Why is Jesus so frequently depicted as tall and slim with long hair?
With Easter almost upon us, TV, newspapers and magazines are likely to be displaying the image of Jesus. How do they know how to depict Him? After all, He was a Jew, for whom graven images were forbidden. And don't look in the Gospels for a description. He's left there to your imagination.

There actually is a very mundane reason for the image with which we are all familiar. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, when the Western image of Jesus became fixed, artists themselves were likely to look that way. They painted what they knew.  The probably ascetic Jesus may have been thin, and Jews, it's been suggested, might have had long hair to set themselves off from the Romans. Jesus may also have been a man of color, but we don't just know. And it may not really matter.(Source: WHY THINGS ARE & WHY THEY AREN'T by Joel Achenbach)

Are there any Christians who do not celebrate Christmas?

Retailers who depend on Christmas gift sales for a major part of their annual profits probably consider this a rather un- Christian way to behave. And indeed there is a group that falls into this category, if one classifies Jehovah's Witnesses as Christians. The Witnesses do not believe in the divinity of Jesus. But they rank Him just under God and do believe in the teachings of the Old and New Testaments. Founded in the United States in the 1870s, they base their creed on a passage from Isaiah (43:12): "Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God." They observe holidays only when the Bible literally says to do it, and it says nothing about celebrating Christmas. So, it's safe to say that Jehovah's Witnesses may never help to jump-start the economy, at least not where holiday shopping is concerned.

(Source: JUST CURIOUS JEEVES by Jack Mingo and Erin Barrett;
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA
THE WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA)

When was the Bible written?
It was written over a period of some 1,500 years, from around 1450 B.C. (the time of Moses) to about 100 A.D. (following the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ).

How many languages has the Bible been translated into?
The Holy Bible has been translated into 2,018 languages, with countless more partial translations, and audio translations (for unwritten languages). By comparison, Shakespeare, considered by many to be the master writer of the English language, has only been translated into 50 languages.

What is the oldest book in the Old Testament?
Many scholars agree that Job is the oldest book in the Bible, written by an unknown Israelite about 1500 B.C. Others hold that the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) are the oldest books in the Bible, written between 1446 and 1406 B.C.

When was the Bible first translated into English?
The first translation of an English Bible was initiated in the 7th century. Of course, it was not the English of today: it was Anglo-Saxon. As English developed and new writing styles were introduced, the Bible, or portions of it, often was the first to represent the new language.

Exactly what was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden?
If the apple industry had hired the best public relations person in history, they never could have gotten the kind of attention they have received for free from the Biblical story of the Garden of Eden and the forbidden fruit.

But where does it say that the fruit was an apple? Not in any Bible I know about. So many people think it was an apple, but the text never identifies the fruit. Maybe it was a tangelo. (The Koran says it was a banana.)

(Source: PANATI'S BROWSER'S BOOK OF BEGINNINGS)

HOW LONG WAS FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS REALLY?
Some biblical scholars believe that Aramaic (the language of the ancient Bible) did not contain an easy way to say 'many things' and used a term which has come down to us as 40. This means that when the bible -- in many places -- refers to '40 days,' they meant many days.

WHAT KIND OF SNAKE TEMPTED EVE?
It could have been any kind - or none at all. Eve was tempted by a "serpent" - which, in Biblical times, could refer to any creeping animal, particularly if it was venomous. Thus, Eve could have been tempted by anything from a snake to a salamander to a crocodile.

WHAT ARE THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS?
As set forth by scholastic theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274), they are: anger, covetousness, envy, gluttony, lust, pride, and sloth.

WHAT ARE THE SEVEN VIRTUES?
They are: faith, hope, charity (or love), prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. The first three are called the "theological" virtues, the last four the "cardinal" virtues.

WHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES IT SAY THAT CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS?
Nowhere. It came from John Wesley (1703-1791), the British theologian who founded Methodism.

HOW LARGE WAS NOAH'S ARK?
It was 300 by 50 by 30 cubits, according to Genesis 6:15. One cubit equals 18 inches.

Why does the devil have horns?
To get to the point, Christian iconography of the Middle Ages, which is our source for pictorial characterizations of Satan, was influenced by Roman and Greek mythology. When artists had to depict the devil, they took as their model the satyrs (Mick Jagger wasn't available), attendants of Bacchus, the Greek god of wine.  The satyrs were soused and besotted, horned and hooved hellions of sloth, who could find nothing better to do than chase nymphs all day. They were just no damned good and thus perfect models for the ultimate horny fellow.
Source: EVER WONDER WHY? By Douglas B. Smith

WHAT WERE THE NAMES OF THE CRIMINALS CRUCIFIED AT THE SAME TIME AS JESUS CHRIST?
Tradition gives them the names of two thieves as Dismas and Gestas. The New Testament does not say.

WHAT HAPPENED TO PONTIUS PILATE AFTER HE ORDERED THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST?
He killed himself. In A.D. 36, Caligula ordered Pilate to Rome to answer charges of cruelty in the massacre of a group of Samaritans. Shortly thereafter, Pilate committed suicide, possibly by order of Caligula or in anticipation of harsh treatment.

Is a minister a lowly person?
In the Middle English, the word "minister" meant "lowly person." It was originally adopted as a term of humility for men of the church.

What does an Amish man's beard signify?
Amish men shave until they marry; then they grow a beard.

Is the Vatican really its own country?
It certainly is. The present-day Vatican is the smallest sovereign state in the world - Liechtenstein is 360 times as large - and has a permanent resident population of about 300. Still, it retains all the trappings of nationhood - its own flag, its own postage stamps, its own diplomatic corps, its own "army," the familiar Swiss Guard, and the right to have its own navy under international compact.

How do they choose a new Pope?
The Pope is chosen by the College of Cardinals, the members of which meet, pray, deliberate and vote in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Their conclave is all work and no play. By tradition the Cardinals are isolated from the outside world and swear an oath of secrecy because in the Middle Ages secular rulers tried to influence their deliberations. Their living accommodations and even their food are kept plain because a conclave centuries ago turned boisterous.
The winning candidate must receive one more than a two-thirds majority. When a vote does not produce a clear choice, the ballots are burned with a chemical that produces black smoke. The ballots that finally produce a Pope are burned to produce a white smoke. Isn't that charming! In the age of the Internet, the results of the world's most important election are conveyed to the outside world by smoke signals.

(Source: HOW DO THEY DO THAT? by Caroline Sutton)

- Of the 262 men who have held the title of pope, 33 have died by violence.

WHAT BEVERAGE DID POPE CLEMENT VIII OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE AS A CHRISTIAN DRINK IN AN EDICT ISSUED IN 1592?
Coffee, which had been introduced to Europe by Arab traders and was considered by many Romans to be the wine of infidels

How does one become a saint?
The process of canonization is a basic part of one of the world's great religions -- we'll stick to Roman Catholicism here -- and everyone ought to know something about it.  Sainthood was a local affair, strictly regulated by bishops, until a thousand years ago, when the Pope began to formalize the process and concentrate the power to create new saints in Rome. Eventually the Church settled on a two-step process. Beatification is the preliminary phase, involving limited veneration. To reach that point a candidate is proposed and then investigated, with a "postulator" assigned to making the case for sainthood and a "devil's advocate" looking for any negative factors. Once beatified, there must be proof of two miracles associated with the candidate. The Pope makes the final decision.
Source: ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA

WHO INVENTED THE ROSARY?
The practice of using a string of knots or beads as a memory aid in prayer, developed long before the time of Christ, was popularized among Catholics in the twelfth century by Saint Dominic of Spain, founder of the Dominican order. The word rosary may come from one of two sources: the early practice of carving rosary beads from rosewood (and calling them "wreaths of roses"); or the French word for bead, rosaire.

WERE PURITAN LAWS PRACTICAL?
Strict Puritan laws had their origins from practical reasons. Smoking was banned -farmers would raise badly needed food crops instead of tobacco. Cooking was banned on Sundays - to prevent house fires during the long hours the family was at church. Young men were banned from hunting - to prevent weapons from falling into Indian hands.

What’s so “liberal” about the liberal arts?
The concept of the seven liberal arts - maybe they rolled the dice to see how many there would be - goes back to ancient times. By the Middle Ages, they had become codified: arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, grammar, logic, music and rhetoric.(Who said "Driver's Ed.?") Although the early Church Fathers held them suspect because they could lead people to secular pursuits, they eventually became part of the curriculum in church schools. Their function was to develop a whole person, more "human" than just someone who works like a beast of burden.
Source: DO PENGUINS HAVE KNEES? By David Feldman

Greek Gods

WHO WERE THE PARENTS OF APOLLO AND DIONYSUS?
Both Greek gods were fathered by Zeus, king of the gods. Apollo's mother was the goddess Leto; Dionysus's mother was a mortal named Semele. Apollo was the god of light, healing, music, and archery. Dionysus, a darker figure, was the god of wine and fertility.

Apollo

Mythological God of the Sun

Apollo, was one of the most worshipped Gods in the Greek Myths, he is mentioned in several stories for his powers, and prophecy’s. He was a noble figure, and a god of many functions. As his most notable position, as the “Sun God,” he helped ripen crops, destroy pests, and cure illnesses.

Apollo was one of two children, born to Zeus and Leto. Apollo’s twin sister, Artemis, became known as the “hunter” goddess, and the goddess of the moon. Once, Apollo and his sister killed the fourteen children of Niobe. Niobe, the queen of Thebes, said she, and her children, were better than Leto. Since Niobe had 7 boys, and 7 girls, Apollo killed the boys, and Artemis killed the girls.

Apollo’s birthplace is thought to have been in the Asia Minor, now, Turkey. Once, Apollo was the god of the Shepards, which led to his association with archery, healing, music, poetry, prophecy, purification, and seafaring.
Under the name, “Phoebus Apollo” he was considered the god of light. Many also considered him the “god of the sun.” Zeus was the only other god more widely worshipped than Apollo.

During Apollo’s life, he stalked and killed a Dragon, named Python, at Delphi. There, he built his Temple. Greeks believed Apollo could foretell the future, through an oracle at Delphi. Delphi became the greatest of all Apollo’s prophecies.

Apollo was unsuccessful in many of his romances. His favorite lover was a sweet woman named Daphne. When Apollo attempted to see her again, she ran away. When Daphine called for help from Apollo, he turned her into a Laurel Tree.

His symbols are the lyre and the bow. The lyre represents harmony and joy that Apollo brings, but it can cause pain and torment for the enemies of Zeus. The bow is symbolic of Apollo's powers of destruction. He is often referred to as “Phoebus Apollo”, which mean luminously pure. Apollo is known as Musgetes, leader of the Muses.

In art, Apollo is depicted as clean-shaven, non-bearded man. Apollo, in Greek, means “The Destroyer.” His name is also a symbol for Sunday. Apollo’s influence, and popularity, increased when Augusta made him his Patron, or protector.

The Romans worshipped Apollo as a god of power, and healing prophesies. Apollo wasn’t just the “sun god” or “light god” he was a Greek Mythological god of many things. Apollo was a noble god, who could be forgiving and nice in one moment, and be terribly gruesome, and evil in the next. In Greek, and Roman times, Apollo was one of the greatest gods, and now is a long lost figure, in Mythological Stories, and forgotten legends.