I found a very interesting comment on here about me calling Mr. Wilders so called film-'stupid'. I do stand by my words and understand that by mentioning him, I do fall into the vicious cycle of giving him more publicity, which is EXACTLY what he wants. He does want Muslims to erupt in noisy protest and they well might. But for us as Muslim filmmakers, silence is not an option and when misguided and ill-informed attempts at 'movie making' such as this one are attempted, we do need to raise our voices in protest.
I do invite you all to see 'A Jihad for Love' in Amsterdam tonight at 7 pm, in the Hague tomorrow and again in Amsterdam on Sunday.
At the end of the day, this film does speak for itself.
Ad Schurings comment is reproduced in its entirety here, and I see no reason to comment on his comment, but do want you all to read a valid point of view:
"I thought it would be wise to promote your movie on my weblog instead of attracting even more attention to Wilders on the night his film went online. But I'm a bit saddened by your comment here:
It is not very intelligent to just say Wilders cannot make a decent film or that he has no knowledge of Islam. You must agree he's an incredible strategist. His party and Mrs Verdonk's party are on about 25 % op the vote in recent polls and rising. And that is only because other parties did not want to adress the problems with new minorities in our country. I think even more people then the polls suggest in NL have some serious questions on if and how the Muslim community can and will distance itself from religious terrorism.
I think there is a challenge there and to just say his questions are insulting and stupid is not helping us, Dutch gays, in settling our doubts about your religion.
Are young muslims in Amsterdam not attacking gay men on their way home from gay bars? Why do they think that is ok?
We also have some problems with the pretty fundamentalist Polish Catholics in this country (I got into a fight with them last fall at our local gay bar and ended up in the canal, which saved me, because they couldn't swim).
Further I also was raised religiously, but will not call myself Catholic anymore, èver, because that religion does not recognize me as the person I am and preaches that I should live a life of unhappiness and lies.
I know, we are all searching, and looking for way out of these troubled times. I have some great experiences with muslim fuck buddies. I very much like their attitude of: "I'm horny and I want to fuck, no questions asked; no relationship please" .
Maybe for the first decades the strategy of "don't als don't tell" is not such a bad idea.
Sadly that does not combine easily with good healt education and STD prevention."
started this blog, 2007. today i am a guggenheim fellow, a much lauded filmmaker and author; creator of 3 world firsts: a jihad for love; a sinner in mecca (films) + 112,000 page book. visit parvezsharma.com but this blog is historically important; a partial on the road record; the world's first ever film on islam and homosexuality; fact = "islam trilogy" = 8 million plus eyeballs; yes, death, defying work, but re-taught me gratitude+ humility; karma backbones = dh; sd; at; hva; pa
4 comments:
will try to see your film tomorrow in den Haag
Dear Parvez Sharma, your bravery is utmost on my mind, very much on my mind. Your calling is one of those magnificent things to witness, and I want this film to be seen by as many people as possible!
My hope is that it will find its way to Philadelphia!
Much respect, and thanks,
CAConrad
Went to see the movie at the Amnesty International festival in Den Haag yesterday. Sadly, I did not find a moment to talk to you afterwards. Still want to say, although it did not change my basic position as far as religion an queer politics is concerned. It did make me understand there are some differences between guys raised in an islamic culture these days and a guy like me, raised catholic and coming out in the early seventies.
For me the choices were not that hard: my family may have had a bit of a shock, realising I was gay, but basicly, they accepted it, as did the gay or straight friends and fellow students, so nothing really changed in my life, except from the fact that I fucked guys from then on. Only the catholic church fundamentally refused to accept my lifestyle, and thus left me no choice then to leave it.
For Islamic guys, family structures are more important than for us in the west. In most countries the mothers, deep in their hearts, will accept the deviant preferences of their son, but fathers and brothers can and will not. A choice for gay life will ruin the entire economic structure and security of the family and mostly leave no other option then to flee the country. This leaves me with the question of why, even after these dramatic, life changing, choices most guys and girls in this film do not step away from the faith that condemns them and still try to continue a life of religion. I cannot understand that, but I do respect their courage. Is it just a question of time before they will make the same choices as guys from the 'older' religions, or are the Islamic roots indeed rooted deeper?
Allahın laneti sizin ve lut kavmi gibilerinin üzerine olsun.
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