It came as no surprise that the Malaysia government has decided to ban the film “Noah”. It goes against Islamic teachings apparently. I think most Malaysians would consider this a petty issue. To a certain extent they are correct. After all, if you really want to watch the movie, I can guarantee that you’ll be able to get it from your friendly neighbourhood DVD pirate soon. The only thing you will miss out on is the big screen experience.
However, I see more than just a loss of a cinematic treat. There is of course the clear threat to artistic freedom and the danger of future threats using Islam as an excuse. I mean, gambling is against Islam, so does this mean that movies like “The Sting” and “Maverick” can’t be shown here?
But, what I am concerned about is a more subtle point than that. Over the last few years there appears to be a concerted effort to ensure that the Muslim population in this country are treated like simple minded children. What they are allowed to read, watch and listen to is to be determined by a bunch of unelected men who have taken it upon themselves to be the moral guardians of the Muslim populace.
I think it is not morality they are concerned about. Sure, they will say it is about protecting souls from hellfire and all that, but I think the real objective is to ensure that Muslims in this country are kept intellectually stunted. When you are told what you can consume intellectually, then it will lead only to a stagnation of the mind. A laziness of the brain which will result in a populace that not only can’t think independently but will also just follow whatever the authority figure tells them.
That is the ultimate prize, to have close to sixty per cent of the population stupid, unquestioning and docile. In that way you can hang on to your power indefinitely. The ban on “Noah”, the Ultraman comic book and Irshad Manji’s “Allah, Liberty and Love”, they may look like bans on vastly diverse works, but their banning it is all part of the same scheme; to keep the Malays in this country intellectually simple.
And it does seem to be working. We are already living in an intellectually slow country. This is why certain groups with their wicked causes gain such traction. Use the right words and terms; for example “we are defending Islam”, or “we are defending Malays”, and all sense of rational thought will go out the window and you will have a bunch of unquestioning followers.
Do people have a right to object to the film “Noah”? Sure they do, just as they have a right to object to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”. Should they have a right to ban it and determine what I can or cannot watch? No they don’t. For it is my right to read, watch and listen to what I want. You can tell me what I am doing is wrong in your opinion, but no man should be able to stop me and only God has the right to determine if I have sinned.
Azmi Sharom
*Article first appeared on http://rakyattimes.com/index.php/2013-12-14-08-12-51/358-a-scheme-to-kee...