Why is Jesus seen as a blonde haired and blue eyed Christian white man?

Question

Because he was a middle eastern born Jewish man. Why are people being ignorant about this?

BCA6010 · Accepted Answer

Literally nobody on the planet thinks that Jesus looked like a Swede, and nobody with a flicker of sense thinks he was black, either.

He was an ethnic Jew from Judea (southeastern modern day Israel), distinctively different from both stereotypical Arabs and Europeans. Very little else is specifically mentioned, which implies he looked very ordinary compared to everyone else in the area, undoubtedly more known for his deeds and company than appearance and garb. If you've never been to that part of the world, the people there are "whiter" than you'd expect, but definitely not northern European by any stretch of the imagination.

ragooo8 · Accepted Answer

he's not. From the very beginning of the Christian movement Jesus was depicted in a way by evangelical preachers in a way that was similar to how those locals looked themselves so this is why in northern Europe Jesus was depicted as a blue eyed white man and in eithiopa he's depicted as black, in India depicted as India, in China depicted as Chinese, in Japan as Japanese and so on. Its the same with culture and religious holidays, locals assimilated Christianity into their own culture and festivals.

Amy10223 · Accepted Answer

I don’t know why that it. But it’s not as he looked. Jesus was an olive skinned man, dark, with dark hair. I know a former Jesuit priest who had mentioned this. People just don’t know and will create images they think will portray Jesus, all of them false.

Seinna · Accepted Answer

I've never seen that depiction... though I've seen him depicted as a black man in black countries and Mary as a black woman. People will make him look as they do, especially that it's such an old religion. Though you're right, He was Jewish.

Dargil · Answer

Because the classical artists (painters) were commissioned by the Church and royalty and painted what they were most familiar with. And probably to appease their sponsors.
My guess is He probably looked like this man... a bronze skinned middle easterner.

Why is Jesus seen as a blonde haired and blue eyed Christian white man?

Anyone who thinks Jesus looked like David Bowie...

does not understand demographics.

AviatorTom · Answer

I've seen many renditions of Jesus in paintings, murals and cultures, and He is shown in a variety of body and hair colors. Since there is no historical record of what He looked like, it's up to the artist to portray Him as they wish, and that's usually like the people who will be viewing the artwork.

BCRanger10 · Answer

I've never seen a "blonde-haired" image of Jesus.

At any rate, various cultures over the centuries have made images of Him that look like their own. I've seen Christ and the Blessed Mother imaged as Hispanic, African, Slavic, indigenous/Native, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and others. He very likely did not appear as such either.

Godsvengeance · Answer

The same reason that you can find black Santa (St. Nicholas - a European) is black neighborhoods; it's not ignorance, it's comfort with the familiar. All societies have a tendency to do this with cross-societial figures.
The real question here is why only focus on the example that changes a Middle Eastern man into a European and not discuss the phenomenon as a whole?

TonyMetal___86 · Answer

No one knows thow jesus really looked like but since the movie jesus of nazareth was one of the oldest most successful movies made about jesus's life, people started to think that the actor is really jesus 😂😂

It doesn't matter how jesus looked like, what matter is what he did for us and the things that he had taught us!

Dchrls78104 · Answer

That's the fault of the medieval Catholic Church. The historical Jesus was a middle Eastern Jew, an Israelite. The last guy I met who said he was a Jew had black hair that looked like the wool of a sheep and happened to be dark in complexion. As for the effeminate-looking fairy that they're calling "Jesus" nowadays, as far as I've read, that was actually a relative of the Borgias of that period (Pope Alexander VI).

Anonymous · Answer

I have answered this before. It's easier to relate with him and worship him more. White skin , lighter features are considered God like beauty standard. When it comes to worshipping, it has to be an entity we consider to be superior than us. Brown skin is or was considered an inferior trait due to several reasons around the world

grega239 · Answer

Im going to assume he's portrayed as white is because when Christianity was introduced to illiterate european peasants, they were told that god made them in his image.

So if they're made in his image, your not gonna show a picture of a middle eastern jew are you.

HighlyVolatile · Answer

From my basic understanding, the earliest visual depictions of Christ were formed by the Romans and originally fashioned in the image of Apollo, then later Zeus. That's also where the halo comes from for angelic Christian figures to my knowledge.

Crafteroon · Answer

Because in any religion people prefer it if they can relate by finding similarities between themselves and a person of scripture. That's why most Buddha statues in Asia have east Asian features despite Buddha's own origin.

SaoirseS · Answer

I’ve never seen a blonde hair blue eyed image of Jesus. I have, however seen a lot of images of Adam and Eve and wondered why they always have bellybuttons.

Anonymous · Answer

I have never seen this depiction of Jesus ever. I am a Christian too. I think that the biggest part of the problem is that Jesus never posed for a painting. So all the paintings are just artists' guess at what he looked like. Fun fact the person who posed for Jesus in the Last Supper also posed for Judas. DaVinci didn't realize it at first; as the model fell on hardships.

SpiderManFan2002 · Answer

Reasons: 1. People are stupid and actually believe Jesus was the only white guy in the Middle East💀 2.✨White Supremacy✨

Guy13 · Answer

Most people are not and such a interpretation long ago was branded as Surfer Jesus complex…. My Dad is 70 to give you and idea of how long ago….

purplepoppy · Answer

To encourage the natives to take up Christianity the church had to make people think Jesus was a person just like them.

blissinanarchy1 · Answer

Christianity became seen as the "white man's religion" and what better way to portray an Anglo Saxon in Great Britain (Church having authority then) than blonde hair blue eyes

nawtee_me · Answer

Because they have not caught up to the times. However it really doesn't matter what he looks like. It is not about looks but about what He did for us all. Also the latest movies have not portrayed Him that way.

Daniela1982 · Answer

I didn't know that he was. No one knows what he looked like other than he was a Jew.

Buntyp · Answer

So the swastika people could claim him as theirs, I assume, given that they did--assholes!

sheikalana · Answer

Well, I've seen middle eastern people and jewish people who actually have fair skin and blue/green eyes.

Kaneki05 · Answer

Same reason Hitler thought that was the best race. When himself wasn't even it lmao.

Jesuswasahue · Answer

This question should extend to every religion in their entirety. Why does anyone think they have any sort of proper concept of what their religion is? It's all self projection. Religion is retarded.

Staximus · Answer

Jesus and the real Jews looked just like Jordanians, Lebanese, Syrians, Palestinians, etc. Dark hair and tan skin, like everybody else from that region. Not like a blond white man.

HighValue · Answer

Jews are White. And Jesus is portrayed as a White man with medium brown hair and brown eyes.

Agape93 · Answer

Thank Cesare borgia. His dad, the pope, had artists use his son as the model for Jesus.

joeldalton · Answer

Why are you so ignorant that you don’t understand that artists create art that reflects the culture they operate in?

Blake170 · Answer

Yeah I wish there was at least one movie that would cast an Israeli or Jordanian actor to play Jesus.

Anonymous · Answer

He’s not. Most of the earliest artworks depicting Jesus showed him with brown or black hair and more Middle Eastern features. Why are you bringing this up? This is uh, pretty old material.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

No idea. It's pure nonsense. Jesus during His life on earth would have looked like the typical brown skin Arab.

Guanfei · Answer

The same reason he's represented black in Africa, or Asian in Asia. Because people need to identify with him, that's all.

msc545 · Answer

Well, God forbid if he were to actually be portrayed as having dark skin and actually looking like Jew - what would all the racists do?

maverick2022 · Answer

Because it's human nature to want to worship someone that is aesthetically pleasing.

annabananna · Answer

He was also small and average to unattractive according to Isaiah.

Anonymous · Answer

sheesh. now I gotta sit here and wonder if you're racist because you're acting like nobody has blue eyes in the Middle East. 🤦‍♀️ Nice weak attack on Christianity.

BeachLuvR97 · Answer

Any paintings of him looking a certain way are blasphemy, in my book. We don't know what he looked like.

Aiko_E_Lara · Answer

Same reason why he's viewed as dark skin and brunette/black haired and brown eyes by Christians who aren't white.

zagor · Answer

He isn't. By far most depictions he has brown eyes and hair.

Waldoe · Answer

YES they are... Jesus was likely.. short, dark skinned, and big nosed... not Swedish

Jackblue · Answer

He is often portrayed as black in Africa and sometimes in black Churches.

Anonymous · Answer

Jesus is a fictional character, so he looks like the people who conjure him in their minds.

OddBeMe · Answer

Because of Europeans expanding Christianity into the Vatican.

Dinosaursandanime65 · Answer

All of the depictions I’ve seen of him shown brown hair

888theGreat · Answer

White men want him like them. He was a Brown eyed , black haired Jew though

legalboxers · Answer

Its whats in the mind of the Right Wing Conservative Christians

Anonymous · Answer

Well I can't say I've seen him depicted that way very often, but where I have it seems to more on the denomination than a general thing anymore. Every one I know knows that he's middle eastern.

Tomatotom90 · Answer

Because we just aren’t that wise like you O Lucifer

Amur8711 · Answer

That may be how he was depicted a hundred years ago, but no one depics him that way anymore.

Anonymous · Answer

I don't think i've seen Jesus as a blonde before, maybe a few times, but he usually has brown hair in the media.

Yellovv · Answer

Nobody see Jesus before, that's why they are making stories about him..

Sincerly_KittyCat · Answer

Its what the catholics came up with.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

I have never seen anyone make that mistake.

Gwenhwyfar · Answer

I think medieval iconography is responsible

slatyb · Answer

Because the people drawing the pictures are white.

Not_Average · Answer

Never seen a blonde Jesus

_no_one_ · Answer

waiting for way back machine update

Alextry · Answer

The Renaissance of italy

BillyBalls · Answer

Jesus wasn't a Christian. He was a Jew.

Iron_Man · Answer

I’ve seen Jewish people that look white as a ghost

driven159 · Answer

to make him different than everyone else

In_Trance · Answer

Ignorant? What are people ignoring?

Why is Jesus seen as a blonde haired and blue eyed Christian white man?

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