General Discussion

Hekate

(100,133 posts)

111. You have not noticed that Jesus is depicted differently in different cultures?

Thu Apr 4, 2013, 01:20 AM

Apr 2013

My aunt and uncle spent some time in Japan in the '50s, and gave me a lovely little painting on silk of a very Japanese Madonna and Child, complete with kimono and long flowing black hair.

Missionaries to far-flung places usually seem to have no difficulty arranging their minds around this, especially because they want their stories to have appeal to the locals. There are African depictions of Jesus and his mother, and in the Americas there are certainly many brown depictions: Mexican, South American, Native American.

It's not surprising that in Europe the Madonna and Child were depicted as European, and since the original white settlers of America were of European origin, they brought the images they remembered with them.

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Regarding the "History" Channel's "The Bible" - Jesus was not a white dude [View all] arely staircase Apr 2013 OP

True. Most scholars of that era think he looked more like this: Fawke Em Apr 2013 #1

and speaking of his class, profession and location arely staircase Apr 2013 #5

That's not bad. GiveMeFreedom Apr 2013 #34

And it's been said he would have been 5' to 5'2" tall Greybnk48 Apr 2013 #85

Jesus is the god of white supremacy. Solomon Apr 2013 #94

I thought guns were? Number23 Apr 2013 #104

Couldn't the artist have come up with a better facial expression? Hekate Apr 2013 #110

Actual photo of Jesus on the sea of Galilee: undeterred Apr 2013 #130

Herod, you're gonna need a bigger boat. Warren DeMontague Apr 2013 #134

Most BIBLE Scholars. Most independent historians think he looked like this: Warren DeMontague Apr 2013 #132

Thanks Warren. nt awoke_in_2003 Apr 2013 #136

Tuco! Angelonthesidelines Apr 2013 #140

They'd rather not think of him as a European Jew, I would think. Some might recall brewens Apr 2013 #2

The son of god can appear as he pleases. immoderate Apr 2013 #3

then why wouldn't he appear as those he is surrounded by? liberal_at_heart Apr 2013 #6

and arely staircase Apr 2013 #8

Being a deity, it's how he appears TO those who is surrounded by. immoderate Apr 2013 #12

so there is a Chinese Christ as well then, and a Dutch Christ, and an African Christ. If that is the liberal_at_heart Apr 2013 #17

Mortal artists have htheir limitations, but as is fitting... immoderate Apr 2013 #19

No I still think it has to do with how people want to see him because a white face, liberal_at_heart Apr 2013 #20

That works too. immoderate Apr 2013 #26

Has absolutely nothing to do with "beauty" Number23 Apr 2013 #57

Yes Paul E Ester Apr 2013 #80

wow.... RitchieRich Apr 2013 #84

Well, the correct plural form SidneyR Apr 2013 #87

so what then? RitchieRich Apr 2013 #92

A - even tho it's ugly Paul E Ester Apr 2013 #96

I'm gonna go with ut oh Apr 2013 #143

Jesi /nt demwing Apr 2013 #101

And the ever-popular "Tortilla Jesus" Arugula Latte Apr 2013 #89

I wish we could see more of those kinds of pictures. America is no longer a colony fresh off the liberal_at_heart Apr 2013 #95

You have not noticed that Jesus is depicted differently in different cultures? Hekate Apr 2013 #111

America is very diverse. We should be seeing different pictures of him right here in the US. liberal_at_heart Apr 2013 #114

Well, they are everywhere in Latino communities Hekate Apr 2013 #117

I had to see it to believe it AsahinaKimi Apr 2013 #118

And so He has been depicted that way LibertyLover Apr 2013 #122

You should see him in China... backscatter712 Apr 2013 #127

Isaiah 53:2 atreides1 Apr 2013 #79

But did you see the African Samson? Blue_In_AK Apr 2013 #4

i haven't watched any of it, mainly because I stopped watching the "History" Channel some years ago arely staircase Apr 2013 #7

they are currently airing "The Vikings" which is amazingly detailed in production & fairly accurate KittyWampus Apr 2013 #91

yes they live mostly in Ethiopia..... NavyDavy Apr 2013 #138

Hmm, who knew? Blue_In_AK Apr 2013 #139

.. Malone Apr 2013 #9

the hair arely staircase Apr 2013 #10

He might have been half European if it's true that Mary was raped by a Roman Cleita Apr 2013 #11

sure you aren't thinking of the Life of Brian? arely staircase Apr 2013 #13

That's where Life of Brian got the idea. Cleita Apr 2013 #50

did not know that arely staircase Apr 2013 #52

It's probably not true, but something like that could explain Cleita Apr 2013 #54

yeah, or joseph knocked her up, which also would have brought a stoning arely staircase Apr 2013 #58

If it were Joseph and he acknowledged it was him, there would have been no stoning Cleita Apr 2013 #98

What if Joseph just didn't know much about sex? raging moderate Apr 2013 #108

What if none if it is true? Cleita Apr 2013 #109

Not quite true. caseymoz Apr 2013 #119

I'm not saying it's true. It's just something that's out there to think about. Cleita Apr 2013 #121

I miscommunicated. caseymoz Apr 2013 #125

Tall, dark, gaunt raging moderate Apr 2013 #14

i don't know of any physical description of him arely staircase Apr 2013 #22

There is some description in Josephus, but most agree it is a later fake add on. There is a real dimbear Apr 2013 #65

what earliest pictures? From what year? snooper2 Apr 2013 #73

I wonder why the show is on... awoke_in_2003 Apr 2013 #15

the bible, though not a work of history, is a subject of great historical import arely staircase Apr 2013 #55

good points... awoke_in_2003 Apr 2013 #112

What happened to the Discovery Channel and TLC (The LEARNING Channel) is even worse... Moostache Apr 2013 #106

Don't get me started on TLC... awoke_in_2003 Apr 2013 #113

Are we really all that intelligent though? Jamastiene Apr 2013 #142

as z. budapest said, "white european christians worship a book that has no white european niyad Apr 2013 #16

And Adam and Eve couldn't have had names because there wasn't even an alphabet yet. Gregorian Apr 2013 #18

for some reason that makes me think of this arely staircase Apr 2013 #24

Haha. Gregorian Apr 2013 #93

"Middle Eastern Jew" is sort of redundant frazzled Apr 2013 #21

Middle Eastern Jew is not redundant now, the time in which the audience of Salon.com lives arely staircase Apr 2013 #23

Um, they used the term to describe what Jesus would have looked like frazzled Apr 2013 #27

middle Eastern jew means not Ashkenazim (european jews) arely staircase Apr 2013 #30

Middle Eastern Jews are called Mizrahi. Behind the Aegis Apr 2013 #44

did i misuse the term? arely staircase Apr 2013 #45

No, you are correct. I was just adding some more info. Behind the Aegis Apr 2013 #47

cool, thanks arely staircase Apr 2013 #49

Yes, being Ashkenazi myself, I am aware ... frazzled Apr 2013 #72

Actually, many Jews were African. Gravitycollapse Apr 2013 #141

(a) you assumed incorrectly that there is a scholarly consensus.. Phillip McCleod Apr 2013 #25

i didn't write the article arely staircase Apr 2013 #28

yeah, because a majority of biblical scholars are believers.. Phillip McCleod Apr 2013 #31

really? arely staircase Apr 2013 #33

Exactly. Expecting "Bible Scholars" to discount the premise that constitutes most of the Bible... Warren DeMontague Apr 2013 #135

just because not every historian believes there was a Jesus does not mean there isn't a consensus. liberal_at_heart Apr 2013 #29

no there is much more vigorous debate about the historicity of jesus than that. Phillip McCleod Apr 2013 #32

"These views are so extreme and so unconvincing to 99.99 percent of the real experts arely staircase Apr 2013 #36

really quoting bart ehrman at me? Phillip McCleod Apr 2013 #38

no, the ad hominem always loses arely staircase Apr 2013 #39

name at least three published PhDs in history who thinks Jesus did not exist arely staircase Apr 2013 #40

Are you saying that Jewish and Israeli people aren't "white"? Most of them would disagree. n/t pnwmom Apr 2013 #35

Middle Easterners, semetic or otherwise, are certainly distingishable enough from europeans to get arely staircase Apr 2013 #37

So are Greeks, southern Italians and French, and anyone else with dark hair and olive skin. pnwmom Apr 2013 #41

and why do these greeks get profiled? arely staircase Apr 2013 #42

I just don't get your point. pnwmom Apr 2013 #60

the white/not-white distinction is made by the author arely staircase Apr 2013 #62

The historic Jesus was not defacto7 Apr 2013 #43

criticism of the "history" channel has to be posted under religion? arely staircase Apr 2013 #46

OK.... defacto7 Apr 2013 #48

i regret that it has somewhat gone off course arely staircase Apr 2013 #51

Thanks for clarification defacto7 Apr 2013 #53

i know what you mean arely staircase Apr 2013 #56

at the very least DonCoquixote Apr 2013 #59

He probably didnt speak English either. jambo101 Apr 2013 #61

fancy Shakespeare english eom arely staircase Apr 2013 #63

I suppose..... MFM008 Apr 2013 #64

Yeah, I never understood why everyone pictures Jesus as a white dude Victor_c3 Apr 2013 #66

The bigger challenge quaker bill Apr 2013 #67

Shocker. Not. nt. OldDem2012 Apr 2013 #68

Wait a minute--you say Jesus was not a surfer?! panader0 Apr 2013 #69

It's all about balance... Spitfire of ATJ Apr 2013 #81

yep. Think about this when I see a white Jesus. oldandhappy Apr 2013 #70

Did a historical Jesus exist? warrior1 Apr 2013 #71

Jesus was not white The CCC Apr 2013 #74

I was born and raised kurtzapril4 Apr 2013 #75

what a great story, for all kinds of reasons renate Apr 2013 #90

Thanks, Renate kurtzapril4 Apr 2013 #120

I wonder cvoogt Apr 2013 #76

But Santa Claus is still white right? moobu2 Apr 2013 #77

Santa Claus is based on St Nicholas, who was Greek LeftishBrit Apr 2013 #115

Jesus was not DavidDvorkin Apr 2013 #78

The Nazis not only claimed Jesus was Aryan but that he wasn't even a Jew.... Spitfire of ATJ Apr 2013 #82

The media misrepresents the Romans and Greeks as well bigbrother05 Apr 2013 #83

I think he was probably a "Grey" cbdo2007 Apr 2013 #86

"Christ didn't come to Earth to give us the willies..." Vinnie From Indy Apr 2013 #88

Some strange elements in this piece. Bluenorthwest Apr 2013 #97

I am guessing he didn't look like Brad Pitt either. yellowcanine Apr 2013 #99

If Jesus were in George Zimmerman's neighborhood after dark . . . OldRedneck Apr 2013 #100

Every Real Amurkan Krischin knows Wolf Frankula Apr 2013 #102

"Historical?" tout_le_monde Apr 2013 #103

But Mary still became magically impregnated right? LOL just1voice Apr 2013 #105

No foolin', Jesus Definately wasn't a white dude.. DeeBunker Apr 2013 #107

Hate to rain more skepticism on this, caseymoz Apr 2013 #116

Considering the complete lack of extra-biblical contemporary evidence, it's more like 95% cleanhippie Apr 2013 #123

I wouldn't go that far. caseymoz Apr 2013 #124

Ok, 94% cleanhippie Apr 2013 #126

I'm still waiting for Cult of Dusty to do the rest of History of the Bible. backscatter712 Apr 2013 #128

I just wanted to post this video d_r Apr 2013 #129

Yes He WAS, dammit! PolitFreak Apr 2013 #131

Sorry, but "Jesus" as an actual, historical entity, quite possibly didn't exist at all. Warren DeMontague Apr 2013 #133

There are no white dudes in the bible. Coyotl Apr 2013 #137

With the exception sulphurdunn Apr 2013 #144

Not that it matters, sulphurdunn Apr 2013 #145