No, No Megyn Kelly, Jesus Was Not a White Guy

By Marty Duren, CP Op-Ed Contributor Tuesday, December 17, 2013

This is a problem.

Megyn Kelly is a popular personality on Fox News. In a recent segment, Kelly took up her sword to challenge a Slate.com writer, Aisha Harris's assertion that Santa Claus should no longer be white. Harris calls for a complete makeover: make Santa a penguin (since penguins are black and white?)

Kelly countered with "For all you kids watching at home, Santa just is white."

Since Santa is a mythical figure, debating his race seems pretty pointless. Let him be to every child what that child wants: Anglo, Central Asian, European, Africa, Inuit, whatever. Insisting that Santa "is white" seems to be an eye-roller made worse by the fact that a "professional journalist" said it. Suggesting that Santa be a penguin (no representing for the brown folks here) is just as silly. There is at least a historical tie from Santa Claus to St. Nicholas, a Turkish bishop from the 3rd century.

Newly discovered evidence reveals St. Nicholas was not a penguin. This, however is not the real problem. Around the 1:45 mark, Kelly asserts that Jesus was white!

Huh? To make it worse, her three panelists smile, have no shocked looks, or indicate in any way they disagree. This is bizarre I am not even sure what it represents except a complete disconnect with the historical Jesus. Jesus Christ looked more like this Palestinian resident of modern Bethlehem than a citizen of Utah.

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah foretold a general description of Jesus the Messiah:

He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn't have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him. (Isaiah 53:2, HCSB)

There is no indication from the eyewitnesses of His life that Jesus looked any different than any other 1st century Jewish male. So normal did Jesus look when Judas led the soldiers to arrest Jesus, he had to kiss Jesus to identify Him.

Why didn't Judas just say, "Go into the garden, hang a left, and arrest the palest dude you see"?

Because Jesus was not a white guy.

Marty Duren is a former pastor, Christ follower, husband, father, writer, social media strategist and general provocateur who lives in Hermitage, TN. His blog, Kingdom in the Midst can be found at www.martyduren.com.