What colour was Jesus?

[Cowperson]

Jesus has been named the top black icon by the New Nation newspaper. Their assertion that Jesus was black has raised eyebrows in some quarters - so what colour was he?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3958241.stm

Cowperson

[Agamemnon]

Wouldn't he have to be Arabic looking, since he came from that area? He definitely wouldn't be 'white' though I also doubt he's 'black'.

I think a dark shade of Middle Eastern brown makes the most sense... whatever everyone else around there looke like (sans the halo).

[Faid1]

I don't know I assume he would look like a Jew?

No brainer here.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I admit that when I think of Jesus the first image that pops into my mind is the Western concept of long hair/beard, white, etc.

however logically I doubt that's the case, I think the article makes good points... then again I don't really think it matters what he looked like.

[Agamemnon]

Originally posted by Faid1@Oct 27 2004, 06:23 PM
I don't know I assume he would look like a Jew?

No brainer here.

No brainer hey? Looks like a jew huh? What does a Jew look like?

I'm pretty sure, in that time period and location, he would have looked like an Arab.

If you think 'Jews' look like Arabs, then I suppose I agree with you. Not sure what you're saying though. I've known a lot of Jews who looked very different from Jerry Seinfeld.

[Heaton]

big nose, rabbi hat, suspenders.

[Agamemnon]

Originally posted by Maritime Q-Scout@Oct 27 2004, 06:26 PM
I admit that when I think of Jesus the first image that pops into my mind is the Western concept of long hair/beard, white, etc.

however logically I doubt that's the case, I think the article makes good points... then again I don't really think it matters what he looked like.

Maybe doesn't matter so much now (though there are probably hard-core Christians that would reject that Jesus was anything but white).

Back in the day when race made a difference, it was probably pretty important for Jesus to be a white guy. After all, you can't enslave a bunch of people who are the same colour as Jesus, that just wouldn't be right

[Claeren]

He would have looked Arabic, or from some line of similiar looking Asian Minor ancestory.

And Jewish? You know the jews have re-populated the region, right? Arguably MANY are from lines that are not directly and totally from ancient roots, and in the very least had spent hundreds and many times thousands of years (and therefor many many generations) away.

Furthermore, many people in Israel look VERY different then stereo-types here may cast them.
Claeren.

[FlamesAddiction]

Jesus very well could have been black. Ancient Egyptians are thought to have been black by many archeaologists. Some even believe that ancient Greeks may have been black. There is no reason to believe that races were located in all the same areas then that they exist in now. There were countless invasions and migrations during ancient times. The Moors invaded southern Europe, the Hyksos and Aryans invaded the middle east and Southern Europe. There was a lot mixng of races, and modern day Semetic people could just be a result of that.

[Claeren]

Except i can't see someone who would obviously be seen as an outsider ethnically having such a huge effect on the people of the region and not be recorded historicaly as an outsider, know what i mean?

Claeren.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally posted by Claeren@Oct 27 2004, 06:55 PM
Except i can't see someone who would obviously be seen as an outsider ethnically having such a huge effect on the people of the region and not be recorded historicaly as an outsider, know what i mean?

Claeren.

The thing is, we don't know that the culture at the time would have made the same "race" designations as we do. At one time in Europe, people considered those who lived in a mountainous region a different race from those who lived inland or on the coast. Skin colour didn't become a big issue in our culture until the age of exploration and colonialism.

Dividing humans up as races became a way to marginalize certain groups and make an excuse or justification for exerting power over them. In the times of Jesus, it may not have been necessary to look at black people and white people as different, at least no more than superficially - in which case, why would they note it? It may have been no more noteworthy than eye colour, height, or hair length.

[Cowperson]

Originally posted by Claeren@Oct 27 2004, 06:55 PM
Except i can't see someone who would obviously be seen as an outsider ethnically having such a huge effect on the people of the region and not be recorded historicaly as an outsider, know what i mean?

Claeren.

Like Arnold Schwarzenager!!??

Cowperson

[Frank the Tank]

Well, since he never existed, he looks like whatever you want him to look like.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally posted by Frank the Tank@Oct 27 2004, 01:11 PM
Well, since he never existed, he looks like whatever you want him to look like.

Oh, I'm sure he existed. All the rest of it I'm not so sure.

[stuckinchuck]

Originally posted by FlamesAddiction@Oct 27 2004, 01:50 PM
Jesus very well could have been black. Ancient Egyptians are thought to have been black by many archeaologists. Some even believe that ancient Greeks may have been black. There is no reason to believe that races were located in all the same areas then that they exist in now. There were countless invasions and migrations during ancient times. The Moors invaded southern Europe, the Hyksos and Aryans invaded the middle east and Southern Europe. There was a lot mixng of races, and modern day Semetic people could just be a result of that.

I believe the correct term is The Moops!

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Not to start a war or make a political statement, but this is a fair ethnic representation of what Jesus of Nazareth would have looked like.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally posted by FlamesAddiction@Oct 27 2004, 12:50 PM
The Moors invaded southern Europe,

Oh no no no.. I'm sorry... its moops.

[Frank the Tank]

Originally posted by MrMastodonFarm+Oct 27 2004, 07:14 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (MrMastodonFarm @ Oct 27 2004, 07:14 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Frank the Tank@Oct 27 2004, 01:11 PM
Well, since he never existed, he looks like whatever you want him to look like.

Oh, I'm sure he existed. All the rest of it I'm not so sure. [/b][/quote]
I don't beleive any of it. Not one word. I'm hard core baby!

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally posted by Frank the Tank@Oct 27 2004, 01:15 PM
I don't beleive any of it. Not one word. I'm hard core baby!

You don't beleive that throughout the history of time a man named Jesus never existed?

[Frank the Tank]

Correct. Its all bunk. All of it.