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Author of the book “Jesus Without Religion” presented listeners with a portrait of Jesus Christ that separated him from the policies and beliefs of Christianity Thursday night.

Author Rick James stressed the importance of imagining Christ as a figure rather than a human being.

“If you go to the art museums in France, Jesus kind of looks like Troy Aikman. In Italy, I’ve seen a painting of Jesus that looked more like Borat,” James said.

The basis of James’s speech came from parables found in the chapter of Mark. James encouraged audience members to examine the passage Mark 4:33, in which Jesus calms the storm as a passenger on a ship.

He also urged people to consider why none of the disciples recognize Christ while he was on their boat, James said. He said the obvious answer is that Jesus is in disguise.

“While reading this, you have to think that its one of those things like reading a Superman comic book. You want to reach over to Lois Lane and smack her in the back of the head and say, ‘Lois, Clark Kent is Superman in disguise! And it’s not even a disguise – he’s wearing glasses!'” James said.

People should not picture Jesus as a human because of his many differences from man, James said, which included powers beyond what any man possesses.

“If I was the Messiah I could be talking to one of you one minute and could turn myself into a hot pocket the next,” he said.

James also urged listeners to focus on living a good life, rather than being satisfied with where they are.

“Do not live day to day thinking ‘if I do A, B, C, and D… I might go to Heaven. Think of it that every time you do a good deed, that is the act that will grant you entrance into Heaven,” James said.

James, an ordained minister, travels on behalf of Campus Crusade for Christ, UW senior Jake Morris said. James has visited more than 130 colleges.

Morris said he is also the head of the WSN press, which is the publishing arm of Campus Crusade for Christ, Morris said.

Tying in pop culture references to the lessons of Jesus Christ allows James to garner the attention of his listeners, UW junior Josh Daramola said.

“It’s interesting to see the connections Rick James makes when talking about Jesus,” Daramola said.