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Take That Mel! New Movie Portrays Jesus as Black

Posted Aug 29th 2006 4:36PM by TMZ Staff

Color of the CrossA new movie is depicting the last 48 hours of Christ's life. No, not "Passion of the Christ." It's called "Color of the Cross," an independent religious biopic that premiered at Cannes in May.

The movie bills itself as "the first dramatic film in Hollywood history ever to depict Christ as a man of color" and as "the first Christian based film to inject race as a possible factor in the Crucifixion of Christ."

"Color of the Cross" doesn't focus on the bloody torture of Christ's crucifixion (like some movies), but on his agonizing struggle with impending death. Writer, director and star Jean Claude LaMarre says, "Our movie is not about dividing Christians, but broadening their perspective. For centuries, Leonardo Da Vinci's portrayal of Jesus has been widely accepted. We are offering an alternative image. There's room for all. We will be seeking the Pope's blessing on this one."

It is scheduled for release in Fall 2006.

Tags: color of the cross, ColorOfTheCross

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46. YOU IDIOTS. Let me explain something to you...

where is bethlehem? On the continient of AFRICA. All those places in the middle east? Is actually on a little continient called africa. Yes, its merely a strip of sand separating it from the rest. No big oceans or any of that.

MOSES had an ETHIOPIAN WIFE. Now, what does that tell you. ALL Of africa was called kemet and considered one land before the europeans remapped it during the berlin summit back in the 1800s. So yes, one thing i do not is that jesus was not a white man with blue eyes and blonde hair. And he was JEWISH.

Posted at 9:39AM on Aug 30th 2006 by tiffany

47. "Additionally, when issues regarding race are deemed "playing the race card", seems to be a handy excuse for continuing racist attitudes."

Or dismissing real issues because they're not comfortable or capable of discussing them rationally and intelligently.

Posted at 12:00AM on Aug 30th 2006 by Terri

48. Actually some people are right it doesn't matter what color Jesus was but he was part of one race...the HUMAN race, the only TRUE race out there. But the truth behind the movie is the shed light that Jesus wasn't some straight haired pale skinned man...he was part of ever ETHNICITY in the world...dark skinned, hair made of wool, and maybe he had blue eyes, thin lips. The only thing I do know is that he was descriped as a dark skinned man with woolly hair. So many cultures, especially the white culture, tend to depict people who has dark skin and woolly hair as being african descent. But do keep in mind dark skin and woolly hair runs in every ethnicity....

Posted at 12:15AM on Aug 30th 2006 by me all over

49. As white Christian I am telling all of you to get over Jesus was a blackman

Posted at 12:33AM on Aug 30th 2006 by STAN

50. I don't think Jesus was black simply because of the way he talked. I would like to see Samuel Jackson play Jesus! He is the sh*t!!!

Posted at 1:18AM on Aug 30th 2006 by Melody

51. Every body know that Jesus was a black man. When Jesus fled to Egypt which is full of dark skin people he whould have stand out like an outsider if he was a blonde hair, blue eyed man.

Posted at 11:06PM on Sep 1st 2006 by shell

52. Take that Mel? Did I miss something? Has he said he hates black people too?

Posted at 1:55AM on Aug 30th 2006 by Cary

53. I love Jesus.

Posted at 8:49AM on Aug 30th 2006 by kathryn

54. It doesn't matter what color Jesus was, what matters is his death on the cross . He didn't die because of what color he was, he died for us. Now someone has made a movie implying he died because he was black . Your "alternative image" Mr. LaMarre is detracting from the reason our Lord died.
Mel Gibson did and outstanding job with his film about Jesus, his inspriation came from the new testament, which speaks the truth, yes even the beating depicted in the film happened just that way, any one that knows anything about roman history would know that . Mel made big bucks with his film, now Mr.LaMarre wants to do the same but for a very different reason, how sad.

I love Jesus
Phillis B.

Posted at 9:22AM on Aug 30th 2006 by Phillis Boehm

55. I'm white, and I DON'T CARE what color Jesus was. Does it matter? He's our Savior!!!

Posted at 9:56AM on Aug 30th 2006 by kathryn

56. Actually, if anyone reads historical text about Mary; she was Black, therefore, Jesus was in fact black. Its just that over a period of time, light skin people had a more influential role in indicating that Jesus skin color was white. Furthermore, white skin and blue eyes has been considered the bomb. Look at current magazines, most people on the color are very light to white skined. In addition, refer to the bible when they describe him (Jesus) as well, especially those who don't have access to other historical books.

Posted at 10:12AM on Aug 30th 2006 by Sunshine

57. ................. "the first Christian based film to inject race as a possible factor in the Crucifixion of Christ."
____________
as a person of color i say

BuLLSHIT

Posted at 3:40PM on Aug 30th 2006 by RebeccaBBBBBBB

58. Jesus was a Jew. And all of mankind was created in his image.As far as{that other movie}..as you put it Jesus was tortured,he did suffer and die for our sins.Just leave this alone.What's wrong with Hollywood.Are you all crazy.Do you always want to trwist things to fit into your way of thinking? Do you expect everyone else to see things the way you see them?

Posted at 11:00AM on Aug 30th 2006 by jane

59. ..actually...

...looking atr linds'; frock today
i thgink jesus was prrrple

...now aint that the truth :)

Posted at 2:09PM on Aug 30th 2006 by herbiefrog

60. More than two millennia ago, when the Ptolemaic Greeks came to rule Egypt, they extensively adopted and interpreted Egyptian spiritual, material, political, aesthetic, and intellectual systems. Although later Greek authorities freely acknowledged their cultural debt to Egypt, during the nineteenth century many European writers, limited by their ethnocentrism and racism, decided that black Africa could have had nothing to do with Europe's rise to greatness. Some treated Egypt as Middle Eastern and divorced it from the rest of Africa, whereas others went further, asserting the preeminence of northern Aryan sources of Greek civilization to the virtual exclusion of Semitic, African, and Egyptian influences.

Posted at 6:05PM on Aug 30th 2006 by EGO

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