# Do most Christians literally think Jesus was a tall white guy with blue eyes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460 "2010-10-17T17:56:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/61 "2010-10-18T11:53:19Z")
> [@NOLA\_Cajun](#): > > Well for what it’s worth Catholics seem to be the most ignorant of all christian faiths. Those silly idol worshipping pagan catholics.. \ And your post seems to be full of cabbage. Maybe the Catholics around you are quite dumb, but this Jesuit-educated former-Catholic knew a lot of really smart people. I’m not sure how much about the faith the students knew, but we had to take religion classes and were generally smart kids so I’m confident the majority knew more than the average person. In summary, Go BC. > [@](#): > > So sure, go ahead and call me ignorant as well for my faith. I forgive you. Matthew 6:1 - “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/62 "2010-10-18T13:31:33Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The only place in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland or Ireland where I’ve seen Christ represented as a dude with blonde hair and blue eyes was those pamphlets from the Jehova’s Witnesses, which are translated from the US one. I collect JW pamphlets & books. The OLD ones (1930s-40s) actually had him as clean-shaven with wavy short hair & button nose, but they were black & white drawings. All the ones I’ve seen from the 1960s onward & in color have him as dark-haired, dark-eyed, a bit tan but definitely Caucasian. I’m wondering if the ones you’ve seen with him light-haired & blue-eyed were actually Seventh-Day Adventist or Mormon… as in… [http://www.lightbearerssda.org/Home/jesus-bible-14g.jpg?attredirects=0](http://www.lightbearerssda.org/Home/jesus-bible-14g.jpg?attredirects=0) an SDS site [http://ldsartcollector.com/blog/index.php/2008/10/30/harry-anderson-mormon-artist/](http://ldsartcollector.com/blog/index.php/2008/10/30/harry-anderson-mormon-artist/) a Mormon site ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/63 "2010-10-18T15:01:35Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > When I first saw Sayid on “Lost” I thought, “He looks like Jesus.” > > So there you have it. Jesus looks like [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004710/](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004710/) Jesus was Indian! ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/64 "2010-10-18T15:43:42Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Jesus was Indian! You heard it here first! ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/65 "2010-10-18T15:48:37Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > it got me wondering… does your average Christian really think that Jesus was a tall white guy with blue eyes? No, we dont. He did not have blue eyes, He did not have black skin, nor did He have slanted eyes. I always assumed every adult knew that. Jesus looked like a Jew. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/66 "2010-10-18T16:22:54Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Jesus looked like a Jew. And while not tall by our standards, he was probably taller than average for back then. It’s just a good guess for a charimsatic leader. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/67 "2010-10-18T17:22:24Z")
Isaiah 53:2 is thought to be a prophecy of Jesus, and it says that Jesus was _not_ particularly good-looking. > [@](#): > > he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. When I was a kid, we had a story book of the the Nativity, and the last picture purported to be Jesus growing up, It was a little blonde-haired, blue eyed kid holding a lamb. Even as a child my mom made a point of telling us (we read the story every year when putting out the Nativity scene my grandfather made) that this was not the way a Jewish boy of the period looked. FWIW, “pretty” Jesus pictures annoy me. Especially [this one](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.newsbiscuit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/jesus.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2010/01/23/god-gutted-after-jesus-signs-for-islam-on-a-free-contract/&usg=__BWQOXPnYfbeh5PgAyiGjPxCHiVo=&h=372&w=302&sz=16&hl=en&start=0&sig2=HoBYMfCWNPaK8VJlQxcqZg&zoom=1&tbnid=dW-XuqiGy96AjM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=115&ei=7YG8TKySOZmznAeGsYzLDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djesus%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1257%26bih%3D782%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=125&vpy=90&dur=8036&hovh=249&hovw=202&tx=115&ty=108&oei=7YG8TKySOZmznAeGsYzLDQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0), which my pastor referred to as “the sweet Jesus portrait” and appeared on way too much Sunday school literature. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/68 "2010-10-18T17:42:53Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Isaiah 53:2 is thought to be a prophecy of Jesus, and it says that Jesus was _not_ particularly good-looking. When I was a kid, we had a story book of the the Nativity, and the last picture purported to be Jesus growing up, It was a little blonde-haired, blue eyed kid holding a lamb. Even as a child my mom made a point of telling us (we read the story every year when putting out the Nativity scene my grandfather made) that this was not the way a Jewish boy of the period looked. > > FWIW, “pretty” Jesus pictures annoy me. Especially [this one](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.newsbiscuit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/jesus.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2010/01/23/god-gutted-after-jesus-signs-for-islam-on-a-free-contract/&usg=__BWQOXPnYfbeh5PgAyiGjPxCHiVo=&h=372&w=302&sz=16&hl=en&start=0&sig2=HoBYMfCWNPaK8VJlQxcqZg&zoom=1&tbnid=dW-XuqiGy96AjM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=115&ei=7YG8TKySOZmznAeGsYzLDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djesus%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1257%26bih%3D782%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=125&vpy=90&dur=8036&hovh=249&hovw=202&tx=115&ty=108&oei=7YG8TKySOZmznAeGsYzLDQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0), which my pastor referred to as “the sweet Jesus portrait” and appeared on way too much Sunday school literature. > > Regards, > Shodan I remember that one! It wasn’t as disturbing as the _Hot Eve_ pictures, which were also common. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/69 "2010-10-18T17:46:26Z")
On the other hand, _everyone_ seems to know what his mom looks like, since the first thing out their mouths when they see a hint of a shadow of a suggestion of a face on anything from a tree to a tortilla is “OMG! It’s the Blessed Virgin Mary!!” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/70 "2010-10-18T20:11:13Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Jesus looked like a Jew. [Thus](http://kidicarus222.blogspot.com/uploaded_images/mort_goldman-722444.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/71 "2010-10-18T20:19:22Z")
Here’s [Asian Jesus.](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E_48YQ8t4OU/RnVY4bNqyyI/AAAAAAAAAj0/3mOR2SazDTQ/s1600-h/Asia.jpg) [Ethiopian Jesus](http://www.rejesus.co.uk/site/module/faces_of_jesus/P2/) [Native American Jesus](http://www.freshworship.org/node/346) [Hispanic Jesus](http://www.customtributes.com/images/products/Hispanic_Jesus.jpg) And [Middle Eastern Jesus](http://mattstone.blogs.com/photos/christian_art_middle_east/arab_jesus_by_theapokalypseshovel.html) ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/72 "2010-10-18T20:22:59Z")
Yeah, all the Sunday School literature when I grew up showed Jesus like a white guy with a tan, shoulder-length brown wavy hair, brown eyes, and a neat beard. He wore a clean white robe and a blue belt and had brown sandals. He smiled all the time and had children on his lap and lambs around him, and sometimes emits a soft glow. Unfortunately, this story-book Jesus still seems to be the norm in Children’s literature. I taught Sunday school to Kindergarteners last year and the available resources often drove me crazy. A couple of times I just abandoned the lesson material all together. But to answer the question, even growing up with this image shown all the time, I was aware at an early age that Jesus didn’t really look like that. I was told by my parents, church leaders, teachers, etc. that Jesus would look more like someone we see today in the Middle East. It is kind of a running joke amongst Christians I know, about the ‘pretty Jesus’ vs. what he probably looked like. There must be some kind of required course for Christian illustrators “Jesus Illustrating 101” where this image, and only this image, is taught. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/73 "2010-10-18T20:38:23Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > By whom? [A governor of Texas?](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/23/opinion/23kristof.html) ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/74 "2010-10-18T20:58:28Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > Has everybody seen [this](http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/forensics/1282186)? A forensic anthropologist’s facial reconstruction of a typical man from Jesus’s birthplace and era. That the one I was thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/75 "2010-10-18T21:12:57Z")
The one thing I’ve found consistent in all the portrayals of Jesus I’ve seen in church? A thin straight nose. Funny, that. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/76 "2010-10-18T21:18:27Z")
The one consistency I’ve noticed is that he didn’t have much body fat because his ribs stick out quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/77 "2010-10-18T21:26:38Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > The one consistency I’ve noticed is that he didn’t have much body fat because his ribs stick out quite a bit. He had a hot swimmer’s bod. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/78 "2010-10-18T21:32:38Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > He had a hot swimmer’s bod. Obviously untrue. Faced with the task of crossing a lake, he walked ON the water. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/79 "2010-10-18T21:35:25Z")
> [@Trans Fat Og](#): > > But the other man was unmoved. He scoffed: > > “That’s ridiculous! Christ didn’t speak Latin!” :rolleyes: Well, that’s accurate. (It might be the only actually accurate thing he said in that argument.) Another question is if Jesus was illiterate? I remember a story of him at age 12 impressing rabbis at the temple with how well he understood the law. But I don’t remember it specifically saying that he could actually read the Torah. Nor do I recall any incident in the New Testament where he is recorded as having written anything. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/80 "2010-10-18T21:36:31Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Obviously untrue. Faced with the task of crossing a lake, he walked ON the water. He was the first barefoot skier. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460.md?page=5)