Black Jesus

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I've always been of the opinion that Yeshua of Nazareth was, of course, an Anglo-Saxoner who more or less resembled Jeffrey Hunter in King of Kings. A nice-looking guy with faintly wavy, medium-brown, nearly shoulder-length hair with blondish highlights, almost always dressed in a white robe with Biblical briefs underneath, his eyes a penetrating bright blue and his toenails always pedicured. I realize what this sounds like, but the idea of an African-American Yeshua with black kinky hair has always sounded like a stretch.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 25, 2006 at 4:57 PM

comment #1

D.Z. says ...

If you believe he can bring someone back to life or make water into wine, I don't see how it's any more of a stretch that he's black.

Posted by D.Z. at October 25, 2006 5:41 PM

comment #2

jeffmcm says ...

I think you misspelled 'Jesus', as the guy is commonly known, I believe.

Posted by jeffmcm at October 25, 2006 6:00 PM

comment #3

Dan Revill says ...

I don't think he was Anglo Saxon. He's from what is now northern Israel - I figure he looked more Middle Eastern than British...maybe darker. Maybe even black. Who knows? My time machine is broken, so I haven't been able to check.

Anyhow, Jeff why do you even care?

Posted by Dan Revill at October 25, 2006 6:30 PM

comment #4

nemo says ...

If Jesus was Jewish, then why did he have a Mexican name?

Posted by nemo at October 25, 2006 9:46 PM

comment #5

Arizona Joe says ...

The optimal Jesus is a swarthy Jesus, so he can qualify for several ethnic categorizations. Max Von Sydow's blue eyes are out.

Posted by Arizona Joe at October 26, 2006 12:16 AM

comment #6

joncro says ...

The website describes their film as having 'The first depiction of Jesus as a black man'.

Clearly they have forgotten Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' video.

Posted by joncro at October 26, 2006 2:44 AM

comment #7

NYCBusybody says ...

Jesus looked like Hulk Hogan.

Posted by NYCBusybody at October 26, 2006 6:05 AM

comment #8

houmas says ...

I might be wrong, and saracasm on the internet can be notoriously difficult to decipher, but I got the slightest feeling that Jeffrey Wells was being saracstic in his "belief" that Jesus looked like a pretty white guy in flowing white robes. That's just the generic, established westernised image of Jesus. Wells sounds like he's taking the piss.

Or maybe I am wrong, and Welles really does believe Jesus looked like Jeffrey Hunter. But I don't think he really believes that, anymore than he believes Cleopatra bore a passing resemblance to Elizabeth Taylor.

Posted by houmas at October 26, 2006 6:48 AM

comment #9

Michael says ...

Just had to chime in and say 'optimal Jesus' is an awesome phrase. I'm going to use it as much as possible in the next few weeks.

Jesus was Jewish. I don't know many black Jews...but the dark blonde blue eyed Clooney tanned Jesus that was portrayed in the past is an embarassment. Caviezel was good...probably not ethnic enough though.

Posted by Michael at October 26, 2006 7:44 AM

comment #10