That Picture of Jesus: CT has a nice story on the artist behind the popular image of Jesus that many people have in their homes.- Evangelical Feminism: Mohler reviews the new book by Wanye Grudem, entitled Evangelical Feminism: A New Path to Liberalism?. "Grudem shows that, while egalitarian leaders claim to be subject to Scripture in their thinking, what is increasingly evident in their actual scholarship and practice is an effective rejection of the authority of Scripture."
- Arabs in Scripture: One of the most neglected studies of scripture, that of the sons of Ischmael, is now being approached by Tonly Maalouf at Biola. He’s also written a book entitled Arabs in the Shadow of Israel.
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As somebody who demands adherance to the Bible Seeker, I'm amazed that you seem interested in that particular image of Jesus. Because it is absolutely wrong. There's simply no chance that he looked like that, and your own book says so. What gives?
Gosh, while I'm at it, I'll observe that a man seems to be endorsing a book written by another man in which their own authority is questioned. How strange.
Jesus was probably of middle eastern descent, and he may have looked somewhat like this, but who knows. The thing is, this painting is wildly popular, and I thought people would be interested in it. I am not necessarily endorsing or condemning it.
I'm not sure what your second comment means.
What I find interesting about images of Jesus is that people tend to shape His image to match their own conceptions. For example, many African Americans think Jesus was black. Many occidentals conceive of a Jesus much like your example image. People of the Middle East probably conceive of Jesus as being "of middle eastern descent." The point is, we are not made in God's image. God is made in ours. It's human nature.
Seeker, if I may, I wanted to add something fun to this addition of "My Two Cents." Perhaps it deserves a post of it's own but please take this quiz…
Worldview Quiz
My score was the maximum 10 science, 10 progressive which overlaps Carl Sagan's dot! I am curious to see what everyone else gets especially Seeker, Aaron, Sam, FCL and Lawanda.
Wooly haired and dark-skinned. That's the description in the Bible, right? In other words, Jesus would almost certainly have had to have looked like everybody else in the region, and not the Aryan perfection hanging on people's walls. Images like this have traditionally been used implicitly to justify a lot of horrible racism Seeker. You're not guilty of this, but this mutation of what the man actually looked like didn't happen by accident. It happened because artists couldn't actually present their savior as looking, well, different from themselves.
I finished at a 9,7. So, near Carl Sagan. And nowhere near Osama bin Laden.
It's not just racism that makes people paint Jesus in their image. It's the fact that his message and life transcend race and culture, and so they don't really think of him as a historical person as much as someone who loves them. It's just human nature to see him like us.
On the picture, I never did like that people "evolved" Jesus into their own image, personally. But Sam, I believe your description was more John the Baptist… Jesus was described as having no handsomeness, or outward beauty… I cant actually find it right now :(
I took the quiz. I was a 2, -2. Right next to Deepak Chopra. I did not like some of the questions, such as #22. But, I do take a more holistic view of things. I do not believe in ESP, but do believe in intuition.
My grandma, she could pass for a psychic. She pretty much knows what people think… I do somewhat, but not like her, and my mother too. It isnt supernatural (although it sure does seem like it with Grandma or mommy, sometimes! LOL – oh yes, sorry; I do call my mother mommy… :-p) It is just that they are very intuitive.
Oh it was Isaiah 53 that refers to the messiah as not handsome. But he was definitely a Jew. That was a fact :)
I finished at a 9,7. So, near Carl Sagan.
Ha, we are pretty close then. I was right on top of Sagan’s Dot.
I took the quiz. I was a 2, -2. Right next to Deepak Chopra. I did not like some of the questions, such as #22.
Thanks for taking the quiz Lawanda. It was only for fun. I can understand how you can be torn with question #22, “Do you think there should be eternal torment/torture in the Universe?” I guess on one hand your heart is telling you that eternal torture should not be part of the universe but on the other hand, your mind is saying Hell is part of God’s plan so it should be part of the universe. For me, the answer to that question was easy. No.
Seeker,
You're claiming that your view represents everybody's view. That image of the Jesus, and the idea of Jesus as a white man, has been used in the past to suggest White dominance throughout the world. It would be much harder for racist Southerners to treat blacks badly if Jesus had been acknowledged to look more black than white. The point I'm making is that that representation of Jesus is MORE than just a painting.
Sam
You're claiming that your view represents everybody's view.
I am? How do you mean? All I did was present the history of that picture. I didn't make any claims about it. Are you projecting from that evil stereotype in your head again?
And when I look at that picture, I don't see a white man like you do. Hey, if you want to give him a tan, that's fine with me. Do you think he needs to look more Hebrew? If so, what would that look like?
I think he needs to reflect his description in the Bible, as well as the traditional color of those from the region, which was widely believed to be of a much darker skin tone. And Seeker, you misunderstood my point: you're not justifying racism with that image, and you're assuming because you don't, everybody doesn't. But that certainly isn't true, as the history of America proves.
Cineaste, I actually thought the question should read do you think there *is* eternal torment, etc. Not do you think there *should be*. I couldnt answer because I am not the judge of people's eternity. I cannot say there should be no eternity (torment or paradise-like!) But I do think there IS an eternity. If it had said "do you think there IS eternal torment," I could have answered…yes.
You know, one more thing I wanted to say about the painting. I dont like paintings or art that show things NOT how I think about them. I am not very cultured, I dare say ;) Picasso – ick.
My point is, that I know artists always paint *their own view* of things…that is why it is ART.