Morocco, Egypt Ban Christian Bale Movie Exodus

Biblical epic stirs up controversy
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 29, 2014 10:14 AM CST
Morocco, Egypt Ban Christian Bale Movie Exodus
This image released by 20th Century Fox shows Christian Bale in a scene from "Exodus: Gods and Kings."   (AP Photo/20th Century Fox)

If you live in Morocco or Egypt and want to see Exodus: Gods and Kings, the biblical epic starring Christian Bale, tough luck. Both countries have banned the film, the Guardian reports. Morocco is unhappy because the Ridley Scott flick includes a scene featuring God depicted as a "child who gives a revelation to the prophet Moses," according to a written notice of the ban delivered to the distributor of the film. Under Islam, it is forbidden to "represent God." Cinema owners have also been instructed not to screen the movie. "They phoned and threatened they would shut down the theater if I did not take the film off the schedule," says one manager.

Another, who says that her theater stopped showing the film after Friday evening, adds that she doesn't understand the ban: "The child through whom Moses receives the revelation in the film at no time says he is God." As for Egypt, it cited "historical inaccuracies" as its reason for banning the movie, the Guardian reports. The culture minister says the movie claims "Moses and the Jews built the pyramids," which "totally contradicts proven historical facts," among other problems. "It is a Zionist film," he says. "It gives a Zionist view of history." Fellow Bible epic Noah was also banned in Egypt because it violated Islam by portraying a prophet. (More Morocco stories.)

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