such it should never have aired under the "Nova" series. More specifically, the show documents a particular religious view and interpretation of the bible's old testament. The "scientific" evidence used to back the interpretation presented is nearly entirely ethnocentric and in some cases the producers simply mis-state facts (i.e. lie) seemingly on the grounds of religious interpretation. This unfortunately does a disservice to the public that will in all likelihood regard it as scientific and fair.Again the show is hugely entertaining, but it is not science nor scientific. Audiences should keep this in mind when watching.

helen-502 The Bible's Buried Secrets is not fair or factual. There are some scientists and researchers out there with evidence PBS has not presented.Is there any evidence in support of the Exodus? Did it really happen?Ph.D. scientist Gerald E. Aardsma has studied and written on the Exodus for many years. He has some compelling evidence which shows that the Exodus did indeed happen!If you are looking for factual, scientific data, Dr. Aardsma has a book regarding the Exodus that you can order by going to The Biblical Chronologist.org and ordering his book "The Exodus Happened 2450 BC." biblicalchronologist.org/products/Exodus_book.php.