"Islamic Jesus" Hits Iranian Movie Screens

[Booklover]

TEHRAN (AFP) — A director who shares the ideas of Iran’s hardline president has produced what he says is the first film giving an Islamic view of Jesus Christ, in a bid to show the “common ground” between Muslims and Christians.
Nader Talebzadeh sees his movie, “Jesus, the Spirit of God,” as an Islamic answer to Western productions like Mel Gibson’s 2004 blockbuster “The Passion of the Christ,” which he praised as admirable but quite simply “wrong”.
“Gibson’s film is a very good film. I mean that it is a well-crafted movie but the story is wrong – it was not like that,” he said, referring to two key differences: Islam sees Jesus as a prophet, not the son of God, and does not believe he was crucified.
Talebzadeh said he even went to Gibson’s mansion in Malibu, California, to show him his film. “But it was Sunday and the security at the gate received the film and the brochure and promised to deliver it,” though the Iranian never heard back.
Even in Iran, “Jesus, The Spirit of God” had a low-key reception, playing to moderate audiences in five Tehran cinemas during the holy month of Ramadan, in October.
The film, funded by state broadcasting, faded off the billboards but is far from dead, about to be recycled in a major 20 episode spin-off to be broadcast over state-run national television this year.
Talebzadeh insists it aims to bridge differences between Christianity and Islam, despite the stark divergence from Christian doctrine about Christ’s final hours on earth.
“It is fascinating for Christians to know that Islam gives such devotion to and has so much knowledge about Jesus,” Talebzadeh told AFP.
“By making this film I wanted to make a bridge between Christianity and Islam, to open the door for dialogue since there is much common ground between Islam and Christianity,” he said.

Iranian film about Jesus invites Christians to accept Islam

jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/IslamicJesus.jpeg
Seeking common ground with Christians by urging them to accept the Islamic view of Jesus, sans crucifixion and divinity. In other words, become Muslim, and we’ll be standing on common ground – which is also the thinly veiled message of the celebrated “Common Word” document recently issued by 138 Muslim scholars.

jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/019561.php

Vickie

 

[Charlie_Zeaiter]

In Islamic countries, can one be killed for believing that Jesus is the Son of God? If so, wouldn’t that dictate the direction of any talks about Jesus and thus making such talks pointless?

 

[swariffin]

How can there be a mutual agreement if Islam based the story about Jesus on the gospel of barnabas which was written by a person(s) unfamiliar of the holy land, and unknown either. For sure, the writer’s knowledge of true christianity is also unknown.

 

[isaac.madsen]

How can there be a mutual agreement if Islam based the story about Jesus on the gospel of barnabas which was written by a person(s) unfamiliar of the holy land, and unknown either. For sure, the writer’s knowledge of true christianity is also unknown.

Then again, the gospels (Matt, Mark, Luke, John) are well-known from dedicated research to have been written by different men than those they were named after. I’m curious where I’d be able to get a copy of the film being discussed. I don’t believe in Islamic teachings, but then again I wasn’t raised in the Middle-East.

 

[dolphinlove]

This is very disturbing.

 

[thedavidwilson]

In Islamic countries, can one be killed for believing that Jesus is the Son of God? If so, wouldn’t that dictate the direction of any talks about Jesus and thus making such talks pointless?

But you don’t understand. Because you are not a muslim you are misled (you were actually born a muslim but you don’t know it yet). There is no reason to discuss Christian doctrine because it is all false. This falsehood and anything else contrary to islam would only harm you and society. So killing you when you discuss Christianity is to protect you from these faslehoods. It is simple Islamic free speech, that’s all.

 

[valient_Lucy]

I thought there was a prohibition in Islam against showing the faces of the prophets, hence Muhammad’s face being veiled. I remember some Muslims complaining to Time Magazine when they printed pictures that showed the faces of Jesus and Muhammad.

Perhaps I was mistaken.

 

[LDNCatholic]

I thought there was a prohibition in Islam against showing the faces of the prophets, hence Muhammad’s face being veiled. I remember some Muslims complaining to Time Magazine when they printed pictures that showed the faces of Jesus and Muhammad.

Perhaps I was mistaken.

Iran does a lot of things that normally are not allowed in Islam. I believe there was a tradition of paintings that featured Muhammad in the past, actually showing his face.

 

[KarenNC]

Frankly I don’t see it as a lot different than Christians who put out books, films, do lectures, etc on what the Hebrew Scriptures “really mean” (ie that they exist only as a foreshadowing of Christ rather than what the Jews say they mean). Things like the Christian redactions of the Passover seder, etc.

Such are basically Christians “seeking common ground with [Jews] by urging them to accept the [Chrisian] view of Jesus, [with divinity and messiahship].”

Muslims make Muslim movies showing Muslim theological teachings.
Christians make Christian movies showing Christian theological teachings.
Jews make Jewish movies showing Jewish theological teachings.
etc, etc, etc.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Frankly I don’t see it as a lot different than Christians who put out books, films, do lectures, etc on what the Hebrew Scriptures “really mean” (ie that they exist only as a foreshadowing of Christ rather than what the Jews say they mean). Things like the Christian redactions of the Passover seder, etc.

Such are basically Christians “seeking common ground with [Jews] by urging them to accept the [Chrisian] view of Jesus, [with divinity and messiahship].”

Muslims make Muslim movies showing Muslim theological teachings.
Christians make Christian movies showing Christian theological teachings.
Jews make Jewish movies showing Jewish theological teachings.
etc, etc, etc.

I think you have it right.

I’d like to see the movie to understand the Muslim view of Jesus. If I found it offensive I might walk out, or turn off the tape then destroy it. I might cry or pray to God to forgive the producer. But I wouldn’t put a price on his head or hire a hit man.

 

[ALLGIRLS]

I think you have it right.

I’d like to see the movie to understand the Muslim view of Jesus. If I found it offensive I might walk out, or turn off the tape then destroy it. I might cry or pray to God to forgive the producer. But I wouldn’t put a price on his head or hire a hit man.

And that, my friends, is the key difference, and why there will never be any fruitful “dialogue” between Islam and Christianity (or Islam and Judaism, or Islam and Hinduism, or Buddhism, or Sikhism, or Animism, or etc., etc., etc.) . To us it’s, “Jesus is God the Son, the Savior of the world”. To them, it’s “no he’s not, he’s just a prophet (not even the “greatest” prophet), your scriptures are wrong, and if you don’t believe that, we’ll kill you.” Why do we even bother?

In Christ,

Ellen

 

[Booklover]

Frankly I don’t see it as a lot different than Christians who put out books, films, do lectures, etc on what the Hebrew Scriptures “really mean” (ie that they exist only as a foreshadowing of Christ rather than what the Jews say they mean). Things like the Christian redactions of the Passover seder, etc.

Such are basically Christians “seeking common ground with [Jews] by urging them to accept the [Chrisian] view of Jesus, [with divinity and messiahship].”

Muslims make Muslim movies showing Muslim theological teachings.
Christians make Christian movies showing Christian theological teachings.
Jews make Jewish movies showing Jewish theological teachings.
etc, etc, etc.

Are Christians trying to force Jews to accept their beliefs by making those movies??

Vickie

 

[MugenOne]

Islam= no criticism of the koran. That leaves dialogue impossible.

But that is not the end of the matter. The Islamic world is forced to adopt an openly irrational stance, employing its power to intimidate scholars and frustrate the search for truth. It is impossible for Muslims to propose a dialogue with Western religions, as 38 Islamic scholars did in an October 13 letter to Pope Benedict XVI and other Christian leaders, and rule the subject of text criticism out of the discussion.

Precisely for this reason, Church leaders see little basis for a dialogue with Islam. Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran, who directs the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, told the French daily La Croix, “Muslims do not accept discussion about the Koran, because they say it was written under the dictates of God. With such an absolutist interpretation, it’s difficult to discuss the contents of the faith.”

Throughout the Internet, Islamist sites denounce the work of a handful of marginalized scholars as evidence of a plot by Christian missionaries to sabotage Islam. What the Muslim world cannot conceal is its vulnerability and fear in the face of Koranic criticism. In the great battle for converts through the Global South, this may turn out to be a paralyzing disadvantage.

atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JA15Ak03.html

 

[talter]

Sweet a movie about Jesus where’s he’s not crucified !!! The hero lives! How about making a movie where ol’ yeller gets a rabies shot. Or Shane makes it to a doctor. Or one where the 300 Spartans go home victorious. Or … let’s not go where I was headed in my head t’would be uncharitable :tsktsk:. Granted there’s that whole thing about salvation that gets thrown out at the same time, and the historical records to throw out as well but those are minor details…

Still wouldn’t mind seeing those movies made, kind of like watching one where you think the good guy loses/dies when in fact he ultimately wins/lives.

 

[KarenNC]

Are Christians trying to force Jews to accept their beliefs by making those movies??

They are certainly a part of attempting to convert not only Jews but other non-Christians in most cases, yes, as most of them are touted as evangelical tools. Perhaps there is a more widespread acceptance of videos as evangelization tools in the Protestant rather than the Catholic sphere.

nytimes.com/2005/08/16/national/16video.html
This one they planned to direct mail this one to people’s homes, for instance.

query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F07E5DB133BF936A35751C0A9629C8B63
Evangelical intent for Mel Gibson’s “The Passion”.

christianindex.org/2391.article
myfaith.com/evangelism/evangelize-witnessingtools.htm
christiananswers.net/evangelism/methods/filmandvideo.html
etc.

As to “force”, I don’t see anything in the article that mentions that anyone is being forced to even watch this particular movie, so I don’t know how you get from it that this movie somehow “forces” Christians to accept Islamic beliefs.

 

[thedavidwilson]

Frankly I don’t see it as a lot different than Christians who put out books, films, do lectures, etc on what the Hebrew Scriptures “really mean” (ie that they exist only as a foreshadowing of Christ rather than what the Jews say they mean). Things like the Christian redactions of the Passover seder, etc.

Such are basically Christians “seeking common ground with [Jews] by urging them to accept the [Chrisian] view of Jesus, [with divinity and messiahship].”

Muslims make Muslim movies showing Muslim theological teachings.
Christians make Christian movies showing Christian theological teachings.
Jews make Jewish movies showing Jewish theological teachings.
etc, etc, etc.

The difference is that the Christian books and movies contain the Truth (that is if they adhere to Catholic teachings).

 

[KarenNC]

The difference is that the Christian books and movies contain the Truth (that is if they adhere to Catholic teachings).

And that is exactly what I would expect to hear the Muslims say about their movies and books—they contain the “Truth”.

 

[thedavidwilson]

And that is exactly what I would expect to hear the Muslims say about their movies and books—they contain the “Truth”.

But are the muslims right? There is an objective Truth in this world and islam is not it. If there is not objective truth, no absolute right or wrong, then I can justify any action because that is what I believe to be true. This is a falsehood and is the root of many problems in society today.

 

[KarenNC]

But are the muslims right? There is an objective Truth in this world and islam is not it. If there is not objective truth, no absolute right or wrong, then I can justify any action because that is what I believe to be true. This is a falsehood and is the root of many problems in society today.

Again, I would expect the Muslims to say the same thing exactly about their religion.

 

[thedavidwilson]

Again, I would expect the Muslims to say the same thing exactly about their religion.

But are they correct? Hitler would say the same thing about Nazism and killing Jews. Is that correct?