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The spirituality website Beliefnet is running a series of images, uploaded by their readers, of what Jesus looks like. The images run the gamut, from the bloodied <a title=”Christ on the cross” href=”http://www.beliefnet.com/gallery/userjesus.html?pgIndex=3″ target=”_blank”>Christ on the cross</a> to the more ethereal <a title=”Jesus in the heavens” href=”http://www.beliefnet.com/gallery/userjesus.html?pgIndex=4″ target=”_blank”>Jesus in the heavens</a>. There’s even one of a beefy Jesus actually <a title=”breaking his cross” href=”http://www.beliefnet.com/gallery/userjesus.html?pgIndex=10″ target=”_blank”>breaking the cross</a>.</p>
<p>After viewing the images, I couldn’t help thinking of a piece by William C. White from <i>Law & Politics</i>, published in <a title=”the Jan.-Feb. issue of <I>Utne Reader</I>” href=”https://www.utne.com/arts/portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-kindergartner.aspx”>the Jan.-Feb. issue of <i>Utne Reader</i>
</a>. As a young child, White tried to impress his kindergarten teacher by drawing a picture of Jesus on the cross. Here’s my favorite part:</p>
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<i>The drawing nearly gives me goose bumps. But something is missing. Then it occurs to me. Having observed my father doing his calisthenics, with his arms raised above his head, I realize the vital piece of verisimilitude that is needed. I search the stadium-like rows of crayons and locate the brown. I begin to apply hair to the underarms of our Lord.</i>
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<p>–<a title=”Bennett Gordon” href=”https://www.utne.com/bios/bennett-gordon.aspx”>
<em>Bennett Gordon</em>
</a>
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