(ThyBlackMan.com) The most common answer, “He was not blond and blue-eyed like they show him in movies and paintings. He was darker than that, like the people who live in North Africa today.” However, the average American today looks nothing like the average American 500 years ago when Columbus arrived. So why expect the North Africans of today to necessarily resemble those of more than 2,000 years ago?
Some point to phrases in the Bible that say, “His eyes are like blazing fire, his feet like burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of many waters.” which would indicate a very black man with a deep voice. And there are depictions of Christ like this in some Black churches, and some ancient statues and paintings show him this way. However, doesn’t the second commandment explicitly forbid the making of “graven images?” So how come there are so many depictions of Christ, as Black or white?
Muslims have no depiction of Jesus Christ or any of the prophets, neither do Jews, or many Christian sects. However, Catholics and many Protestant sects do have icons, usually of a white Jesus. And note that it is Catholics and the Protestant sects with the white Jesus icon that sent out missionaries in the wake of the European conquerors and colonizers. Note that the literal meaning of “Catholic” is “universal.” The Catholic Church purports to be universal, a faith for everyone. However, how can any faith that holds that certain of its members look like God, and others do not, be all-encompassing? Once the prophets, or God himself, as many Christians hold Jesus Christ to be, is pictured as any color, then all who are not of that color would have to have a lesser status.
However, there is an even deeper question. Did Jesus Christ really exist? Because this is a predominantly Christian country, the mass media acts as if Jesus Christ is an undisputed, real historical figure. As a result many, if not most, are not aware that there is a historical debate as to whether or not such a person really existed. Who or what one believes, or does not believe, is a purely personal matter. But it is a fact that there is great controversy over Christ’s authenticity.
Here is a little test. Tell me, who am I referring to? He died in his 33rd year. He said the man married to his mother was not his father. He said he was fathered by a God. He was called, “King of Kings.” And the name “Issus” was connected to him. Who was that? Jesus? Yes, but all these things are also true of Alexander the Great. It has been claimed that Christ is a re-configuring of the supreme Western conqueror, Alexander, as a supremely religious figure.
The Persians invaded and conquered Egypt in 666 BCE. The Greeks under Alexander came in 333 BCE. Alexander’s general Ptolemy, after Alexander’s death, inherited the throne of Egypt and was declared Pharaoh. The Ptolemaic line was the last Pharaonic dynasty; its last member was Cleopatra. After Cleopatra, the Romans seized Egypt. The Romans, at first, persecuted the Christians until, that is, the Emperor Constantine converted to the Christian faith.
However, Walter Williams in The Historical Origins of Christianity disputes that last claim. He offers evidence that Constantine did not convert to Christianity, but, instead, created it! Williams says that the Romans were not putting Christians to death, that they were persecuting the last stubborn remnants of the original, ancient Egyptian religion. Constantine, says Williams, ceased his attacks on them once they agreed to convert Egyptian religion into what is now known as Christianity. That is why the earliest statues of Christ and his mother are Black. They are based on the Egyptian holy figures Isis and her son, Osiris.
Notre Dame and many European cathedrals are, in fact, built on sites that were originally temples to Isis. Notice, how in Southern Europe the “Mother of God,” is often given as much, if not more, attention and veneration than Christ. Williams, and others, say this is because Mary is really a refiguring of the goddess Isis, and Jesus is a recasting of her son, Osiris.
The Romans badly needed a central religious figure to hold together their ever expanding Empire. Observe that the Pope is called the “Pontiff.” One of the titles of the Roman Emperor was “Pontifex Maximus.” Also, look at the hat, called the “mitre,” that the Pope and all the bishops of the Catholic Church wear. It is based on the double crown of the Egyptian pharaoh. The pharaoh was the intermediary between the people and the gods, the Roman Emperor and later the pope assumed that pivotal role. After the fall of Rome, the various kings that rose up across Europe claimed to rule by, “Divine Right.”
So we see that starting with the simple question, “What color was Christ?” we can explore a host of historical issues and perspectives. But, bottom line, what is the truth? Only you can decide. However, unless you read and think for yourself, others will make up your mind for you and thereby decide your fate. Would that not be a waste?
Staff Writer; Arthur Lewin
This letter in my opinion is ok. The author did not point out to his friend the lies, deaths, thefts, labels, rapes, murder that the Black race endured and continue to endure by the hands of the white race. He did not point out that white American created according to what they wanted a picture that they claimed was Jesus which has no Biblical evidence. Each time that picture is shown it is always a different picture never the same. Where did white america get this picture? In the King James edition of my Bible, the only description of what Jesus may have looked liked are found in the book of Daniel and Revelation. When you read that description, it appears that when you acquaint that description to a race the race on earth is Black.
The Author didn’t tell his friend, that the white man upon arriving from Europe in America, how the white man befriended the Indians and upon learning how to live off the land believed that their white supremacy was so great that they went to Africa and destroyed families and enslaved the Black People brought them to American, threaten them, killed them, enslaved them, rapped the BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS, stooled the land that the Black Slaves worked on and built America, but then white man put labels on Black as thieves, mean, murders, rapist, thus, planting fear in white american to fear Black Americans. He didn’t point out that the Oklahoma Massacre was done by white americans–but they continue to be superior. He didn’t point out the lie that Carolyn Bryant told that caused Emmet Till murder. He didn’t point out that the live styles of white America are because of the slaves and Black America.
White americans present themselves as superior–and maybe when you look at their characteristics what’s superior about murders, thieves, liars, hands that shed innocent blood, devise wicked schemes, evil and wick people who stirs up conflict in the communities, the question that needs to be answered is when is the white man going to repent and take accountability for the wrongness that they have done and are continuing to do. White americans have a lot to repent for, and their denial of racism exist today is because they refuse to admit their wrongness. When white america that accountability for their actions towards Black People racism will cease love will come into place, respect for the human race will be exhibited, hate will stop.
White people have always had it their way and their way has created the world that exist today, the hate, the lies, the murders, the thefts. You as author and all Black Americans need to be able to remind white america that they aren’t superior, but this is their way of justifying the wrong things they have done and are continuing to do. When white people tell Black people to go back to their country–why don’t they go back to their county–Europe. Black people are in their country, since slaves built this country–not white americans
Excellent sharing for the logical thinker. To think of the amount of human truth that have been changed with man’s hands and presented to the masses in falshood is sad. “Man Plans but G-d is the Best of Planners. ” in His devine Time. The rise and Fall of great civilizations continues. PEACE
Jesus was all colours and no colour, he did not actually exist!
Jesus from Outer Space by Dr Richard Carrier PhD.