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

[Buddha Dharma]

By what metric was he not 'white'?

Why don't we ask the people that attack others for 'looking Arab'. That's who I directed this at.

Remember, Arabs were foreign invaders of a Mediterranean civilisation during their conquests in the 7th C.

I acknowledge that. I also acknowledge the relations and similarities among Semitic peoples. Many historians still think the Semites all have one common origin. However, that is as far as historians can tell. Science may say something else.

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.)

Which is not 'white enough' for white supremacists. I don't make these rules, I'm just going on what I observe from Neo Nazis, etc.

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.

Okay, so are you denying there is profiling of Arabs that goes on?

The real enemy lives among them and looks like them. It's advantageous to them to redirect people's antipathy.

Truth

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Ethiopian Jesus

Chinese Jesus (Chesus?)

Wow these are interesting and pretty

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Yeah, it's odd, although religion seems fraught with numerous contradictions and idiosyncrises which might appear odd.

Life is odd and full of contradictions, is it not?

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.

You mean like the way the hedonistic 1950s with it's economic boom has been re-imagined as an immaculate moral landscape?

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.

Yes. Unfortunately I think- played up by propaganda and media

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.

The Roman commoner didn't, more often than not. Their rulers did and the people were made to comply.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Only on his mother's side, right?

Yeah, that's right huh!?

 

[Augustus]

Why don't we ask the people that attack others for 'looking Arab'. That's who I directed this at.

My point was that perpetuating arbitrary distinction between 'white' and 'non-white' on the basis of 'purity' facilitates racism.

I acknowledge that. I also acknowledge the relations and similarities among Semitic peoples. Many historians still think the Semites all have one common origin. However, that is as far as historians can tell. Science may say something else.

The designation Semitic relates to a linguistic grouping, not a genetic one. When, during the Empire, indigenous African/Asian elites started speaking English and adopting English names, they didn't become genetically 'Northern European' while doing this.

When Hellenes and other Meds started speaking Arabic and adopting Arabic names they didn't become genetically Arab.

Okay, so are you denying there is profiling of Arabs that goes on?

No, I'm saying well meaning people need to stop perpetuating the same concepts that facilitate racism.

So a white racist who believes whites are a genetically superior race might talk about the Roman Empire or Ancient Greece as showing the 'superiority of the white man', and then shout anti-semitic slurs. Feeding the 'white' European and 'brown' Middle Easterner narrative enables this.

If the Jews and Romans are seen as part of a common Mediterranean civilisation, distinct from the Germanic Northern Europeans this narrative is diminished.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

If the Jews and Romans are seen as part of a common Mediterranean civilisation, distinct from the Germanic Northern Europeans this narrative is diminished.

I can see and appreciate your point.