Technology is constantly changing and we see how we have changed technology over the years. But technology has also changed us.
Do you see how impatient we are now? Not having a cell phone is an affront to people. They want the option of calling me any time of day or night. They're not going to do that... but they want the option. And me not giving them that avenue of communication hits them in the head like a two by four. They just can't believe it.
So they think something like, "Well, he's a monk," or "He's not tech savvy." Those things might be true, I say as Uncle Al Jr., but maybe I just don't want to be locatable 24 hours a day. That's part of it also.
There was a scientist who wanted to study the effects of porn on the male brain and he couldn't. In order to study something, you want to find one group that does it and one that doesn't and he couldn't find anybody in the control group. Well, why not compare seeing people to blind people? What's going on in the brain before and after exposure to photography?
I grew up with Jesus. And in my world, it was normal for me to think of Jesus as the ultimate man- not macho, but masculine and strong. There's a continuum there or a sliding scale, but even though I couldn't have defined it- Jesus wasn't a sissy or a softie, but he was nice; kind and gentle but from a position of strength. I don't know how to be that exactly or what that would have looked like but that was the ideal and He was ideal.
Jesus was also always pictured with long hair.
I always wanted long hair. Other than that, I'm not sure how much I wanted to look like Jesus, but I definitely wanted long hair.
The barber's son didn't like haircuts. He didn't like that smell that the black case had with it's white crinkly "bib" and that round black haired wooden handle brush-- nah, wait- I did like that.... and the smell of oil on the clippers which my Dad was always careful to maintain and that horrible sound it made, nearly intolerable when approaching the ears..
Maybe I didn't like all those things then because I didn't want to be a man yet. Now I like that hum of the clippers and can almost fall asleep in the chair. But then; on nights after dinner before Walt Disney or Grand 'Ole Opry, it was a punishment like spanking and I wanted the option of avoiding it; the control.
Today it seems as if we're at the tail end of the Christian age. People still know what Jesus looks like when they see His picture and hear His name; but who under 30 knows the stories?
If we really knew what Jesus looked like, there would be an added dimension to everybody wanting to look a certain way.
Here's a scholarly version of anthropological reconstruction.
If Jesus was dark, I used to think that would end racism. End racism? What even is it? It's always going to be an expression of exclusion- and racism is just one type of it. But we combine a few types of exclusion and call it that one thing- so it's confusing and evil and twisted up into something that means not much. It's there alright. But it's not defined. But if Jesus was dark, Christians would have to not be colorist. But isn't that already a symptom of the real Christian? I suppose if we had a picture, there would be many who would argue that it wasn't the real picture or it was developed too darkly or they would ignore it, and other people would use it as a proof of what they wanted to believe- that people are equal regardless of color.
But what about hair? The woolly hair and the straight hair debate would have some fodder.
Today on TTB.org on the Numbers series; Dr. J. Vernon McGee reminded me of Paul saying it's a shame for a man to have long hair.... yet in Numbers (and Leviticus) long hair is voluntary for consecration. So what did his audience think? Did they think that Jesus and John the Baptist had long hair for their mission- willing to undergo shaming for a higher purpose? Did the disciples and believers "copy" Jesus' long hair or did He not have it?
The willingness to undergo shame that Jesus displayed is beyond my comprehension. There's the "for our sake became poor" idea, but that's nothing compared to being crucified naked- or being punished at all. There is so much potential for taking offense from this life He subjected Himself too... when we think about who He was and what people said to Him. and how they treated Him...
I think if there were selfies of Jesus, people would try to copy them. And other people, in our superficial way, here in a world saturated with visuals- some people wouldn't like Him because they didn't like His hair. And then again, some people would.
Having just finished "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant, I am struck by the superficiality of our age.
If there were reliable paintings, even, of Jesus; I think the fashion industry would be build around and in reaction against, what we know of how He looked.
How manly is He supposed to be? Those depictions of Him as beautiful... well, is he the first transgender as Sarah Silverman said? Is he a manly man that every woman wanted? All the men wanted to be around Him, or did they want to be Him? Our idea of attraction is so centered around sex and appearance that we're getting away from the natural idea that we might have wanted to be friends- there is an attraction of friendship. There is an attraction of truth. There is an attraction of peace. People gravitate away and toward other people- apart from appearance.
I don't want to know what He looked like. I want to know Him because I'm getting more like Him and when I'm close to Him I feel like what I'm becoming.
And I wish I had long hair- with no bald beanie, yamulke of baldness on the top of my head; because I'm superficial and want to look good.
It's impossible for me to picture Jesus looking in a mirror and trying to work up a better look.
I'd like to remember that.
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