memri
January 6, 2005 Special Dispatch No. 841

MEMRI TV Project Special Report: Another Antisemitic Series on Iranian TV

January 6, 2005
Iran | Special Dispatch No. 841

A new historical series airing on Iran's Sahar TV, recorded by MEMRI's TV Monitor Project, depicts the early Christian era from an Islamic perspective. The seventh episode, which aired on December 30, 2004, shows the crucifixion of some of Jesus' followers by the Romans. In a scene reminiscent of the crucifixion of Jesus, the series shows Jews who are passing by the crucifixion site stopping to abuse the crucified Christian preacher Adonya, by gleefully and maliciously throwing stones at him as he is nailed to the cross. A Roman soldier tries to stop them, but the Jews bribe him and continue to abuse Adonya. In portraying them as Jews, the actors talk like cartoons, and wear as their clothing traditional "Jewish" religious garb (a tallis, which in fact is used only during prayer). The following are excerpts from the show; to view clips from the series, visit http://memritv.org/clip/en/461.htm:[1]

Roman Soldier: " Halt! Fabius, you are accused of following the false religion of Jesus the Christian and offending the Roman gods, and you are sentenced to death. Fabius, you shall be crucified. Take him away."

Roman Guard: "Move!"

Roman Soldier: "Adnan, you will be crucified for believing in the religion of Jesus the Christian. Take him away."

Roman Guard: "Move! Move!"

Roman Soldier: "Salamis, you will be crucified for treason and theft. Take him away."

Roman Guard: "Move!"

Salamis: "No, no! Have mercy. I have done nothing!"

Soldier: "Adonya, you will be crucified for spreading Christianity. Take him away. Go!"

Salamis: "Have mercy on me! I have done nothing. Have mercy! Let me go, let me go! I beg you not to do this to me! Let me go!"

The condemned men are shown being crucified.

Cut to two men talking on a mountain

Maximilian: "Have you read the holy book?"

Man: " No. I am illiterate and cannot read."

Maximilian: "Listen, I will read you verses from the holy book. It is written in the holy book that in the blessing left by Moses to the Israelites before his death, he told them: 'The divine light came from Mount Sinai, shone for the people from Mount Sair, and became public for us from Mount Faran.' The light that will become public from Faran is the prophet that our Lord the Messiah has foretold, and his name is Ahmad."

Man: "Where is Faran?"

Maximilian: "Faran?"

Man: "Yes."

Maximilian: "Faran is the valley where Abraham lived with his wife Hagar and his son Ishmael. The prophet, whose name is Ahmad and who is an Ishmaelite, will appear in that valley."

Cut to scene of crucified Christians, who are still alive. A carriage of Jews arrivse.

Jew 1: "Look over there! Stop, stop! Stop…"

Jew 2: "Who are they?"

Jew 3: "I don't know."

Jew 4: "I think I know them. Wait, wait. Soldier, who are they?"

Roman Soldier: "Adonya the preacher and some Christians."

Jew: "Really? Who is Adonya?"

Roman Soldier: "He is the one in the middle."

Jew: "Him? Come, we have found Adonya the preacher. Stone him. The accursed!"

The Jews throw stones at the crucified Adonya

Roman Soldier: "Stop. I told you to stop. He will die anyway. What is the point of stoning him?"

Jew: "That is exactly what we say. If he will die anyway, what's the harm in stoning him? He has deceived many Jews."

Adonya (to the Jews): "Oh the deceived… I don't see in you any remnant of the wisdom Moses passed on to his believers. He said that your soul is your worst enemy, and you have no one to blame but yourself. Be humble…"

Jews: "Stone him!"

Roman Soldier: "Adonya has already been punished for his actions. You have no right to punish him."

Jew: "Take this [handing the Roman soldier a bribe]. What do you think now? Come. Come with me. Stand here and pretend you see nothing."

The Jews stone Adonya again

Adonya: "Woe unto thee, the deceived…"

Soldier 1: "He gave me a gold ingot."

Soldier 2: "It's like spoils of war."

Adonya: "Woe unto thee, hypocrites. Woe on thee, hypocrites. Woe on thee, hypocrites. Oh you, who have chosen lies and abandoned the tolerant religious laws of mercy, justice, and faith. Woe unto thee. Woe on thee who look good on the outside, but are being destroyed from within…"

Maximilian arrives, and watches from a distance

Maximilian: "It is Adonya!"

Adonya (mumbling): "Woe unto thee…"

Maximilian (praying): "What should I do, my Lord?"

Adonya (mumbling): "Oh you, who purify the tombs of prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous, but stray from the path of the prophets and do not listen to the righteous. Woe unto thee. Woe unto thee. Woe unto thee, hypocritical oppressors."

Maximilian: "Leave him alone, cowards. Leave him alone! Accursed be thee. Accursed be thee."

Maximilian kills one Roman soldier, and causes the Jews and the other soldier to flee

Maximilian: "Adonya. Adonya…"

Adonya: "Why do you risk your life, Maximilian? I have reached the end of the road, and your efforts are futile."

Maximilian: "I will rescue you. I must find a way to do it."

Adonya: "Don't worry about me. The moment of union approaches. I have reached the desired target before you. Leave this place. The guards will return shortly. Leave this place, sir. Go away."

Maximilian: "How can I leave you alone?"

Adonya: "He who is with God, God is with him."


[1] Sahar TV (Iran), December 30, 2004. The series was taped in Persian, but was dubbed into Arabic for broadcast.

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