This
week we finished Reading the Bible from
the Margins written by De La Torre.
In the last chapters he discusses the idea that Jesus was not a white
man. De La Torre argues that Jesus should be represented more accurately, that
is not a white man, but an Arabic man. De La Torre also argues that Jesus
should be represented as many different races. He also argues that it is important
to represent Jesus as many different races. Jesus came to save everyone not
just the white man.
De La
Torre also argues that the “traditional” version of Jesus has been used to
subject many people. This is an important reason why Jesus should be
represented by many different races. For instance, white Jesus was used to
subject Amerindians. The Amerindians culture was stolen from them and they were
forced to pray to and worship white Jesus and thus worship the white man. White Jesus was also used to force and
reinforce slavery. Again, Africans had their culture stolen from them; they too
were forced to worship white Jesus and thus the white man. This allowed the
white man to maintain a system of power and maintain a hold power over other
peoples. It is important to represent
Jesus as being a part of many different oppressed peoples. Jesus came to
liberate all types of people and it is important to represent him as liberating
different types of people.
We also
examined several different versions of Jesus. I think it is cool that there are
so many different representations of Jesus. I believe that it is important to
recognize other people’s perspectives. It is important to represent Jesus as all
types of people, so that all types of people know that they are part of the kingdom
of Christ. We also listened to a news
clip. The conversation was about Santa
and a suggestion that Santa should be replaced by a penguin. The anchor than said that Jesus was white and
so was Santa. However neither Jesus nor Santa were white men. St. Nicholas was originally
a Turkish man and Jesus was probably darker.
The anchor said that you cannot just change things just because they
make you uncomfortable. However, white people just changed Jesus and Santa to match
themselves, and because the darker versions made them uncomfortable.
It is important
to represent Jesus as standing with the oppressed. Jesus stands with the
oppressed, and comes as a liberating force. Jesus liberates all people and it
important that all people can identify Jesus as standing with them.
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