Posted on 02/20/2009 10:29:11 AM PST by NYer
Hezbollah has condemned an Israeli TV channel for airing a blasphemous show that offends Christianity, Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary (PBUT).
In a Thursday statement, the Lebanese resistance movement described the incident as an 'offense against the rights of a holy messenger of god', IRNA reported from Beirut.
It was not surprising to see 'Zionists' broadcast such sacrilegious material, given their history, which is filled with 'the massacre of prophets, destruction of mosques and churches and offensive behavior toward Islamic and Christian sanctities,' the statement said
Hezbollah called on all 'advocates of human rights and freedom of speech' to condemn the move and force Israel to abandon the notion that it is allowed to ridicule religious beliefs of different faiths.
The statement came after Israel's Channel 10 aired 'like a virgin' -- a show hosted by comedian Lior Shlein, containing offensive material against Jesus and the Virgin Mary (PBUT).
The provocative show has sparked outrage among Christian leaders, who have described it as it 'hurtful and humiliating to Christianity.' Believers around the world have called on Pope Benedict XVI to cancel his upcoming trip to Israel.
Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit Israel in May. This is while the relations between Tel Aviv and the Vatican have deteriorated following the decision to lift the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson who denied the Holocaust.
Shlein promised to apologize on air, only after a group of Christian attorneys said they were building a case against the comedian.
Leading Christian and Muslim clergymen are calling on Pope Benedict XVI to postpone his planned visit to Israel, which is scheduled for May, in protest of a comedy skit seen on the late-night variety television show hosted by comedian Lior Shlein.
In a press conference held yesterday in Nazareth, religious leaders denounced Shlein for a spoof entitled "Like a Virgin," which depicts two characters who play Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
In the skit, Mary is heard saying she had slept with many men and that she was not a virgin at all. The provocative segment prompted Christian lawyers to consider filing legal motions against Shlein and his television home, Channel 10.
In response, Shlein sent a letter to one of the attorneys pledging to apologize on the air for the skit.
Christian leaders said Shlein's jokes are "hurtful and humiliating to Christianity." Salim Kubti, an attorney and the chairman of an umbrella organization representing Christian courts, said he and a number of other lawyers are considering a lawsuit against Channel 10.
"It's clear that Shlein is a failure and as a result is looking for any way to improve his ratings, and he is jumping on a sensitive issue," Kubti said. "These statements go beyond satire and dark humor. These are serious statements that insult the sensitivities of every Christian and anyone who possesses values and mutual respect for other religions."
Meanwhile Hezbollah kills Christians in cold blood in Lebanon...
This isn't the first time such a thing occurred. The BBC was planning to air some kind of offensive caricature of Jesus Christ some years ago, despite protests from Christian leaders throughout Great Britain.
The show was taken off the air when a prominent Muslim leader pointed out that Jesus Christ has a special place in the history of Islam, too.
This story is truly bizzare ... essentially, Hezbollah is taking offense on behalf of christians. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
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I don’t think that’s such a big surprise. I’ve always figured that many of these Arab terrorist groups include both Muslims and Christians. Wasn’t Yassir Arafat — or maybe his wife — a Maronite Christian?
Islam comprises rudimentary Chrisitan beliefs: they believe in the Virgin Birth, consider Mary holy, consider Jesus and John the Baptist great prophets and the Koran recounts several miracles of Christ, including one not found in the canonical gospels. They do not believe in Christ’s resurrection and divinity though. Mohammed probably lifted quite a bit from Christian gnostic sects.
Arab terrorist groups include both Muslims and Christians
No. The Muslim terrorists are Islamic. I am not aware of Christians. Quite the contrary in Lebanon during the 1980's Christian militias sided with Israel versus Muslim terrorists.
However if you talk about Arab nationalist/socialist parties like Baath... yes they did and do include also Christians.
Not exactly, I don't think. Hezbollah is using Christianity to attack Israel . . . any stick is good enough, as they say . . .
I thought that muslims didn’t believe in the Virgin Birth. I heard that they thought that the word for “virgin” meant “unmarried woman” and that the Biblical idea had been misinterpreted. I heard this statement a few years ago.
[3.45] When the angels said: O Marium, surely Allah gives you good news with a Word from Him (of one) whose name is the '. Messiah, Isa son of Marium, worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter and of those who are made near (to Allah). [3.46] And he shall speak to the people when in the cradle and when of old age, and (he shall be) one of the good ones. [3.47] She said: My Lord! when shall there be a son (born) to I me, and man has not touched me? He said: Even so, Allah creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is. [3.48] And He will teach him the Book and the wisdom and the Tavrat and the Injeel.
Yup, they do believe in the Virgin Birth, but strangely enough, not in the reason for it.
I’ve read this passage from the Koran before. It does seem to be in agreement with the Bible. The statement that I heard was from a former muslim. Maybe he was talking about what they believe and practice. Does seem strange.
I talked, over the Internet, with somebody who apparently knew his Islamic religion well, and enjoyed explaining it. They believe in Virgin Birth. However, it is probably not the focus of their faith, and so not every Muslim is clear on this issue. There could be also variations in how things are interpreted. Islam has no central interpretive authority and the Koran is not the clearest of books.
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