[esenesesinas]

Although the spread of Christianity has been largely viewed through a European lense with the "whitening" of biblical characters due to colonialism the reality of the bible can be quite diverse.

That being said lets take a look at some Blacks in the Bible (other racial groups are in the bible as well)



Moses wife Zipporah



Numbers 12:1
Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. (Ethiopia/Sudan)


Queen of Sheba



1 Kings 10:1-13
When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones...(it is widley believed she was from the East African region)


Solomons Bride



Song of Solomon 1:5
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. (she was perceived to be very beautiful)


Christian Ethiopian Eunuch



Acts 8:27
And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship. (Candace Queens were a line of Nubian Female warrior Queens Greek historians such as Herodotus, Diodorus and Strabo would mention in their accounts)


King Taharqa



2 Kings 19:9
Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the Cushite king [of Egypt], was marching out to fight against him...(Taharqa came from a Nubian line of Pharoahs which fromed the 25th dynasty of Egypt and was known as a great warrior)


If you know of any more feel free to share. Also it would be nice to mention people of color in any religious text

[Angry White American]

Adam and Eve..

[antipenq]

^^ nice

[Goalseexere]

I heard that saint Peter had frizzy hair.

[sharpyure]

Is it just me or all the women you posted look like Erykah Badu

[HugoSimon]

Paintings of Krishna





---------- Post added 2012-07-02 at 11:18 ----------

Is it just me or all the women you posted look like Erykah Badu

LMAO!!! well now that you mention it lol lol

[gypearteday]

Just wanted to clarify - references to Ethiopia in the Bible are to Sudan right? Not modern Ethiopia?

[vNGiDaFX]

Just wanted to clarify - references to Ethiopia in the Bible are to Sudan right? Not modern Ethiopia?

Sometimes actually its hard to tell but I think the common consensus is that Ethiopia referred to the whole of East Africa. So Sudan would be included

[Accecyncphory]

This person is more likely Dravidian than black, unless otherwise stated in texts. There may have been Siddis or another group of Africans called the Zanj people in ancient India but unless it's stated in the texts, i'd say this person is most likely Hindi. You have to be careful with modern images as well. Paintings from that time or statues (From that time, cause again, there are modern sculptors) is one thing...But you can't base someone's race on what modern artists think they looked like. Some of the quotes are interesting and at least use words associated with ancient Africans, like "Cushite" and "Nubian". Of course, as we all know from ABF, these people are phenotypically, geographically, and culturally different, though.

Dravidians

[Xodvbooj]

This person is more likely Dravidian than black, unless otherwise stated in texts. There may have been Siddis or another group of Africans called the Zanj people in ancient India but unless it's stated in the texts, i'd say this person is most likely Hindi. You have to be careful with modern images as well. Paintings from that time or statues (From that time, cause again, there are modern sculptors) is one thing...But you can't base someone's race on what modern artists think they looked like. Some of the quotes are interesting and at least use words associated with ancient Africans, like "Cushite" and "Nubian". Of course, as we all know from ABF, these people are phenotypically, geographically, and culturally different, though.

Also some Hindu gods are depicted as being blue, multi-armed, elephant headed, etc.. So white and black Hindu gods might not actually depict what we think of as white or black people. I mean the person in the background of that picture has gold skin.

[IteseFrusty]

^^ Thanks for the concerns but I mentioned "People of Color" in my original post...that doesnt equal black (as far as I know)

Maybe I should change the title but my intention was to show people of darker hue's in religious texts.

---------- Post added 2012-07-02 at 12:06 ----------

This person is more likely Dravidian than black, unless otherwise stated in texts. There may have been Siddis or another group of Africans called the Zanj people in ancient India but unless it's stated in the texts, i'd say this person is most likely Hindi. You have to be careful with modern images as well. Paintings from that time or statues (From that time, cause again, there are modern sculptors) is one thing...But you can't base someone's race on what modern artists think they looked like. Some of the quotes are interesting and at least use words associated with ancient Africans, like "Cushite" and "Nubian". Of course, as we all know from ABF, these people are phenotypically, geographically, and culturally different, though.

Dravidians

Your saying that Cushites, Nubians, Ethiopians/Sudanese are not black Africans?

[Prererularl]

Please follow the sentence:

Some of the quotes are interesting and at least use words associated with ancient Africans, like "Cushite" and "Nubian". Of course, as we all know from ABF, these people are phenotypically, geographically, and culturally different, though.

I shouldn't need to explain this. You quoted some sources that use words like "Cushite" and "Nubian" that, to my knowledge, are terms ASSOCIATED with African people. You get thumbs up for that. I can't in all seriousness rightly associate modern images with ancient faces, however. That is all.

I did differentiate Cushite and Nubian people because I am aware that there are cultural and phenotypical differences between these peoples.

[BonjGopu]

Sometimes actually its hard to tell but I think the common consensus is that Ethiopia referred to the whole of East Africa. So Sudan would be included

That is false. Most biblical references to "Ethiopia" where in reference to the area south of Aswan, i.e. contemporary "Nubia". The Greco-Roman use of the word "Ethiopian" on the other hand referred to both the aforementioned and Africa at large.

[tsamprasxx]

Not sure I understand you...not trying to be an ass but the pictures were just eye candy and might not represent the reality.

It doesnt matter if Cushite and Nubian are different "ethnicities" they are deemed black africans. Goes Along with the theme of the thread. As far as I know Cush or Kush was in the Nubian Region Ethiopia/Sudan they are not geographically different...names change over time

Maybe you should dumb it down so I can understand

---------- Post added 2012-07-02 at 12:29 ----------

That is false. Most biblical references to "Ethiopia" where in reference to the area south of Aswan, i.e. contemporary "Nubia". The Greco-Roman use of the word "Ethiopian" on the other hand referred to both the aforementioned and Africa at large.

I dont know buddy I think were pretty much saying the same thing...South of Aswan is pretty much East Africa but I guess your technically correct. i was too broad perhaps?

[smifatv]

Not sure I understand you...not trying to be an ass but the pictures were just eye candy and might not represent the reality.

It doesnt matter if Cushite and Nubian are different "ethnicities" they are deemed black africans. Goes Along with the theme of the thread. As far as I know Cush or Kush was in the Nubian Region Ethiopia/Sudan they are not geographically different...names change over time

Maybe you should dumb it down so I can understand

Sarcarm or no sarcasm, that's all I needed to hear. This thread is a waste of time.

Btw, there is no mention of "People of color" in the title or your first post...Only "Blacks". Africans are present in history, in more than just shackles...You should take the time to uncover it, rather than fabricate it. Learn to find clues to your convictions in more than just empty words like "Black" and "Dark"...Learn to find appropriate and factual images and/or texts to accompany your "Proof"...Not just modern texts and images that unreliably confirm what you want to believe.

And if your conviction about what someone said is so great...Why not quote where you read it from? Leo Africanus? Al-Jahiz? The Histories? We'd like to hear what these great ancients had to say.

[Blellurgews]

Also some Hindu gods are depicted as being blue, multi-armed, elephant headed, etc.. So white and black Hindu gods might not actually depict what we think of as white or black people. I mean the person in the background of that picture has gold skin.

Krishna =(Sanskrit: कृष्ण) (kṛṣṇa in IAST, pronounced [ˈkr̩ʂɳə] literally "black, dark blue"). That's why earlier he was depicted as a black-skinned deity.

Nevertheless, the idea of worshiping to the "swarthy" god didn't appeal to the W.A.S.P religious stereotypes. For the obvious reasons, in the western editions of "Bhagavad-Gita" Krishna appears as a dark-blue young man.

[Buildityrit]

Sarcarm or no sarcasm, that's all I needed to hear. This thread is a waste of time.

Btw, there is no mention of "People of color" in the title or your first post...Only "Blacks". Africans are present in history, in more than just shackles...You should take the time to uncover it, rather than fabricate it. Learn to find clues to your convictions in more than just empty words like "Black" and "Dark"...Learn to find appropriate and factual images and/or texts to accompany your "Proof"...Not just modern texts and images that unreliably confirm what you want to believe.

And if your conviction about what someone said is so great...Why not quote where you read it from? Leo Africanus? Al-Jahiz? The Histories? We'd like to hear what these great ancients had to say.

I dont know why you when in attack mode but I was really trying to understand...I have no problem humbling myself just wanted to clearify a little. I assure you If you read what I posted you will see a reference to "People of Color" at the end which includes more than just black African people (hence the Krishna post)

Again, the images were just Eye Candy not real biblical representations I apologize if you wanted more evidence but I thought the biblical text was pretty clear (referencing location and color)

The other qoutes from Herodotus, Strabo etc (I assume thats one of the qoutes you are talking about) are just some things you could look up but you can start here:

Most scholars would dismiss the accounts of Herodotus, Strabo, and Diodorus as compelling evidence to support the existence of women warriors in Africa, although all three ancient writers have proved accurate in the great majority of their testable observations about life in the centuries before Christ. As time proceeds, the evidence supporting the presence of a tradition of African women warriors grows in its persuasiveness. An impressive series of Nubian warrior queens, queen regents, and queen mothers, known as kentakes (Greek: Candace "Candake"), are only appearing to the light of history through the ongoing deciphering of the Meroitic script. They controlled what is now Ethiopia, Sudan, and parts of Egypt. http://www.forumbiodiversity.com/new...reply&p=931061

[Everwondopedo]

Ethiopians from modern Ethiopia are not black, they 50-50 halfRickans, new genetic study says so, please talk about real black people.

[NEWyear]

Also some Hindu gods are depicted as being blue, multi-armed, elephant headed, etc.. So white and black Hindu gods might not actually depict what we think of as white or black people. I mean the person in the background of that picture has gold skin.

Usually the color of Krishna is known as "Savnla". Which actually means dark. We still use this word today in our language.

The God with the elephant head is Ganesha. He was beheaded by his own dad (one theory) and then later put back as an elephant head. This God, is quite popular and called upon before any new beginning. Literally a "Ganeshan", meaning worship for something new. Say a new business start, or house warming per say.

[Qeiafib]

Ethiopians from modern Ethiopia are not black, they 50-50 halfRickans, new genetic study says so, please talk about real black people.

Ethiopians are black. If Ethiopians aren't black then Italians aren't white.