"Jesus Day" in Baghdad
December 8, 2009 6:39 PM Subscribe
I was expecting something offensive, and instead got something kind of awesome and not just a little brave. Huh.
posted by Navelgazer at 6:52 PM on December 8, 2009
posted by Navelgazer at 6:52 PM on December 8, 2009
Just a few days later, the general "peace" of Iraq reared its ugly head again.
posted by jedicus at 7:06 PM on December 8, 2009
posted by jedicus at 7:06 PM on December 8, 2009
Can someone more knowledgeable than I am, tell me why they were allowed to display images depicting Jesus (a prophet in more than one religion), and not fall victim to the same ideological underpinnings that made the danish cartoons such a big deal?
posted by JeNeSaisQuoi at 7:16 PM on December 8, 2009
posted by JeNeSaisQuoi at 7:16 PM on December 8, 2009
Well, for starters, these images weren't made for the express purpose of mockery. For another, they were made in good faith by People of the Book whose own book doesn't teach that images are prohibited per se (although it would be wrong to worship them). For yet another, the Islamic prohibition gets more vigorously enforced when it's Mohammed being depicted than when it's anybody else. See, for example, the Iranian banknote post for examples of banknotes with pictures of the Ayatollah and the Shah.
posted by jedicus at 7:39 PM on December 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by jedicus at 7:39 PM on December 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
"Master of Souls Festival" > "Christmas"
posted by basicchannel at 7:40 PM on December 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by basicchannel at 7:40 PM on December 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
Can someone more knowledgeable than I am, tell me why they were allowed to display images depicting Jesus (a prophet in more than one religion), and not fall victim to the same ideological underpinnings that made the danish cartoons such a big deal?
Don't try to make sense of that bullshit. Probably something about Mohammed being the final prophet and Jesus being the inferior early model.
posted by Liquidwolf at 7:41 PM on December 8, 2009 [1 favorite]
The monotheistic God is kind of like Microsoft Windows: version 4.0 will be the first really usable one, and even then it'll be fifteen years and another five releases before it finally looks nice, even if its underpinnings remain the same shitty code as always.
Hopefully the Open Source version will become newbie-friendly faster than Linux has. Or perhaps some design wonk will slap a slick GUI over it, call it version "X", and name it after a fast cat.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:57 PM on December 8, 2009
Hopefully the Open Source version will become newbie-friendly faster than Linux has. Or perhaps some design wonk will slap a slick GUI over it, call it version "X", and name it after a fast cat.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:57 PM on December 8, 2009
That Santa Claus, he is scary.
posted by Liquidwolf at 8:00 PM on December 8, 2009
posted by Liquidwolf at 8:00 PM on December 8, 2009
I'm glad they put Borat in charge of this. We really need to put more effort into our soft power.
posted by es_de_bah at 9:10 PM on December 8, 2009
posted by es_de_bah at 9:10 PM on December 8, 2009
Don't try to make sense of that bullshit. Probably something about Mohammed being the final prophet and Jesus being the inferior early model.
It might help to know that in Islam, Jesus is considered a prophet of God who rose bodily into Heaven, and will return one day to restore justice and defeat the Antichrist.
themoreyouknow.jpg
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:36 AM on December 9, 2009 [2 favorites]
It might help to know that in Islam, Jesus is considered a prophet of God who rose bodily into Heaven, and will return one day to restore justice and defeat the Antichrist.
themoreyouknow.jpg
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:36 AM on December 9, 2009 [2 favorites]
That is to say, Jesus isn't entirely "inferior" in the eyes of Islam. jedicus already covered the bases in why depicting Jesus' image might not be a bad thing.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:57 AM on December 9, 2009
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:57 AM on December 9, 2009
I was surprised to learn that Muslims believe in Jesus' virgin birth.
posted by RussHy at 4:35 AM on December 9, 2009
posted by RussHy at 4:35 AM on December 9, 2009
I'm rather surprised that the depiction of Jesus which they chose is of the western non-semitic persuasion. This makes me think Iraqi christians are catholic, which doesn't make sense to me. And yes, that Santa looks like a festive Jason Voorhees.
posted by ooga_booga at 11:44 AM on December 9, 2009
posted by ooga_booga at 11:44 AM on December 9, 2009
it's jesus day in baghdad!
and jesus is in town!
the clarinets are playing!
the band is gettin' down!
singin' songs of jesus!
down in baghdad town!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:22 PM on December 9, 2009
and jesus is in town!
the clarinets are playing!
the band is gettin' down!
singin' songs of jesus!
down in baghdad town!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:22 PM on December 9, 2009
This makes me think Iraqi christians are catholic, which doesn't make sense to me.
They are, but they're not. If that makes sense. Here's the wiki on the Chaldean Catholic Church.
posted by Atreides at 4:24 AM on December 10, 2009
They are, but they're not. If that makes sense. Here's the wiki on the Chaldean Catholic Church.
posted by Atreides at 4:24 AM on December 10, 2009
Yeah, Rome isn't the only game in Catholic Town.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:29 AM on December 10, 2009
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:29 AM on December 10, 2009
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It's always interesting to see those remnant pockets of Christians that represent all that remain from a time when Christianity was once the dominant religion in the region. It's a good lesson in the ups and downs of history.
posted by Atreides at 6:46 PM on December 8, 2009 [2 favorites]