Jesus Was Black, Not White, Group Says

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 2/24/04 | Melanie Hunter

[kattracks]

(1st Add: Includes comments by Rev. Jesse Peterson, president of B.O.N.D.)

(CNSNews.com) - One day before it debuts in theaters, a black activist group is protesting the Mel Gibson-written, directed and produced "The Passion of the Christ" film, not because of the film's violent depiction of Jesus Christ's final hours. Instead, they say the film is historically inaccurate because Jesus is portrayed as a white man, not a black man.

"Strangely absent from the debate is one very basic inaccuracy which has been long promoted in order to bolster white supremacy and maintain a revisionist history that is beneficial to only people of European descent," said Malik Z. Shabazz, national chairman of the New Black Panther Party in a statement Tuesday.

"This purposely omitted fact is that Jesus was not a European white man. Jesus Christ was a black man - a dark skinned Hebrew Israelite from Northern Africa and even the only Biblical physical description confirms this (Rev. 13:20)," said Shabazz.

"Not only does this film wrongfully depict Christ as white but all the disciples and Israelites are people of European descent, which presents a historical and physical impossibility," he added.

The New Black Panther Party and other black activists plan to stage protests nationwide over the controversy. Not only does the group claim the movie is "false," but also "harmful and racist."

The Anti-Defamation League recently expressed to Gibson its concern that the film would drum up anti-Semetism. Shabazz said his group disagrees with the ADL's claims that the film is "anti-semetic" and challenged the ADL to "deny the historical accuracy of the Jews' attack on Christ."

But Shabazz says, the "true controversy" surrounding the film "lies in the maligned history of African people through the world and the continual inaccuracies presented in every Hollywood production to date of any Biblical story from the 10 Commandments to the Christmas Story."

"These false images presented are 'anti-black' and these false images and interpretations only seek to further the racist and white supremist idea that God and Jesus Christ 'The Messiah' or 'Savior' is European and white," he added.

"This is clearly one more example of how black people in this country are treated unfairly. Black/African history has and continues to be misrepresented, black people worldwide are subjected to the psychologically abusive images of white supremacy and have no collective voice to defend or promote a Black agenda," Shabazz concluded.

Movie 'not racist,' says black conservative

But Rev. Jesse Peterson, president of the black conservative group, B.O.N.D. (Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny) said claims that Jesus is black takes away from the overall message.

Peterson said he saw the movie last weekend and "there's nothing in this movie that is racist at all."

"It was inspiring spiritually," he said. "I think that it's gonna reconfirm the faith in many Christians and it's gonna encourage those who had doubt about Christ. There will be many, I believe, that will believe in him. I knew that this thing would come out that 'he wasn't black' and that 'it's racist.' It's not."

Peterson explained that "the Bible clearly states that Christ was in Israel and that he was a Jew." The movie, he said "clearly points that out as well."

Peterson said to "cry racism is a non-issue. This is an attempt for attention. It's shameful to make that kind of assertion about this movie."

When asked specifically whether Shabazz's physical description of Jesus and his birthplace of Northern Africa was accurate, Peterson said, "I've heard that over and over again, and at one point when I resented white Americans, I believed that too."

But, he said, "in all honesty there is no, I think, perfect description of what Christ looked like anyway, and I think that each race…the white race at one point said that he looked white [with] blue eyes and blond hair. That wasn't true. The blacks are trying to claim him…Hispanics, everybody are trying to claim him as their own."

Peterson said that's why the Scripture clearly states "'do not create a graven image of him, because it will divide and cause confusion.'

"The most important thing is that he was a spirit. It's the spirit of the man, not necessarily what he looked like. And that's the focus that this movie brings out," Peterson said, adding that he thinks blacks and white are likely to focus on Jesus' "spirit rather than the color."

He said the Bible does point out that Jesus was "born in that area, but still he was a Jew, and at that time, maybe they didn't have the straight hair, but it doesn't mean he was…a black, African man."

Peterson said in the movie, Jesus is a dark-skinned man, not white with blue eyes, but a dark-skinned man. "He's not black, but he's not white either," he said.

Race not an issue

Peterson took the New Black Panther Party to task for making Jesus' race an issue.

"It's a shame that you have racist organizations like the New Black Panther Party that will come out and allow the devil or darkness to use them, because that's what's happening," he said. "It's a distraction. It's a trick of the devil to come out and call this movie racist…that he was black, he had nappy hair. That's a distraction."

Peterson believes the group is taking away from the spiritual message of the movie, a message, he said that can possibly help people that are hurting spiritually.

"I think that when people go to this movie, they need to look beyond the color. And I think most will, whether they want to or not…look at the spirit and the suffering that Christ went through," Peterson said.

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[KQQL]

"This purposely omitted fact is that Jesus was not a European white man. Jesus Christ was a black man - a dark skinned Hebrew Israelite from Northern Africa and even the only Biblical physical description confirms this (Rev. 13:20)," said Shabazz.

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TELL THE MORON (Shabazz.) THERE IS NO REV 13:20

[rbmillerjr]

In related news:

"...The Black Panther Party, the radical leftist groups originating in the 60's...was founded by white skinned leftists hoping to use the blacks as fodder for their attack on American civilization..."

[dfwgator]

Adam and Eve were Black. Hey, that means we are all black. Where's my reparations?

[metoooo]

i didn't know nazareans were black...

[lepton]

Since blue-eyed, blonde and red-headed Jews are not that rare today, geneticists assume some gene-mixing through intermarriage between Jews and Northern Europeans in which Judaism was assumed by the gentile half of the union. In Jesus' time, without such mixng, it is a reasonable assumption that the Hebrews were darker than many Jews of today, but not black.

On the other hand, doesn't tradition hold that David, one of Jesus ancestors, was red-headed? ...Likely from being part of the "Mixed Multitudes" of Moses time?

[Revolting cat!]

He looks Mexican to me!

[yarddog]

Actually a stronger case can be made that the ancient Jews were Blue eyed blondes than that they were Black since zero case can be made for the latter.

As you note, King David was traditionally thought to be red headed. My Son-in-Law's best friend is Jewish and I asked him once about that and he said it is true. Not that there is any real evidence to support it.

As noted earlier, the fact that Ramses had red hair, and that is for certain, should throw a real curve ball into some of these theories.

[Calvin Locke]

...Jesus was a Presbyterian

That's a popularized takeoff from an All in the Family eip.

From the introduction of the Jeffersons,iirc.

Black guy [not Sherman H.]: "They already proved that Jesus was an Ethiopian".

A. Bunker: "Wait a minute. You say he's an Ethiopian, a Presbyterian says he's a Presbyterian...."

[GigaDittos]

Is it me, or is this guy reading out a different Bible? Can someone cite Revelation 13:20 for me?

[savedbygrace]

On a related note, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson had the longest lines at his autograph booth during the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Charlotte, NC, last week.

At least that was my impression. Carmen had some pretty long lines, too, but I think Peterson edged him out.

On topic, it doesn't matter what Jesus' skin color was.

[GigaDittos]

Next they'll complain that the Bible doesn't say that Satan is black. I suppose linen is really black too.

[GigaDittos]

I discovered something else, Jesus was not about 33 when he was cruxified. He was really a senior citizen. The elderly in this country should be outraged at the age discrimination of modern Christianity.

If Jesus was really black, how come Louis Farakan isn't Christian?

[nmh]

Hmmmm ... since when are middle eastern Jews considered BLACK? Being born over there He was most likely had an olive skin color with dark hair and either blue or brown eyes.

[nmh]

"This purposely omitted fact is that Jesus was not a European white man. Jesus Christ was a black man - a dark skinned Hebrew Israelite from Northern Africa and even the only Biblical physical description confirms this (Rev. 13:20)," said Shabazz.

---

Ah, Shabazz there is NO Revelation 13:20.

Geesh, can't even get your lies straight. Some of us really DO know the Bible.

[af_vet_rr]

Bwahahahahahaha! Do these people even listen to themselves? Which was he, a black man OR a dark skinned Hebrew from Northern Africa? Like these are the same things. Of course, this putz probably thinks that Egyptians were/are black africans.

No, they don't listen to themselves or reality. Chances are those saying he was black have never been to North Africa, or they know he was not white and not black, but they want attention. It's just like many have said the movie was anti-semitic, when in fact they had not even seen the movie. In other words, it's people trying to use Jesus or the movie to draw attention to themselves. They don't care whether they are right or not.

[GigaDittos]

I suppose Momar Khadafi is black too. Bwoohhahahahahaha!!!

[MEGoody]

"Did Jesus have DNA?"

I would presume that, since He was manifested in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16), that flesh would have had DNA.

"His mother, Mary, provided half of the chromosomes. Who provided the other half? Was he conceived as you and I were, with the union of egg and sperm cell?"

God provided the 'other half' of Jesus' DNA. It was a miraculous conception, not a normal, biological one. Jesus had no biological father.

[MEGoody]

"Do these people even listen to themselves?"

No, they don't listen to anyone. They forgot that most people have access to a map and can easily see that neither Bethlehem nor Nazareth are in Northern Africa.