The One with The Passion of the Christ

Hi friends,

I just returned from Pakistan and Dubai today evening which explains my one week absence! I had an amazing trip, somewhat productive and hectic. The highlight of the trip was getting to see my friends in Dubai and also going ahead with the the house designs which my family will build in Pakistan! Before I get into the details of my trips, I wanted to share with you about my experience at the Customs at the Jeddah airport.

I had bought several movies from Pakistan, the cheap pirated DVDs. There were about 25 movies, ranging from The Mission, to The Village, to Fahrenheit 9/11. One movie was The Passion of the Christ. The Saudi man, who was holding my CD carrier case in his hands, looked at me, while holding my passport in the other hand. He was clean shaven, about in his mid 40s, somewhat wrinkled face, and very soft spoken.

Saudi: Are these your movies?
Me: Yes.
Saudi: I will allow you take all these movies, but I will have to stop you from one.
Me: Which one?
Saudi: The Passion of the Christ.

He was holding that movie in his hand, and made me read the title. I read it out loud: The Passion of the Christ.

Saudi: You know sir, we Muslims do not like to see our prophets like this. Islam does not allow this.

Oh yeah, then how come UAE showed it on the cinema screen? How come so many Muslims watched it? How come the movie was one of the highest selling DVD here in Jeddah? I wanted to ask him these questions, but would then get probably get myself into deeper trouble. He kept on pointing to the DVD, looking at the word "Christ." His problem was not with the "Passion" but with "Christ." He had been instructed to not allow anything "Christ"ian into this country. What, so like all books that include the word "Christ" is banned?

Saudi: Are you a Muslim?
Me: You are holding my passport! Look for yourself!

I don't know why he asked me that. He did not allow for me to take the movie. He took out his key chain, chose a large key and made four large scratches on the DVD, as if he was cutting four slices of pizza. He then offered to me to take the movie and I refused. I was glad that he damaged the DVD, otherwise the Saudi customs men are notorious for keeping stuff they would like to watch for themselves.

Now what I did not understand is: I had Ben-Hur with me. I had The Mission with me. I had Exorcist with me, which has a big cross on the DVD cover! Why didn't he stop all these movies? Why did he pick out The Passion of the Christ?

So he kept my movie. I don't know what his aim was. For in the next fifteen minutes, I could go to the market and purchase the very same movie! How much can they censor? Pretty soon, one of the movie channel will show this movie, so the whole nation can watch it. I felt really sorry for the lone Saudi man sitting in the Censorship Room at the airport. Maybe he is so naive, that he doesn't realize that all that he is preventing from entering the country, is already available out there!

Mat God help the nation of KSA come to terms with the struggle for freedom!

With more stories to come soon,

Mansur