I was raised in the Eastern Caribbean. In many places around the world, especially the tropics, Christians may not be dreaming of a white Christmas, drinking hot cocoa next to the fireplace, or singing about reindeer and snowmen.
In the Eastern Caribbean, many Christians will attend Midnight Mass with their families. On Christmas Day, some families will open presents underneath a fake Christmas tree (vestiges of British Colonialism). Later, they'll get together with family and enjoy a big meal with oven-baked ham, pigeon peas and rice (aka arroz con gandules), macaroni pie, and some rum-soaked black cake for dessert. They'll drink homemade ginger beer, thick Ponche de crème or a cold refreshing glass of sorrel..
Fox News has claimed there is a "War on Christmas". The enemy appears to be anyone who is not a right-wing fundamentalist Christian or anyone Fox News sees as "other". So time for some facts about Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus of Nazareth's real name in his native Aramaic language was likely pronounced as "Yeshua." This name, common in the region and time, corresponds to the Hebrew name Yehoshua (Joshua in English). Over time, through translations and linguistic changes, it became "Jesus" in English.
Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, according to the New Testament. Bethlehem is located in the present-day West Bank, within the Palestinian territories.
Yeshua’s parents were Miriam (Mary in English) and Yosef (Joseph in English). According to the New Testament, Miriam and Yosef were from Nazareth, a town in the region of Galilee, which is part of present-day Israel.
Yeshua, as a historical figure from the Levantine area of western Asia (now called the Middle East1), likely had the appearance typical of people from that region during his time. He probably had olive or brown skin, dark curly hair, and brown eyes. In many Western artworks, the portrayal of Yeshua as a pale-skinned, long-haired (and sometimes blue-eyed) man is more reflective of cultural interpretations (fiction) than historical accuracy.
Yeshua was not Christian; he was born and lived as a Jew. Christianity emerged as a distinct religion after his death, based on his teachings and the beliefs of his followers2. Yeshua’s teachings were within the context of Judaism during his lifetime.
Yeshua is often called a rabbi in the New Testament. "Rabbi" means "teacher" in Hebrew and was used to address someone with authority in Jewish law and scripture. Yeshua was known to teach in synagogues and was addressed as a rabbi by his followers and others, indicating his role as a religious teacher in the Jewish tradition.
The traditional date celebrated as Christmas is December 25th, which was chosen centuries after Yeshua’s time and is not based on historical evidence. The early Christian Church chose this date. This decision is widely believed to have been made in the 4th century. One reason for this choice could have been to align with or replace3 existing pagan4 winter solstice festivals, such as the Roman Saturnalia. The historical date of Yeshua’s birth is uncertain and not recorded in the New Testament.
Open AI's DALL-E generated the images in this post.
- The term “Middle East” originated in the early 20th century, coined by the British military strategist Sir Alfred Thayer Mahan in 1902. The name reflects a Eurocentric perspective, describing the region’s geographical location relative to Europe. ↩
- Initially, Yeshua's followers, including the Twelve Apostles, were called disciples. The word "Christian" emerged later in Antioch, Turkey, with figures like Paul of Tarsus crucial in evolving Christianity into a distinct religion. ↩
- Early Christians aligned with pagan winter solstice festivals to ease the pagan conversion, adapt to local cultures, and assert Christianity's influence by linking its narratives to familiar customs and natural events. ↩
- "Pagan" originally described rural Roman Empire inhabitants but now commonly refers to non-major world religions, often ancient polytheistic practices like those of ancient Greece, Rome, and Norse mythology. ↩
