Jesus WAS...

I like Sam Harris' collection of failed martial arts cultists ("masters").
He said something like, "There's nothing you can say to a religious person that will convince them they've put their faith into something that's anything less than fact.
But, with these guys who claim they have the 'death touch', and end up taking on
these challengers who end up destroying them, they have to admit that they've lost,
because the evidence of their inabilities in tangible."

There is something very satisfying about watching that Kiai guy get his ass kicked by a no-name martial artist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I

Just because you use the word "was" to describe past events doesn't mean the person is dead now. Eg, if I say "Obama was elected in 2008", would you take that to mean he's not President now? Needs more context.

People refer to him in the past tense for qualities he already had. For instance...
"Jesus was white/black/middle eastern." ---Well, according to the Bible, he took his body with him to Heaven, so he would still be, not "was."
"Jesus was Jewish." ---Are we to assume he changed his faith? Bible says nothing about that.
People do this all the time when referring to qualities he should still have, according to their face.

Of course, I'm aware of the past tense grammar mechanic. But, I'm not referring to events; I'm referring to descriptions of him.

Maybe you're right. Maybe people believe inconsistencies sometimes.

On the other hand, it could just be a way of describing him while he was on earth, before the ascension.

You make a good point about the description of qualities being different from descriptions of events. But I'm not sure I can make the leap from someone saying "Jesus was Jewish" to the assumption that therefore they don't truly believe he resurrected and is alive in heaven. The specific qualities he had on earth may be overshadowed by other qualities now, and maybe that's why people say "was."

Okay, then for those who say, "Jesus was the son of God."
Look, I can find a sentence that fits the narrative if I keep trying, let's not drag this out all day :P

lol according to their faith* Derp, sorry, cough syrup. I'm sluggish today.

According to many Christians, Jesus has since appeared to people in many forms - so His Body may in fact no longer be strictly Semetic in appearance.

"According to many Christians..."
Yes, and according to some of them, he's a fat Mexican who is in reality a con artist feeding on their gullibility.

I'm working off of the religious texts, not the claims of individuals.

You said "According to their faith." The faith of many Christians draws from other sources in addition to Scripture.

Alright, then let me amend that with what I intended to say: "According to their religion/religious texts." I'm high on cough syrup, I'm not going to communicate everything perfectly right now.

This meme doesn't seem to have a comprehensive approach to deep physics.