Thursday, April 23, 2009

Jesus...what he may have really looked like...


From the first time Christian children settle into Sunday school classrooms, an image of Jesus is etched into their minds.

In North America he is most often depicted as being taller than his disciples, lean, with long, flowing, light brown hair, fair skin and light-colored eyes. Familiar though this image may be, it is inherently flawed. A person with these features and physical bearing would have looked very different from everyone else in the region where Jesus lived and ministered. Surely the authors of the Bible would have mentioned so stark a contrast.

On the contrary, according to the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane before the Crucifixion, Judas Iscariot had to indicate to the soldiers whom Jesus was because they could not tell him apart from his disciples. Further clouding the question of what Jesus looked like is the simple fact that nowhere in the New Testament is Jesus described, nor have any drawings of him ever been uncovered. There is the additional problem of having neither a skeleton nor other bodily remains to probe for DNA. In the absence of evidence, our images of Jesus have been left to the imagination of artists. The influences of the artists' cultures and traditions can be profound, observes Carlos F. Cardoza-Orlandi, associate professor of world Christianity at Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta. "While Western imagery is dominant, in other parts of the world he is often shown as black, Arab or Hispanic." And so the fundamental question remains: What did Jesus look like?

An answer has emerged from an exciting new field of science: forensic anthropology. Using methods similar to those police have developed to solve crimes, British scientists, assisted by Israeli archeologists, have re-created what they believe is the most accurate image (above) of the most famous face in human history.



The Body As Evidence

An outgrowth of physical anthropology, forensic anthropology uses cultural and archeological data as well as the physical and biological sciences to study different groups of people, explains A. Midori Albert, a professor who teaches forensic anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Experts in this highly specialized field require a working knowledge of genetics, and human growth and development. In their research they also draw from the fields of primatology, paleoanthropology (the study of primate and human evolution) and human osteology (the study of the skeleton). Even seemingly distant fields like nutrition, dentistry and climate adaptation play a role in this type of investigation.

While forensic anthropology is usually used to solve crimes, Richard Neave, a medical artist retired from The University of Manchester in England, realized it also could shed light on the appearance of Jesus. The co-author of Making Faces: Using Forensic And Archaeological Evidence, Neave had ventured in controversial areas before. Over the past two decades, he had reconstructed dozens of famous faces, including Philip II of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great, and King Midas of Phrygia. If anyone could create an accurate portrait of Jesus, it would be Neave.



Reconstructing Jesus

Matthew's description of the events in Gethsemane offers an obvious clue to the face of Jesus. It is clear that his features were typical of Galilean Semites of his era. And so the first step for Neave and his research team was to acquire skulls from near Jerusalem, the region where Jesus lived and preached. Semite skulls of this type had previously been found by Israeli archeology experts, who shared them with Neave.

With three well-preserved specimens from the time of Jesus in hand, Neave used computerized tomography to create X-ray "slices" of the skulls, thus revealing minute details about each one's structure. Special computer programs then evaluated reams of information about known measurements of the thickness of soft tissue at key areas on human faces. This made it possible to re-create the muscles and skin overlying a representative Semite skull.

The entire process was accomplished using software that verified the results with anthropological data. From this data, the researchers built a digital 3D reconstruction of the face. Next, they created a cast of the skull. Layers of clay matching the thickness of facial tissues specified by the computer program were then applied, along with simulated skin. The nose, lips and eyelids were then modeled to follow the shape determined by the underlying muscles.



The Real Question

Although I have no prejudice, we must ask this question: How many believers would not believe this man to be the Son of God if they had known that he looked like this?




Getting ready for a demo jump

This is me and Big Norm just before our demo jump
into a high school field in 38 mph gust!

Flying the plane!

This is me buzzing some
friends on the cliffs.

Cherokee hold historic meeting at Red Clay




The Harold-News
Cherokee hold historic

by Curtis Lipps

A three day event recently took place at the Red Clay Historic Area in South Bradley County. Here the Eastern Band and Western Band of Cherokee Indians met in a joint tribal session for the second time in 171 years.

In 1832, the Georgia State Legislature passed a series of laws which for­bade persons considered as Indians from owning property within the State or even gathering to voice any objection to their plight.

A sentence of four years imprisonment was imposed on those who objected to the illegal acts passed into law by the State Legislature.

In order to hold meet­ings that would not be illegal, the Cherokee people met in council at a spring in Tennessee located just north of the Georgia state line.

This site became the last Eastern Capital of the Cherokee people, prior to their removal to Oklaho­ma.

In 1838, the Cherokee people, including those of mixed blood, were round­ed up, placed in stockades, and eventually moved to a site in Northern Bradley County, known as Rattle­snake Springs. From this site, the Cherokees were divided into detachment. of approximately 1,000 persons and forced marched along a route to Oklahoma that came to be called by the Cherokee, "nunna-da-ul-tsun-yi", the trail where they cried. Thousands died along the removal route and were buried in unmarked graves.

This infamous route passed through Rhea County.

When the Cherokee were move from Red Clay to Rattlesnake Springs, they took with them live coals from the final council fire.

The coals were kept live until the Cherokee reached the Indian Terri­tory that today is the State of Oklahoma.
An Eternal Flame was ignited from the coals of the last council fire.

In 1951, the Eastern Band of Cherokee traveled to Oklahoma and per­suaded the Western Band to permit them to ignite a fire from the Eternal Flame.

The newly ignited flame was returned to the Qulla Boundary in North Carolina, and a second Eternal Flame was estab­lished.

In April 1984, a torch was ignited from the North Carolina flame and relayed by runners back to Red Clay, Tenn., where a third Eternal Flame was lit.

The flame returned to its origin after 146 years.

In April 2009, once again a torch was ignited in North Carolina and relayed by runners back to Red Clay to to announce a joint session of the East­ern and Western Band of Cherokees.
Several resolutions were read and adopted by the joint council.

Among these resolu­tions was an official object- tion to State Governments and the Federal Govern­ment recognizing small groups around the coun­try, claiming to be Native Americans.

Some of the groups were recruiting numbers to their ranks by promis­ing monetary support from the Federal Govern­ment.

A group in New Jersey petitioned the state for recognition as Cherokee. There were no Chero­kee in the state of New Jersey.

Yet, similar groups across the country con­tinue to be state and fed­erally recognized and receive monetary funds.

The Cherokees were a peaceful people who lived in houses, were proficient farmers, and better at liv­ing a civilized life than the white settlers. They had a constitution similar to the U.S. Constitution, a Supreme Court, and a written lan­guage of their own.

Before the white set­tlers arrived, the land of the Cherokee covered 80 million acres. Despite ced­ing 72 million acres to the Federal Government, the white man’s greed was not satisfied. Another 8 million acres was illegally seized, and the Cherokee driven from their homeland. This was done in spite of the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the Cherokee nation was legally sovereign.

It is ironic that, today, we hear voices raised in protest to treatment of detainees who are avowed enemies of the United States, but no thought is given by these protesters to the fact their homes sit on land illegally seized from Native Americans.

If the present enemies of the United States succeed in their goals, the white man will become the Indian of the past.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Out in the country

Shop-Rite, Dollar General, and Fred's...
You just don't get any more country than this!!!!

Friday, April 17, 2009

My father and his big turkey

This was my father's last hunt before he
passed on. He was a very good hunter
and he was an avid bow hunter. He was
an archery expert as was everyone else
in our family. I was saluted by the city
of Atlanta as Outstanding Champion
in Archery in 1964 when I was
only 10 years old.

My Dearest Mother

This is a cool picure of my dear and sweet
mother. For more pictures of my mother
and her family with some nice poems visit
Dottie Horner Walker (1922 - 2005)

A cool picture of my younger brother

This is my younger brother, Wyn, as a
kid (in uniform), saluting my father.

Wildman Walker Jr.

An old picture of my younger brother (Wyn)
in Florida, at my older brother's (Ty) house.

Shark fishing

This is me with a black tip Shark.
It was good eaten!



A Crappie Day...

The big crappie my brother, Ty, and I
caught with our hands!

Deep sea fishing




These are pictures from a old deep sea
fishing trip. That is a big Grouper at the
bottom and then next one up is a nice
Amberjack. That's me in the middle
kneeling down in the top picture with
my friend Stacy and his wife...and
the first mate.




Some pictures at the boat



These are some pictures of my brother's 27'
Catalina Sail Boat just before we went
out on it. The bottom one is my brother
Wyn and my girlfriend Kim. The other
two are of me with my brother
and then with Kim.


Sharing with the world

This is me at my girlfriend's place getting things
on the puter to share with the world.

Where we were going...

This was our destination on
one of our journeys...
Laurel Snow Falls. We got
off the trail near the end of
the hike and ended up following
the creek. This was a bit crazy
as we had to climb over dozens
of huge, and I do mean huge,
boulders in order to make it
to the falls. It was a road rarely
traveled but it made it fun. When
we got to the falls it was
worth the trip.

Some nice spots along the way






A nice rock seat along the way




Campsite alongside Piney River

Kim sitting on the picnic table at one of the
Piney River campsites. This is where
we will make camp.

Kim standing on Twin Rocks Bridge


Kim standing on Twin Rocks Bridge high

above Piney River

Kim sitting on top of the world

Kim in meditative prayer....or she
blinked at the wrong time.

Me standing in front of The Bridge at Twin Rocks


On top of the world


Awesome bridge at Twin Rocks

This is Kim going up to the bridge that spans
between Twin Rocks high above Piney River

Krazy Kim Kim over the years
















Unconditionally
Kerry’s rendition of a song by Panu Larnos for Kim

I can't think of any love songs in the world
That tell the story about you and me
There aren't any single parallels that I've come across
That echo our history

We can hurt each other occasionally
And sometimes the whole thing makes no sense to me
And still I love you - unconditionally

I tried to think if there had ever been a movie bout,
A love of such disarray
I took a look in every romantic book,
Where passion sizzled and rarely faded away

There were no stories of love that had struck me the same,
As the love that was you and me
And yes I love you - unconditionally

I surrendered to what is, but sometimes felt confused
You could see that I was hurting and I needed you
And we were lonely and found ourselves in need of love-
And I know, you're true...

Now we are at the place were happy to be,
And we wouldn't want it any other way
And before I start to rewrite our story,
I can't live without your love anyway

What it comes down to is that me and you
Have got a bond that's just too easy to see
We love each other, we love each other, we love each other
Unconditionally...

.