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5B RELIGION/tCie C|wr{«tte $at Thursday, April 8, 2004 ‘The Passion’ is a hit among Arabs By Nadia Abou El-Magd THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CAIRO, Egypt - Hanan Nsour, a veiled, 21-year-old MusUm in Jordan, came out of “The Passion of the Christ” in tears and pro nounced her verdict: Mel Gibson’s crucifixion epic “unmasked the Jews’ lies and I hope that everybody, everywhere, turns against the Jews.” The Quran, though, says Jesus’s crucifixion never happened. Such are the contradic tions that are welling up as the Arab world deals with “The Passion,” even as the film draws large audiences in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and other Arab countries that have approved it for screening. In the Arab world, openly voiced anti-Semitism - and by extension the warm reception for “The Passion” — is bound up in the Arab con flict with Israel. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, after watching the film at his com- poimd in the West Bank, was quoted by an aide as . likening Jesus’ suffering to the Palestinians’. When the 1998 animated movie “Prince of Egypt” reached Cairo, censors banned it. One reason given: Islam reveres Moses as a prophet, and many Muslims recoil at seeing their prophets portrayed as flesh- and-blood characters. Jesus is also a prophet to the MusUms, yet “The Pas sion” was OK’d by Egypt’s censors with no changes. They have not explained why "The Passion” was allowed. Governments and Islamic clerics are also sending mixed signals. Kuwait bans any movies depicting any of the prophets recognized by Islam, but one of its top Shiite clerics. Aya tollah Mohammed Baqer al- Mehri, has urged an excep tion for “The Passion” because it "reveals crimes committed by Jews against Christ.” The government has not yet made a decision on his call. The dean of Kuwait Uni versity’s Islamic Law Col lege, Mohammed al- Tabtabai, has ordered Mus lims to shun "The Passion” on the grounds that Jesus is a prophet. In Jordan, a leader of the hard-line Islamic Action Front says Muslims should read the Quran or pray instead of watching movies, but he doesn’t mind “The Passion” being screened in his coimtiy. “The Jews are the most upset with the movie because it reveals their crimes against the prophets, the reformers and whoever contradicts their opinions,” Hamza Mansoor said. And in Egypt, the head of a department at Al-Azhar University that often advises the censors on these matters also is taking a hands-off approach. “My understanding is that it is about the last 12 hours in the life of the Christ, which involve Christians and Jews. Muslims have nothing to do with that,” said Sheik Abdel Zaher Mohammed Abdel-Razeq. The Quran, Islam’s holy book, is unequivocal in sura (chapter) 4, verse 157: "They said We killed Christ Jesus the son of Maiy, the Messen ger of Allah’ - but they killed him not, nor crucified him. But so it was made to appear to them. And those who dif fer therein are full of doubts vrith no knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not.” Muslims believe another man was crucified in Jesus’s place. Many in the West accuse director Gibson of reviving the Jews-killed-Christ claim that has stoked anti-Semi tism through the ages. “The Passion” is also being welcomed by the Middle East’s Christian communi ties. Some Egyptian church es and Christian bookshops were selling pirated versions of “The Passion” for less than a dollar even before the film opened here. In the United Arab Emi rates, a Gulf News editorial extolled the film for being “so close to the human condition (§rier Jfuneral - Since 1930 - “SERVING THE FAMILY WITH DIGNITY AND PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING” Mr. John A McCarroll, President & General Manager Mr. J.B. Humphrey; CEO 115 N. Cloudman St. Charlotte, NC 28216 (704)332-7109 Fax (704)332-5273 704 Walkup Ave. Monroe, NC 28110 (704)283-5423 Fax (704)282-4197 EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH Easter Worship Sdtedule 6am - “Sunrise Service” @ Greater Mt. Sinai • 1234 West Boulev'ard Held Jointly ivith ChappeU Memorial, Greater Mt. Sinai & St. Paul Community Baptist Churches Rev. Norman Kerry Dr. George Cooke Rev. Daryal Maypeld Pastor, Chappell Memorial Pastor, Greater Mt Sinai Pastor, St Paul Community 8:30am - Church School anii 10am - Easter Worship @ Ebenezer • 2020W. Sugar Creek Road. Charlotte, NC 28262, Located 1/2 mile north of 1-85, Exit # 41 104'59B'2219 • FAX: 704-598-8774 Dr. Leonzo D. Lynch Pastor, Ebenezer in its depiction of betrayal, greed, falsehood, forgiveness and love. As Pope John Paul II has put it, ‘It is as it was!*” The Vatican denies the pope ever endorsed the movie with those words, and kept out of the controversy. But Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, head of the Maronite church in Lebanon, waded right in. “It is not exaggerated and portrays reality as it is. It is a very sad film and we did not feel there was any anti- Semitism there,” Sfeir told reporters after watching the film at a private screening. Part of the film is spoken in Aramaic, an ancient lan guage stiU spoken by a small minority in Syria. Salim Abraham, 37, a Christian journalist who speaks fluent Aramaic, said: “I was so very happy to see my language, for the first time ever, being spoken on the big screen and in such a powerful movie.” “I think there is nothing anti-Semitic in it,” Abraham added. “It gives the facts as they are, though they may be slightly exaggerated in some instances.” For more information call 704.399.5448 or visit www.greatersalem.org ADVERTISEMENT THE PROPHET’S COLUMN INC. 9626 FELDBANK DRIVE CHARLOTTE, NC, 28216-2131 “GOD REPROBATING A SINNER" - LAST PART (11) J. M. LITTLE - TEACHER I suggest you read the account there in Genesis 19 and see that God reprobated the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all the cities of the plains except Zoar. God gave those inhabitants over to a reprobate mind to live not only in the sin of homosexuality, but the Apostle Jude says they were going after “strange flesh.” (Jude 1:7). This strange flesh probably was nothing less than “fallen angels” again intruding into the human race as they did in Genesis 6 when God destroyed all flesh except Noah and his household. God reprobated those cities and destroyed the inhabitants with fire and brimstone from heaven. My friends, can’t you see God’s hatred for sin?! Here of late we saw the Episcopal Church ordaining a “homosexual” man to the priesthood. What an abomination in the sight of God. It is a wonder to me that God doesn’t open the earth and let this wicked generation go down into hell alive as He did Korah and Dathan in Numbers 16. My friends! The end is near! The Coming of the Lord draweth nigh! Where do you stand? Are you in Christ? NEW OUTREACHA^^GSP 1310 AM PRODUCTIONS "T 3 10 Gospel Recognition Awards HELP US LOCATE THE UNSUNG HERO’S In the following categories MUSIC DANCE EDUCATION And PUBLISHING Submit names of choirs, musicians, pastors, bishops, youth ministers, comedians, ALL that are involved in th e work of the GOSPEL. Criteria: Contestants of all ages may enter. Sulimit an essay of ,30 words or less on why the nomi nee is especially blessed in their cho.sen field of Gospel. Mail to; New Outreach Christian Center, .3900 Gossett Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28208 by April 6, 2(K)4 Nominee * Address Phone Fax E-mail ESSAY: Nominated by:_ Address Phone Fax E-Mail Join Us For The Recognition Awards Ceremony Sunday, April 11, 2004 • 4pni New Outreach Christian Center .3900 Gossett Avenue • Charlotte, NX 28208 • 704-398-1777 Sponsors: Emory Law Firm • New Outreacn Christian Center • Gospel Connection • WGSP 1310 AM • Pizza Hut - Independence • Community Food Rescue • The Charlotte Post Newspaper • Dorothy Music Network • Evangelistic Newspaper Performing: Pastor A. Thomas and The Bright Stars • Sweet Singing Harmonettes Carl Blair and The Family Circle, and ■ elR The House of David, a Gospel Reggae Group
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