Hey,

Did yall see the story of "The Real Face of Jesus" in the December 2002 edition of Popular Mechanics.

I just saw it today.

Let me know what you think... We should be able to discuss this since it isn't a Catholic or Protestant belief... :)

-- Tim (tlw97@cox.net), November 20, 2002

Answers

To the Top for Timmy.

-- . (.@....), November 20, 2002.

Dear Tim,

I didn't see the picture you are talking about. However, I did see a commercial last night and couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was a commercial about cars and started out saying, "What would Jesus Drive?" I can't remember what channel it was on, or what show I was watching...but I couldn't believe that they are now using Jesus in TV commercials. The advertising media is using the name of Jesus to make money and I find it disturbing.

Kids are not allowed to pray in school, are not allowed to say Merry Christmas in schools, teachers are not allowed to wear anything resembling Christmas (a Christian holiday) in schools, we cannot display anything resembling Christ during the holidays (in public places), yet Jesus can be used to sell cars.

MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), November 21, 2002.

I think I saw that picture in another magazine, Tim, but it was a few years ago. Would you by any chance have a link to it?

Are you familiar with the images of Christ's face which are based on the image on the Shroud of Turin?

-- Christine L. (chris_tine_lehman@hotmail.com), November 21, 2002.

MaryLu, that is terrible! It is a disgrace that Jesus is being used in that way, BLASPHEMOUS really! Using the name of the Lord our God in vain!

Tim, thanks for posting a non-controversial thread. Please see if you can find that on the Internet, the Popular Mechanics picture.

I do love the Shroud of Turin. It is quite remarkable and beautiful!

Gotta go to work again.

Love,

Gail

-- Gail (rothfarms@socket.net), November 21, 2002.

Yeah, that's pretty offensive, and I'd be shocked to actually see it on the air. OTOH, I always thought a "cute" add would be something like:

"Jesus Saves... at Chase Manhatten"

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), November 21, 2002.

Tim, is this by any chance the picture you saw? I did a search & loaded it to my website so I could post it - hopefully the tags will work!

My personal feeling is that this is not really accurate. For one thing, it does not resemble the face of Christ which has been painted by Christian artists since before the 6th century.

Even if you don't accept those images as accurate, I really think Christ would have had a beard - the only men who shaved their beards in the culture of his time were those who had taken some kind of a vow, like the Nazarites, and if that were the case, I think the Gospel writers would have mentioned it, because it was considered very unusual.

-- Christine L. (chris_tine_leh_man@hotmail.com), November 21, 2002.

And -- this goes to show why I should wear my reading glasses, rather than my distance glasses when I'm working on the computer - cause that picture DOES show a beard!! So like Emily Litella, I'll just say, "NEVER MIND!!!" ;-) (and you can paint MY face a bright burning red!!)

-- Christine L. :-) (chris_tinelehman@hotmail.com), November 21, 2002.

My friends:
If you were a famous artist, considered one of the greatest in history; and if you were a saint-- on the testimony of many good Catholics who met you and knew you personally:

And one day Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to you in a private vision, an apparition. What kind of features would you paint when you portrayed Jesus? Obviously, the features you've seen in a personal encounter with Him; correct?

This is Fra Angelico; a friar of renaissance Italy, whose wonderful frescoes are seen every day by art overs and tourists. He is acknowledged to be a stupendous painter of frescoes, and in his lifetime was called Fra Angelico for his angelic soul, which impressed all who knew him. An exemplary person, a saint! One of His paintings is a Christ Transfigured, as Jesus appeared on the mount with His garments white as snow, His face shining like the sun. Fra Angelico painted a glorious face, Jesus looking quite a bit in feature like the image found on the Shroud of Turin.

I personally believe this is Jesus' real appearance; that Fra Angelico saw this holy face. Then he painted it for the faithful. He never claimed so. but likely as not would've kept it to himself. But the Jesus he painted is glorious.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), November 21, 2002.

JUST A THOUGHT:

Perhaps I am wrong for being disturbed that the media (tv or magazines) using Jesus' name to sell their products. I have to give this feeling some more thought.

If the name Jesus is being brought to the attention of millions of people through the media, maybe that is a good idea, after all.

A picture in a magazine resulted in a discussion on a Catholic forum, who knows where other discussions could lead to...perhaps some conversions.

MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), November 21, 2002.

I am getting the distinct impression that this one thread has diverged into two split ends! ;-)

-- Christine L. :-) (chris_tine_leh_man@hotmail.com), November 21, 2002.

MaryLu,

Did you actually watch the whole commercial? I am only asking because I heard that a Christian organization (but no Catholic sponsorship) was going to start a campaign to encourage people to not drive SUV's. Their argument was that these vehicles were more harmful to the environment (used more resources like oil and gas, polluted more than small cars, etc.). They were going to use the slogan "What would Jesus drive?", a takeoff of WWJD.

Anyway, I also heard/read (man, my memory is garbage anymore), that a Catholic bishop stated that although we are sympathetic to their call, the Catholic Church will continue to empathize overall environmental care.

Just curious as to if it was the same thing or a specific are they were trying to sell.

-- Glenn (glenn@nospam.com), November 21, 2002.

"add" should be "ad".

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), November 21, 2002.

You got it right, Glenn! It's a group of Protestant ministers - here's the link to an article about it.

-- Christine L. :-) (chris_tine_leh_man@hotmail.com), November 21, 2002.

MaryLu

I did see some of that [I think on the news] last night, but I just laughed. I don't think it is right, but that is people for you. Don't worship Jesus, but it's okay to curse His name and Use Him to sell your item. That's the WORLD for you.

"Are you familiar with the images of Christ's face which are based on the image on the Shroud of Turin? -- Christine L."

According to this article, that was a fake. But I haven't really heard too much about it.

Gail - http://www.popularmechanics.c om/ will have it posted there 2 weeks into December, I believe.

But the picture linked by Christine L. is it.

To be honest, I am not 100% convinced that this is what Jesus would look it. It is a possibility, but I believe there is a reason why there are no "pictures" or drawings or discriptions of Jesus. God knows why, I don't.

Christine - thanks for the article - I'm sure Jesus would be doing that if He were here today - Preaching "Don't drive that SUV" instead of "Repent"... I doubt it. lol!

-- Tim (tlw97@cox.net), November 21, 2002.

-- (_@_._), November 23, 2002.

Throughout history there have been many atrocities done in the name of Jesus or in the name of God. So using him in a commercial to sell cars does not shock me at all. What else can we expect "Respect?"

-- marina solarte (mafisufo@terra.com), November 25, 2002.

I don't know, then that scripture comes to mind when the apostles said to Jesus, "Lord, see them, they're casting out demons in Your name but they're not one of us, want us to stop them?" [or something I can't remember], and Jesus answers them "Leave them alone, if they're not against us their for us"...

-- Theresa (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), November 25, 2002.

...should say 'they're for us'..

-- Theresa (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), November 25, 2002.

I was wondering if anyone who was read the article knows from what facts and evidence did these forensic scientists come up with the picture? I find it very amusing...I think he looks like Mario. But why doesn't anyone believe that this could be the face of Jesus? I've looked up some stuff on the Shroud of Turin and can't understand why it is thought that it was the burial garment of Jesus, of all the dead people in the whole world. I couldn't find exactly how they came across the shroud (except that it was not found until 1300 to 1400 years after his death).

-- Stephanie Jordan (jordans2@winthrop.edu), November 26, 2002.

Stephanie Jordan,

"I've looked up some stuff on the Shroud of Turin and can't understand why it is thought that it was the burial garment of Jesus, of all the dead people in the whole world."

If indeed the shroud is real, I don't think to many shrouds used had the inprint of the dead person on them. Also noteworthy is the fact that no one has been able to reproduce the impring. It is not paint, x-ray, or anything of the earth.

Just a thought

In Christ.

-- Jake Huether (jake_huether@yahoo.com), November 26, 2002.

Hi Mary Lu a short clip of the ad was shown on our primetime news. Americans and especially Christian Americans are often portrayed in a very negative mocking way. The newsreader even rolled his eyes and sniggered in a "only in america" type of way!

Putting on my secular vision glasses I must admit it did come across as a bit desperate and bizzare. The point they were making(and quite valid) is the enormous and often unnessary damage to nature(God) such cars make. The question was posed by the reporter.."so it remains to be seen does the American love affair with large cars run deeper than their love of God?" Absurd question of course, trying to imply Americans dont really love God all that much, or God is not important.

The obv answer being that NOTHING will drive you guys out of your gas guzzlers!!!!ps I drive a Holden Kingswood, 6 cyclinder 3.5 litre ;) Im guilty as charged.

-- Kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), November 26, 2002.

I think Jesus would drive a little volkswagen, an old beat-up volkswagen....I think His only care would be that it got Him where He had to go, the tank was full with gas, the tires were sound, no extra frills for Jesus - don't think those things matter to Him. In fact, I think we all know that frills are not important to Jesus - saving souls is what is important to Him.

However, the environment would matter to Jesus because God created it. I think Jesus would 'walk' whenever He could.

On the other hand, He might drive a van so he could pick up "souls' along the way, or the homeless, or someone in need.

Hard to say, really.

MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), November 26, 2002.

Look at you poor souls!

Everybody hear this: Jesus rides on the clouds of heaven; with the holy angels in His company. Heaven and earth are full of His glory, Hosanna! (I'm the little colt of an ass He once rode into Jerusalem, in case you wondered.) Gino Burro . . .

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), November 26, 2002.

Hello! Im from PA, i saw the picture in the magazine. IT was pretty interesting, good-by

-- take a guess (rsib106@hotmail.com), December 17, 2002.

Here is the story, they finally posted it:

http://popularmechanics.com/science/research/2002/12/real_face_jesus/

Click here

I hope the link works!

-- Tim, the Baptist (tlw97@cox.net), December 17, 2002.

To all who are reading these messages and to all who think that Jesus was a white man with blue eyes who stood 6 ft. I am from Nazareth and my descendants go back until the time of Christ. My family and me are descendants of the first Christians. My descendants’ were/are Christians/Nazarenes even before the belief system of the Essene was brought to the Western world (Meaning white/Anglo-Saxon Europeans). The picture that Popular Mechanics rendered of Jesus was in fact the most accurate depiction of Jesus. To think for one moment that Jesus had straight light brown hair and blue eyes would be moronic and illogical. It is also very sad that people get upset and threatened at the fact that Jesus was not a white/Anglo-Saxon man. To argue with me on this would once again be moronic and illogical. My family has lived and breathed the air of this land (Nazareth) for more that 2000 years and if anyone is searching for truth then I welcome you to the opportunity for some true knowledge not what the Vatican, priests, pastors, ministers would have you ignorantly believe. Remember the people who are teaching you about Christianity are the same people who feared the teachings of Christ would take away from their power over the people meaning you. In all honesty the Christians of this world should not focus on the shade of his skin, the length of his hair of the contrast of his eyes. The focus should be on the teachings he gave to ALL of us.

Peace to all.

Sharif

-- Sharif (saint2178@yahoo.com), January 20, 2003.