Was Moses Jewish? Not On ABC (a new Moses, ethnically and religiously cleansed)

ChronWatch ^ | Saturday, April 15, 2006 | Jack Engelhard

[IrishMike]

In this ABC made-for-TV production of "The Ten Commandments" we have a new Moses, ethnically and religiously cleansed. As played by Dougray Scott, Moses has been homogenized, pasteurized, sanitized, and dry-cleaned so as not to offend any race, religion, or creed. This Moses is not Hebrew, and in fact he's not anything but multi-cultural. Along both parts of this series that ran Monday and Tuesday, April 10 and 11, the word "Hebrew" never came up, neither attached to him or to his people, yes, the Hebrews. The best this fat-free, low-calorie script could do was refer to Moses as a "slave" and later, as the "leader" of a "people."

What people? That, we do not know, and that we must not know for then it will be assumed that our heritage is (dear Lord!) Judeo/Christian. To let that word get out (if you ask the film-makers and ABC) would be a sin. So if you tuned in late and missed the promo hoopla, you would not know that this is a biblical event, but rather just another episode of "Survivor" or "LOST" or "The Amazing Race."

Also, in this drama, Pharaoh comes off better than Moses, really. Pharaoh is a nicer guy, or just as nice, to keep the storyline on an Equal Opportunity level so that nobody or everybody gets offended, equally, in case ABC has plans to distribute this in today's Egypt. (The gods of Al-Jazeera and the ACLU must be appeased.)

Jews (by the number Six Million and still counting in Israel itself), of course, know what it means to be religiously cleansed, and so do Christians, who dare not pray or display any piety outside of church and home. Any sign of Christianity (even during holy days) in schoolyards and courtyards--well, strictly forbidden.

[FreedomCalls]

That film leaves no doubt as to the Jews leaving Egypt, being God's chosen people. Nary a Muslim in sight!

No Christians either!

[dangus]

"The hammer... we need a man like this."

Yeah, now that DeLay is gone.

[Rummyfan]

It's very Old Testament, with the Old Testament God of Fire and Brimstone!

[Verginius Rufus]

In 2 Kings 18.26-28 the language of the people of Judah is contrasted with the language of the Syrians (probably meaning Aramaic). The defenders of Jerusalem don't want the Assyrian commanders to make an announcement in the language of the local people.

In the Septuagint, Syristi is used of the Syrian language, and Ioudaisti of the language of Judah--the King James translation renders them "the Syrian language" and "the Jews' language." The NAB has "Aramaic" and "Judean."

[ClearBlueSky]

Silly Mike! Moses was Muslim. Everyone in the Bible was Muslim, dontcha know that? LOL
As for this version- I hated the narration, and it was too impressionistic.
Dougray Scott is a good actor- and VERY good looking- but Moses with a British accent just didn't do it.
I think the original Ten Commandments( altho I loved Heston in it) was pretty corny. The female lead( forget her name) was really cheesy-almost campy. Brynner was imposing, but I never bought him as Rameses.
Heston's version has nothing to fear from the miniseries. Had it been approached differently, it could have been very good.

[RHINO369]

I missed the part of the bible were Jesus told us to hunt down Pagans and slaughter them.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I missed the part of the bible were Jesus told us to hunt down Pagans and slaughter them.

What Bible are you talking about???

Yeshua is not part of Judaism or the Jewish Bible.

You also missed history... Antiochus Epiphanes and the Ptolemaic Pharaohs (pagan Greeks) were dominant long before the Romans.

You just have a problem with Christians, your knee-jerk response gave you away...

[longtermmemmory]

Surprised they did not make mosses a san francisco living, massachussets alternative lifestyle married, drug using, registered democrat moslem.

[Constantine XIII]

All readers, certainly not.

Followers? Yep. :)

[Racehorse]

Charlton Heston was Moses.

Ask God

Who sounds amazingly like Charlton Heston.

;-)

Yes. He does, doesn't He?

:-)

[Politicalmom]

Wow. Except for conversion to the wrong religion, this guy sounds like a great date for Ann Coulter.....

(I love Ann. Don't throw things at me.)

[freepertoo]

(((Yeshua is not part of Judaism or the Jewish Bible.)))

You mean outside of the fact that He's Jewish, claimed to be given to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, that all original Christians were Jewish and that he quoted the Old Testatement prophecies and claimed they were fulfilled in Him? That "Yeshua is not part of Judaism or the Jewish Bible"? :0D

[toddlintown]

The program sucked.

[Liberator]

"And Charlton Heston looked Jewish?"

What does a Jew "look" like?

I know they typically don't have blonde hair and blue eyes, but please enlighten me.

[TypeZoNegative]

Is it ok if I mocked Islam?

[Prost1]

"I know they typically don't have blond hair and blue eyes, but please enlighten me."

This is a gross mistake. Esau means red, because Esau was reddish. Where does that fit in today in the Middle East?

There were many fair skinned Israelies.

The darker complexion comes from war, conquest and the trade of slaves, particularly from that vile people called Arabs (Saudi, Yemen..) They trafficked in Ethiopian and Sudanese slaves even then.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Charlton Heston resembled Michaelangelo's Moses:

[Billthedrill]

Yeah - sheesh, what a question. What I like best about the Old Testament is when Moses raises the Ten Commandments and intones "From My Cold Dead Hand!"

[PghBaldy]

I wish I had watched it. The 1956 version is wonderful & chooses sides. When I saw they were doing a remake, I was annoyed. After reading this article, I'm glad I didn't watch it.