This clip shows just a little of the brilliance of Muhammad Ali as he asks why is jesus white?
Why is Jesus white? When you really take the time to sit back and think about it, it’s a very valid question. After all, as far as we know, there were actually no caucasians in the region in which he was born and raised, so any attempt to portray Jesus as white can not be historically accurate and must be rooted in some desire for deliberate manipulation?
One of the most charismatic and outwardly spoke athletes of all time, Muhammad Ali states that as a child he always used to wonder why Jesus and all the angels in the church were always portrayed as white. A logical question that must follow this then is where are the black angels? He plays on the stereotypes of the age he was living in here by answering his own question saying that they must be in the kitchen preparing the milk and honey.
It doesn’t take much of an imagination to see that white supremacy was and still is very prominent in Christianity today, which is why it’s so strange that any black person with knowledge of self, would subscribe to that religion. In addition to the question why is Jesus white, Muhammad Ali raises many important questions about white privilege that society seems to take for granted. You have to love the way he raises such a deep and serious issue with such charm and humour.
You can’t imagine anyone being offended by what he is saying but at the same time he is actually raising some serious questions that we all my need to take some time out to answer for ourselves.
Muhammad Ali’s legacy will live forever in hearts and minds of those of us on the path to truth.