I guess it's kind of astounding to me that many Christians can so dislike Middle Easterners?

[Buddha Dharma]

I mean, I don't think racism is reasonable from the get go.

It's always struck me as really odd though that a Christian would be anti-semetic or cultivate such deep mistrust of Middle Easterners- when they follow a guy who was Middle Eastern.

Can it be reasonably denied that for some people at least, it does extent to profiling Middle Easterners? Like when that Buddhist monk got attacked in Oregon for 'looking Arab'.

It's odd I guess, because Jesus was Middle Eastern. He probably looked more or less Arab in his features. The Jews of 2000+ years ago prior to the diaspora did pretty much look Middle Eastern as we still see it now.

Depicted with burnished bronze skin, jet black hair, and the works. Like I said. I don't think there's a way to deny that for some Christians and westerners it extends to racial profiling of Arabs and others. We have attacks showing it does.

It's always struck me as odd on a level of comparing such a thing to Buddhism. Imagine a Buddhist knowing reasonably we follow an Indian man, an Asian- but profiling Asians negatively and trying to 'white-wash' the Buddha.

Odd thing that some people do with Jesus, no? The nut bars in the Ku Klux Klan even extend this to arguing for Anglo-Israelism to paint Jesus as 'actually European'.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Well, most people are Christians in name only and have the same prejudices that anyone else in their situation could have. They just call themselves Christians because because of tradition and it being the majority religion, but it hardly means they take the teachings of Jesus to heart abd strive at all times to adhere to them. The majority of people appear to treat religion that way.

Also, most people have an image of Jesus being a white European and many honestly think that's what he would've looked like.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

The majority of people appear to treat religion that way.

Yep, you're right. It happens everywhere.

Also, most people have an image of Jesus being a white European and many honestly think that's what he would've looked like.

Yeah, surely many of them reasonably know though he wasn't white right? I dunno

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Yeah, surely many of them reasonably know though he wasn't white right? I dunno

Many do. He is depicted various ways in different cultures but it was primarily white Europeans who spread the religion around and the version they planted around the world looks like them.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

I mean I would try to avoid bringing ethnic traits into it, if it wasn't for what I said- that we have violence against Middle Easterners known to happen because of profiling ethnic traits

 

[Aldrnari]

Meh... It's pretty well seated in history. Christians have been persecuting Jews for many centuries (maybe more than a thousand years). During the crusades, they hunted and killed Jews. Anytime there was a blight, Jews were blamed and burned. Even Martin Luther wrote a book on how Jews should be put into forced labor or outright murdered; it's not just a modern Nazi thing.

As for hate against other middle easterners, that's a good question. I think cultural differences may be one reason, as even Christianity evolved differently in the middle east than in the western world. In the west, Christianity was more of a dominating, zealous force that had little tolerance for different religious ideals.

Hell, just look at the ways catholics and protestants killed each other only up until recently. As for Muslims, well... That's a whole other story.

 

[Augustus]

Yeah, surely many of them reasonably know though he wasn't white right? ... I guess, because Jesus was Middle Eastern. He probably looked more or less Arab in his features. The Jews of 2000+ years ago prior to the diaspora did pretty much look Middle Eastern as we still see it now.

By what metric was he not 'white'? Remember, Arabs were foreign invaders of a Mediterranean civilisation during their conquests in the 7th C.

Looking at genetic profiles of the region, he was probably as 'white' as a Southern European (as are local Jews, many Turks, Levantine 'Arabs', etc.)

Modern political boundaries that separate "white" Europe from "brown" Middle East don't match traditional population origins and ignore the fact that Mediterranean Southern Europeans are closer to Mediterranean peoples in the ME than they are to Northern Europeans. Also that Mediterranean 'Middle Easterners' are closer to Southern Europeans than they are to ethnic Arabs, even though culturally, they are seen as Arabs.

Defining populations in terms of 'whiteness' and arbitrarily defining genetically similar populations as white/non-white is akin to racist notions of racial purity (not that I'm implying you mean it in this way or are being prejudiced).

This is not to say Jesus should be claimed as 'white', just that the classification is stupid and relates to modern sensibilities and prejudices rather than anything remotely scientific.

 

[Srivijaya]

By what metric was he not 'white'? Remember, Arabs were foreign invaders of a Mediterranean civilisation during their conquests in the 7th C.

Looking at genetic profiles of the region, he was probably as 'white' as a Southern European (as are local Jews, many Turks, Levantine 'Arabs', etc.)

Modern political boundaries that separate "white" Europe from "brown" Middle East don't match traditional population origins and ignore the fact that Mediterranean Southern Europeans are closer to Mediterranean peoples in the ME than they are to Northern Europeans. Also that Mediterranean 'Middle Easterners' are closer to Southern Europeans than they are to ethnic Arabs, even though culturally, they are seen as Arabs.

Defining populations in terms of 'whiteness' and arbitrarily defining genetically similar populations as white/non-white is akin to racist notions of racial purity (not that I'm implying you mean it in this way or are being prejudiced).

This is not to say Jesus should be claimed as 'white', just that the classification is stupid and relates to modern sensibilities and prejudices rather than anything remotely scientific.

Reminds of the time a Moroccan man showed me a photo of his "white European girlfriend", then asked me if I could guess where she came from. I was like; dunno somewhere in Europe? Wrong, she was from a north African Berber tribe - I was amazed. Some Syrians looks very pale Mediterranean too, whilst some people in the Balkans can look very dark skinned.

Add to that the communities of Christian Arabs, Syrians, Copts, Ethiopians and other eastern churches and the thing takes on a very nuanced flavour.

But racists are going to be racists, no matter what. In London a few years ago, a Russian man was beaten to death by a bunch of white racist nationalists because they mistook him for a German. Same colour but still racist.

 

[Augustus]

Reminds of the time a Moroccan man showed me a photo of his "white European girlfriend", then asked me if I could guess where she came from. I was like; dunno somewhere in Europe? Wrong, she was from a north African Berber tribe - I was amazed. Some Syrians looks very pale Mediterranean too, whilst some people in the Balkans can look very dark skinned.

This graphic shows how problematic the white European, non-white Middle Easterner is. In the distorting monochrome view, green would represent DNA from an Arab type "brown" person, and blue a Southern European type "white" person.


ADMIXTURE analysis based on 10 constructed ancestral components, with only the Levantine [blue] and Middle Eastern [green] components highlighted. [black represents any other component] B) Frequency of the Middle Eastern component in world populations. C) Frequency of the Levantine component in world populations. Intensity of the colors reflects the frequency of a component in the plotted populations. Maps were produced using a weighted average interpolating algorithm, and therefore should be used as a guide rather than a precise representation of the frequency distribution.

Genome-Wide Diversity in the Levant Reveals Recent Structuring by Culture

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

I mean, I don't think racism is reasonable from the get go.

It's always struck me as really odd though that a Christian would be anti-semetic or cultivate such deep mistrust of Middle Easterners- when they follow a guy who was Middle Eastern.

Can it be reasonably denied that for some people at least, it does extent to profiling Middle Easterners? Like when that Buddhist monk got attacked in Oregon for 'looking Arab'.

It's odd I guess, because Jesus was Middle Eastern. He probably looked more or less Arab in his features. The Jews of 2000+ years ago prior to the diaspora did pretty much look Middle Eastern as we still see it now.

Depicted with burnished bronze skin, jet black hair, and the works. Like I said. I don't think there's a way to deny that for some Christians and westerners it extends to racial profiling of Arabs and others. We have attacks showing it does.

It's always struck me as odd on a level of comparing such a thing to Buddhism. Imagine a Buddhist knowing reasonably we follow an Indian man, an Asian- but profiling Asians negatively and trying to 'white-wash' the Buddha.

Odd thing that some people do with Jesus, no? The nut bars in the Ku Klux Klan even extend this to arguing for Anglo-Israelism to paint Jesus as 'actually European'.

You seem to be implying that Christians shouldn't dislike or distrust Middle Easterners because Jesus was a Middle Easterner. Or maybe you mean that the image of Jesus in art should be that of a Semitic appearing man.

It shouldn't be surprising that the West demonizes such people, especially in America, where agitprop is disseminated 24/7 through the media. The real enemy lives among them and looks like them. It's advantageous to them to redirect people's antipathy.

I don't know that Christians are different than non-Christians in this respect.

 

[Revoltingest]

I mean, I don't think racism is reasonable from the get go.

It's always struck me as really odd though that a Christian would be anti-semetic or cultivate such deep mistrust of Middle Easterners- when they follow a guy who was Middle Eastern.

Can it be reasonably denied that for some people at least, it does extent to profiling Middle Easterners? Like when that Buddhist monk got attacked in Oregon for 'looking Arab'.

It's odd I guess, because Jesus was Middle Eastern. He probably looked more or less Arab in his features. The Jews of 2000+ years ago prior to the diaspora did pretty much look Middle Eastern as we still see it now.

Depicted with burnished bronze skin, jet black hair, and the works. Like I said. I don't think there's a way to deny that for some Christians and westerners it extends to racial profiling of Arabs and others. We have attacks showing it does.

It's always struck me as odd on a level of comparing such a thing to Buddhism. Imagine a Buddhist knowing reasonably we follow an Indian man, an Asian- but profiling Asians negatively and trying to 'white-wash' the Buddha.

Odd thing that some people do with Jesus, no? The nut bars in the Ku Klux Klan even extend this to arguing for Anglo-Israelism to paint Jesus as 'actually European'.

If he actually existed, so much is imagined, he can be any color you want.
He could even be trans, a dwarf, asthmatic or a Scot.

 

[Augustus]

If he actually existed, so much is imagined, he can be any color you want.

Ethiopian Jesus

Chinese Jesus (Chesus?)

 

[LuisDantas]

Well, most people are Christians in name only and have the same prejudices that anyone else in their situation could have. They just call themselves Christians because because of tradition and it being the majority religion, but it hardly means they take the teachings of Jesus to heart abd strive at all times to adhere to them. The majority of people appear to treat religion that way.

IMO it comes with the expectation of somehow choosing the beliefs of one's own children.

The end results include making "religion" less of a doctrine that people may or may not adhere to. It then becomes more like a shared language for certain concepts and ideas to be discussed inside a community.

 

[metis]

I mean, I don't think racism is reasonable from the get go.

Which is why I much prefer viva la difference.

The unfortunate reality is that racism and religious bigotry were very strong with our Founding Fathers, and it still persists today, although not as intense as it used to be. Racism is contrary to Christian teachings, but there are Christians and then there are "Christians" if you know what I mean.

Also, America has a very violent past, and the violence is still very observable today and takes different forms. Canada, much less so when it comes to violence, although once there was a big fight there and some hockey actually broke out.

 

[Stevicus]

I mean, I don't think racism is reasonable from the get go.

It's always struck me as really odd though that a Christian would be anti-semetic or cultivate such deep mistrust of Middle Easterners- when they follow a guy who was Middle Eastern.

Can it be reasonably denied that for some people at least, it does extent to profiling Middle Easterners? Like when that Buddhist monk got attacked in Oregon for 'looking Arab'.

It's odd I guess, because Jesus was Middle Eastern. He probably looked more or less Arab in his features. The Jews of 2000+ years ago prior to the diaspora did pretty much look Middle Eastern as we still see it now.

Depicted with burnished bronze skin, jet black hair, and the works. Like I said. I don't think there's a way to deny that for some Christians and westerners it extends to racial profiling of Arabs and others. We have attacks showing it does.

It's always struck me as odd on a level of comparing such a thing to Buddhism. Imagine a Buddhist knowing reasonably we follow an Indian man, an Asian- but profiling Asians negatively and trying to 'white-wash' the Buddha.

Odd thing that some people do with Jesus, no? The nut bars in the Ku Klux Klan even extend this to arguing for Anglo-Israelism to paint Jesus as 'actually European'.

Yeah, it's odd, although religion seems fraught with numerous contradictions and idiosyncrises which might appear odd. But it's also true here in America, where we've tried to paint a certain image of America which doesn't always jibe with what actually happens. Christians have been all over the map politically, particularly in matters of racism, where some are/were racist while others are decidedly anti-racist. There's also a strong streak of xenophobia in this country, coupled with patriotism and memories of recent events and wars involving certain parts of the Middle East.

Christianity took hold on the West and was the dominant religion by the time of the first English settlements in America, although there were still some disputes among various sects. I suppose one might well ask why the Romans gave up such deities as Jupiter, Mars, and Venus in favor of a religion which sprang out of one of their conquered territories.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

If he actually existed, so much is imagined, he can be any color you want.
He could even be trans, a dwarf, asthmatic or a Scot.

Ah - uneasy, Sneezy, wheezy, and breezy.

 

[Revoltingest]

Ah - uneasy, Sneezy, wheezy, and breezy.

"Breezy" beats "skeezy".
I'll accept it!

 

[Tumah]

It's odd I guess, because Jesus was Middle Eastern.

Only on his mother's side, right?

 

[metis]

Only on his mother's side, right?

I gotta feeling it was both.

 

[`mud]

One would think that the Moses' God would be white skinned, wouldn't one ?
And how about Jesus, who was Mary messing around with, a German ?
~
I know, I know....Me bad.....very bad !