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Retrograde

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90. The diversity of the magi is symbolic

Mon Dec 28, 2015, 12:17 PM

Dec 2015

Last edited Mon Dec 28, 2015, 01:23 PM - Edit history (1)

the Feast of the Epiphany symbolizes Christ's being made known to the whole world - or at least the whole world as Christians knew it back then - so the magi represent Africa, Asia and Europe. I've seen depictions with Black Magi as far back as the the 1400s. Except in Medici Florence, where Lorenzo the Magnificent had himself painted as one of the Magi, taking over the role of the African: jarring for one raised in a traditional Catholic style.

Anyway, no one knows where they were from , how many there were, and whether or not they existed in the first place.

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The black king is gone - anyone notice? [View all] trillion Dec 2015 OP

Post removed Post removed Dec 2015 #1

Why is this shitty? I'm a duality of Christianity and Buddhism. trillion Dec 2015 #2

Feel free to think you are smart! akbacchus_BC Dec 2015 #3

Put down the egg nog. joshcryer Dec 2015 #4

Why? Because you say so. I do not drink egg nog, thank you very much! akbacchus_BC Dec 2015 #7

I know no black Du'er's here at all. I know NO du'ers here. I usually post in latest breaking news. trillion Dec 2015 #5

Post removed Post removed Dec 2015 #14

Excuse me? I don't know anyone here from the black community. trillion Dec 2015 #19

Three wise men _ here are examples of the Balathzar with dark skin and with light skin Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #30

Another sarge43 Dec 2015 #46

My mother used to decorate for Chistmas with a nativity Blus4u Dec 2015 #76

Grew up during the 50's and that's how I remember it. n/t sarge43 Dec 2015 #77

Us too tazkcmo Dec 2015 #78

I suspect he's referring to the same anglicization of the nativity scene that I've noticed. Chan790 Dec 2015 #61

Thank you. Lots of truth here. closeupready Dec 2015 #69

WTF Skittles Dec 2015 #10

Skittles, you are not always right! akbacchus_BC Dec 2015 #17

put down the pipe and get some sleep Skittles Dec 2015 #40

I think you called it. Android3.14 Dec 2015 #51

spot on In_The_Wind Dec 2015 #54

You won't be seeing him/her around her for three months. Talk about flaming out!! madinmaryland Dec 2015 #113

supreme flaming Skittles Dec 2015 #117

Say what?? madinmaryland Dec 2015 #119

*HEH* Skittles Dec 2015 #121

Take your own advice. tazkcmo Dec 2015 #79

One of the wise men - Balthazar Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #22

Wow, I didn't now any of that. trillion Dec 2015 #27

This never even occurred to me until you mentioned it. joshcryer Dec 2015 #6

Post removed Post removed Dec 2015 #8

You're kidding right? You seriously don't know that a normal nativity set has a black king? trillion Dec 2015 #12

you need to chill out Skittles Dec 2015 #15

You need to leave me alone to respond to people on here. akbacchus_BC Dec 2015 #18

I think I'll just start alerting your posts. You're as offensive as they come. trillion Dec 2015 #20

Be my guest, alert as much as you want! Who is stopping you? akbacchus_BC Dec 2015 #25

done. trillion Dec 2015 #28

+1 stonecutter357 Dec 2015 #57

I don't normally involve myself with DU arguments but .... calm down... obviously you now have Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #32

Thankfully, a jury stopped you. cleanhippie Dec 2015 #131

You've been given ample evidence tazkcmo Dec 2015 #81

You've completely lost it now, why not admit you were wrong? Rex Dec 2015 #109

And the results are in........... davidpdx Dec 2015 #52

"The Adoration of the Magi" has included depictions of a black King since the 1500s. . . Journeyman Dec 2015 #34

Excellent depictions in paintings. I guess manufacturers of nativity sets less likely Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #35

Even here, we don't know for certain if one of the Magi was black or not . . . Journeyman Dec 2015 #36

The diversity of the magi is symbolic Retrograde Dec 2015 #90

From my earliest memories (1950s) one of the Magi was always black.I figured it was a representation Hekate Dec 2015 #111

you seem desperate! stonecutter357 Dec 2015 #47

My set came from the 2000's. I think it's about 7 or 8 years old. trillion Dec 2015 #9

Yeah right! akbacchus_BC Dec 2015 #11

You seem to be quite a piece of work. And an ill informed one. trillion Dec 2015 #16

Post removed Post removed Dec 2015 #21

"A black person unless it's an animal"? Rethink that phrase Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #24

You are trying your best to be obtuse as you know what I mean! akbacchus_BC Dec 2015 #29

I YOUR nativity set maybe. Trillion has seen sets with a black king, so have I Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #31

So have I eom LiberalElite Dec 2015 #116

When I was a kid back in the Dark Ages, Blue_In_AK Dec 2015 #37

I think my mother's set had a black magi if I remember right Ichingcarpenter Dec 2015 #42

FYI Blue_In_AK Dec 2015 #39

That person got three hides in one thread, had that one been 4-3 it would have been four hides davidpdx Dec 2015 #53

Now on timeout for a couple of months Dems to Win Dec 2015 #59

Strange pintobean Dec 2015 #62

Wow. She's gone full blown racist... Dr Hobbitstein Dec 2015 #72

It is no fun for them PowerToThePeople Dec 2015 #94

Yikes. joshcryer Dec 2015 #86

Wow! Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #100

Very odd GummyBearz Dec 2015 #85

Six hides in total recently Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #102

Just saw the sixth one davidpdx Dec 2015 #126

Drunk posting sprees seem to be that person's stock in trade. Codeine Dec 2015 #64

It was my alert JackInGreen Dec 2015 #68

It looks like it was late at night - She could have been drunk... CajunBlazer Dec 2015 #99

The poster in #64 said that, not me. davidpdx Dec 2015 #125

I'm sorry JackInGreen Dec 2015 #49

Jesus as I know going to Sunday School was white? LOL stonecutter357 Dec 2015 #50

That's the one that really got me, too AwakeAtLast Dec 2015 #73

You should be banned. n/t tazkcmo Dec 2015 #82

You just spent most of the thread arguing LiberalElite Dec 2015 #115

This is incredibly offensive. yardwork Dec 2015 #120

Wow. This sounds like Meghan Kelley's claim that both Jesus and tblue37 Dec 2015 #123

ALL you have to do is google "Christmas nativity set" and select images trillion Dec 2015 #26

I remember Sherman A1 Dec 2015 #33

I had a suspicion but Dr. Xavier Dec 2015 #13

Wow. This thread went off the rails in record time Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #23

The nativity set I bought last month has a black king. bananas Dec 2015 #38

Where do you get it? I want my black king back! trillion Dec 2015 #127

hey trillion, I forgot to ask Skittles Dec 2015 #41

He's my little brother and he is drinking racist Tea Party and Trump Kool-aide. There is no trillion Dec 2015 #56

my sympathy to you Skittles Dec 2015 #105

It's all a myth anyway. OldRedneck Dec 2015 #43

two side to this DonCoquixote Dec 2015 #44

My mom is Italian and has a very old set from Napoli, where they orginated Drahthaardogs Dec 2015 #92

I will check Costco, thank you! trillion Dec 2015 #128

I had not noticed but it's a good point to bring up. tecelote Dec 2015 #45

Not your OP in particular, but this has got to be one of the craziest threads Amimnoch Dec 2015 #48

Looking at the times of these posts - LiberalElite Dec 2015 #55

NOPE !! NOT ME !!! stonecutter357 Dec 2015 #58

Should be as I work in a few hours. No I haven't been to bed yet. And I don't even drink caffeine. trillion Dec 2015 #63

Have a great day Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #98

I work nights JackInGreen Dec 2015 #70

I work days - LiberalElite Dec 2015 #114

not only should there be a Black king but... handmade34 Dec 2015 #60

Exactly. Why are the overwhelming images of Jesus a handsome, strawberry blond man? Vinca Dec 2015 #65

LOL!! AwakeAtLast Dec 2015 #75

As Voltaire pointed out, we create our gods in our own image or an idealized image. sarge43 Dec 2015 #83

Or surfing on South Beach. alphafemale Dec 2015 #87

I totally agree with you AwakeAtLast Dec 2015 #74

The set I display is made of olive wood and the figures are all the same color, camels, kings and Bluenorthwest Dec 2015 #66

I saw a black Santa yesterday, here in northeast Wisconsin. Does that count? Scuba Dec 2015 #67

I presume you missed the three in south Dallas during your alleged observations. LanternWaste Dec 2015 #71

Journey Of The Magi by T. S. Eliot Bluenorthwest Dec 2015 #80

Gives me chills all over. Hekate Dec 2015 #108

Haven't had the set out in a few years but mine is of children alphafemale Dec 2015 #84

There are some on ebay: femmocrat Dec 2015 #88

I still kpete Dec 2015 #89

These are the guys who taught Jesus and Biff Kung Fu, right? whatthehey Dec 2015 #91

Nice reference! Metatron Dec 2015 #112

Knew somebody would get it. His best IMO. whatthehey Dec 2015 #130

That's ok Jesus was probably black. craigmatic Dec 2015 #93

I checked with the final arbiter of all things... catnhatnh Dec 2015 #95

is that how racism works in America? Enrique Dec 2015 #96

Here's the first one that comes up when I search for Nativity Set on Amazon: Nye Bevan Dec 2015 #97

I did a search, too, and was shocked at how many Phentex Dec 2015 #101

It couldn't be that the OP just didn't find what they were looking for melman Dec 2015 #107

I think, hope that all of you will remember this thread next year and look in the stores. trillion Dec 2015 #129

Well Your Brother itcfish Dec 2015 #103

If the Three Wise Men had been Three Wise Women-- eridani Dec 2015 #122

+ 1,000,000 countryjake Dec 2015 #124

I thought Robb Stark was "King of the North"? Heeeeers Johnny Dec 2015 #104

Does that mean checkmate? pintobean Dec 2015 #106

I haven't paid attention to LiberalElite Dec 2015 #110

No because it is nonsense Egnever Dec 2015 #118