I wanted to share some reflections about the controversial new series, "The Messiah", as I believe there is a lot of confusion surrounding it. But what is more important than the disputed identity of the so called "messiah" is what's happening around him.
There is, of course, the typical political agenda of the show. For example, it isn't the Israeli military occupier that is shown killing people in Israel. It is only the Muslim suicide bombers. In fact, the Israeli army is shown to be so benevolent that they allow hundreds of Muslim refugees safe passage into Israel, and never harm a single one of them. Even the one Israeli intelligence agent who has harmed people, is humanized and multi-dimensional. We meet his little daughter and her mother, and we see him tormented by what he had to do in his line of work. We even get an explanation of why he harmed the boy (because his father was a terrorist who killed the Isreali agent's mother). The violent Isreali agent is shown as redeemable and is told by the "Messiah" that God loves him.
In contrast to the Isreali character, we see a "Muslim" character who teaches Quran at a madrasa (school). We know absolutely nothing about him, except that he has a long beard and walks around in a thowb, looking angry and reciting Quran in Arabic. And this leads to what is most disturbing and sinister about this series.
This "Quran teacher" never speaks about politics. He expresses no political views or even grievances. There is no "political brainwashing". No grooming. No training. Just Quran. One verse in particular:
"O you who have believed, what is (the matter) with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah , you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a very little." (9:38)
The man just walks around reciting this verse a few times. And that's it. That's all it took. Reciting the Quran in Arabic a few times and he has created a mass killer. His "student" suddenly transforms from being a benevolent boy, into a suicide bomber--just by reciting Quran. No political manifesto or ideas. No manipulative brainwashing. Just Quran.
And this is the most poisonous narrative which need to recognize, reject, and speak out against.
There is, of course, the typical political agenda of the show. For example, it isn't the Israeli military occupier that is shown killing people in Israel. It is only the Muslim suicide bombers. In fact, the Israeli army is shown to be so benevolent that they allow hundreds of Muslim refugees safe passage into Israel, and never harm a single one of them. Even the one Israeli intelligence agent who has harmed people, is humanized and multi-dimensional. We meet his little daughter and her mother, and we see him tormented by what he had to do in his line of work. We even get an explanation of why he harmed the boy (because his father was a terrorist who killed the Isreali agent's mother). The violent Isreali agent is shown as redeemable and is told by the "Messiah" that God loves him.
In contrast to the Isreali character, we see a "Muslim" character who teaches Quran at a madrasa (school). We know absolutely nothing about him, except that he has a long beard and walks around in a thowb, looking angry and reciting Quran in Arabic. And this leads to what is most disturbing and sinister about this series.
This "Quran teacher" never speaks about politics. He expresses no political views or even grievances. There is no "political brainwashing". No grooming. No training. Just Quran. One verse in particular:
"O you who have believed, what is (the matter) with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah , you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a very little." (9:38)
The man just walks around reciting this verse a few times. And that's it. That's all it took. Reciting the Quran in Arabic a few times and he has created a mass killer. His "student" suddenly transforms from being a benevolent boy, into a suicide bomber--just by reciting Quran. No political manifesto or ideas. No manipulative brainwashing. Just Quran.
And this is the most poisonous narrative which need to recognize, reject, and speak out against.