Why an Atheist Thinks the Shroud of Turin is the Real Deal

Strange Hypotheses

We must understand that what is being proposed is that the images were created as a byproduct of a miracle and not directly by a miracle. The distinction is important. The strange hypothesis principle allows us to think that maybe a miracle, as a first cause, left something in its wake that allowed a perfectly natural process to occur. In other words the first cause being a miracle is allowable in our thinking, but only in our thinking. What is left presumably in the wake of the miracle should be testable. If scientist could prove, for instance, that the images were created by the bombardment of protons, it would strongly strengthen the argument of a miracle. But there is serious reason to doubt this. According Ray Rogers:

Some type of carbohydrate dehydration reaction seems most probable as an explanation for the image color; however, the color appears only on the surface of individual fibers. The color of the image does not involve the cellulose. Energetic radiation absolutely cannot be used to explain the properties of the image. (Italics are mine)