The race of Jesus is a very controversial topic today, and I think the main problematic factor behind this is the disputed racial classification of MENA natives.
It is very common to hear from people and media that Jesus was brown skinned, simply because he was a Jew from the Middle East, and to accuse anybody who disagrees of being an anti-Semite and a white supremacist.
Many ignorant Westerners assume as well that all MENA people are dark skinned and form a race of their own. Some even go further and extend those stereotypes to Southern Europeans, because their average complexions are slightly darker than those of other Europeans.
The thing however is that there are many different peoples inside the Middle East and North Africa, and Westerners have universalized the image of the stereotypical Gulf Arab for the whole region. Many think the average person from Lebanon looks exactly the same as the average person from Oman. Many don’t realize the only actual Arabs are those found in the Arabian Peninsula. The rest are assimilated peoples from diverse backgrounds like Assyrians, Chaldeans, Arameans, Phoenicians, Philistines, Egyptians, Berbers and others.
From what I have noticed, many people, and I mean many, from countries like Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia or Algeria look as fair as a typical European, and not few of them even have light hair and eyes. Sorry to burst your bubble Anglocentrists. And I know this is very politically incorrect to say, but honestly, I can’t distinguish a Syrian from a Greek, nor a Tunisian from an Italian. They can all be siblings!
In southern MENA countries people are generally darker, due to the higher African admixture. But even in Yemen there are some people with light complexions, and I’m not talking about foreigners.
Nevertheless, I’m interested in seeing your perspective on the topic. This can open an interesting debate.
It is very common to hear from people and media that Jesus was brown skinned, simply because he was a Jew from the Middle East, and to accuse anybody who disagrees of being an anti-Semite and a white supremacist.
Many ignorant Westerners assume as well that all MENA people are dark skinned and form a race of their own. Some even go further and extend those stereotypes to Southern Europeans, because their average complexions are slightly darker than those of other Europeans.
The thing however is that there are many different peoples inside the Middle East and North Africa, and Westerners have universalized the image of the stereotypical Gulf Arab for the whole region. Many think the average person from Lebanon looks exactly the same as the average person from Oman. Many don’t realize the only actual Arabs are those found in the Arabian Peninsula. The rest are assimilated peoples from diverse backgrounds like Assyrians, Chaldeans, Arameans, Phoenicians, Philistines, Egyptians, Berbers and others.
From what I have noticed, many people, and I mean many, from countries like Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia or Algeria look as fair as a typical European, and not few of them even have light hair and eyes. Sorry to burst your bubble Anglocentrists. And I know this is very politically incorrect to say, but honestly, I can’t distinguish a Syrian from a Greek, nor a Tunisian from an Italian. They can all be siblings!
In southern MENA countries people are generally darker, due to the higher African admixture. But even in Yemen there are some people with light complexions, and I’m not talking about foreigners.
Nevertheless, I’m interested in seeing your perspective on the topic. This can open an interesting debate.
