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From: shd2001@andy.bgsu.edu (Sherlette Dixon)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Was Jesus Black?
Message-ID: <Apr.24.01.08.17.1993.4217@geneva.rutgers.edu>
Date: 24 Apr 93 05:08:18 GMT
Sender: hedrick@geneva.rutgers.edu
Organization: BGSU
Lines: 43
Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu

The people who post to this particular newsgroup are either too cowardly,
too arrogant, or too apathetic to discuss this issue since I have yet to
see any discussion grace my computer screen.  While it holds PARTICULAR
interest to the African-American community, everyone has something to gain
from discussing it.  As any knowledgable person should know, Christianity
has been used in this country to tighten the spiritual, emotional, & mental
hold slavery placed on the minds, souls & hearts of African-Americans. 
This was most effectively done by the display of white icons of Jesus in
slave churches to encourage the godly superiority of slaveowners.  It
wasn't enough that the slaveowner was your provider, but he was also your
GOD, to be looked upon with unconditional love & loyalty and to be
worshipped with great pride.  But how culturally & biblically accurate are
these icons?  Pictures & statues of a Black Jesus have been found in
European countries, as that of a Black Madonna.  But what about Biblical
physical descriptions of Jesus, His hair being compared to that of wool,
His feet to that of brass?  And think about the area of the world where all
Biblical actions took place.  I welcome all intelligent commentary on this
important topic; flamers need not reply.

Sherlette 

P.S.  I expect at least THIS type of response:  "It doesn't matter what
color His skin was; His actions & what He did for mankind are what counts."
 This is true; I am not questioning this.  But He walked the earth for 3
decades as a HUMAN; this part of His existence intrigues me.  And as for
saying that "it doesn't matter..."  to a member of a physically emancipated
people who is still struggling for MENTAL emancipation, believe me:  IT
MATTERS.

[The general attack on the members of this group seems unjustified.
There has been discussion of this issue in the past.  We can't discuss
everything at once, so the fact that some specific thing hasn't been
discussed recently shouldn't be taken as a sign of general cowardice,
arrogance or apathy.  In past discussions no one has been outraged by
suggestions that Jesus could be black (and it has been suggested by a
few scholars), but the concensus is that he was most likely Semitic.
As you probably know, there is a tradition that portrayals of Jesus in
art tends to show him as one of the people.  Thus you wouldn't be
surprised to find African art showing him as black, and oriental art
showing him as oriental.  There are good reasons relating to Christian
devotion to think of him in such a way.  It's also good now and then
to have that image challenged, and to think of Jesus as being a member
of XXX, where XXX is the group you least respect.  --clh]
