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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[hellinahandcart]

I guess you've never heard of "Jesa Chrest"

Oh God, I remember when that was posted here. It didn't stay up long because it was DISGUSTING!

[Prime Choice]

Another song on that theme...

[cyborg]

interesting

[TigersEye]

Shabazz, Sgt. Carter!
Do you mean to tell me Jeesuss was black all this time?

[Tall_Texan]

I once received a Christmas Card from a black co-worker and good friend. It depicted Joseph and Mary as black people. I remember Joseph illustrated as a topless man who looked like a cross between Bill Cosby (think "Uptown Saturday Night") and Earl Campbell. I can't remeber who Mary resembled but she held a black Baby Jesus in her arms.

Although I tried not to look judgemental about it, I must have looked either stunned or confused because she added, "Jesus was an Ethiopian".

I thanked her for the card and told her I'd welcome meeting Jesus no matter what he looked like and that seemed to settle things.

As I age, I've learned to let most immaterial arguements roll off my back. When my grandmother stated that "Dogs go to Heaven too" I felt like saying there is no Scriptural evidence that our pets will join us in the afterlife and, rather, that there was some Scripture that would imply that they won't.

But let them believe what they want when it doesn't really matter. If they're mistaken, let somebody else give them the bad news.

[freebilly]

Everyone knows JFK was black!

I, myself, am 6/5ths black which is extremely unusual considering that I am also 1/2 Asian....

[cyborg]

me too! How does that happen? *lol*

[roylene]

And he was NOT from northern Africa.

[AgThorn]

I like yours, but this one looks more like a 'brother'!

[sfRummygirl]

You gotta love Rev. Jesse L. Peterson. The poor guy gets called to rebut the most ridiculous things sometimes.
Honestly, I don't care if he was purple-polka dotted.

[KQQL]

His father is in Heaven, and who knows what G-d looks like.

[freebilly]

I got melanin from my mom.

Now, my children range in color from blonde hair and blue eyes to Tiger Wood tan. They all look alike (epicanthic eyefold) except for the coloration....

[sfRummygirl]

Are you from Poland? I hear your accent coming out in the type..;-)

[cyborg]

Sounds like my family

[roylene]

Not only that, there are a variety of skin tone, hair and eye colors in the middle east. Look at Benjamin Netnyaho(?) he is really white, then that guy who worked for saddam red hair and blue eyes. Not all middle easterners are dark, most but not all. Jesus was a Jew from the middle east. He probably was dark but who cares thats not the point of His life, death and resurrection.

[wai-ming]

His father is in Heaven, and who knows what G-d looks like.

So any conjecture as to Jesus's physical appearance or skin color would be mere speculation.

[judgeandjury]

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.

Today, Black people have the means to defend or promote a Black agenda across large portions of sub-Saharan Africa. The result is usually genocidal warfare between Black tribes.

[bogdanPolska12]

Yes I am. Thank you for asking.

[Peace will be here soon]

Rev.Peterson always says the right thing. What a wonderful man.

Worth a repeat. He is a man who has a good message for all of us.

[bikerman]

I guess next they will be claiming he was gay also,its all Bushes fault.