Saturday, May 08, 2004

AGAINST THE LAW: Mirette F. Mabrouk tells us, in "How did The Passion hit the screens despite being in violation of the law?" (Egypt Today, via Bible and Interpretation News), that the showing of Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is against Egyptian law and she wonders why it got a pass.
In fact, most people seem happy, which puts me in the distinct minority. Not because, as you might think, I�m a terrible wet blanket. I�m just one of those people who like a little clarity in life. I like clearly defined lines. I like to know where I can park my car, how much tickets cost, what my taxes should be, and what is and is not legal.

According to the law, it is not legal to show Jesus on the big screen. Or the little one.

Nor, for that matter, can we show any of the major prophets, nor various members of their families.

To be precise, Law No. 430 of 1955 prohibits it. In 1976, a seriously butchered version of Franco Zeffirelli�s Jesus of Nazareth ran for five whole days before it was yanked off the screens. An extra decree (No. 220) which included no less than 20 clauses hammering home the �thou shalt not show holy-type figures� was promptly added to the existing law for good measure, just in case the cinemas hadn�t gotten the idea.

[...]

Society needs stability to function. Laws need consistency and enforcement for credibility. If laws can be put aside when they�re inconvenient, or sacrificed like pawns on a chessboard for political expediency, then why should we take them seriously? Why should we be expected to define our lives by them? If the laws that govern us may be put aside, or ignored at will, then how can we have faith that our rights will be protected or upheld the minute they become inconvenient? And most importantly, if laws are to be bypassed, then as citizens, don�t we deserve an explanation?

[...]

I respectfully submit that the problem is not that the law is being inconsistently enforced; the problem is that it is an unfair and repressive law that should be taken off the books entirely. If people don't want to see a movie with a prophet in it, they don't have to go. If others do, let them. If that's a threat to a society, that society is overdue for some serious introspection.

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