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I watched on the Satanic TV (History/Discovery) not so long ago a "reconstruction" of what Jesus might have looked like! They dug up a skull of a man from that area and era, and showed how the Jewish skulls differed dimensionally from Gentile skulls ...

I saw that program. I'm not surprised to learn that they showed Him as being an impious Jew. I also remember asking myself: "what are they saying, that all Jews look alike"? :)

As I think of it, I am reminded of the depiction of Jesus and the disciples in "The Passion". IIRC, they didn't have below-the-shoulder length hair. If that's right, would that have been a mistake? Assuming you saw the movie, did any other mistakes jump out at you?

Shroud of Turin

Christ Pantocrator
(the earliest extant icon of Christ, Saint Catherine's Monastery, 550 AD)

Computerized overlay

computerized density average

In the 1930's, French Shroud scholar Paul Vignon described a series of common characteristics visible in many early artistic pictures of Jesus. The Vignon markings, as they are known, all appear on the Shroud suggesting that it is the source of later pictures of Jesus.

A square U-shape between the eyebrows.
A downward pointing triangle or V-shape just below the U-shape, on the bridge of the nose.
Two wisps of hair going downward and then to the right.
A raised right eyebrow.
Large, seemingly "owlish" eyes. This may be the result of coins placed over the eyes.
An accent on the left cheek and an accent on the right cheek that is somewhat lower.
A forked beard. Dr. Whanger (see below) has suggested that this may the result of a chin band tied around the head to keep the mouth closed.
An enlarged left nostril.
An accent line below the nose and a dark line just below the lower lip.
A gap in the beard below the lower lip.
Hair on one side of the head that is shorter than on the other side

(All from Shroud History)

they didn't have below-the-shoulder length hair. If that's right, would that have been a mistake? Assuming you saw the movie, did any other mistakes jump out at you?

I didn't pay that much attention to their hair, to be honest with you. I was very pleased that many of the demons were shown as children, which is very believable. I was also quite impressed with the role of the actress who played Blessed Mary, Mother of God. You don't see a single incident of anger or even a grimace on her face, other then a very pained look in her eyes that remain focused only on Her Son and never on anyone else. There was no anger, no judgment in her.

Of course, Judas' death can always be a "mistake" since the Gospels give two different accounts on how he died. Much of the imagery came not from the Gospels but from an 18th century Roman Catholic nun's "visions."

Despite all the blood and gore, I am not sure what Mel Gibson was trying to show. The central part of Christianity is in Resurrection which is given about 5 seconds in the movie, the rest is a pretty much Gospel story of the last 72 hours of His life on earth.

Pious Jews today still don't cut off the sides of their hair or beard. Orthodox clergy (for some reason) chose to continue that OT tradition. The reason for not grooming your hair is to avoid vanity and self-centerdness, such a sis obvious when you see some Orthodox priests with a neatly trimmed goatee.