18 January 2015 - Visit to the Cinema to watch Exodus: Gods and Kings

18 January 2015 - Visit to the Cinema to watch Exodus: Gods and Kings

Exodus: Gods and Kings – Plot & Spoilers  

(Wikipedia)

In 1300 BCE, Moses, a general and member of the royal family, prepares to attack the Hittite army with Prince Ramses. Ramses' father Seti I tells the two men of a recent prophecy in which one (of Moses and Ramses) will save the other and become a leader. During the attack on the Hittites, Moses saves Ramses' life, leaving both men troubled.

Later, Moses is sent to the city of Pithom to meet with the Viceroy Hegep, who oversees the Hebrew slaves. Upon his arrival, he encounters the slave Joshua and is appalled by the horrific conditions of the slaves. Shortly afterwards, Moses meets Nun, who informs him of his true lineage; he is the child of Hebrew parents who was sent by his sister Miriam to be raised by Pharaoh's daughter. Moses is stunned at the revelation and leaves angrily. However, two Hebrews also overhear Nun's story and reports their discovery to Hegep.

Seti dies soon after Moses' return to Memphis, and Ramses becomes the new Pharaoh (Ramses II). Hegep arrives to reveal Moses' true identity, but Ramses is conflicted about whether to believe the story. At the urging of Queen Tuya, he interrogates the servant Miriam, who denies being Moses' sister. When Ramses threatens to cut off Miriam's arm, Moses comes to her defence, revealing he is a Hebrew.

Although Tuya wants Moses to be put to death, Ramses decides to send him into exile. Before leaving Egypt, Moses meets with his birth mother and Miriam, who refer to him by his birth name of Moishe. Following a journey into the desert, Moses comes to Midian where he meets Zipporah and her father, Jethro. Moses becomes a shepherd, marries Zipporah and has a son Gershom.

Nine years later, Moses gets injured during a rockslide. He comes face to face with a burning bush and a boy called Malak, who serves as a representation of God. While recovering, Moses confesses his past to Zipporah and reveals what God has asked him to do. This drives a wedge between the couple, because Zipporah fears he will leave their family.

After he arrives in Egypt, Moses reunites with Nun and Joshua, as well as meeting his brother Aaron for the first time. Using his military skills, he trains the slaves in the art of war. The Hebrews start attacking the Egyptians, prompting Ramses to execute slaves until Moses gives himself up.

Malak appears to Moses and explains that ten plagues will affect Egypt. All the water in the land turns to blood, and the Egyptians are further afflicted by the arrival of frogs, lice, and flies. Moses returns to confront Ramses, demanding the Hebrews be released from servitude. Ramses refuses to listen, insisting that to free the slaves would be economically impossible.

The plagues of the death of livestock, boils, hail and thunder, locusts, and darkness continue to affect the Egyptians. While conversing with Malak, Moses is horrified at learning the tenth plague will be the death of all firstborn children. The Hebrews protect themselves by covering their doors with the blood of lambs, as instructed to them by Moses. Ramses is devastated over his son's death and relents, telling Moses and the Hebrews to leave.

During the exodus from Egypt, the Hebrews follow Moses' original path through the desert and towards the Red Sea. Still grieving for his son, Ramses decides to go after the Hebrews with his army.

After making their way across the rocky mountains, Moses and the Hebrews arrive at the edge of the sea, uncertain about what to do. Moses flings his sword into the water, which begins to recede. Ramses and his army pursue the Hebrews, but Moses stays behind to confront them. The Red Sea reverts to its normal state, drowning the majority of the Egyptians (crossing the Red Sea).

Moses survives and makes his way back to the Hebrews. Ramses is revealed to have survived, but he is distraught over the destruction of his army. Moses leads the Hebrews back to Midian, where he reunites with Zipporah and Gershom.

At Mount Sinai, after seeing Malak's displeasure at the Hebrews' construction of the Golden Calf, Moses transcribes the Ten Commandments. Years later, an elderly Moses riding with the Ark of the Covenant sees Malak walking with the Hebrews through the desert.

Main inaccuracies from Islamic texts:

• The film misses out the birth story except a short narration of it and misses the related miracle of the Nile.
• We don’t see the staff of Moses (except a small scene where he gives it to his son)!
• The (accidental) death of the Egyptian by Moses is wrongly portrayed
• Moses flees Egypt on foot when he is a wanted terrorist but the film exiles him on horse
• Moses spends 10 years in Madian before wanting to return to Egypt with his family. He encounters with the Burning Bush was whilst travelling with the family – all wrong in the film.
• The whole Burning Bush is wrong with no staff-snake, taking off shoes and of course God appearing as a little boy and the boy later being a ‘messenger’
• Joshua (Yusha) is portrayed as a contemporary of Moses in the film whereas he took over as leader of Bani Israel after the death of Musa
• Moses had a speech impediment in Islamic texts
• Moses asks Allah to appoint Harun as his helper not introduced accidentally as his brother when he arrives back in Egypt as in the film
• Moses never trains his people to fight an insurgency against Pharaoh like the film suggests
• The film sees Pharaoh hanging families of Bani Israel but our texts talk about him killing the children of Bani Israel as a punishment
• There is no competition between Moses/Harun and the Pharaoh’s magicians at all.
• The plagues / signs are in the wrong order and are not each time linked to a demand for freeing the slaves
• Missing some signs and the implication that the signs also affected Bani Israel as much as the Egyptians in the film
• The death of the first born is not explicit in the Islamic texts although marking the houses is mentioned
• Moses and Bani Israel leave at night after Moses realises Pharaoh will never change or allow them to leave, not a parade as portrayed in the film
• Parting of the sea was miraculous with the staff not a sword thrown to dry up the river. The ground of the river was dried in Islamic texts
• Pharaoh died in the river as the water collapsed upon him and Moses was safely on the other side with all his people in our texts
• Moses is seen making the Ten Commandments himself but Islam implies they were written by God
• Most of the story of Moses and Bani Israel in the wilderness is missed out (doesn’t matter as the film was about the ‘Exodus’ more than the life of Moses)
• Moses never doubted his mission and his purpose, nor his firm belief in God in Islamic texts

Cinematic issues

Much like some other Ridley Scott films, this is a rather bleak film and has a negative strand throughout the film. Even the victory doesn’t feel like a victory throughout the film! Nevertheless, well shot and the acting is decent, although not great. I’m not sure Bale (Moses) is quite clear of his Batman persona!! Also, Moses is portrayed as an imperfect / flawed hero (possibly charismatic but mad).

Also, written for a secular audience from a secular (non-religious) perspective with the implication that Moses was a mortal man and undertook the actions of himself without guidance from God. It could easily be interpreted that he suffered from hallucinations (following his fall) and was blinded in his vision and wrote the Ten Commandments himself by his own hand following further hallucinations (like a charismatic schizophrenic). Hence, the ‘plagues’ are given a ‘scientific’ interpretation!

Some have also objected to the portrayal of Egyptians and Bani Israel by white Europeans, but this is only partially true. Egyptian art depicts Egyptians as red, Nubians as brown, and Semites (like Jews) as yellow.

There is no foul language. There is no sex in the film but two scenes with kisses (after the marriage and at the end), although there are a number of scantily clad Egyptian women. It is not surprising that the story of the Exodus is violent, but the violence is graphic at times. Moses is engaged in several fights and battles which involve blood and even some gore, but the most graphic scenes involve the director’s envisioning of the plague of blood and other plagues.

Major inaccuracies from Biblical story (from Christian websites):

Set in 1300BCE, the pyramids were built before this and not thought that the Hebrews built the pyramids. Ramses was not the Pharaoh of the Exodus as one Biblical reference places the Exodus almost 150 years before Ramses. This is important because the archaeological evidence supports an Exodus in the 15th century before Christ, but offers no support for an Exodus under Ramses.

Theological points in the Biblical plagues have been removed for the film version, there are fewer than ten plagues in the film, the plagues themselves are of a different nature (alligators, for example), and the Israelites were afflicted by the plagues along with the Egyptians.

The film portrays only nine years between Moses’ exile and his return. Moses is shown killing the guard in self defense. Moses is around 40 years old when he leads the Exodus. Moses is thought to be a true Egyptian by all in the Egyptian court, and a host of others.

Although Moses argued with God in the Bible, the movie clearly portrays Moses’s wrestling with God on a more cynical level. He also tends to shout rather than stutter as Jewish tradition recounts.

Most intriguing is that he only meets Pharaoh twice face to face before the death of the first-born children. In the first encounter, Moses pulls a sword on Ramses and threatens him. He does not say “Let my people go,” but speaks of his own authority as a rebel leader. He spends much of the movie hiding from Pharaoh, and he even tries to lead a military revolt before God intervenes. The depiction of Moses leading a war of attrition against Egypt.

God is portrayed as a little boy. He first appears standing in front of the burning bush and appears at recurring points in the film.

The miracles are made to look more like natural phenomenon

29 June 2014 Musa (5)* settles in Madian and British Values

29 June 2014

Prophet Musa (5)* settles in Madian and British Values

Musa* settles in Madian

Characteristic of the Slave mentality – the person from Bani Israel who was helped by Musa* was the one who got Musa* into trouble. Tend to have negative self image, very selfish, lack of honour and respect for each other and a massive inferiority complex – always wanting to please those that oppress them.
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Prophet Musa* had lived a pampered lifestyle now found himself wondering in the desert with no food or water. Walked so much that his sandals wore out and reduced to eating leaves to survive.
Walked and walked and ended up in Madian (modern day south Jordan)
At an oasis, Prophet Musa* saw  two women holding back their sheep who could not water their flocks out of wanting to avoid other shepherds. Shows his benevolent, caring and strong character, as well as his good upbringing.
He said, "What are you two doing here?" They said, "We cannot draw water until the shepherds have driven off their sheep. You see our father is a very old man." So he drew water for them and then withdrew into the shade and said, "My Lord, I am truly in need of any good You have in store for me." (TMQ 28:24)
Allah responded to this du’a. Then there came unto him one of the two women, walking shyly and said, "My father invites you so that he can reward you with a payment for drawing water for us." When he came to him and told him the whole story he said, "Have no fear, you have escaped from wrongdoing people." (TMQ 28:25)
One of them said, "Hire him, father. The best person to hire is someone strong and trustworthy." (TMQ 28:26) – characteristics of good workers!
He said, "I would like to marry you to one of these two daughters of mine on condition that you work for me for eight full years. If you complete ten, that is up to you. I do not want to be hard on you. You will find me, Allah willing, to be one of the righteous." He (Moses) said, "That is agreed between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I fulfil, there will be no injustice done to me. Allah is Guardian over what we say." (TMQ 28:27-28)
A shrewd offer from the father (some scholars say could be Prophet Shoaib*) given Musa*’s personality and desperate situation having fled from Egypt. Wedding gift set as work for minimum 8 years.


Main Topic: British and Islamic Values

British History
“Those who tell the stories also hold the power.” Plato
George Orwell once wrote, “He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future.”
David Cameron (the Prime Minister) recently wrote “Britain has a lot to be proud of, and our values and institutions are right at the top of that list.” Tony Blair said (in 1997) he thought that Britain’s empire should be the cause of “neither apology nor hand-wringing”.
There is a romantic view that Pax Britannica ushered in an unprecedented period of worldwide peace and prosperity. This new imperialism tries to justify itself with a story about Britain’s introduction of free trade, the rule of law, democracy and Western civilisation across the globe. We are taught that Western Civilisation is the most advanced form of civilisation known to man and a unique phenomenon rising far above all of history intellectually, morally and scientifically. Hence, the need to ‘civilise’ other backward and inferior peoples through the British “liberators”. Infact, David Cameron calls for a ‘muscular’ campaign to enforce secular liberalism on Muslims in the UK!
Coming after the politically motivated Ofsted’s inspection into the alleged Trojan Horse (Hoax) affair in Birmingham, his intended subjects were clear: Muslims hadn’t done enough to become British and had to be taught a lesson or two about the country whose values they were now required to adopt as their own.

Core British Values
A recent article in The Telegraph outlined ten core values of the British identity:
I. The rule of law. Our society is based on the idea that we all abide by the same rules, whatever our wealth or status. No one is above the law - not even the government.
II. The sovereignty of the Crown in Parliament. The Lords, the Commons and the monarch constitute the supreme authority in the land. There is no appeal to any higher jurisdiction, spiritual or temporal.
III. The pluralist state. Equality before the law implies that no one should be treated differently on the basis of belonging to a particular group. Conversely, all parties, sects, faiths and ideologies must tolerate the existence of their rivals.
IV. Personal freedom. There should be a presumption, always and everywhere, against state coercion. We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
V. Private property. Freedom must include the freedom to buy and sell without fear of confiscation, to transfer ownership, to sign contracts and have them enforced. Britain was quicker than most countries to recognise this and became, in consequence, one of the happiest and most prosperous nations on Earth.
VI. Institutions. British freedom and British character are immanent in British institutions. These are not, mostly, statutory bodies, but spring from the way free individuals regulate each other's conduct, and provide for their needs, without recourse to coercion.
VII. The family. Civic society depends on values being passed from generation to generation. Stable families are the essential ingredient of a stable society.
VIII. History. British children inherit a political culture, a set of specific legal rights and obligations, and a stupendous series of national achievements. They should be taught about these things.
IX. The English-speaking world. The anglosphere - on all of us who believe in freedom, justice and the rule of law.
X. The British character. Shaped by and in turn shaping our national institutions is our character as a people: stubborn, stoical, indignant at injustice. "The Saxon," wrote Kipling, "never means anything seriously till he talks about justice and right."

Magna Carta
This was signed by King John in 1215 was written in Latin and then translated into French and was specifically for nobles giving no such protection from arbitrary arrest and punishment for ordinary people. It was born out of a messy compromise between the monarch and his feudal barons and not out of high minded principles.

British Origins?
Is there something in the soil that means Britain is special? Are Values unique to all who live in the British Isles or are they shared universally?

·         Democracy began in ancient Greece, not Britain.
·         Tolerance existed well before the Roman conquest of Britain.
·         The rule of law predates the Magna Carta (Prophet Muhammed’s Charter for Medina 600 years prior).
·         Freedom, whether of speech, assembly or economic rights, was grudgingly introduced in a piecemeal fashion into Britain and was, in fact, largely an import from Europe.

Double Standards

Democracy
Democratic countries are run for the rich by the rich with scandals around corporate interests, lobbying, wealthy donors, MP abuse of power and money highlighting these. Also, an aggressive global colonisation and a non-ethical foreign policy propping up dictators and tyrants who are fiercely anti-democratic. What is democratic about a Veto (in the UN) and why didn’t Cameron just accept the will of the majority recently when they elected a European President?

Rule of Law
Modern Britain is a surveillance society with intrusive spying on the whole British population, it supports secret trials and readily strips people of their citizenship on secret evidence. Also kidnapping known as “extraordinary rendition”, torture of terror suspects, indefinite detention without charge, unjust treatment of foreign nationals, control orders placed on suspects who are unable to challenge any alleged evidence against themselves.
In June 2007, Tony Blair had stopped a Serious Fraud Office investigation against the British arms manufacturer BAE Systems about bribing the Saudis to win a contract worth £43 billion (al-Yamamah deal) because it was not in Britain’s “national interest” go to trial.

Tolerance
The British people are generally a very tolerant people but the Politicians will only tolerate people as long as they do as they are told and act like they are told. Otherwise, people (especially Muslims) need to assimilate and become like the British. However, when British people go abroad they stay in their own communities in Spain, Dubai etc and do not ‘go native’.
Any discussion about Muslims is seen through the lens of conspiracy, radicalisation, national security, creeping Islamisation and a looming existential threat to the very future of Britain. Muslims are disproportionately the object of news coverage, and inversely proportionally able to inform and shape the public conversation. We are the most talked about, and least heard.

Others:
Other things to mention are attacking, invading and occupying Iraq for over 11-years based on a lie about weapons of mass destruction. Over one million Iraqis died based on this lie.
Casino capitalism that caused the global financial suffering.
Liberalism and individualism which is linked to social chaos with family break-down, youth delinquency, the dissolution of community values and disrespect for the law, homelessness.

“When they are told, ‘Do not cause corruption on the earth,’ they say, ‘We are only putting things right.’ No indeed! They are the corrupters, but they are not aware of it.” [TMQ 2:12]

The Islamic Values, Cause for Real Justice
The Muslims have a rich history that demonstrates the positive and immense impact Islam bought to the world. Its contributions to culture, sciences, accountable government and justice led to the betterment of millions of Muslims and non-Muslims who lived under its rule for over 1300 years.
The Prophet* brought down a Shariah that obliged the rule of law to be placed on both leader and common person alike. Thus if Muslims had a dispute with their rulers they were ordered to return it back to Islam through the Mahkamat Madhalim (Court of unjust acts) which could censure or even remove the ruler himself if he violated the Shariah.
“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end” [TMQ 4:59]
The Prophet* said, “The nations before [us] were destroyed because if a noble person committed theft, they used to leave him, but if a weak person amongst them committed theft, they used to inflict the legal punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, committed theft, Muhammad would cut off her hand!” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Similarly the Prophet* explained that those accused are innocent until proven guilty, “The burden of proof is upon the plaintiff, and the oath is upon the one who is accused.” (Tirmidhi)
The prohibition of torture in Islam is clear - the Prophet* said, “Allah tortures those who torture the people in this life.” (Muslim)
Islam does not promote the ideas of personal freedom to behave as you like, to dress as you like, to mix with whomsoever you like, and to get rich in any way that you like. Islam promotes the idea of basing one’s behaviour on the shariah rules and reminds people that Allah does not like debauchery, exploitation and oppression.

Superiority of Islam
Muslims should be proud of our Values which also include honesty, being good to the neighbour and stranger, valuing parents, strong family unit and being a shy nation! Muslims must not apologise for Islam. Islam is sufficient for us. With the barrage of criticisms over the last few months, and now with a call to force Muslims to change, Muslims are deliberately being made to feel that Islam is inferior, to erode their adherence to its beliefs and practices.
Muslim Values (in this country and elsewhere) include:

• respect for parents
• respect for law
• looking after the neighbour
• visiting the sick / ill
• accountability of actions
• honesty in all dealings
• respect (tolerance) of other beliefs and opinions

The Islamic shariah is superior to all other shariahs. The Islamic shariah is only taken from the revealed texts of the Quran and sunnah, which do not change according the interests of a few powerful oppressors. We should not apologise for being against promiscuity and homosexuality nor should we stop condemning the evil of the Western colonial foreign policies. Islamic values that are revealed by the Creator. They are superior to all other values and are bound to shine when held onto by the believers.
“Do not give up and do not be downhearted. You shall be uppermost if you are believers.” [TMQ 3:139]