By Wesley Ngwenya
Last week, I was having a chat with a friend of mine about Christmas and how we felt that it was becoming more and more Western. Apparently, my friend’s five year old daughter was following our conversation. She simply said, “Jesus is white!” We were both stunned at this insight and looked at each other not knowing how to respond. I broke the silence and engaged the girl in conversation. She said she has seen Jesus on television and on pictures and he is white. “How about God, what color is He?” I inquired. “He is also white like Jesus”, she responded.
I couldn’t blame the little girl for the white images of Jesus or God that she had after all I grew up with similar images myself. Later that week, I decided to do a random survey of adults and what color they thought Jesus was. Most thought he was white, a few got philosophical or theological and said he had no color and no one ever said he was black.
During this Christmas season, I am shocked at how Christmas has turned out to be a “White Christmas” with everything Western. Shops are filled with Christmas gifts and decorations of white santa, snowflakes, Christmas trees—the kinds you find in North Dakota, red and green lights and even a nativity scene. All these products are made and imported from China where they do not celebrate the holiday at all.
I think slowly, Christmas has lost its meaning in Zambia. Back in the day, we celebrated Christmas by having uncles, cousins, friends and anyone to come and eat and drink. Our parents played the tunes of Smokey Haangala or Paul Ngozi and we danced to them. Yes, we knew about the “White” Jesus but we never really focused so much on him or had all kinds of white pictures in our living rooms.
Today, Christians have completely been transformed where we fill our homes with all kinds of decorations we do not understand. If Jesus is white maybe we have embraced a wrong religion for ourselves. We need to keep searching for the ideal black religion or better return to the good old African religion.
When I was talking to one person on the same subject they said, “Well, God used the white people to bring this religion to us because we were lost. That is why we follow their religion.” I asked him if it had ever occurred to him that perhaps our religion wasn’t that bad at all. Or why was it not the black people who were enlightened so as to spread the good news to the white folks with a black Jesus uh? I am sure the white folks would love that. Then they would have to decorate a mango tree for a Christmas tree, fun isn’t it?—with all the yellow, green and red mangoes acting as lights.
Now I am not anti-Christian myself. I am a God fearing, God loving Zambian. My only concern is that Christianity is still “too foreign” and we do not fully understand it. That is why we continue to fight in its name. That is why politicians take advantage of us in its name. That is why we remain poor in its name. And I think that is why we embrace it too—because we are poor and believe that someday God will change things for us. Maybe we need to change things for ourselves. Like my grandmother said when she visited Minnesota, “God built America first with all its road, bridges, airports and skyscrapers but when He got to Zambia He had no more money.” Now that can only be a “white god” who can do that right? Because a black one will do the exact opposite.
Where is our God this Christmas? Have our images about Him or His Son been transformed completely to think of Him as someone hanging in the sky above Western countries? Do we think of Jesus as a white man with long blonde hair, a goatee, and wearing a white rob? Whatever, your image of God or Jesus is , I hope this brings peace to you during this season. I hope it is time to celebrate with your family and friends. I hope it is time to reflect and appreciate how far you have come. And I hope it is time to look forward to more great things in the year to come. Make, yourself happy this Christmas. Happy Christmas, Happy Kwanza and a winning 2011.
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema was corrupt for failing to account for US$12 million privatisation money…SAYS GK
No comment!
Excerpt from Peoples Court=Mutabaruka
You divided black people in groups
causing them to distrust each other
the first charge is for misleading black people
into their color blind blindness
you have black people worshiping everything white as good
white Jesus white winged angels white Christmas
even the songs talk about ‘whiter than snow i long to be’
the bible did say
‘though your sins be like scarlet
they shall be as white as snow’
so you trying to tell me that if my sins
are white instead of scarlet god will accept my sins
and by the way Michael Angelo painting of his uncle
for years black people keep revering this picture
as the true picture of Christ
all your religious holidays originate in Europe
everything in heaven is white
everything in hell is black
You can never boast or talk about your own invention in Africa particularly Zambia…wat ever you have today is foreign…y? inferiority complex..still mentaly colonised….
In Africa, everything is copycut; laws & constitutions, governance, politics, lifestyle, so called human rights and the current advocacy for homos…the list goes on….wat can u tell me about xtianity…
Jesus was obviously black. He liked gospel, called everyone brother/sister, and couldn’t get a fair trial.
If you want to know how Jesus looked like, just read the bible.
(1John3:2-3) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Hey SUPPER KENNY must be very old now. Has the Government started making arrangements for the special MUSEUM where this old man will rest ? Here is my suggestion, his body should be EMBARMMED put in a nicely built MUSEUM for our future generations to see the GREAT MAN who liberated Zambia from our colonial masters. Indeed the site will also serve as a tourist attraction. With due respect to the GREAT OLD MAN DR KDK and humanity, i dont wish him bad luck but lets start thinking seriously on this issue bcoz i will die a SAD person if Supper Kenny will not be accorded that special recognition. It has happened other Countries and we can do it in ZAMBIA.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
(Rev 1:14-15)
Dont blame christianity for having dull leaders who just think of fattening their pockets. We know that europe recieved the word of God from Jerusalem. They also spread it to Africa, so whats wrong with that? Just be concerned about how dull your leaders are, instead of developing the country are busy stealing.
May the Lord God help understand your genesis and destiny.
Its a white man’s world! Sometime back, I used to be in denial like the writer, I’ve faced reality now! Reality is, its a white mans world! I looked around and everything I own seem to have white origins! It is just how God has created the world! We can’t all be equal! Like human family, children with different gifts and talents ! Its a white christmass, always has been and will remain so! Niggas don’t have to despair though! God loves white and black!
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In Africa, everything is copycut; laws & constitutions, governance, politics, lifestyle, so called human rights and the current advocacy for homos…the list goes on….wat can u tell me about
For us the big heads,there is no problem knowing how jesus looked like. Its very common knowledge that jesus was in Nazareth. Now how do the nazareens look like? Definatelly not white or black!
For us the big heads,there is no problem knowing how jesus looked like. Its very common knowledge that jesus was born in Nazareth. Now how do the nazareens look like? Definatelly not white or black!
This is quite contentious. I once listened to a sermon by the famous Ghanian Preacher Dr. Menssah Otabil entitled “God’s inheretance of the black man”. He tried to explain where in the bible does a black man fit.
Apart from this, we know also tha Christ has been largely removed from christmas. Here in the western world there is a fierce battle as to what christmas is all about. Today most people will wish you happy holiday and not merry christmas. People even get offended if you wish them merry christmas.
In this part of the world this is largely a time for improved business margins. Its boxing day here today and people are out for bargain hunting. Some slept outside shops.
Its wrong to think that the white man is superior. There is nothing special about the white person period
One of the first people to be born again, according to the book of Hebrews in the bible, is an Ethiopian. I don’t understand the argument that white people brought Christianity to Africa when Ethiopians were practising it long before David Livingstone’s ancestors. It is said that the elusive Holy Grail is hidden in Ethiopia. The patron saint of England, Saint George is also the payton saint of Ethiopia.
#6 I love that! Made me laugh.On a serious note though,if christians were serious about Jesus and God they would have known that christmas does not originate in christianity.With the internet available all you have do is google it to find out it’s origin.The gospels don’t record Jesus himself or his apostles after him celebrating it.So to put Jesus in it is baloney.
Jesus was born a Jew. God’s love transcends race. We are ALL equal in God’s eyes. Do not let race blind you from the truth.
The truth is that the origins of a form of Christmas was pagan & celebrated in Europe long before anyone there had heard of Jesus Christ.
The white man they call jesus is a fraudulent painting of a homosexual called Caesar borgia. A first century jew who kept the torah could no way be a white man with long hair, first century jews dressed in tallits, tsitstits jewish clothing. The europeans have succeeded in fooling africans and hence why africa is cursed because you have adopted demonic doctrines not even knowing their origins. The reason why christianity or churchianity is so white is because it’s nothing but a european pagan religion imposed on africans under the guise that it’s biblicalllly related when it’s not. Christmas is not even the birthday of christ it’s a pagan holiday called saturnalia . Christmas is just devil worship disguised messiah worship as prophesized in the bible , even new year is demonic worship
Nigger Nature u r a victim of White propaganda. If u look at History u will see that there has been various civilisations on earth and inventions have been made in different locations. However Western industrial revolution brought to Europe a centralisation of Science that utilised all inventions from different parts of the World. The whiytes didn’t iNvent ebverything as modern day Africans are led to believe. They exploited inventions to their benefit and admitedly sped up global advancement. But at the same time propagated their achievements more than the other race groups. In fact they took over Christianity whitened a black Jesus and made him their own. God also became white. This is not difficult to comprehend. When they arrived in Africa they attempted to whiten it by naming people…
And places after their own cultural icons. Bancroft Fort Jameson Abercorn Victoria Falls are all part of the attempt at whitening (westernising) africa. Because the whites had harnessed all technological inbentions and were now delivering these to all corners of the world they felt they had to export theIiir ways of thinkinh and cultures to all of us. We were obviously intimidated by them and accepted everything meekly. Certain conquered places like North america and Australia lost whole ethnic groups and ethnic place names to the invading whites
Good evening
I have a feeling we’ve debated this topic before. What more can I say?
We all know what matters most is the spiritual and not the material. Christians and non-Christians alike have a right to stay happy and celebrate life on every occasion. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a good health, eating well and embracing all the moments of your life eagerly BUT what makes the difference is whether or not you recognize your creator and give him glory for this. Once your time on earth runs out, the author of your life will not be interested about Christmas, colour, religion or nonsenses like that but he will look at the status of your soul. Have you surrendered your heart and our soul to him? If not, today is the day to do so. God fill your hearts with Grace.
Jesus is and was not white. He was not from the West or a Westerner. Jesus was and is a Jew. Christianity is not a religion of the white people or westerners. Christianity {Gentiles} is a branch from the true root of a olive tree which is Israel.{Judaism}
Over the years many westerners have portrait Jesus as a Westerner or Greek instead of a Hebrew-Jewish Messiah. To cut this short, Jesus is not white or westerner, He is Jewish. If we all accept that Jesus is and was a Jew, then he would look just like any other true Hebrews of Israel. The Issue of skin color is not important to God and it should not be very important to humankind today. The most important thing is for all the nations of this world and people to know and worship the only true God and that is the God of Israel.
#24 so you disregard all the biblical warnings of adopting demonic doctrines in favour of what feels good to you. You are the prblem with religion today because instead of following scripture you are in favour of what feels good to you and conforms to your conditioning. If you think christmas a pagan doctrine straight from Rome/babylon doesn’t matter then I question your sanity or even scriptural knowledge. Of teh top of my head i can count over 10 incidents in the bible that drove the most high to anger from the israelites intergrating pagan beliefs into worship. Funny thing is the christmas tradition of decorating and cutting down trees in condemned in the book of jeremiah. Christianity is an abomination and a joke that shouldn’t be mistaken for the true religion of the bible
#25 Christianity is a western religion . The word christianity is greek not hebrew and comes from the greek word christos. The people of the bible spoke hebrew not koine(greek), greek was a language for hellenistic pagans. The only reason why christians call themselves christians is because inthe third century the new testament was translated into greek so suite pagans hence the new testament appearing in greek today (codex sinaiticus). If you look at most fundamental christian doctrines easter, christmas, crosses, church buildings you will see that are not biblical but pagan in origin. jesus was a jew that went to synagogues and celebrated jewish festivals liek passover sukkot plus the sabbath. No one in the bible kept a religion that keeps xmas, easter or new year
# 25 … It might interest you to know that the majority of inhabitants on this planet do not worship the God of Israel. And thank goodness for that ! We don’t need that dictator influencing the whole planet with his chosen people and his threats of violence against anyone who disobeys his commandments !
Jesus was JEWISH. As a Middle East man he would have looked a bit brownish. But the important thing is that he was and is a Man, a human. The whole point of Christianity is that God revealed himself and came to us as a man (it’s called Incarnation). To do this, he had to be a particular man. It was a man of the Chosen People, the Jews. But it had to be SOMEONE. He couldn’t be black and white on earth unless he had come as a Zebra-coloured man. However, now he is the Risen Lord and he is all races – haven’t you seen pictures of Jesus shown as an African, an Indian etc…
As for “perhaps our religion wasn’t that bad” — no, of course not. But we believe that Christianity is TRUE. There was truth in the old religion, but why settle for part?
I agree with what you say.
Christmas has been hijacked by greedy, commercial interests, which isn’t surprising when we see that even the churches have “sold out” as regards the teachings of the Bible.
Jesus was of Jewish extraction. I am not so sure that the Jews of the time were white.
They may well have been brown skinned, which would be appropriate for the climate in the Middle East.
If we stick with Christ and accept that he died for all who wish to believe in him, colour is not the issue, but if we wish to get caught up in Western Christmas “make believe”, we will certainly lose our way.
Let this debate end now, if you think Jesus was white and believe in Santa clause, please hand in your humanity barge cause you my friend have sold out. Read History Europeans invaded Israel and massacred millions of Jews, golden people( Africans ) and Arabs in the Roman invasions, the Crusades and the Jews were scattered all over. Most of you dont even know we have Hebrews called the Lembes in southern Africa. Like me, some even darker than West Africans, and east Africans. Some white people will steal anything reason why the want to steal the history of Kemit and Ethiopia; calling it Egypt.
A part of me is saddened for mankind, frustrated in considering all the folks generationally brainwashed from birth, indoctrinated from their first breath, and subsequently immersed in the propaganda of religion to the point where rational thought to the contrary becomes impossible, as their brains have created thousands, perhaps millions, of neural transmitter pathways all reinforcing the same faulty information as if it were scientific fact.
For those religiously afflicted, the misinformation permeates, thus contaminating, their entire cognitive decision making process, rendering true objective religious examination as well as many other mental explorations, unlikely at best.
Cont..#32,
Most will never escape the mental delusion of religious teaching and will typically fall into the category of those … not ready to be unplugged, as deviation from the implanted belief system pushes the victim into frightening mental territory most cannot fathom nor endure for long, given that most of the religious dogma conveniently stigmatizes non-belief with loss of favor with the appointed deity in a pure pavlovian response conditioning.
Not that those of us spared of such mental aberration have all the answers, but at least we’re free to scientically investigate for the truth, rather than attempt to divine it through a fog of mysticism, fable, and superstition.
I rest my case.
Jesus was Jewish hence the origin and beliefs.Most of his disciples were Jewish and at the time were very few if not non Black Jews.Embracing the bigger picture of Christianity more helpful than the race of Jesus.Not primitive to believe he was White Jewish it’s a fact and much more the White missionaries the David Livingstones impacted Christianity on most of Africa which Is a very good thing.If one chooses to ignore these facts then tough!better not discuss them!
What matters to me is the FACT that God loves me so much! And sent His only Son to die for my sins. One without sin had sin so you & I could be clean!
(John 1:14)~ The Word became flesh & made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One & Only, who came from the Father, full of GRACE & TRUTH.
PLEASE SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS!! One <3
ever heard of a saying that ‘God is American’ well i think God is Zambian and his sitting right here!!!
ever heard of a saying that ‘God is American’ well i think God is Zambian and he’s sitting right here!!!
Come on, 25th December is the birthday of Sol Invictus, therefore, pagan, since it is of mythraism, which was a western version of Baal and Astarte worship.That is why its celebrations are characterised by things that are repugnant to the True God.
kulibonesha. North Dakota, when my grandmother visited Minnesota blah blah blah. why are you complaining about the whitemans ways and traditions when you are staying in his land? if you hate white christmas so much come back home and drink shake shake with us. i promise you there will be no christmas trees and lights at the tavern. ma rubbish!