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In Search of Black Jesus
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In an excerpt from his new book I’d Rather We Got Casinos and Other Black Thoughts, The Daily Show correspondent explores Biblical signs of Jesus’ “homey heritage.”
For many blacks, the question of whether or not Jesus was black is not a provocative issue. They cite the passage in the Bible that refers to Christ’s olive skin and wool-like hair as evidence. Though this is enough to satiate the most ardent of conspiracy theorists, I find it lacking. At the most, it describes only the features of a man that were probably very common in that region. It does little to answer the vital question of true and authentic blackness. After all, the issue is not whether Jesus was dark but whether he was black.
I’ve taken it upon myself to look at other clues in the scripture. Clues that may give us a sense of not just his true hue but his homey heritage. I think you’ll find I’ve made my case.
Patrice Evans, the man behind the popular blog The Assimilated Negro, interviews Larry Wilmore.
Clue #1: From the moment of the immaculate conception, the question of “who the baby daddy” was already an issue.
I’m not saying this makes Jesus black, but without DNA testing in his time and no existence of a Maury Povich show, this open question brothafies him in my book.
Clue #2: He was born in a manger because his parents weren’t allowed to stay in any inn.
Weren’t allowed because they were . . . you can finish it.
Clue #3: His cousin had the first hip-hop name: John the Baptist.
This is a good 2,000 years before Cedric the Entertainer.
Clue #4: He walked on water.
There’s only one reason he would choose to walk on water: Brothas can’t swim.
Clue #5: He spoke in pre-Ebonics.
Blessed be the poor, blessed be the meek, etc., etc. These were even called the beatitudes. That’s a double bonus. It takes the black familiar use of “be” and couples it with “attitude.” And this doesn’t even take into account all the begats.
Clue #6: He had a large posse.
Even by today’s standards a 12-man posse is pretty big. In fact, some suggest the word “posse” is derived from “apostle.”
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This article made my whole day. I'm sure I'll be buying Larry's book soon if it's all as funny as this.
I'm white. Is it still okay for me to laugh at this?
As usual Larry Wilmore nails it! I can't get enough of his social commentary. The Daily Show isn't the same without him. Am I the only one who thinks he's major league?
I agree 'doucet', that he's about as major league as they come. Mr. Wilmore is an asset to whatever project he decides to do. We've seen his talent on The Daily Show (What's up? Lewis Black and now Wilmore), but I think LM's best has yet to be realized. He's one of the best in the country. Clever, sharp wit and great timing. Checkmate.
As usual, Daily Beast - like almost others in the media - will run endless theories about "Jesus," while you blacklist any writing by an author who explains that all of the stories about "Jesus" are claptrap, since no such person ever existed. One of the major newspapers in Florida, the Sun-Sentinel, has publicized my book, "The Case Against Jesus," which proves by massive documented and irrefutable evidence that the "Jesus" of the New Testament is an invention of ancient Hebrew scribes promoting their version of a messiah, a fable preceding Christian religion by thousands of years. My book has been well received by many scholars, and there is not a scholar or theologian anywhere on this earth who can refute or rebut so much as one sentence in my book. So, when are you going to stop blacklisting me or anyone else sane and rational enough and informed enough to explain the opposte of all this "Jesus" claptrap you media people keep publicizing to ingratiate yourself with Christians? It is your duty as responsible journalists to allow the other side of the story to be told. In case you are not aware of it, there are millions of agnostics, atheists, and others who believe that the New Testament is fiction. When are you going to allow THAT side of the story to appear to give them an equal voice and to counteract all of the idiotic trash about a "Jesus" that never existed?
Larry, he was Jewish! Jewish and Black - the very first bleeding heart liberal. He would have headed down to Selma to register voters along with Chaney, Schwerner and Goodman and meet his end at the hands of the KKK.
this guy just succeeded in making black people look stupid! i didn't find one line of this funny. there is actually real evidence out there, but he chose to make ignorant jokes. whatever happened to raising peoples' consciousness (especially black peoples). wow! i find it funny how black american people get offended when whites make jokes on them. and how black american people are the first to say white america holds them back. but they are the first to make jokes on themselves (which contain many truths) and constantly refer to themselves using racial slurs. unbelievable! the only way blacks can rise to the top is by making fun of themselves. this isn't comedy, this is sad! OH AND BY THE WAY....i am black (just not black american thank God!!!)
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this is ignorant
I thought Jesus actually was black?
@ stellamaris: It's comedy. He uses outrageous black stereotypes in contrast to rather inconsequential facts about Jesus to get a laugh. It makes sense--at least to the part of your brain that rewards illogical thinking. You probably don't get it specifically because your NOT American. These are American stereotypes that Larry Wilmore is not promoting, but using to comedic effect. You, on the other hand, by failing to realize the humor, attacking the piece claiming it's degrading, and by making reference to the fact you may believe that Jesus actually was black (get a hint, lady. He was Jewish), are the one who is succeeding in "making black people look stupid!"
May I say something I could never say in person?
Larry Wilmore is not black. He's tan. Or beige. Or camel.
I've never been able to buy the black stuff from him on the Daily Show. Sorry. But I guess as a comedian who wants to work, the niche is gold.
Yeah. He's gold.
i am american AND black, and i fail to see the comedy in this piece. in fact, i agree with stellamaris if for no other reason that very few non-black americans would even "get" the joke, or that, as we have seen many times in the media, white america sees fit to attempt the same type of satire to truly degrading affect and then ask "what'd i do?" we cant expect others to understand the nuance of our inside jokes...we cant tell these jokes in public forums and then cry foul when those we think arent entitled tell them back to us, because in their own defense, the people who do tell them back just dont get it.
@joymars...case in point...and if you know that you could never say something so ridiculous in person, perhaps you should've thought twice about saying it at all.
ekshears,
I see Wilmore as a well-educated intelligent man. His blackness is unimportant-seeming. To me. That he flogs this particular socio-political niche irks me in a different way than this piece irks you.
And I believe I would say that to him if I ever met him -- if no one else were listening. Because it's a personal remark and not a socio-political one. Which is totally my point. Think about it. I'm sure you'll eventually get it -- even though it might irk you anyway, as much as this material does.
While some are offended by Wilmore's Black Jesus humor, I find it brilliant and insightful. He causes all those who have
believed in the lie, that Jesus was white, blond and blue eyed,
to laught at how aburd this false image that's plastered everywhere really is. http://www.BlackJesus.com
Thank you.
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