Muslims Protest Jesus Film

Now, Religion in the News, a report and comment on religious trends and events being covered by the media.This week’s item is from, Christianity Today, April 3, 2006, with a headline:Muslims Protest Arabic Jesus Film.Recent outbreaks regarding Danish cartoons for trying Muhammad have brought attention to Islamic regulations concerning the pictorial portrayal of prophets.The issue has once again come to the fore in Egypt, but this time concerning the portrayal of a different holy figure, Jesus.The portray in question is a proposed film by Orthodox Christian film makers seeking to make the first Arabic language Jesus movie.Screen writer Fiez Golly, requested permission to make the film from Islamic religious authorities, and was denied.All Africa quotes Muslim leader Muhammad Habeb as saying, In order for this movie to be made, our position is that the image of Jesus not appear, for it would be impossible to find an actor who could play him, no matter how perfect his work is.Obdel Modi Biumi, an Islamic scholar, echoes these concerns.Muslims hate seeing Jesus represented in human form, and especially if they show him in moments of weakness.According to the Middle East Times however, the film’s producer Muhammad Ashub rejects these ideas about portrayals of Christ.Ashub says that the movie’s opponents do not have the right to intervene in something which concerns the Christians, otherwise it would have to tear down the icons of Christ and the virgin Mary from churches.Golly plans to make the film anyway, echoing his producer’s concerns.Christian dogma does not prohibit the depiction of Christ, so what gives Alazar the right to intervene?He also points that films like, The Passion of the Christ, have screened in Egypt with no such controversy.

Tom:

Dave, this, to me, is fascinating because I have to take the side of these Muslims who are objecting---now, primarily for the wrong reasons, but there is a sense of truth in what they are talking about.They wouldn’t have Muhammad, okay, their prophet, presented in the film because he is a holy man to them.But in Jesus we’re talking about something that the Muslims reject.This is God in the flesh.And Dave, I agree in principle with what they are saying, but the Muslims regard Jesus as just a holy man, a prophet of God, not God who came in the flesh.So, our objection---

Dave:

So that’s even worse.

Tom:

Right.So our object to films like, The Passion of the Christ is they are trying to do something that cannot be done, present the god/man, and actor playing the god/man.So, we agree in principle with what they are saying, but their view of Jesus is contrary to what the Word of God teaches, that’s the problem.

Dave:

Right, the Qur’an says He’s not God, He’s not the Son of God, He didn’t die for our sins, didn’t even die on the cross, somebody died in his place.But I do like what they said.How could a mere man portray Jesus?Now they don’t even know who Jesus is.But Jesus said, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.Paul said, Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.So, I have that serious objection to anyone pretending to be Jesus Christ on the screen.And that goes for all of them, the Jesus film, The Passion of the Christ, whatever it may be.So, like you said, Tom, I’ll stand with the Muslims on this point, at least to some extent.

Tom:

Yeah, and Dave, this is a film being proposed by, according to this article, Orthodox Christian film makers.If these guys are Orthodox Christians why don’t they check out what the word of God says.You know, he says, Well, wait a minute, the Christian dogma does not prohibit the depiction of Christ.Of course it does!Unless of course, he is referring to Roman Catholic dogma.

Dave:

Right, Roman Catholic dogma or Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox church, that does not prohibit it, in fact, they do it, they promote it.But the Second Commandment, as you know--- and that’s the one that the Catholics wiped out, and they divided the Tenth Commandment into two so they would still have ten---is you make no image of God, you can’t depict God, okay.But Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh, so you do not make an image of Christ.But even without that, Tom, it makes no sense!How many pictures are there of Jesus?I mean, there are thousands and thousands, I mean, you look at the icons---pitiful stuff.Some of them aren’t good art, so they were not realistic pictures.

Tom:

Well, they couldn’t be, because it’s just out of somebody’s imagination.The other thing, Dave, is, look at the movies, so called Biblical movies that feature Christ.I mean, I’ve got names for them, you’ve got the surfer Christ from this movie, I mean, they are all different personalities, all different characters, and time and time again they contradict Jesus, even the words of Jesus, what He had to say, let alone how some director or actor presents them.I mean, it’s so contrary to the word of God.Now, if our listeners are interested, we did a little book called, Showtime for the Sheep? in which we address all these things, you know, every aspect of the problem with presenting Biblical films, and so on.And Dave, you know, the sad news is that I was told when I wrote that book that the film was just going to be out for a couple of weeks, and don’t bother with it.Easter after Easter, Lent after Lent, year after year, we have now in evangelical churches The Passion of the Christ being presented.It’s really grievous to me, Dave.I think, for biblical reasons, not just personally.

Dave:

Tom, you come out of the movie industry and you know better than I do that Hollywood wouldn’t even show him in the days gone by.Cecil B. DeMille only showed you the back of his head or the back of his hand, but now they’re trying to show him -------,and it is an abomination, and I will agree with the Muslims at that point.