End of the World


Rod Liddle in The Sunday Times poked fun at censors in Malaysia who have banned people from watching the new blockbuster film Noah starring Russell Crowe.

Now I agree absolutely with Rod Liddle - what business is it of religious leaders in Malaysia or anywhere else to tell people what they can or cannot watch at the cinema?

The fact that Muslim censors are claiming ownership of a mythical Jewish figure from the Bible is even more bizarre, but then again logic or reason tend not to feature too strongly in decisions taken by religious zealots.

The irony is that in a few months time the movie will become available in many other ways, via DVDs or Netflix for example, so all the censors will achieve is even greater publicity for Noah and people who wish to see the film will make sure they do so.

Including me and I'm normally not to keen on the disaster movie genre.      

A flood of complaints

Second in my Monday list of those making small sacrifices, after the disappointed parents of Wikileaks/Dako, is that section of the Malaysian population who might have liked to see the new film Noah. They can’t because the Malaysian Home Ministry’s Censorship Board sat down with the Malaysian Islamic Development Department and decided that the movie was unIslamic, because it depicted a scriptural prophet. The chairman of the board explained that the movie could “cause quite a lot of anger and distress if it is shown in Malaysia”.

For heaven’s sake. One, it isn’t their bloody prophet. It is bad enough telling non-Muslims they can’t depict Muhammad, but Noah is only Muslim at second remove. He’s Jewish first, and the Jews should get first dibs on his non-appearance. Two, no one forces Malaysian Muslims to go to see films they don’t want to see. Why would you be distressed by someone else seeing a depiction of Noah, even if he is played by Russell Crowe? Would that someone contaminate believers with seen-Noahness? Three, haven’t all these bearded men got something better to do with their time than banning other people from watching movies?


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