Three narratives are repeated every year when we commemorate the Nativity of Prince of Peace.
- Jesus wasn’t born on December 25. (Who cares, really? Christmas doesn’t commemorate a day; it commemorates an event.)
- Jesus didn’t exist. (Life is too precious to have to deal with such idiots.
Critical Race Theory is redefining the meaning of critique.
White Christians will soon celebrate the arrival of a North African black man. He is dark skinned and has dreadlocks.#MerryChristmas
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) December 22, 2021
I’m not sure how the “Bishop” came by his “Bishop” status, but it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with religion.
Same trash here, defending a terrorist white supremacist terrorist who was 17 years old and killed two people. #KenoshaWhat filth justifies George Zimmerman’s murder? #TrayvonMartin— they automatically side with armed, racist, white, vigilantes.
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) August 27, 2020
This seems to have two themes. The first is that people are so stupid that they don’t know that Jesus was a Palestinian Jew. The second theme is that White people are so racist that if they did know that Jesus didn’t look like a Viking, they would reject Christianity. A subtext to this is “make stuff up to own the cons.” Along the way, the “Bishop” shows a stunning lack of historical perspective.
Just as Jesus was not blond-haired-blue-eyed, neither was he Black North African. Although, for the record, I’m not really sure what “Black North African” looks like, because if you look a crowd scenes from Tripoli, Tunis, etc., the people look very much like crowd scenes from southern Spain, Greece, and Sicily I think one should expect Jesus to very much resemble the people in any crowd scene from the West Bank or Gaza.
Where “Bishop” Swan comes up with the idea of an infant having deadlocks is beyond me. Ascetic sects were well-known for having long, thick hair. Based on the information we have about John, it would seem that he wore that hairstyle.
And the same John had his garment of camels’ hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins: and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
Dreadlocks are not the same as long, matted hair. Jesus wasn’t an ascetic who lived alone in the wilderness with his long, thick locks. Before his public ministry, Jesus lived in Nazareth and worked as a carpenter. It is probable that Jesus cut his hair short. Saint Paul observes in 1 Corinthians 11:14, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” Considering that St. Paul had been in Jerusalem and was in contact with the Church in Jerusalem, it stands to reason that he would not have condemned a hairstyle worn by Jesus.
Jesus can be portrayed artistically in the same way as any other race. That is fine. Art doesn’t have to be historically accurate to be uplifting.
This is what I find even more fascinating if we take off just one layer.
John 20:14
After she said this, she turned her back and saw Jesus standing before her; she didn’t know it was Jesus. [15] Jesus saith to her: Woman, why weepest thou? What is your purpose? Thinking it was the gardener she said: Sir! Tell me, where has he been laid, and I’ll get him.
[16] Jesus saith to her: Mary. He turned and she said to her: Rabboni, which is to say Master.
John 21:4
Jesus was seen standing on the shore when morning came. The disciples did not know that Jesus was there. [5] Jesus therefore said to them: Children, have you any meat? Jesus replied: “No.
[6] He saith to them: Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find. The cast was made, and they couldn’t draw the net due to the number of fishes. [7] That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved, said to Peter: It is the Lord. Simon Peter heard the Lord and wrapped his arms around it.
Luke 24,13
They were both taken to Emmaus in sixty-feet from Jerusalem. [14] And they talked together of all these things which had happened. [15] And it came to pass, that while they talked and reasoned with themselves, Jesus himself also drawing near, went with them.
[16] But their eyes were held, that they should not know him.
From Mark 16-12:12, the most interesting.
He appeared again in a different shape than the other two, walking as they went into the country. [13] And they going told it to the rest: neither did they believe them. [14] At length he appeared to the eleven as they were at table: and he upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen him after he was risen again. [15 And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Perhaps Jesus, who is Perfect God and Perfect Man, appears to us as we need to see him. Maybe St. Paul’s admonishment to the Galatians is more expansive than a commentary on nationality or legal status.
There is neither Jew nor Greek: there is neither bond nor free: there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. [29] And if you be Christ’s, then are you the seed of Abraham, heirs according to the promise.
The idea that you can claim for your ethnicity or race the personage Jesus is to make a political point might not be what Christianity stands for.
One final note for the “Bishop.” No matter what Jesus Christ looked like, we celebrate the birth of the Son of God and the Redeemer of Mankind. If your ability to worship Him is based on your fantasy about his physical appearance or values you attribute to your political opponents, that is your problem, not mine or anyone else’s.
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