No, Jesus wasn’t a white dude

[RandySF]

The historical figure known as Jesus of Nazareth was not “white. He was not European. Based on the scholarly consensus, the historical Jesus would be a Middle Eastern Jew of medium, if not dark, complexion. He was certainly dark enough to have spent time in the Middle East and elsewhere, and not to have had his skin tone commented upon or noted.

This Jesus would be hounded and harassed by the TSA, looked at as a de facto “suspicious” person in post-9/11 America, and be racially profiled by the national security state. The historical Jesus would likely be subject to stop-and-frisk policies by the New York police and others. If it were too late at night, and the historical Jesus was trying to get a cab–especially if he were not attired “professionally”–he would be left standing curbside because brown folks in their 20s and 30s who look like him are presumed to be criminals.

Despite the “common sense” depiction of Jesus in the (white) American popular imagination, the historical Jesus Christ is not a white surfer dude with blue eyes, long flowing hair, and tanned and toned skin.



http://www.salon.com/2013/03/19/no_jesus_wasnt_a_white_dude_partner/

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. The people who write 'the stuff' for Fox News are not educated

They think that people are stupid.

[OriginalGeek]

10. In the case of their intended audience

They are correct.

[El_Johns]

39. If you check their bios, you find that in general, they are very well educated -- much better than

the general population.

[JustAnotherGen]

52. Pure Propaganda

It takes intelligence to deliver it effectively - and deliver it effectively they most certainly do. And a weak mind and soul will always eat it up.

[RobertEarl]

2. Yes he was!! I saw a picture of him!!

If Jesus were here today, they'd crucify him.

Hard to believe Fox, or anyone, could be so damn stupid. But there it is.

[NuclearDem]

3. Middle Eastern man hanging around with a dozen others like him railing against greed and the rich?

He'd be in Gitmo.

[RobertEarl]

6. And cheney would still be shooting his friends

Remember when cheney visited gitmo?

My gawd the CT's one could conjure up knowing cheney and gitmo and the illegal wars and 9 f'n 11. Like just the opposite of the Santa CTs.

[pnwmom]

4. All the Jewish people I know consider themselves white.

So do the olive skinned Greeks, Italians, Spanish, French, and Irish. (All countries that have people both with very white skin and olive and even brown skin tones -- with enough sun.)

I agree he didn't look like he was depicted in many classical paintings -- a blue eyed blond. But that doesn't make him non-white, as much as these basically worthless categories are concerned.

[RobertEarl]

8. Good for them

What about Egyptians? Iranians? Iraqis? All the middle easterners? Do they consider themselves white?

[pnwmom]

14. The US Census classifies all middle-easterners as white.

Which is in keeping with the original anthropological view (though current research suggests that categories like black and white are basically worthless)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_whiteness_in_the_United_States


From Wikipedia:

Under the U.S. Census definition and U.S. federal agency, individuals with ancestry from North Africa are considered white. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations also explicitly define white as "original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East."[78]

Most North Africans in the U.S. are of native North African origin, including Berbers and Copts. Some also have secondary ancestry from Arab colonists. They are among the more numerous Arab American groups.

[RobertEarl]

20. No wonder they hate us, huh?

We tell them what they are, instead of them telling us what they are?

I don't think they'd like you too much. Best just stop right there. Or you and Fox Megyn can just keep hanging together believing Jesus was white?

[pnwmom]

25. Are you saying that most middle-easterners object to being

classified as white? Then why do they usually select "white" on college applications?

[pnwmom]

28. self-delete

[Crunchy Frog]

17. Most of the Jewish people I know are white

and have European ancestry going back centuries.

Jesus was a Middle Eastern man who lived 2000 years ago. We are talking about different populations with different genetics and, in all likelihood, different physical appearance.

[pnwmom]

18. The US Census classifies all middle-easterners as white,

in keeping with the original anthropological categories as they were first developed.

HOWEVER, current researchers say that people within these racial categories are more unlike genetically than they are the same.

[Crunchy Frog]

23. That may be, but I've personally known Middle Easterners who were jet black.

And I've known Blacks with flaxen hair and blue eyes and pale white skin.

US Census classifications notwithstanding, I believe the general consensus is that Middle Easterners of 2000 years ago very likely had fairly dark complexions relative to the common American idea of "white".

In general, I think that current US Census classifications and the 19th Century racial theories they're based on are pretty irrelevant when talking about people who lived 2000 years ago.

[pnwmom]

24. That is why the categories are so stupid.

How does it makes sense to call a person "black" who is blonde and has pale white skin? Or "white" who has jet black skin?

Genetically speaking, the categories are next to worthless.

[JustAnotherGen]

53. It doesn't

But it's the "rules". I was a blonde haired kid - but I got much darker with age. My dad's mother had an extremely light complexion, blue eyes, and bone straight hair - and she followed the rulees/laws - even went out and married the darkest black man she could find so her kids lives would be easier than hers. These days we can check the mixed race/multi race boxes on forms - but that's a very recent development. And when you encounter genetic disease - race/ethnicity matters. It was the Rheumatologist that stopped me before I left his facility that tested for HLB-27 that found the key to the door. By appearances - I'm the last person that should have A.S.

[brush]

29. Even the Bible describes Jesus as having "hair like lambs wool"

That's hardly a description of a white guy's hair.

[1000words]

33. Yah ... Does this look like the son of God?

http://www.halloweencostumes4u.com/prods/rub50762.html

[Journeyman]

35. Can you point us to that passage? Be interesting to read. . .

[Blue_In_AK]

40. Here it is

Rev 1:14 His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.


That's a little different connotation. We're talking john's vision here, not a physical description of the living Jesus.

[brush]

56. Here's another passage.

Daniel 7 - I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire.

Daniel points out the same thing John saw, that Christ has woolly hair mockingly called nappy hair, yet the images given to the world depict blonde, straight hair which does not match what the bible clearly states.
Revelation 1:15 states, “and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters."
Daniel 10:6 says "His body also was like the beryl and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass..."

Here's the link this came from:

http://besetfree.host56.com/jesus.html

[Deep13]

34. That's a late 20th c. development.

Jews were not considered white before WW2. Also, Irishmen were not considered white until after WW1. While we tend to think of race being constructed around skin color, in these two cases it was constructed around religion, Judaism and Roman Catholicism, both of which were considered to be outside the American norm. Oddly, Latinos were consider white until fairly recently. Lucy and Dezi do not get credit for the first TV interracial kiss because Cubans were considered white then.

[pnwmom]

36. I've been saying it over and over. These classifications are pretty meaningless. n/t

[Deep13]

38. yup. nt

[Fridays Child]

5. Most of the time, one might assume that Fuck Snoozeheads are just really good actors.

In this instance, though, I believe that Megyn Kelly really is that stupid.

[1000words]

7. There is a fairly strong argument that he never existed at all

Starting with the fact that despite the Romans keeping meticulous records, (particularly of executions,) there isn't one mention of a "Jesus of Nazareth."

[RobertEarl]

9. Eh?

Jesus for all intents and purposes, is an idea. The idea lives.

Fuck the Romans.

[Ken Burch]

11. Dear God! NEVER "Fuck The Romans"!

You don't know where they've been...or what they got up to when they were there(plus, the ones we're talking about would all be 2,000 years old or more, so the "hotness quotient" would be waaaay down).

[1000words]

13. It is a wonderful idea.

May a Christ consciousness live always. But debating the appearance of an idea seems silly.

[Ken Burch]

15. And fuck C.S. Lewis if he can't handle that!

[1000words]

16. That damned apologist

[Ken Burch]

12. Do we know for sure Jesus was really "a dude"?

I think his "baby sister&quot the one Dory Previn wrote that song about)put on a fake beard before she started preaching because She realized that was the only way she could get the guys to listen.

Can anybody prove it DIDN'T happen that way?

There's no record in the Gospels of anybody seeing Jesus naked as a grown-up, after all.

And this would explain the "are there any women at the stoning" scene from "Monty Pythons THE LIFE OF BRIAN".

[1000words]

19. "Are there any women here today?"

[99Forever]

21. Actually...

... whether the guy even existed is open to debate. What race is a myth anyway?

For those of you that haven't figured it out yet:


Magic isn't real.

[HarveyDarkey]

22. For those on Facebook...

[In_The_Wind]

32. If I had an active Facebook account, I would.

[liberalmuse]

27. This is how I picture Jesus looking if he were alive today...

I know. Shame on me. BAD atheist!

[brush]

30. Are you serious?

That looks like a white guy with long hair.

Jesus' skin would have been browner, and even the Bible describes him as having "hair like lamb's wool", hardly a white guy's hair texture — more like black hair.

[Blue_In_AK]

43. Except that is Revelations

and the description says his face and hair were white like wool. Revelation 1:14, 15. The Revelation of John is his vision, not a description of the real Jesus, assuming that he existed at all. This book was written at least 200 years after Jesus' death.

[energumen]

54. there is also a mention of flames

In that passage. Maybe something like Ghost Rider

[brush]

57. Here's another passage from Daniel

Daniel 7 - I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire.

Daniel points out the same thing John saw, that Christ has woolly hair mockingly called nappy hair, yet the images given to the world depict blonde, straight hair which does not match what the bible clearly states.
Revelation 1:15 states, “and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters."
Daniel 10:6 says "His body also was like the beryl and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass..."

Here's the link this came from:

http://besetfree.host56.com/jesus.html

[SoapBox]

42. LOL

Funny.

[Skittles]

45. that looks like a cross between Johnny Depp and Demi Moore

yes INDEED

[grilled onions]

31. In The Hippie Generation His Appearance Was Brought Up By Them

For those hippies who still felt some link to structured religion they would often bring up the fact that he had long hair,flowing garments (when others criticized the hippies as commies, the males as girls and all around scruffy). They also angered the status quo when they passed out flowers and preached love at a time when everyone knew you had to think war/killing to be "normal".

[blkmusclmachine]

37. Jeezus was a CONservative Republican, avid Fauz Nooz viewer, and former NRA preznit.

He also voted for GWB, HATES "libruls," and lives in a double-wind somewhere outside Dumbassshit, GA. I know all this because Andrew Schlafly, of the Conservative Bible Project, says so.

[Skittles]

46. STOP IT BLKMUSCLMACHINE

YER KILLING ME

[SleeplessinSoCal]

41. "Some Children See Him"

Some children see Him lily white,
The baby Jesus born this night.
Some children see Him lily white,
With tresses soft and fair.
Some children see Him bronzed and brown,
The Lord of heav'n to earth come down.
Some children see Him bronzed and brown,
With dark and heavy hair.

Some children see Him almond-eyed,
This Savior whom we kneel beside.
Some children see Him almond-eyed,
With skin of yellow hue.
Some children see Him dark as they,
Sweet Mary's Son to whom we pray.
Some children see him dark as they,
And, ah! they love Him, too!

The children in each different place
Will see the baby Jesus' face
Like theirs, but bright with heavenly grace,
And filled with holy light.
O lay aside each earthly thing
And with thy heart as offering,
Come worship now the infant King.
'Tis love that's born tonight!

[newfie11]

47. +1

[cer7711]

44. My God, How Did That English-speaking, Blonde-haired Viking . . .

Last edited Sat Dec 14, 2013, 12:13 PM - Edit history (2)

get nailed to a criminal's cross by the Romans for the crime of sedition in the eternally-restless province of Palestine?!

They must hate him for his freedom . . .

"Santa, come quickly! Your buddy needs you!"
......................................

Megyn Kelly of Fox News (12/13/2013): "Santa just is white . . . I mean, Jesus was a white man too. He was a historical figure, that's a verifiable fact, as is Santa--I just want the kids watching to know that."

Oh but they do know that, Megyn, they do! Thanks to their parents; people very much like you . . .

[markpkessinger]

48. There are two, distinct ways the term 'white' is used . . .

. . . and people like Megyn Kelly blur the distinction by using it with one intended meaning, then hiding behind the second meaning when challenged. Most of the time, when folks on Fox are railing about issues of 'black' versus 'white," they are using 'white' in the sense of (mostly northern) European ancestry (hence fairer skinned) and cultural provenance. But when challenged, they take cover under the term 'white' as being synonymous with the term 'Caucasian.' Jesus, as a Palestinian Jew, and St. Nicholas, a 4th century Greek bishop (from a part of Greece that lay in what is now Turkey), would both have been 'white' according to the second, more technical meaning, but neither would have been under the first, which is the more common usage of the term today. But I must say, the notion that the modern myth of Santa Claus, with his fair, ruddy complexion and lives at the North Pole with a herd of domesticated flying reindeer has anything much at all to do with the 4th Century Christian saint is simply beyond absurd in any case.

[Nika]

49. If Jesus were alive today the disappointed would gasp at his dark skin and start a rumor he was...

born in Kenya. They also would not want their daughters dating him.

[B Calm]

50. and who knows for sure, but God could be a black women!

[Blanket Statements]

51. C'mon only a white hippy dude would give people piggy back rides on the beach

And my dashboard Jesus is the spitting image

[Niceguy1]

55. and this matters how?

Maybe this could be added to the list of 28 examples of white guilt....after all he didn't get a fair trial.