Was Jesus black?

[Findarto]

Do you think Jesus was what we would consider today, Black ?

[MysticWitch]

no i dont think he was, but i think the real santa was

[Happy Shrew]

Somebody saw The Boondocks on Sunday night. :p

[Findarto]

Haha, I did see that too!
The Adventures of Black Jesus would be a nice play :D.

But, I was debating this a few weeks ago at school, and seeing it on Boondocks made me post this.

[Chibi-Fallon]

I think he would be what we today consider Middle Eastern, not black.

[Ninjakitten]

I dunno. How many black pure blood Jews do you know?

[BabyBird]

I think he would be what we today consider Middle Eastern, not black.
Ditto.

(OT: I love the eggs!)

[SilverMaiden]

I agree with Chibi-Fallon.

[kissesree]

I dunno. How many black pure blood Jews do you know?exactly. to say jesus was black is simply being ignorant of the time period and the place. There were no black jews in the area at the time. The only people who say he was black are black people who want to feel special and closer to god, even if it means that their iq has to drop, and common sense goes out the window.

[wintermagick]

No... I'd say the more "Middle Eastern" look, considering where he was from. I seriously doubt he was pasty white with honey brown hippy-ish hair.

[Findarto]

I dunno. How many black pure blood Jews do you know?
12.

If you count Jose'.

[Rick]

I dunno. How many black pure blood Jews do you know?
There's a whole tribe of 'em guarding the Ark of the Covenant in Africa... saw it on a National Geographic special...

...but Jesus probably wasn't one of them... I vote Semitic...

[WokeUpDead]

Yay Boondocks. It's possible I guess.

[Zhr Morgana]

Do you think Jesus was what we would consider today, Black ?
Bethany: You knew Jesus?
Rufus: Knew him? Sh*t... Nigg@ owes me twelve bucks!

Sorry...couldn't help but flash back to "Dogma"...y'all have seen that one, right?

Personally...I'm one of the minority that doesn't believe that Jesus really existed. If he did, though...he would probably have been very dark skinned.

[BabyBird]

exactly. to say jesus was black is simply being ignorant of the time period and the place. There were no black jews in the area at the time. The only people who say he was black are black people who want to feel special and closer to god, even if it means that their iq has to drop, and common sense goes out the window.
That's uncalled for. Saying that Jesus is black has nothing to do with a low IQ. It's simply wanting to have something in common with someone they respect.
And it's not as if Black people are the only ones who ignore history in order to feel closer to Jesus. F'in Christ!, Da Vinci made Jesus looked more white than Middle Eastern. There are Jesuses with Indian features; Jesuses with Chinese features.

This doesn't have anything to do with IQ, it has to do with wanting to feel more connected to their God.

[DoktorSick]

for what it's worth the bible says he had
hair like wool and skin like brass Rev 1 ,14-15
but the real question is did jesus real exist?

[Philosophia]

This is a good website asking this question:
http://www.godonthe.net/wasblack.htm

He may have been black (and I'm not black or have a low IQ), nobody really knows. To totally dismiss the idea is to ignore history altogether.
I just found a BBC article on this that may be interesting;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3958241.stm

[Happy Shrew]

but the real question is did jesus real exist?

For most people the answer would be "Who cares?" Unless you're a practicing Christian, the issue doesn't have much weight. The ideas and stories are there regardless, and values of caring for the less fortunate are fine with me regardless of the source.

(In case anyone wants to slippery slope that, I won't necessarily take on a person's whole philosophy due to one part.)

[Findarto]

If only are lives could be more like the Boondocks lol ^_^..

I just thought this would be an interesting topic, but when I say black I'm thinking more of the Indian black. Like people from India with Black/ very dark skin ?

This is not to offend anyone, but Osoma Bin Laden kind of has the bible's description of Jesus down.

[DoktorSick]

His so called values are questionable.
Any of his so called good values where
talked about and practiced in other religions.
Someone thought it would be cool or whatever
to incorporated in the life and times of jc.
People forget the parts when he says he came
to make war not peace,and set relatives against each other.
and the main line that if you don't accept when he says to be true
well you are just wrong and you are going to hell.
What kind of values are thoses?

[farm girl]

I believe Jesus was middle eastern in look. Anthropologist & archaelogists put together what a typical Jewish male looked like in the time of Jesus. The hair was brittle, height was short, build was stocky, and skin was likely dark, as seen in Saudia Arabia. Most of my cousins in Israel have pretty thick, coarse hair.

[Nighthawk]

I think he was dark... medium dark.
But I must say after reading.. and I read them real fast.. I am seeing "What would Osama do?" Stickers in my head

[David19]

I don't think he was, i think he was middle eastern or Arabic looking, but being a son of a god, i guess he could make himself look like what he wanted.

[MysticWitch]

I think he would be what we today consider Middle Eastern, not black.

I agree

[Tzhebee]

Does it matter if he was black? I mean, I'm sure that it would matter a LOT to people as individuals, but on a global basis....do you think it would matter if it could be "proven" that he was black, or asian, or green?

[MoonKnight]

This computer image of what Jesus might have looked like was created from the skull of a 1st-century man. It presents a very different concept of Jesus' appearance from the Italian interpretation.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20041220/gallery/jesus_zoom.jpg

Link (http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20041220/boyjesus_zoom1.html)

[Findarto]

Does it matter if he was black? I mean, I'm sure that it would matter a LOT to people as individuals, but on a global basis....do you think it would matter if it could be "proven" that he was black, or asian, or green?
I think it would make just a slight difference if he was green ;).

[Dawa Lhamo]

I think it would make just a slight difference if he was green ;).I dunno, Milarepa was green (he ate only nettles for years)... and Krishna was apparently blue (though his name means black)... Both made their way into the arena of world religions. ^_^

Well, it doesn't *really* matter what color his skin was, BUT when you get the neo-Nazi types denying that Jesus was first and foremost a JEW, then it's helpful to point out that he was probably a rather dark-skinned Semitic. ^_^

It's also helpful to keep in mind that ethnic races are a social construct (biologically we are one species with no separate races)... In South America (Brazil, I think?), "black" is only the darkest of skin tones, where the comparatively lighter browns are considered "white" which is very different from the US, where anything darker than a tan indicates a "person of color"... I think it's pretty safe to say that according to US cultural standards, Jesus was a "person of color", though how light or dark he was is up for debate (if you really want...).

Going with what I said earlier about cultural races, I think it's a far more theologically impactful statement to say that Jesus was of the HUMAN race. ^_^


lol, though, getting really silly, if we consider that the Holy Ghost, being a ghost was silvery transparent (translucent at best), and Mary was definitely Semitic/Middle-Eastern, then it's possible that the 'genetic' mix would express itself as white. Of course, having no pigment at all (us. albinism; in this case, transparentism) is usually recessive, so most likely it would be Mary's pigmentation that would be dominantly expressed anyway... ZOMG!
It's simple genetics. :ghost: + :welcome: = :fpeace: ^_^ See?

Tashi delek!
Dawa Lhamo

[Chibi-Fallon]

I've always hated the expression on that computer Jesus' face. It just looks so goofy.

[Bix]

I've always hated the expression on that computer Jesus' face. It just looks so goofy.
*laughs* Yeah, he kinda looks a bit confused.

[farm girl]

The bible says that there was nothing about Jesus (Y'shua) that stood out. He looked like a common man, so it is a good indication that Jesus looked similiar to the average Jewish male of that time.

[Happy Shrew]

His so called values are questionable.
Any of his so called good values where
talked about and practiced in other religions.
Someone thought it would be cool or whatever
to incorporated in the life and times of jc.
People forget the parts when he says he came
to make war not peace,and set relatives against each other.
and the main line that if you don't accept when he says to be true
well you are just wrong and you are going to hell.
What kind of values are thoses?

As I said in what I thought was a clear enough way, just agreeing with one point doesn't mean agreeing with a person's entire philosophy. If we were only going to respect those who had the exact same values as us, it'd be impossible to have anyone to look up to.

People's reasoning for looking up to Jesus are varied. Some people agree with most stated points, and that's their choice. I agree with a few points and find some concepts in the overall Jesus philosophy to be interesting. This DOES NOT MEAN that I agree with everything you've listed, nor does it mean that any Christian agrees with everything you've listed.

If Jesus is a hot button topic for you, then I'll drop it, but you're also in the wrong thread. ;)

[Xentor]

Yup. The value of Jesus' teachings, actions, followers and followings are outside the scope of this thread. This thread focusses on a possible history, heritage and genealogy.

[Faery-Wings]

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20041220/gallery/jesus_zoom.jpg



*insert sarcasm*
looks like a "terrorist" eh?

It isn't that he really does look like a terrorist, b/c what exactly does a terrorist look like? This is more a comment on how we tend to perceive images and appearances.

I agree that he would look Middle Eastern, anthropologically speaking, why would he not?

[Findarto]

*insert sarcasm*
looks like a "terrorist" eh?

It isn't that he really does look like a terrorist, b/c what exactly does a terrorist look like? This is more a comment on how we tend to perceive images and appearances.

I agree that he would look Middle Eastern, anthropologically speaking, why would he not?
Are you referring to my comment ?
Because I didn't mean to imply he looked like a terrorist, more that he seemed to favour Osama Bin Laden.

Another thing could be that his look changed depending on who looked at him... Like if a white person saw him, he was white etc.

[Faery-Wings]

Oh no, no not at all! I was agreeing with you, while at the same time making a sarcastic poke at the profiling being done in the US.
I guess it sounded better in my head, but I basically meant that here we are inthe US eyeing all of the ME-ers as "bad guys" and here is a photo of "Jesus" looking like what we expect to be a terrorist.

[omar]

I thought Jesus was a Red Man from the Black Hills?

[Nacken]

I think that Jesus was portrayed as a Germanic blue eyed light haired figure by Albech Druer. Before that he had been pictured as looking semetic. In any case I'm pagan, not Christian, so what do I care.

[HeavensHope]

They did something on this for the Discovery channel....whoever said he would probably look more middle eastern would be right...well...that's what I think. Doesn't mean he IS middle eastern looking, I wasnt there so I dont know. But it makes more sense then him having blonde hair blue eyes.

[LordHelmet]

Jesus was a nazzarian (spelin) by heiratige, later on catholics wrote the trace back to David. He was Jewish by culture and religion. The picture is probably about right, but his skin could very well have been significantly darker. It's quite possible he would be considered quite black anywhere in the US.

I think there's a greater lesson here though, he wasn't of full Jewish heritage, something the Pharisees seemed to have a problem with in the bible. Jesus himself was a Jew by CHOICE. Something neoNazis might not fully understand.

[omar]

In Archaeology magezine it says Jesus was not of Nazareth was not of the House of David and was not born in Bethlehem of Judea. He was born in Bethlehem of Galilee 90 miles to the north . The early Christian church changed the place of birth because if he was NOT of the House of David he could NOT be King of Isreal.

[Vincent Verthaine]

*laughs* Yeah, he kinda looks a bit confused.
Well of course he looks confused.
If thousands of atrocities were commited in your name,if your teachings of love and peace were twisted and perverted all over the place to promote war,hate,oppression,genocide,anti-semitism,homophobia,slavery etc.,wouldn't you be confused too?

[AwareAbleVision]

In the days of the Hebrews and Jews (they are not one and the same) the people came in many hues of color from many areas of the Middle East. Study of the different ethnic groups of the time will show Mid-Easterners from the palest of skin to deep brown.

When Jesus was headed for Golgotha, he stumbled and a "black" man from another country was forced to carry the cross for him at that time. I can find no text (even in the Hebrew or Arabic scriptures and writings), that says whether or not this black man was Hebrew or Jewish. It does say in some texts where this man was from....others not.

The question is WHY is it important? Humankind has and continues to slaughter each other over WHO OWNS the only TRUE GOD.

It matters not the who, what color, from where the messenger of love comes....only that he or she bothers to come at ALL; knowing full well that humans have a nasty habit of killing anyone who carries ANY light.

As a human "mutt", identified in THIS country as "black", I have no need or desire to know what color or what place a messenger is from. I just want to learn to live in the light...I WANT to learn to love better....I desire to LEARN how to wield the innate powers the Gods and Goddesses have given us all to bring peace and truth to the front of my short existance in this body.

LOVE and HUGS To ALL
-AAW

[eldora_avalon]

Lots of 'black' Jews in Ethiopia.

Sara in the bible had blond hair and blue eyes.

A lot of xians in the US would be having fits if it was proved that Jesus was of African heritage, if he looked black. Most xians wouldn't care, but for some, it would shake the foundation of their faith.

[Renny]

I say middle eastern. Why would there be a random white guy in the middle east?

[BrightStar]

Well,it's the Middle East.
It was always a crossroads.
People came there from Far East Asia,Far West Europe,from Africa.From all over the place.Trade routes crossed there,cultures mixed.
I doubt they all stayed separate,so the population would be mixed.

I think he was brown.

Peace and Love
BrightStar

[Thunder]

for what it's worth the bible says he had
hair like wool and skin like brass Rev 1 ,14-15
but the real question is did jesus real exist?

Most serious theological scholars do not dispute his existence. His divinity, on the other hand………

[Thunder]

Well of course he looks confused.
If thousands of atrocities were commited in your name,if your teachings of love and peace were twisted and perverted all over the place to promote war,hate,oppression,genocide,anti-semitism,homophobia,slavery etc.,wouldn't you be confused too?

No... Sad.

[Delia_Marie]

I think god could be any colour you wish him to be as we can all be what we want to be.

Whatever we believe in is our choice, dont let any other people change our minds.

Delia_Marie:wave:

[gurlygurl2004]

He wasn't black, but he wasn't white, and if he was he was a dark Jewish type of white. He grew up in the Middle East so he's more likely to look like Middle Easterners do today.

[gurlygurl2004]

no i dont think he was, but i think the real santa was

LOL:santasmil

[gurlygurl2004]

exactly. to say jesus was black is simply being ignorant of the time period and the place. There were no black jews in the area at the time. The only people who say he was black are black people who want to feel special and closer to god, even if it means that their iq has to drop, and common sense goes out the window.

It's just like whites for many centuries deciding Jesus was white to the point that he looked more Celtic than Jewish. So I don't blame blacks for doing the same.

[Thunder]

It's just like whites for many centuries deciding Jesus was white to the point that he looked more Celtic than Jewish. So I don't blame blacks for doing the same.

You mean he didn't look like Jeffrey Hunter in King of Kings? Sort of a surfer dude savior? Damn!... another illusion shattered.

[Nobu]

If Jesus was black... do you think anyone would have followed him? I mean honestly, in those times?

[Little Billy]

Do you think Jesus was what we would consider today, Black ?

Hell, yes.

LB,
Would like to thank Black Jesus. THANK YUO, BLACK JESUS!

[Findarto]

If Jesus was black... do you think anyone would have followed him? I mean honestly, in those times?
Why wouldn't they have followed him in those times ?

[MGD]

Do you think Jesus was what we would consider today, Black ?

I kind of doubt it but he definitely wasn't European.

[Malcolm]

Jesus was totally a Maori tribesman....

[brighid's child]

Since he was Israeli, LONG before all the Jews of Russian, German etc heritage got there, my guess is he looked a little like a young Yassar Arafat.:)

[Vincent Verthaine]

Why wouldn't they have followed him in those times ?
My question is,would they still follow him if he did come back and was black,or a woman for that matter?

[Findarto]

My question is,would they still follow him if he did come back and was black,or a woman for that matter?
The buddhist would, the buddhists would ;).

[Vincent Verthaine]

The buddhist would, the buddhists would ;).
Buddhists are cool like dat.

[Laisrean]

If Jesus was black... do you think anyone would have followed him? I mean honestly, in those times?

I might be wrong on this, but I don't think people were very racist in biblical times. I think racism didn't really take off in any significant way until the 1500s.

[tiamat-4]

the best depictions are the ones that cite him with thick coarse black hair and dark tan skin. The man was not black; he was of middle eastern descent - particularly among the essenes, a group of jews who lived around the same time as the pharisees and saduccees, who believed in some form of afterlife.

[MGD]

My question is,would they still follow him if he did come back and was black,or a woman for that matter?

Jesus would probably be locked in a psych ward with all the other Jesuses.

[LadyCelt]

I feel Jesus reflects whatever color/race you are and/or you want Jesus to be. I feel Jesus is a representation of myself and in my belief, he was Godde, so relaly Jesus could be any race, size, etc.

[tiamat-4]

spiritually speaking, that's beautiful; but as for history, its clearly not the same. As a historian I want the facts; as a spiritualist i can understand your last statement, Lady Celt.

Its true though. Racism didn't exist back then the way it does today. The Romans saw no problems oppressing a multitude of peoples equally.

[Little Billy]

I feel Jesus reflects whatever color/race you are and/or you want Jesus to be. I feel Jesus is a representation of myself and in my belief, he was Godde, so relaly Jesus could be any race, size, etc.

Godde?

[Little Billy]

My question is,would they still follow him if he did come back and was black,or a woman for that matter?

They wouldn't follow him no matter what.

They'd kill him as fast as they could. Jesus would never be allowed to run around for long.

[Findarto]

spiritually speaking, that's beautiful; but as for history, its clearly not the same. As a historian I want the facts; as a spiritualist i can understand your last statement, Lady Celt.

Its true though. Racism didn't exist back then the way it does today. The Romans saw no problems oppressing a multitude of peoples equally.
They didn't care if they were sleeping with Black little boys, or white little boys :lol:.

[omar]

NO,Jesus was not black or a man. But a WOMAN named White West?

[CheshireEyes]

:spinnysmi

[phoenixrising]

He was of middle eastern descent.. he wasn't white or black..

[aluokaloo]

whaaaat?????? I thought he was a middle eastern deity.

[David19]

He was of middle eastern descent.. he wasn't white or black..

Exactly, it annoys me when people say "Jesus was black" or "Jesus was white", no, he was none of those, he was Middle Eastern, he would've most likely looked like other Middle Eastern peoples.

[David19]

NO,Jesus was not black or a man. But a WOMAN named White West?

What?.

[Tullip Troll]

as far as I know there is no proof that there really was a Jesus as we know Jesus to be .

2nd, I don't think he would have been black but sure as heck wasn't pasty white either.

Also in the scheme of things does it mattter?

The bible does support him having curly hair as in wool like.

[omar]

Maybe zebra striped?

[Tullip Troll]

Maybe zebra striped?

I think you've got it

[PrincessKLS]

No, but I don't believe he was white either. Maybe in the modern American legal term of white since he came from the Middle East, but I don't consider most of those people white.

I believe he could've had deep caramel complected skin and maybe black hair.

[David19]

Maybe zebra striped?

Again, what?, where do you get that stuff from?.

[phoenixrising]

Well now that we have his bones (and maybe DNA) we can answer it for all time.

I was pretty sure he was in roman records somewhere, but I have no idea where to find them.
(IMO) he was a real person, I have no doubt about it. He may have even been gifted in the craft, but the son of god? Someone got knocked up before it was cool to get knocked up when you wern't married and came up with a really good story.

[HedwigHarfang]

for what it's worth the bible says he had
hair like wool and skin like brass Rev 1 ,14-15
but the real question is did jesus real exist?

That's the Son of Man. Jesus is the Son of God; the Son of Man in Revelations is His second "incarnation" or, indeed, the Second Coming. Jesus was divine; the next Christ figure will be an ordinary human being; in fact Jesus was aware of the prophecies about the Son of Man that had him riding into his kingdom on a white horse so therefore he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to show that he hadn't come just as the Jewish Messiah. To us he is a great prophet, mystic and rabbi but he does not fulfill our own prophecies about the Messiah; it is doubtful to me at least that he even fulfills Isaiah's prophecies; "...and the government shall be upon his shoulders" was not what Jesus was there to bring about.

Jesus really existed but a lot of what we "know" of his early life from the gospels is probably not real. He is mentioned by Josephus, a Jewish historian.

I think Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ got it right - he was a Middle Eastern Jew.

There are people who try to claim every significant personage for their own - the Muslims started trying to suggest that Shakespeare showed a knowledge of Islam too advanced for the 1600s so he must have been Muslim! ---rolls eyes--- but I agree that he wasn't a white hippy either. I think we can safely rule out black though. There are black Jews - Biblical Sheba is modern-day Ethiopia/Eritrea - but Jesus was not among them as they stayed resolutely in Ethiopia until the advent of the state of Israel.

[kotu]

Do you think Jesus was what we would consider today, Black ?

Yes he was and he is black today too

[kotu]

Jesus is the Son of God

This is a very misunderstood phrase. It actually means he was the physical incarnation of God: he is God. But that's not so special seeing as we are all Gods/Goddesses. He's just our leader.

*edit*
sorry if that sounded really arrogant!

[Tanya]

who cares?

[Stormbeard]

Jesus was a white man from Oxford.

[David19]

Yes he was and he is black today too

I'm not sure what you mean, but know, he was from the Middle East, he would've looked Arab, like everyone else from the Middle East. Not black, not white, Middle Eastern. Just go to Middle East, and their skin colour, hair, etc is probably how Jesus would've looked, same for Mary, same for some of the Saints (like I think St. George was Middle Eastern?), same for Mary Magdaline(sp?), etc.

[Aidron]

Jesus was a white man from Oxford.

Nonsense. Jesus a homeboy, yo.

[kotu]

I'm not sure what you mean, but know, he was from the Middle East, he would've looked Arab, like everyone else from the Middle East. Not black, not white, Middle Eastern. Just go to Middle East, and their skin colour, hair, etc is probably how Jesus would've looked, same for Mary, same for some of the Saints (like I think St. George was Middle Eastern?), same for Mary Magdaline(sp?), etc.
I was merely jesting with you all

[kotu]

Jesus was a white man from Oxford.

No! Oxford is as evil as Brighton!

I say he was welsh

[David19]

I was merely jesting with you all

Ok, sorry about that :).

[David19]

No! Oxford is as evil as Brighton!

I say he was welsh

That's even worse, imagine being Welsh and being part of the same community as Rydian from X Factor! :lol: (no offence to any Welsh reading this ;)).

[kotu]

That's even worse, imagine being Welsh and being part of the same community as Rydian from X Factor! :lol: (no offence to any Welsh reading this ;)).

Don't worry the Welsh can't read

[David19]

Don't worry the Welsh can't read

They apparantly can't hear or have any good appreciation of music if they loved Rydian ;) :lol:.

OT, but I am so glad Leon won, he's a good singer, he's hot, sweet, and just so cute! (I know people outside the UK may have no idea who I'm talking about but I'm sure if you're in the UK, you know, and if you haven't been watching X Factor, where have you been!, you're such a traitor to our country, not watching X Factor!!).

[kotu]

I haven't been watching it. Will I go to prison?

[David19]

I haven't been watching it. Will I go to prison?

Yes, how dare you not know who Leon is and not watch X Factor, in fact, forget prison, you have to go into exile! :p :lol:.