Why all the fuss about “the Passion”? [Archives:2004/724/Opinion]

Hassan Al-Haifi
“I don't know why all the fuss about a movie?” said Khalid
Mahmoud remarked: “What do you mean? The whole world is in an uproar about the film that is said to portray the life of Jesus Christ? There were people who said that the book and movie are so gory that it would be unhealthy for children to see the movie.”
“Nothing is unhealthy anymore for children. Why, with all the bloody films being produced these days, 'Passion' might just be a teaser on the goose pimples of little kids”, said Fatima as she joined her two other fellow employees, who shared the same office in the authority they were working for.
Khalid came back into the conversation as he finished checking out the files on his desk, which he apparently seemed to think did not require urgent attention: “I think there are some Christians in the US who are just getting too cozy with the Zionists and somebody was reminding them that this coziness might be unwarranted in light of the suffering inflicted on Jesus by the ancestors of these Zionists.”
Fatima came back with some clarifications: “Look, Jesus was also one of them, and as far as we Moslems look at it, the Lord Al-Mighty was not about to let anyone make a bloody mess out of the Deliverer he sent to Israel and the entire world. He simply forfeited them the opportunity to show their sadistic cravings towards Christ and lifted him up unharmed, before they ever got to him”.
Mahmoud had a whole different perspective: “It is not to my knowledge that the Christians or the Jews have ever looked seriously at the Koranic version of the story of the Messiah. I think that if they have, they could have been spared a lot of nonsensical feuding over whodunit.”
That is why I often wonder, why is it that the Zionists still display a harsh hatred for Moslems, as the Moslems were the ones who let them off the hook over the crucifixion of Jesus, peace of Allah be upon him? That is in itself is worthy of their considerable recognition.”
Fatima had another reflection: “The Zionists do not speak for the Jewish people. I have often heard and read many Jews, who disclaim any ties to their Zionist brethren, because they believe that Zionism lacks the moral grounds to be considered a religious movement”.
“Back to 'Passion'”, said Khalid as he fiddled in his desk drawers for a pen, continuing, “Did you know that a lot of Jewish writers were raising the anti-Semitism yodel again, because they felt that the movie was a deliberate attempt to rejuvenate the argument over who crucified Jesus.” If we are to believe the distorted versions of both the Christians and Jews, then we can easily state that both collaborated with prior intent to put out the flame that Jesus (P) was igniting among the discontent and the oppressed. The Romans went on later to carry the banner of Christianity, while putting the blame on the Jews. The Jews, in the meantime, had difficulty getting along with any religious persuasion, which did not conform to the dogma disseminated by their powerful clergy, while adopting religious misconceptions that were the very things that religion was totally against, such as the Zionist dogma.”
Fatima added weight to Khalid's statement: “Yes, you are right, Khalid, it is impossible to believe that a religious movement could allow for the murder of a fully paralyzed religious man, as he was coming out of his Dawn Prayers. How many of you physically able men actually bother to attend Dawn prayers in the mosque?”
There was a silence of embarrassment by her colleagues. Then Mahmoud said: “I assure you Fatima that I do not miss out on any of my prayers, some in the mosques and the rest at work or at home. You are right to take note of the fact that Ahmed Yassine is indeed a more pious man than any of us. You are right also to point out that the death of Sheikh Ahmed Yassine should not be taken so lightly by the Moslems and the Zionists who had the audacity to inflict such a heinous crime. Maybe this was Ariel Sharon's answer to Mel Gibson's book and movie!”
Mahmoud wanted to alarm Fatima: “Fatima, if what you are saying reaches the ears of the Zionist establishment, you would be slandered all over the media. Did you know that they went as far as saying that Mel Gibson not only had anti-Semitic tendencies, in fact they said he was gay! God knows what they would say about you, if they heard what you said”.
What puzzles me is that Zionists will always regard their evil deeds as just and justified. But, the whole world, except Bush and Co. said that what they did to Ahmed Yassine was simply out of line and unjustified, even those who were highly critical of Hamas and the suicide attacks”.
Khalid said: “I can't understand these western critics of Hamas. Look at all the crazy things that westerners do when they get frustrated or even depressed. How many crazy murders did one hear about in the streets of Ulster and Oklahoma? What about the Mansons and all those other misfits who organized cult suicides after going on a wild crime spree that brought havoc to many an American community? Haven't the Palestinians been subjected to the most inhumane treatment by the Zionist land thieves, not to mention the systematic make life as hard as they can for the remaining Palestinians, who are bravely holding on to the last stretch of their native homeland. That is the motto of Sharon's unilateral peace initiative?”
Fatima made a closing comment as she wanted to seriously get some work done: “With the cold blooded murder of Sheikh Yassine, the Zionists only gave added weight to the Mel Gibson illustrations of the sufferings of Jesus Christ, as they are related in the Christian Gospels.”
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