A new movie in Iran depicts the life of Jesus from an Islamic perspective. “The Messiah,” which some consider as Iran’s answer to Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ,” won an award at Rome’s Religion Today Film Festival for generating interfaith dialogue.
Filmmaker Nader Talebzadeh spoke to ABC’s Lara Setrakian in Tehran.
LS: What are the key differences between Jesus through Islam’s eyes and Jesus through the traditional Christian perspective?
NT: We are talking about the same beautiful man, the same beautiful prophet, the same divine person sent from heaven. In the Koran, it emphasizes maybe three main points: about the birth, about the fact that he was not the son of God, and then, that he was not crucified. The rest is [the same] Jesus … the sermons, and the miracles, and the political situation.
Found by KD Martin/Cage Match.
Sounds like a much more rational view of a man. Too bad Islam doesn’t take as gentle and rational view of Mohamed when he is discussed among Westerners.
Of course, it is unfair of me to push the weight of the entire Moslem world onto one man’s shoulders.
Too bad you couldn’t find a picture of Muhammad playing soccer with Jesus.
#2 – or having buttsecks.
Fuck Jesus.
Why do they think he wasn’t crucified? I mean, I can understand not thinking he’s the son of God, and not thinking he rose again after death. But the crucifixion seems like a weird thing to mark out of the story. They accept the walking on water, and turning water into wine stuff…but not the crucifixion?
It’s not like it was rare to be crucified in that world.
I say bravo to the muslam filmmaker. Rather than crying and throwing a tantrum like other muslams, this guy makes his own offensive movie. This is how is should be. Can’t we just be content to offend each other? Why the violence?
We read about all the intervention with humans by gods a couple of thousand years ago, but no gods seem to want to tackle today’s issues. Funny how the world appears exactly like it would if there where gods at all.
wonder if the christians will demand the death of the director lol.
I Still say “Life of Brian” was more true to fact.
This blasphemy is outrageous! I predict angry Christians will form violent mobs and immediately begin rioting in the streets!
Oh, wait, that’s Muslims. Nevermind.
The Islamic view of Jesus differs from today’s Christian faith simply because of Paul’s (formally Saul) view of Jesus – the so-called Pauline Chirstian sect which was further cemented as mainline by the Council of Nicea (Constantine).
Paul integrated many religious myths of the time into the background of Jesus such as Dec 25th birthday, the three kings, born of a virgin, died and resurrected three days later, divinity, Sunday as the day of worship et al. Paul was at odds with Jesus’ brother James for these blasphemies.
Prior to the Council of Nicea Jesus’ divinity did not exist outside of Paul’s view of Jesus and some others. It was the duty of the Council of Nicea to set forth the dogma of the Church and to decide on which of the 80 some gospels are to be sanctioned by this new Church.
If one wants to know a truer view and history of Jesus look to Islam and the Hindus not the bible.
Cheers
All this talk about god, windows is far more popular that jesus, muhammed or god. And cheaper too.
Jesus’ divinity is a problem for Allah as it implies a duality that conflicts with the unconditional monotheism of Islam. So actually, it’s not the filmmaker who ‘blasphemes’ Jesus, it’s the Qur’an. He is simply following the teachings of his holy book.
At first glance it seems absurd to say that the creator sent a ‘son’ in human form to disseminate its message. But to me, it’s ever so slightly more credible when compared to Mohammed who was “just a man” (a common refrain when one points out any of his many faults). While the temporal aspect of prophecy is hard to overcome, it’s not as hard as the infinite creator — of everything that is, was, and will be — picked a random and far-from-perfect guy in the desert as the messenger.
#12 ultraslug “Jesus’ divinity is a problem for Allah as it implies a duality that conflicts with the unconditional monotheism of Islam.”
It would also be a problem with Jesus as well being the good Nazerean (Nazerean Sect not place name) Jew that he was. Oy veh!
Yes you are correct – don’t shoot the messenger – the film maker.
Here is the sticking point – who is correct then? The Qur’an’s view or the Catholic church’s view post Constantine and the Council of Nicea? Last one left alive wins! WooHoo!
Thats why I pray to Joe Pesci he’s the kind of god I would like to have – gets things done and no bullshit!
Cheers
#12–ultraslug==can anything be random in gods playpen?
#13–Tihz==please don’t get too busy making your wage. We need your historical context here.
Religion is a lot like sausage — you don’t want to know how it’s made.
I pity the many generations of early Christians who had nothing really impressive to thump 😉
#5 – The Bible is a political instrument, designed to strengthen the Church’s grasp on power and riches. Therefore, the crucifixion of Christ *may* have been added to show all Christians what would happen to you if you went against established powers – basically what Jesus did. OK, you may be a saint, but you’ll go to Heaven only after you D-I-E and stop being a pain in the Church’s ass.
This has the added advantage of making all the would be saints brave enough to go against the establishment before they are strong enough to do so successfully, thus enabling their easier and earlier identification and elimination.
Still works today with pop media and culture. The lone hero who saves the day against a whole bunch of bad guys… Just you go and try doing it yourself…
Meh, we draw images of their “prophet” with a bomb on his head.
its a draw.
Hey… it’s a free world (supposedly). Considering the crap that comes out their Prez’s (Iadinnerjacket) mouth this is actually pretty tame.
“always look on the brighter side of life”
doo-doot, doo-doot, doo-doot
Eric Idle
Y’know, I know from experience that, despite their leaders, the average Irani is no blindered sheeple; as I think back, it dawns on me that they are the smartest, most pragmatic and adaptable of all Arabs. We should be courting them instead of rattling sabers at them, as they would certainly be the best allies to have in the region.
I strongly suspect this guy is no fool and knows exactly what he’s doing, which is giving many of his Muslim brethren a sly object lesson in the pointlessness and counterproductivity of taking offense on behalf of Islam. The bright ones will know exactly what the lesson is, the sheeple will be able to take a step back from reflexive militancy without fear of appearing to be disloyal to Islam…
Iranis are capable of this sort of subtlety, so there may be a bit more going on here than meets the eye, which has long been the case in Arab culture…
OTOH, it could just be a cigar. 🙂
#20 THC — I hope you’re right. Dial down the violence a little.
one small correction — Iranians are Persians; NOT Arabs. (made the same mistake myself many years ago with my Persian boss — oops he was not amused)
How true – my bad, indeed. They take (largely justified) umbrage at being lumped in with Arabs. I would, too. 🙂
#5, #16
Also, according to quite a few historians, chances are about nil that Jesus, if he did indeed exist, would have been crucified for the reasons mentioned in the Bible.
Crucifiction was most exclusively used to punish people who threatened the Roman state (through high treason, rebel activity, or by disrupting major empire trade routes) — pissing off a couple of provintial bigshots (and non-Romans at that) was not nearly enough.
To end up on the cross, Jesus must have been doing a bit more than cause a ruckus at the synagogue food court and show up a couple of rabbis — he would have needed to conduct some good old-fashioned highway robbery and guerilla warfare…
request for a link exchange
hi everyone, i saw the film last night,
a great film, much better than, the passion of christ, the actress plays they role brillantly, and the story is based on Bible and also the Bible of Barsenas and also The Koran.
The film ist fullfiled with Dialogs and nearly no special Effects. But the Dialogs are much more enthusiastic than all these american cheep special effects. as soon as i find a link i will send it to you
by