Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Elder of Ziyon1. The series "The Christ" (Al-sayid al-masih in Arabic) was broadcast at the beginning of August 2010 in Lebanon both by Al-Manar TV, Hezbollah's satellite channel, and the Shi’ite Lebanese channel NBN-TV, affiliated with the Amal movement and Nabih Berri. It was broadcast for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a time when the rate of television viewing is particularly high in the Muslim world. It was also broadcast by the Iranian Arabic-language channel Al-Kawthar TV.
2. The Christian community in Lebanon strongly protested the program, and after broadcasting the first few episodes Al-Manar TV and NBN TV were forced to announce they were taking the series off the air. Despite the storm raised by the broadcasts in Lebanon, the Iranian channel Al-Kawthar TV continued airing it.
...5. Produced in Iran in 2008, the series tells the story of the life of Jesus. The plot of the story shows the Muslim point of view that he was a prophet, but not the most important one (that distinction is reserved for Muhammad). In addition, according to Islam, there is no foundation for the Holy Trinity.
...7. In addition to the offensive treatment of Jesus, in the first two episodes there are clear examples of anti-Semitism. The Jews are depicted as conspirators, liars, traitors, cowards, evil, ugly greedy and Satanic. The Jewish residents of Jerusalem are represented as crooked merchants.
 Jews in the series: A Jew informs on plotters againt the Roman authorities |  Jews in the series: Jews counterfeit coins to build the next Temple. |
 Jesus calls the Jewish priests "sons of snakes" several times (the snake is a familiar anti-Semitic motif). |  A priest says the Israelites have sunk to the depths. |
 The Jews are worried by Jesus' success, and one says, "This may destroy our profits." |  Jesus again calls the Jews "sons of snakes." |
Jesus to his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee:
"Among the Israelites are many devils who stir up terrible civil wars."
(h/t Joel)
