For years the statement of......

[Redac]

Have you ever seen a movie/tv show about Jesus? Robert Powell (brown haired, blue eyed Brit), Max von Sydow (brown haired, blue eyed swede), Brian Deacon (brown haired, blue eyed Brit), Jim Cavaziel (brown haired, blue eyed American).

Oh no, a culture portrayed Jesus as looking like one of them.

What a travesty.

 

[Hetta]

Everyone knows that Jesus was black.

Who said he was black?

 

[Hetta]

Oh no, a culture portrayed Jesus as looking like one of them.

What a travesty.

Ho boy. Is this mainstream western art? I'm well aware that non-white cultures picture Jesus as being a part of their own culture, hence a black Jesus, Asian Jesus, Slavic Jesus. However, what does the western Europe culture describe Jesus as? A light haired, light eyed, non-Jew.

Why is this image any more a "travesty" than a Swedish, brunette, blue eyed man playing Jesus?

 

[civilwarbuff]

That's just silly. How is my chain being jerked when I personally saw "statues" of the Sacred Heart, prints, paintings all showing this very Europeanised Jesus? The church we attended where the photo was taken was an American Methodist church. My son was approximately 4yo, so that would be 12 years ago. And no, I'm not reproducing that photo here (privacy and all that).

I was asking about the artwork since you seem to be ignoring that question.......

 

[civilwarbuff]

Everyone knows that Jesus was black.

You sure, I am sure I saw a Chinese Jesus before......

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Opinion or do you have some "evidence".......

Evidence of something that doesn't exist?

I'm not sure you understand how evidence works.

 

[Hetta]

I was asking about the artwork since you seem to be ignoring that question.......

I wouldn't know how "old" the artwork is, but it can hardly be "BC" as that would be ... before Christ.

I forgot Ted Neeley. Another brown haired/blonde, blue eyed Jesus. Probably one of my favorites actually. Love Jesus Christ Superstar.

 

[JackRT]

You go read some history then come back here and we can talk.....

I have been a student of history for a great many years. When our attempted genocide of the Indian Nations fell short we moved to forced assimilation. That didn't work either. What does seem to work is to respectfully accept people at face value and say "can we work together as friends?"

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Interesting thread.

The comments on Native Americans (and our culture that was nearly destroyed by cultural genocide stemming from years of forced assimilation) are particularly interesting.

 

[Redac]

Ho boy. Is this mainstream western art?

It's a 19th century Chinese painting.

Here's Ethiopian Jesus from a century or two before that:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/72/7d/9c/727d9cc004eb3f183ec21604267f8389.jpg

I'm well aware that non-white cultures picture Jesus as being a part of their own culture, hence a black Jesus, Asian Jesus, Slavic Jesus. However, what does the western Europe culture describe Jesus as? A light haired, light eyed, non-Jew.

Because there are plenty of light-haired, light-eyed people in western Europe. Different groups of people across the world have often depicted Jesus as being a member of that culture, be it Aryan Jesus or Chinesus or whoever.

(I also like how you include Slavs as "non-white" )

Why is this image any more a "travesty" than a Swedish, brunette, blue eyed man playing Jesus?

It's not. That was sarcasm.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Have you ever seen a movie/tv show about Jesus? Robert Powell (brown haired, blue eyed Brit), Max von Sydow (brown haired, blue eyed swede), Brian Deacon (brown haired, blue eyed Brit), Jim Cavaziel (brown haired, blue eyed American).

There was a Johnny Cash video years ago where the actor portraying Jesus was white with blonde hair and blue eyes. I cannot remember the name of the song though.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Who said he was black?

There are several depictions of Jesus as a Native American.

 

[FireDragon76]

When John Cavaziel was playing Jesus in The Passion he was actually wearing a nose prosthesis as part of his makeup. I think they were basing his look off the image in the Shroud of Turin.

When I think of biblical diversity, I think of it in a broad sense than just skin color. I think of the Old Testament law that says the Israelites must welcome strangers. The first baptized gentile recorded in the Bible is a eunuch. Many of the New Testament epistles are about fighting various ethnic prejudices within the Church. St. Peter's revelation that there are god-fearers in every nation, and that God is no respecter of persons. Or the biblical narrative ending with the Revelation to St. John, where the nations of the earth will come to the heavenly city.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Jesus was Jew, and looked like any other Jew of his day.

"For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood." Hebrews 7: 14

 

[TLK Valentine]

I wouldn't know how "old" the artwork is, but it can hardly be "BC" as that would be ... before Christ.

I forgot Ted Neeley. Another brown haired/blonde, blue eyed Jesus. Probably one of my favorites actually. Love Jesus Christ Superstar.

Great performance! My personal favorite Passion Play as well.

 

[Uncle Siggy]

You sure, I am sure I saw a Chinese Jesus before......

Did you ever watch Babylon 5???

If so then watch the episode called the Fall of Night at the end of the 2nd season, they're all available on the internet