# Why are Judaism & Islam never mocked or impugned in mainstream movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 22, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537 "2009-06-22T01:11:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/41 "2009-06-22T19:00:02Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The same film also includes a brief but brutal scene depicting a (Hindu) mob attacking the Muslim part of the slum. Right, and they aren’t a mob that just happens to be Hindu, there is specific Hindu imagery involved: a child dressed as Rama. The hero is later able to answer the quiz question about Rama only because of his memory of the Hindu attacks on his home. Incidentally, this scene has led to protest by some Hindus who felt that it mocked/insulted their religion. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/42 "2009-06-22T20:16:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > If you watched Bollywood films you’d see lots of criticism of Islam (and Hinduism, to a lesser extent). Interesting. Could you give examples of specific points of criticism of Islam, such as the one mentioned most often, and the one Muslims object to the most? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/43 "2009-06-22T20:41:42Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Interesting. Could you give examples of specific points of criticism of Islam, such as the one mentioned most often, and the one Muslims object to the most? [Mission Kashmir](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Kashmir) is a good example - it criticizes both sides. [Border](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_(1997_film)), a movie about the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, was heavily protested when it came out, though it was more of an Indian propaganda film than an anti-Muslim one. Curiously, a lot of young Muslims have been singling out apparently pro-Muslim films for criticism, accusing the filmmakers of dressing up Hindu culture in Islamic clothes in order to brainwash Muslim youth. _Jodhaa Akbar_ is one such- it’s a semi-historic epic about the Mughal emperor Akbar and one of his (Hindu) wives, Jodhaa. ETA: I’m not in India or even a fan of Indian cinema so I can’t tell you too much about which movies have caused the most fuss. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/44 "2009-06-23T09:38:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I think that could be great, actually, if it were done well. We know the September 11th guys went to strip clubs, so you could just build on that. Anecdotal yeah, but the guy that was the worst sexual molester I have run across at work also prayed 5 times a day… ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/45 "2009-06-23T10:52:15Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I don’t see anyone taking on or even commenting in movies on things like the brutal WWII treatment and segregation of the Jews relative to how they regard and treat the Palestinians, or the Islamic claim of being a religion of peace" vs exhortations to kill as many infidels as possible. Directly addressing these topics in mainstream movies seems to be forbidden whereas any hypocrisies in Christianity are fair game. That’s because you do it about Islam and sure as shit someone will try and kill you for it. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/46 "2009-06-23T11:48:37Z")
As usual, people are harping on their own points and ignoring everyone else’s. I’d still like to see a comparison of films mocking various religions. As I said before, give me a list of what you think are the mainstream movies with the strongest attacks on Christianity. Do the same for Judaism, for Islam, for Buddhism, for Hinduism, for atheism, for agnosticism, for Scientology, for neopaganism, and for whatever else you think has been attacked. Of course, for any given religion, somewhere, somehow you can find one example of a movie attacking it. That’s not the question. What we need to do is to make a list of the movies attacking each of these religions and see if there are more attacking one religion than another. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/47 "2009-06-23T12:25:22Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > What we need to do is to make a list of the movies attacking each of these religions and see if there are more attacking one religion than another. However, if the members of one religion or another [take a hundred or so people hostage](http://everything2.com/title/Mohammed%253A%2520Messenger%2520of%2520God) if they even _think_ a movie might offend against some tenet of their religion, then the numbers of movies attacking that religion might be a trifle skewed. Similarly if the members of those religions issue [death threats](http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/26/newsid_2542000/2542873.stm) against those who they believe are attacking their religion, or [riot in the streets](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4670370.stm). Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/48 "2009-06-23T12:43:04Z")
Shodan, what does that have to do with my question? Since you’re being snide here I’m not sure what you’re saying, but presumably you’re claiming that there are few movies attacking Islam, but a lot of movies attacking Christianity (or whatever). O.K., prove it. Give us a long list of movies attacking Christianity (or whatever). Then give us a short list of movies attacking Islam. Then we can look through the list and either agree that there are many more movies attacking Christianity than attacking Islam, or we can add other movies to the list and show that there are other films attacking Islam, or we can disagree with your list and show that the films you claim are attacking a given religion don’t actually do so. If you don’t do so, what you’re saying in effect is “Oh, you know what movies I’m talking about. I don’t have to tell you about them. If you don’t know which movies I mean, you’re just stupid.” ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/49 "2009-06-23T13:22:38Z")
Well, a good and funny treatment of the three is found in **The Mad Adventures of “Rabbi” Jacob** ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/50 "2009-06-23T16:53:05Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Shodan, what does that have to do with my question? Since you’re being snide here I’m not sure what you’re saying, but presumably you’re claiming that there are few movies attacking Islam, but a lot of movies attacking Christianity (or whatever). O.K., prove it. No, I am not being snide. And I didn’t say anything about Christianity. What I am saying is exactly what I did say. Comparing lists of movies is not going to give an accurate picture of the relative frequency of attacks on Christianity vs. those on Islam, if Islam is more intimidating. In other words, I was answering the OP. > [@](#): > > If you don’t do so, what you’re saying in effect is “Oh, you know what movies I’m talking about. I don’t have to tell you about them. If you don’t know which movies I mean, you’re just stupid.” Of course you are free to interpret my posts in whatever way you like, but all the works triggering the riots, death threats and kidnappings are referenced in my cites. I wouldn’t call you stupid unless you hadn’t read that. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/51 "2009-06-23T17:25:38Z")
That doesn’t explain the purported lack of movies criticizing religions other than Christianity and Islam. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/52 "2009-06-23T17:35:29Z")
Another bit is most of the people watching the films are Christian or more familiar with Christianity. Going all-in with Jewish or Hindu or Islamic humor, even if it is a gag, is just going to sail with the crowd. They have to know what the gag is beforehand. A great deal of people prefer the stereotype of Islam or Jewish or Hindu or Whatever to actually learning about the culture. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/53 "2009-06-23T17:54:47Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Or Woody Allen. (paraphrased) Woody: I think those guys are anti-semites. guy: Why? Woody: He said, ‘jew should go see that movie.’ Get it? JEW. He said JEW should go see that movie. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/54 "2009-06-23T18:16:57Z")
If you’re going to count Jesus Camp as mainstream, then you have to count Fitna and Obsession. How about You Don’t Mess with the Zohan and Hannukah Harry on SNL? Someone wrote a book about the portrayal of Arabs in movies. Not all Arabs are Muslims and vice versa, but the Arabs as portrayed in Hollywood movies are pretty much 100% Muslim. [Reel Bad Arabs.](http://www.amazon.com/Reel-Bad-Arabs-Hollywood-Vilifies/dp/1566567521) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/55 "2009-06-23T18:51:22Z")
Most people who watch American movies are Christian. So Christianity is going to be the subject of a movie more often than any other religion. And some people are too senstive - their default assumption is that any depictation of their religion is an insult to their religion. To maintain a fair and balanced sense of outrage, they also feel that not depicting their religion is an insult to their religion. And depicting any other religion is an insult to their religion. Some people just want to feel persecuted. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/56 "2009-06-23T19:02:42Z")
> [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](#): > > If you’re going to count Jesus Camp as mainstream, then you have to count Fitna and Obsession. > > How about You Don’t Mess with the Zohan and Hannukah Harry on SNL? > > Someone wrote a book about the portrayal of Arabs in movies. Not all Arabs are Muslims and vice versa, but the Arabs as portrayed in Hollywood movies are pretty much 100% Muslim. [Reel Bad Arabs.](http://www.amazon.com/Reel-Bad-Arabs-Hollywood-Vilifies/dp/1566567521) Jews can only make fun of jews. It is an unwritten rule out there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/57 "2009-06-23T19:53:09Z")
Bear in mind that there hasn’t been a holocaust of Methodists in recent history. But Jews, as part of the American tapestry, have gotten satirized in proportion to their numbers in the US. Personally, I think **Portnoy’s Complaint** should count triple **Elmer Gantry**. Between Zucker-Abrams-Zucker and Parker/Stone, I’d say Muslims have caught a credible amount of pop culture satire. And hey, have you seen **Persepolis**? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/58 "2009-06-23T19:59:41Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Jews can only make fun of jews. It is an unwritten rule out there somewhere. Somebody needs to tell that to Mel Brooks. IIRC, in **Blazing Saddles** Richard Pryor wrote the Jewish jokes and the Jews wrote the black jokes. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/59 "2009-06-23T20:44:03Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Comparing lists of movies is not going to give an accurate picture of the relative frequency of attacks on Christianity vs. those on Islam, if Islam is more intimidating. Funny you should go off calling people stupid after posting this packet of dumb. See, cause if we can compile an accurate and comprehensive list of movies maligning Christiantiy and Islam, we’re going to be pretty able to know the relative frequencey of attacks on either. That Islamic intimidation might discourage attacks does NOT mean we won;t be able to determine the freq ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-judaism-islam-never-mocked-or-impugned-in-mainstream-movies/500537/60 "2009-06-23T20:50:11Z")
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