Was Jesus Black, Mixed, or White?

[Asclepias]

Truly, why does it matter what He looked like while He was mortal? He is Immortal now. He is a personage of pure light. Im sure He would probably look light to our mortal eyes even if He was dark as a mortal.

Because it mattered enough to change his image to white with blond hair and blue eyes. Why would someone do that if it didn't matter?

 

[jwoodie]

At face value, the answer to the question posed in the OP is: Who cares? However, I am going to assume that it represents an inquiry into the deeper subject of anthropomorphism as it applies to religious imagery. The reason Jesus was depicted as a European was because this type of art and its principal sponsor, the Roman Catholic Church, were centered in Europe. His less common depictions in other geographical locations tend to reflect local characteristics. As a result, debate and complaints about his ethnicity are largely irrelevant.

 

[Asclepias]

I maintain that if someone really has the frame of mind of "who cares" they would skip over the thread and go about their day. God and religion is a large part of most peoples life even if they rarely go to church or pray. To have an image of God or Jesus in your head given to you by Europeans is not a good thing unless you look like that image. Images are the most powerful form of brainwashing there is. I maintain that it is impossible to mentally enslave people if their vision of God looks like them and not the enslaver. On those grounds the issue is far from irrelevant.

 

[Harry Dresden]

im sure he looked just as the people in that area of the world looked at that time.....Italian.....

 

[DGS49]

Both Jesus and Mary are typically portrayed in art as resembling the best physical traits of the prevailing ethnic group of the artist's society.

If there is any hint of Jesus' actual appearance, it is only the negative inference that it is not mentioned. That is to say, if he were abnormally tall, paleskinned, ugly, or otherwise, it might have been mentioned, so we might as well assume he looked just like every other jew in "Palestine" at the time.

So what?

 

[loa]

While it doesn't matter to me personally, I will agree it matters to some other folks. I would also remark on Asclepias question about why would someone create a European image of Christ by saying it's a way of owning him.

When I was in school, most of the images of Christ were white, European but when I became old enough to study on my own, I realized this isn't correct and I believe there are more people who think that today than thinking Jesus was some pleasant looking white guy with long hair.

The only thing I can recall the Book saying about his appearance would be in a prophecy which says there would be nothing about his personal appearance to draw people to him, so I assume he was an ordinary looking Jewish rabbi.

Another thing not mentioned yet are there are some sects of Christianity who consider it idolatry to create images of Christ or dwell on his appearance.

 

[koshergrl]

Mary was white, God is white

That would make Jesus White

Racist.

 

[koshergrl]

Why do anti-christers obsess over the color of Christ?

Do they think that he's less credible as a black man?

Never mind. Obviously, that's it.

 

[koshergrl]

im sure he looked just as the people in that area of the world looked at that time.....Italian.....

Lolol...with a little Greek/Hebrew/Egyptian thrown in just for fun!

 

[Hoffstra]

Jesus looked like an Arab.

 

[Unkotare]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLk4Ia0otko]Family Guy - OMG WHO THE HELL CARES! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Katzndogz]

The Bible makes no mention of what Jesus looked like. Biblical scholars believe this was by design.

 

[Asclepias]

Family Guy - OMG WHO THE HELL CARES! - YouTube

I maintain that if someone really has the frame of mind of "who cares" they would skip over the thread and go about their day.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/religion-and-ethics/319925-was-jesus-black-mixed-or-white-2.html#post8026364

 

[Unkotare]

Truly, why does it matter what He looked like while He was mortal? He is Immortal now. He is a personage of pure light. Im sure He would probably look light to our mortal eyes even if He was dark as a mortal.

Because it mattered enough to change his image to white with blond hair and blue eyes. Why would someone do that if it didn't matter?

It matters to you because you only have enough space in your little pea brain for your agenda. You still don't see that you are part of the problem. People like you and matthew and shitshispeedos and 52nd street and poet and tank and the rest will never do anything but perpetuate negativity and division.

 

[Asclepias]

Truly, why does it matter what He looked like while He was mortal? He is Immortal now. He is a personage of pure light. Im sure He would probably look light to our mortal eyes even if He was dark as a mortal.

Because it mattered enough to change his image to white with blond hair and blue eyes. Why would someone do that if it didn't matter?

It matters to you because you only have enough space in your little pea brain for your agenda. You still don't see that you are part of the problem. People like you and matthew and shitshispeedos and 52nd street and poet and tank and the rest will never do anything but perpetuate negativity and division.

How is trying to find the truth being negative or divisive? Unless you are saying whites like you will get uncomfortable but then I dont care. You should be for truth not convenience.

 

[Unkotare]

Because it mattered enough to change his image to white with blond hair and blue eyes. Why would someone do that if it didn't matter?

It matters to you because you only have enough space in your little pea brain for your agenda. You still don't see that you are part of the problem. People like you and matthew and shitshispeedos and 52nd street and poet and tank and the rest will never do anything but perpetuate negativity and division.

How is trying to find the truth being negative or divisive? Unless you are saying whites like you will get uncomfortable but then I dont care. You should be for truth not convenience.

I know you are too stupid to realize it, but you are EXACTLY what all the other racists who pollute this site are - EXACTLY.

 

[Asclepias]

It matters to you because you only have enough space in your little pea brain for your agenda. You still don't see that you are part of the problem. People like you and matthew and shitshispeedos and 52nd street and poet and tank and the rest will never do anything but perpetuate negativity and division.

How is trying to find the truth being negative or divisive? Unless you are saying whites like you will get uncomfortable but then I dont care. You should be for truth not convenience.

I know you are too stupid to realize it, but you are EXACTLY what all the other racists who pollute this site are - EXACTLY.

Ok. Feel better now?

 

[Gracie]

I think everyone has an image in their head of what God or Jesus looks like. We read books and automatically put a face on the people in the book. Which is why it is so hard to find actors to play them when it is turned into a movie.

Whether they want to share that image with others is up to them.

 

[koshergrl]

Yup, all blonde hair blued eyed white people. The pictures of Jesus across the western world are all historically correct.

Moses looked like Charlton Heston

Joseph looked like Charles Bronson.

Welsh!

Moses looked like Charlton Heston!

And I think Joseph looked like Donny Osmond!

 

[Asclepias]

I think everyone has an image in their head of what God or Jesus looks like. We read books and automatically put a face on the people in the book. Which is why it is so hard to find actors to play them when it is turned into a movie.

Whether they want to share that image with others is up to them.

You are describing the tendency of the mind to think in pictures. In those books there are descriptive words that paint the picture for you. If you are handed the picture from childhood and told that is what a person looks like then it is even harder to shake that image. Luckily I was taught that Jesus is black but I know Black people that cant get rid of a picture of a white Jesus because thats what they saw growing up.