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Conservative Norwegian Politician Under Fire for 'Self-Whipping' Over 'White Jesus' Debate

CC0 / / Jesus Christ
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Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King sparked a debate over the colour of Jesus's skin by calling for statues of “white European Jesus” to be torn down as symbols of “white supremacy” and “racist propaganda”.

Conservative Norwegian politician Ingebjørg Storeide Folgerø has weighed in on the debate about “white Jesus” stirred by Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King.

Stunning many netizens, Folgerø agreed with the controversial pastor-turned-activist in that depicting Jesus as white is a form of “white privilege”.

“Have always wondered about Palestinian Jesus being portrayed as white, often blonde. Undoubtedly white privilege”, Folgerø tweeted with reference to King's statements, who went so far as to calls for statues of “white European Jesus” to be torn down as symbols of “white supremacy” and examples of “racist propaganda”.

​However, not all her followers shared this sentiment.

“I'm still amazed over people who focus on skin colour. Only racists are concerned about skin colour, only racists divide people into skin colour groups. Anyway, what is white privilege, I've always wondered...” one of the replies said.

​“Get yourself together, read the Bible and stop hesitating”, another one said.

​Some were sceptical about the figure of Jesus as such.

“Most likely, there was no Jesus. He is a fictional person constructed by creators of religion. If he were a person, of course he was like those who lived in the area he came from...”, one user wrote.

​Others accused Folgerø of moral grandstanding.

“Now is enough. What you point out here is not racism. Jesus is portrayed with many faces and in many colours around the world. Should we perhaps also remove the white chess pieces because white starts first as well? Is it also a white privilege?” another one mused.

​“Jesus was a Jew. And the way he is portrayed depends on who portrays him. A strong example of when you have no idea what you are talking about, but just have to do some moral posturing. Even with a good dose of white self-whipping. Classic”, another one concluded.

​Faced with an outcry, Folgerø stressed that she doesn't support “demolition or other destruction”. Nevertheless she stuck to her guns by providing a sample of Google images of “baby Jesus”, noting that “Palestinian babies do not look like this”.

​Folgerø, who describes herself as a “Conservative feminist hag” on Twitter, had earlier played a major role in the city government of Stavanger, one of Norway's largest cities. Folgerø has also been a big opponent of Christianity at school.

The Conservatives are the largest party of the centre-right “blue” bloc, and the leading party in the governing cabinet. The party defines itself as a “conservative party of progress” and advocates economic liberalism, the reduction of taxes, and individual rights. Historically, it has been the most outspokenly pro-EU party in Norway. In the 2017 election, the Conservatives garnered 25.1 percent of the vote.

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