Hey, am I the only one who noticed that the extremists who made that anti-Islam film burning it up across the Middle East first blamed Jews for this thing?
When news of his movie first broke, the filmmaker identified himself as Sam Bacile and told the Wall Street Journal that he was a 52-year-old Israeli-American real estate developer from California. He said Jewish donors had financed his film.
Turns out none of that is true. Turns out he’s a Coptic Christian who partnered with an extremist Christian named Steve Klein. And yes, we’re still finding out more about the makers of this film and who funded it, but so far news story after news story reveals that none of the principles involved are Jewish or even Israeli.
I feel like it’s this giant elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. Every time some housewife goes off her meds and drowns her kids then blames a scary black guy, African-American leaders hit the TV airwaves to remind everyone that blaming black people is racist and perpetuates negative stereotypes. So how come no one is calling what Steve Klein and “Sam Bacile” are doing for what it is?
I just felt like this had to be said, clearly: the anti-Muslim extremists behind this film tried to blame Jews for their handiwork. Whether it was to provoke an even more violent religious war or they’re so clueless that they think Jewish people would actually approve of this, I have no clue. But Western Civilization has a long, ugly history of blaming Jews for shit and no matter how much Christian extremists claim to love, love, love Jews and Israel, we all know it’s bullshit. We all know that “love” is just a means to an end: the return of Jesus on his white cloud, at which point everyone either becomes a Christian or gets turned to dust.
I grew up in a very multicultural city in a very Jewish neighborhood. All of my friends were Jewish. I went to High Holy Days services with their families, attended Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, even went to Hebrew school a couple of times (don’t ask me why, I think it was just something to do. Also, some of the boys were cute). I myself am half-Jewish and have an entire Jewish family who lives in the South. So let me just give you fringe Christian wackos a little tip: Jewish people are sick of being blamed for shit. So just stop.
When I was in 7th grade my best friend Susan and I were standing in front of our lockers when this girl we didn’t know came up and said, “My mom says I’m supposed to be nice to you because even though the Jews killed Jesus, it’s not your fault. So I’m supposed to pray for you.” And then she walked away.
I think that describes in a nutshell what fundamentalist Christians think of Jewish people. If y’all don’t recognize how offensive and patronizing that attitude is, then you need to pull your heads out of your collective ass.
Recently I was told that Democrats really messed up by not putting the whole Jerusalem question in their party platform. It would alienate Jewish voters, I was told. My response? Bullshit. The only people who really, truly care about that are Neocon activists and fringe wackos like Pam Geller, and she’s not voting for Obama anyway.
I think it’s more offensive to be exploited and blamed for everything wrong with the world, like the banking crisis and the perpetual unrest in the Middle East. I think it’s more insulting to be used as a pawn in Christian extremists’ sinister End Times fantasies.
And also, since we’re talking about this, let me say: I’m so fucking sick of everyone’s religion right now. I really am. All of them, every single one of them. I’m sick of you people. I’m sick of religion being front and center of every debate, from healthcare to foreign policy, education to who can marry whom. It’s really disgusting. When your religion results in death and mayhem in the far corners of the world it’s no longer a religion, it’s a cancer and we’re all better off without it. All of it.
Hey, they KILLED teh JESUS. It ain’t business, it’s personal!
I grew up in a culture where it was considered a rite of passage, by some, to beat up the “jewboys and queers” ‘cuz they were weak and degenerate*. For the jews that status was suddenly altered in June, 1967, after the “Six Days War”. The gay folks were not so lucky.
The Freepers are lovin’ this shit, and why wouldn’t they? They get to start a riot amongst the Arabs and blame the Israelis.
* Although it was a little puzzling that they could be so weak and degenerate, yet simultaneously in control of world financial markets, the movie business, the fashion business and
I totally agree!
I’m sick of it too!
Sure, I believe in a higher power, but what makes people so arrogant that a supposed ‘god’ would even be in human form?
For all we know, little fido or fluffy are the real deities. We should be worshiping them anyway.
Maybe it’s the planet?
Maybe it IS in human form? Who knows?
I’m sick of extremists, and others using senseless violence to try and force everyone else to have the same (twisted) beliefs as they hold.
Religion means as much (to me) as astrology, and people that claim that “All Scorpios behave the same.”. What’s up with that? Generalizations describe us all.
I don’t hold religious beliefs, but I think people can believe in whatever they choose. However, when that belief ignites hate, violence, irrationality, bigotry, mysogeny, etc., that’s what I have problems with.
Don’t even get me started on terms such as ‘god-fearing’. Or that some use their confession as a way to wash themselves of their wrong-doings, but then keep repeat offending (in ways that hurt others).
People just need to treat others as they wish to be treated—with respect, and decency.
I find it interesting, mildly amusing that there is a college text book titled “Magic, Witchcraft, and Relgion”.
I can smell the haters replying to me now.
The reason why Jews were blamed is because the initial reports said this Sam Becile character was Israeli and was financed mostly by Jewish donors. The story continues to evolve and get weirder. Now they’re saying Sam Becile isn’t a real person and is Coptic (Egyptian). The attack in Libya is officially no longer related to a response from this video. It was a pre-planned and coordinated attack. The US was aware of a threat 48 hours before it happened even. The various other attacks are probably related, but not the Libya one. Who knows what’s going on. I do find it humorous that haaretz wrote an article saying ‘it’s not the Jews this time’
Anyways, I just wanted to share my two sense about Coptics. I know a few and they’re not fundamentalist Christians. Most American fundies, love ‘em or hate ‘em, are the biggest supporters/defenders of Israel and Jews. Now their intensions might be ‘rapturous’ meaning they don’t really care about them and just getting them to Israel so their Jesus will rapture them and kill everybody who doesn’t convert, but that’s beside my point.
Coptics are a minority in Egypt claiming descent from the ancient population which linguistically and genetically is probably true. They are also a persecuted people who have put up with centuries of intolerance and violence from the Muslim majority. This is the reason why they have a problem with that religion. Coptics and Jews used to get along since they had the persecuted minority thing in common. Zionist began colonizing Palestine and also showing up in Cairo (and elsewhere in Egypt) and conflict erupted for various reasons which are still relevent today. I wouldn’t say they dislike Jews but rather the modern state of Israel which the neighbors see synonymous with Jews (they call themselves the Jewish state and have a lot of diaspora support).
This is what Copts have told me. They tell a very different story than the one known in the West. Thousands of Egyptian civilians were killed by Israel in Sinai during 1967 which they occupied for a decade and built settlements in. There was also the other military conflicts, the Suez crisis, the unpopular peace treaty which was more about getting US annual aid and the Sinai back then actual peace.
There are two sides to every story. Their dislike is not merely manifested in religion but rather history.
I realize the Copts are not Funamentalists but Steve Klein is definitely in league with the Fundies, and the anti-Muslim wackjobs down South (like Terry Jones) are as well.
I’ve also heard the Copts do not have an easy time of it in Egypt, that they are a persecuted minority. I’m sure they are none too pleased with this “Sam Bacile” person either.
And see, this is my problem with religious institutions. We don’t know anything about “Sam Bacile” or Nakoula Basseley Nakoula or whatever the hell his name is, we don’t know what his agenda is. The bottom line is, when a religion — any religion — can be so easily exploited by people with an agenda that a scenario like this one unfolds, then it’s no longer a functioning religion. It’s no longer a faith that serves to explain the world and how people are to live in it. It has become … struggling for the right word here … a pawn. When those who seek wealth and power can exploit religious people so easily then it’s really useless in a spiritual sense. It may be useful politically but spiritually it has become dead.
Thank you! I have been thinking of myself lately as an abolitionist – abolish all the monotheistic religions. Just imagine how that would affect all the conflict zones in the world. For one thing, it would bring to light the underlying resource conflicts. And there is nothing religion does that can’t be done without it, like charities, and genuine spiritual growth on a personal level.
“Imagine no religion.”
Why stop at the monotheistic ones? Hindus have their share of violence. Pagans can get ugly, too. You know what? Everyone, just stop it. If you can’t get along with each other and everyone else then I have no use for any of you.
I’m having a bad day I guess.
yup. toss ‘em all. learn how to live in reality.
Right… I feel like I just don’t know enough about other religions to make a judgment, and I have a better feeling about Buddhism, although that too, like any organized religion, is inherently subject to politicization and corruption.
One thing is for sure – the big three Western monotheistic religions – Christianity, Judaism and Islam – have some serious problems. For one thing, as Joseph Campbell pointed out, these three all have as a central part of their doctrine that their adherents are the “chosen people.” And let’s face it – in an age of science, most of these ancient doctrines – virgin birth, whatever – just seem so ridiculous and irrelevant, if not downright harmful, except on perhaps a symbolic or Jungian level. But hey, what good is a savior born of sin, right?
Religion should be taught in history and psychology classes. And the gnostic Gospels should be taught – all those teachings of Jesus which the Church conveniently left out of the canons. Like where hs said (Gospel of Thomas, I think) “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
That’s from Matthew, actually, but a lot of Thomas made it into the canon. But yeah there was a lot of cool stuff that didn’t meet the patriarchal, authoritarian needs of the early church leadership.
Heh. Although I hear the atheists also have sectarian difficulties…
…and how is that different than any =other= group?
you have atheists who feel that they should get special consideration for calling themselves atheist when they are still racist/misogynist/LGBT-phobic/etc., and you have atheists who feel that this is a complete crock of shit, want nothing to do with these people, and really wish they’d get a fucking clue…
Anti-Theism for the win.
IMAGINE Indeed.
ALL religions that achieve prominence attract charlatans, hucksters, RWA dickwads and scads of other sociopathic assholes. Atheists have some as well, although it’s a lot harder to convince folks that you are the holder of the “truth” without the GODmumbojumbo.
I was in a bar with a fellow deepthinker* last evening. I took a cocktail napkin and wrote on it two groups of letters, “GOD’s Will”
and “God swill” and asked him which it was. He laughed, quite a lot.
* Them kegs of Labatts are a lot deeper than you think.
LOVE this post. LOVE everyting about it, especially th last paragraph. Jenny
I’ve questioned several things about this incident. Why do all this? What’s the point of it all?
This movie was recorded last year and has been out since July. Why did the film makers wait until a week ago to translate the movie into Arabic? Why did they even bother at all given that literally no one saw it in the English version? It seems like this whole thing was aimed at getting Muslims as angry as possible at this specific point in time.
Why, what’s so important about right now? We’ve got a presidential election coming. Obama’s beating Romney in the polls. This movie smells, no reeks, of October Surprise. These jerks wanted to make the Obama administration look bad so close to the election in November that he wouldn’t have time to improve his perception amongst voters. Yes, this backfired and hurt Romney (who was very quick with the press conference bashing Obama). However, the whole scenario appears designed to damage Obama.
Where did this convicted criminal get the $5 million required to make the film? Why did the movie funders choose to use a convicted criminal? Perhaps they wanted some kind of deniability that wouldn’t stand up in court? Someone seriously needs to follow the money here.
I’ve heard other people make similar charges and my first thought is that, if this were designed to make Romney look better, wouldn’t someone have clued the Romney camp in so he could come up with a better response? Because right now, Romney looks far worse than Obama. Obama looks like the steady statesman, Romney looks like the clueless cowboy we just got rid of.
Keep in mind that Romney planned out his Europe visit. And despite being completely planned out, Romney screwed up in every country where he stopped. The Europe trip was a disaster for Romney despite meticulous planning by him and his staff.
People may have suspected Israel because of the producer Klein who was involved and because the changing aliases of Sam Bacile (Mossad agents are great at identity theft) but it appears clear now that he’s Egyptian Coptic. Also its been seeming as though Israel is ready to unilaterally go into Iran so September 11th attacks lead by Muslims against Americans might be a way to nudge our country into helping them out.
“The Europe trip was a disaster for Romney despite meticulous planning by him and his staff.”
I suspect that planning may have been focused on the correct whelk fork or dessert spoon to use when dining with the heads of state. oh, that, and a position paper on the similarities between creme brulee, flan, egg custard, Royal chocolate pudding and lime jello mold.
The makers of this movie were very anti Muslim. So far it appears that they were mostly Christian, but we’ll see where the money trail leads us. The fact that Terry Jones was connected shows that the big players in US Islamophobia were involved. This Sam Bacile guy came up with over $100,000, enough to rent out the movie set of the tv show Jag and to help the Youtube video go viral. Porn director Alan Roberts had his Christian religious testimonial published through Gawker. In it he renounces his porn addiction and the entire site is very anti Muslim and anti Gay. And I have to wonder why our Native American Libyan diplomat Stevens was targeted. This whole thing is a knotty mess.
I’m trying to figure out Terry Jones’ connection. All I could find is him trying to grab some headlines by announcing he would hold a screening of the movie (which of course got cancelled because I’m not sure this movie even exists? I think all that exists is a 14 minute trailer???) He’s such a sleazy little opportunist.
Anyway, I’m really going to be interested to see if there are any Tennessee connections. I am going to bet there are. We are Islamophobia central, our Lou Ann Zelenik and Laurie Cardoza Moore are very involved in the organized anti-Muslim fringe Christian world.
This is a very good plottine for a Tom Clancy novel….. a seemingly innocous film that turned the world into chaos.