LOS ANGELES, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Muslim leaders criticized 20th-Century Fox's "Kingdom of Heaven" for promoting negative stereotypes, while other religious officials praised the U.S. film.
"Kingdom of Heaven," depicting the 12th century fight between Christians and Muslims over Jerusalem, is readying for a summer 2005 release, timing questioned by Islamic experts in light of the current political atmosphere, the New York Times reported Thursday.
"In this climate how are people going to react to these images of Muslims attacking churches and tearing down the cross and mocking it?" said Khaled Abu el-Fadl, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who studies Islamic law.
"I believe this movie teaches people to hate Muslims. There is a stereotype of the Muslim as constantly stupid ... unable to think in complex forms. ... it really misrepresents history on many levels," he said.
The Rev. George Dennis, a Jesuit priest and history professor at Los Angeles' Loyola Marymount University, who was one of five experts given the script, said he was impressed by the film's accuracy.
"I can't think of any objections from the Christian side. And I don't think Muslims should have any objections. There's nothing offensive to anyone in there, I don't think," he said.
