And you have the right to like it or not like it. That is your right as well. You can agree with me, and that is great. You can disagree with me, and that is great. But understand this, I don't believe that by writing a blog, I am going to change your opinion. And when you put a comment, I don't believe that it will change my opinion. I will not argue on line with anyone. That doesn't accomplish anything. I have not seen anything good come from such arguing.
And it is my blog. If I feel like deleting a comment, I will delete it. Do I feel shame at doing it? No. Also, I won't be shamed into leaving comments. Why? Because it is my blog. It is a forum for me to state what I feel. You can say that it is your right to comment, and you would be correct. And it can be left or deleted. That is up to me, not to you.
I do want to answer one thing that was commented. Yes, the Jesus in my church is white. Why? Is it because I believe Jesus was white? No. It is because a white Jesus connects with most of those who worship at the church. At the same time, a church that is mostly black, can have a black Jesus in their church. A church that is mostly Asian, can have an asian Jesus in their church. Why? Because that is who they will connect with in their lives. What nationality was Jesus? He was Jewish, meaning that He was like many in the Middle East. Does it matter what the Jesus in your church looks like? No. We do not worship the image, we worship the Savior. The image helps us in our time of worship. It doesn't make a church more racist than another. It means that is how the people connect with their Savior.
Anyway, know that I will continue to blog. I will continue to state what is on my mind. And I will handle my blog the way that I want to handle it. If you don't like it, you don't have to read it. I welcome anyone to read it and to comment. If I don't feel like leaving the comment, that is the way it works in the world today.
I pray that the Lord will bless your walk of faith. Stay focused on Christ the Lord. He alone is the Savior of this world. He alone is your Savior.
It was my question. I’m astounded at your response. People do not and should not connect with the color of their Jesus. We are supposed to connect with the message. I am not anonymous. I am Jennifer Herrington. I live in Clarinda. My family is made up of white, black and Asian. How would you suggest my family “connect” with Jesus?
ReplyDeleteHi, just your local neighborhood Jew, checking in and bringing a different perspective with me. I think there is a lot to be said for being able to connect with one's savior, however, why should one have to look like someone to connect to them? What if, a more accurate depiction of Christ graced the walls at churches. What if, when thinking of being a good, honest, and forgiving person like your prophet, instead of thinking of a blonde haired, blue eyed, pale man with soft perfect skin and flowing robes, we thought of a dark man, with black hair and dark eyes, with the garb and the rough hands of someone who was a carpenter. What if we asked people to "connect" with someone who doesn't look like them.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's time to remind your flock that the goal of being a good Chirstian isn't to see yourself in Christ but to see Christ and his teachings in yourself. We have become a society that is selfish and unapologetically self serving. The very idea that someone can't connect with a savior that doesn't look like them is an example of exactly that. There shouldn't be white churches, black churches and Asian churches. There is one church, the church of those who follow Christ and his teachings.
So many people consider being Christian to be a HUGE part of who they are. Some truly live by the lessons taught in the bible and others will show up to church every sunday and plan on that making up for all of the sins and judgment that they have cast about through out the rest of their week. They pick and choose what works for them and what doesn't. Just like you and others are doing with how your Savior likely looked. This does a few things, in my opinion. It gives the appearance that a PoC (Person of Color) isn't worth worshipping or isn't capable of the miracles that grace the new testament, but a white man is. One has to wonder if people who struggle with racial bias wouldn't have a better opinion of PoC if the man depicted in their houses of worship didn't look like them.
Finally, we are told that G-d made Christ in his image
(Col 1:15,19 Cor4:4, John 12:45; 14:9 etc) Does it change your opinion of G-d if his image is that of a PoC? Is your faith in his teachings so fragile that if Christ and therefore G-d was black or brown, that those teachings will be worth less?
I do not exprect you to change your opinion, I do not expect you to leave my comment up, because it appears that views that challenge yours are not welcome. I might add that this isn't a very Christ-like approach to life, but like you stated, it's your blog, so you can do as you please.
In the mean time we will agree to diagree.
- Respectfully, Ayn Dahlke Taylor, Clarinda, IA
“connect” with someone who doesn’t look like them was the best part of this entire post
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. I confess, I do not connect with Jesus through a statue or an image. I connect with Him through the Word. The images that are made reflect the culture that makes them. In Africa, the images of Christ reflect their culture. Why? It is natural to do so. It is not the image that makes the difference. If you worship the image, you are wrong. The crucifix with the body of Christ, is meant to remind us that Christ suffered and died on the cross for our sins. It is not meant to be the focus of the worship. We have nativity sets from around the world, and each reflect the culture and the nation that they come from. Right or wrong? That isn't the issue. Once again, they are meant to help the person who has the nativity to remember that their Savior was born. The color of the skin is not the focus.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct. He was not caucasian, as I said. He was of Jewish origin, so that He would have the dark eyes, the dark hair and the darker skin. Does that upset me? Does that make it hard to worship my Lord? No. Why? Because I worship the Savior, not the image of the Savior.
While we might want to discount the fact that the way Christ is portrayed helps people to "connect" with Him, the fact is, that is the reality of our lives. It is not a white or black issue. It is not a middle Eastern or asiatic issue. It is how we are as people. Instead of making it an issue, I accept what fits into the culture of the area. Could someone who has white, black and Asian in their family fit into the church? Of course they can. Because when we worship, we do not worship the color. We worship our Lord God. I do not preach a white Jesus. I preach a saving Jesus who is the Son of God come into this world.
Once again, thank you for your comments.