Jesus mural issue could leave a legacy of bitterness

The mural is an expression of art. It’s not Jesus Himself. We should not be so focused inward that we create turmoil between each other.

Matthew Fier, Writer

When walking by the infamous Jesus Mural, you might as well paint a fourth shadow from his huge stature – one that could very well hang over the positive Biola legacy for a long time.

Yes, we all understand the debate; some people are offended by the painting’s lack of cultural diversity within the color of his skin.

Really?

As an Asian American, I find myself glancing at the gigantic Jesus every single day. Not once do my palms start to sweat and my heart beat in an angry rhythm because it doesn’t look like Jet-Li.

I even have two African-American friends in a certainly black student organization on campus that find no offense to the mural.

What makes this an awful situation is that no one can really say anything, especially if it singles anyone out.

Yet, let’s be honest. After long discussions with multiple student groups on campus, it seems that the only people who are involved in this debate are white — excuse me, Caucasian people afraid to offend anyone and extreme activists from a certain line of ethnicity.

In the end, no matter what we do, people will be offended. It’s part of the sin nature of our fallen world.

It’s a matter of pride, more importantly, because it’s a heart issue.

When I go to highly populated Hispanic regions, I don’t expect paintings of Jesus to be completely white. When I go to highly populated Asian regions, I don’t expect him to be black.

Let’s face it Biola. We’re a white school in a mostly white area with a whole lot of white kids.

The mural itself is an expression of art. It’s not Jesus Himself, nor should we be so focused inward that we create this turmoil between each other.

I think the real issue is that we are so consumed with the argument of the mural that we are worshipping ourselves and what we desire.

Christ doesn’t call us to this. Have you noticed that the week following the Mural debates has (ironically) been about a call to compassion?

What if we do paint over it? Can you imagine the field day the media would have?

“Bible school finds Jesus too offensive to keep up” is a great headline for the New York Times.

I think the real issue is that he simply looks scary. I say let’s paint Jesus green, like the hulk.

This way it represents “everyone” here on campus: angry.

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