-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
Megyn Kelly, on her Fox News show, declared: “Jesus was a white man, too. It’s like we have, he’s a historical figure that’s a verifiable fact, as is Santa, I just want kids to know that.” While I grant that Jesus was a historical figure, Santa was only based on a historical figure, a monk named Nicholas. Nicholas was born around 260 A.D. in Patara, in present-day Turkey. Nicholas was probably Greek although little is known about his parents. While it make make Kelly uncomfortable, Nicolas certainly wouldn’t have looked as white as Santa appears in the Coca-Cola ads.
According to Reza Aslan, Jesus was a Galilean, a Palestinian Jew. He would have looked like the average Palestinian looks today. Aslan cites those features: “that would mean dark features, hairy, probably a longer nose, black hair.” Hardly the Jesus seen in so many European paintings. There is great psychological benefit to portraying Jesus as “one of your own.”
In Chinese art (left) we see the Mary and Jesus are depicted with Chinese attributes. 
In Japanese art (right), Jesus is depicted with Japanese characteristics. The artists may never have seen a foreigner and had no model, other than their fellow countrymen, on which to base their depictions. When trying to attract converts, it is best to remember that people naturally relate to someone who looks like them.
Modern forensic techniques have been used on a skull of a first century Jewish male to create a model of Jesus’ face shown at left. The skin color was chosen as indicative of someone from a desert climate. This image contrasts greatly with the Jesus found in European paintings.
Why is a white skin color for Jesus so important to Kelly?
Many married Christians think they can grow their relationship by inviting Jesus into their marriage. This spiritual polyandry would be less attractive when a non-white Jesus is envisioned.
The portrayal of Jesus has been used throughout history as a political tool. For those who advocate immigration restrictions, a blond-haired blue-eyed Jesus sends a clear message of exclusion.
H/T: Paul Harvey and Edward J. Blum, Darren E. Grem, BBC News, James Nye, Max Fisher.
I do understand that the whole reason I’m in a battle that most couldn’t even dream of – is because I didn’t consider selling out my clients (knew the moment I refused their last bribe offer that I was in deep pooh too).
One could not take Hollywood’s best, drug them to their worst and dream up the stuff I’m dealing with here.
All too surreal!
You providing the herb….
Dredd;
I’m setting you up with a blind lunch date
with Ben Sanders.
Take a week, find some hemp and enlighten us all with more “colorful” insights.
Hey… Capone had lots to do with lots of things…. Not one you wanted to cross and he generally forced his bed mates…. You do an honorable job by not selling your soul…..
You know O’ Hare (ORD) is named for a pilot in WWII …. But he was also the son of Capones Tax man….. That sold the man in power out….. Things do have a way of catching up with you…..
“There are no ‘colors’, only the various energy levels of photons (wavelength, frequency) which stimulate the cones in our eyes, which our brains then interpret as ‘colors’.” -Dr. Lakoff
By the way Anonymously Yours, that reflection of $500k fine and 5 years in jail makes certain assumptions (like that of legitimacy).
Here’s a more truer (harder to answer) question.
If – Laser the Liquidator had known the fix was in all the way to the White House (where even the Public Corruption Task Force would be shut down before any prosecution would come) AND that he could help make a POTUS wannabe become POTUS (and then be such persons partner).
Would Laser the Liquidator then – at least – pause and consider the option?
—————
After all, I’m a liquidator by profession (an opportunist).
What was it that made the opportunist – not even for a nanosecond – consider selling out his client for the biggest one day payday of his life?
For reporters to be “that” smart and ask such questions;
they’d have to understand what Capone has to do with this.
Anonymously Yours;
Here’s a question proffered to me just yesterday (when I was asked to be involved in a Malcolm Gladwell forum on Tuesday on LinkedIn) –
“So, Mr. Haas – you turned down $850,000 and a chance to be partners with a guy that was running for Governor of Massachusetts. But I have to ask you, for the sake of the curiosity of our readers. Are you envious that Michael Glazer was given $18 million, now is CEO of Stage Stores and came real close to being partners of a POTUS”?
To which I said.
“So you are asking if more money and higher partnerships with Capone would have cajoled me to the dark side”?
And (I kid you not) – he replied
“What’s Capone got to do with this”?
—————————–
I guess I’m the only one who understands that 18 USC 1964(c) RICO was created to specifically take down above the law, off shoring, POTUS wannabes!
begfatmike;
But vat vouldn’t ve appropriviate!
@Anonymously Yours
Meanwhile, back to taking down the G-d/POTUS wannabe and his magic underwear (most likely being recalled right now) –
It is day 57 of the “Haas v Romney” Racketeering litigation.
So – I now have to believe in
Miracles!
Well laser….. Maybe in the Masonic year of luck will you bring down the corrupt….. So they really tried to have you replaced as the court appointed liquidator….. If you’d looked the other way…. Hmmm 500k fine and 5 years incarceration…. Not quite worth it…
Theo
As one who is (G-d help us) more verbose than I; please explain the following diametric reflections by ye.
and this one
Theo,
There are many who agree with you train of thought with respect to women being historically significant in the grand scheme of things…. But what do you expect from a pretty much male dominated hierarchy of power grab…. Read about Lydia….
Everyone needs ratings. One way of accomplishing this task is to make ‘interesting statements/comments.’ I thought FoxNews had discussions of pulling the plug on her show months ago due to everyone watching The O’Reilly Factor’? For some reason, FoxNews keeps moving ‘The Kelly File’ around different times (12 noon, 8pm, 9pm, etc.), and having her appear on ‘The O’Reilly Factor’ at least 3 times a week (how many times have Bill O’Reilly appeared on her show? Maybe once? I haven’t seen him on her show?).
Prediction: Megyn Kelly will move to FBN by June 2014 (or join the O’Bama Adminstration’s Department of Justice as the new Attorney General or Director of Homeland Security. 🙁 ).
That’s because – Ben Sanders – you are Contrarian.
Not black enough –
Sheeesssh!
I would have described middle east skin tones such as the one shows in the bottom of the pictures as ‘white’.
I would not describe someone as ‘black’ unless they had dark brown African skin tones.
Obviously other people use different definitions – when there was all the fuss about Obama being the first black American president, my general reaction after looking at his pictures was: ‘he’s not black though’.
” my general reaction after looking at his pictures was: ‘he’s not black though’.”
There was a time when the black and white photos of the day were handled a little differently so that the skin tones of African Americans appeared a few shades lighter in the news paper. Most people probably did not notice. But it could be a little surprising to see an African American leader standing next to a northern European American – both with the same gray-scale skin tone.
Do you suppose we will reach a time when politicians demand that there news photos be Photoshopped so that there skin tones appear darker and browner?
We already have politicians changing their accent and using different vocabulary – depending on their audience.
Norman Rockwell is now turning over in his grave.
The comments are droll and Kelly’s statements naive at best, whether by design of her Fox producers or out of sincere belief, I don’t know with certanity but suspect the former.
There is no proof of the existence of Jesus. He may or may not have existed. He may be an amalgam of various rabbis and earlier or contemporary messiah or messiah-like figures in both the Hebrew and non-Hebrew traditions. Mark’s is said to be the first gospel, but Paul’s letters precede Mark’s by several decades. Neither Paul nor the four gospel writers knew Jesus and both Paul’s letters and Mark’s gospel were written a number of decades after Jesus’ is thought to have died. The gospels were written using the mechanism of midrash. This is how wikipedia describes midrash:
“In Judaism, the Midrash (Hebrew: מדרש; plural midrashim) is the body of homiletic stories told by Jewish rabbinic sages to explain passages in the Tanakh.[the Hebrew bible]
“Midrash is a method of interpreting biblical stories that goes beyond simple distillation of religious, legal, or moral teachings. It fills in gaps left in the biblical narrative regarding events and personalities that are only hinted at.[1]
“The purpose of midrash was to resolve problems in the interpretation of difficult passages of the text of the Hebrew Bible, using Rabbinic principles of hermeneutics and philology to align them with the religious and ethical values of religious teachers.”
Midrash explains in part why there are so many contradictions and differences among the gospels and why they do not conform with Paul in all cases. Some scholars see Paul as not one who believed literally in Jesus’ death and resurrection but was writing metaphorically.
I too saw that composite of Jesus face many years ago. It makes sense.
There are many scholars of early Christianity. women and men.
One can’t go wrong with any of the many books of Robert M. Price. The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man: How Reliable is the Gospel Tradition? is a good place to start, even though it is a challenge in size and density of analysis.
I came across a less scholarly treatment recently and a much smaller one, from 1992, this time with respect to Mary, written by Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong: Born of a Woman: A Bishop Rethinks the Virgin Birth and the Treatment of Women by a Male-Dominated Church. That book calls upon the work of various scholars and the bishop’s own evolving understanding of the tradition to call for a rethinking among believers of who “Mary” was and what she means. You will find info re some of the women scholars who are enriching our insight into Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the early church.
Elaine Pagels is a well-known and highly praised scholar, and I believe counts herself among the faithful, and writes with deep insight, clarity, and precision.
As to St. Nicholas/Santa Claus of all the various traditions, I love him. Long may he live!
Jesus….. Was Mexican….. I know…. And messiah lives in the middle of the country…. Like Tennessee ….. Maybe Jesus was an albino….. I’ve seen them…… But more than likely….. He was brown skinned…..
Now Santa….. We know…. Here in the US…. I think is coke cola version…. Based upon Thomas Nast ….. But hey….. What do I know….. If he was based on the thrower of dowerys in windows at night…. That one…. Then…. He was probably a little lighter than Jesus…. But much darker than the one we in the US have become accustomed to….. But hey…. The Nordic Santa…. Crampus…. It’s possible….. Just when you think things should be copywrite, trademarked or patented….. Oh my too much to think about this morning……
My last post above was BarkinDog barking but he could not get the machine right so I posted it under my name. I am from France.
I wonder if Megan’s hair was as blond when she was born as it appears now. And if she wears some pale makeup to make her whiter. I wonder if they inquired into Megan’s education when they hired her.
I went through the Pearly Gates when I was granted my request to come back on Earth as a dog at my last incarnation. It was a Wednesday. Saint Peter plays golf on Wednesday and has a stand in. While I was waiting in line I observed several candidates get sent to Hell or Limbo. Limbo is a suburb of St. Louis, Mo called Florissant. No one goes to Heaven and no one sits up on clouds with astronauts or Microsoft. There is an oil painting of Jesus up there on the waiting room wall and it does indeed depict an arab looking kind of guy next to a goat. Megan needs to get a goat if she want to get a reincarnation and not get sent to Florissant for her dumb statements about Jesus and Sinter Klaus.
@davidbluefish ” I believe if I had a keurig my life would go down the tubes. I’d probably end up dumpster diving behind starbucks.”
God,
Grant me the serenity;
To accept the things I cannot change;… must… have ….coffee….