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Home Front: Culture Wars
Liam Neeson angers Narnia fans by suggesting Aslan is Mohammed
2010-12-04
Liam Neeson has caused controversy by suggesting that Aslan, the Christlike character in C.S. Lewis's Narnia books, could represent the prophet Mohammed or Buddha.

The actor who voices the lion in the film adaptations of the books has angered some fans of the stories, who claim he is distorting Lewis's intentions to be "politically correct".

Aslan the lion features in all seven Narnia books, guiding children away from evil and harm and encouraging them to do good. Lewis was clear that the Aslan was based on Christ, and once wrote of the character: "He is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question: "What might Christ become like if there really were a world like Narnia?"."

In the climax of the first book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Aslan sacrifices his life to save Narnia, before rising from the dead, a plot which is widely believed to represent the crucifixion and the resurrection.

But ahead of the release of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third Narnia book to be made into a film, next week, Neeson said: "Aslan symbolises a Christlike figure, but he also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries.

"That's who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids -- that's what he means for me."

Walter Hooper, Lewis's former secretary and a trustee of his estate, said that the author would have been angered by Neeson's comments.

He said: "It is nothing whatever to do with Islam. Lewis would have simply denied that. He wrote that 'the whole Narnian story is about Christ'. Lewis could not have been clearer."

Mr Hooper attributed Neeson's remarks to political correctness and a wish to be "very multi-cultural"
Posted by:tipper

#5  notifying
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2010-12-04 21:55  

#4  Not to mention he angered Shiites by notifying figuring the 12th imam in there somewhere.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2010-12-04 21:54  

#3  Obviously he never read the series. Aslan was the christ-like figure while Tash (the bird-god of the desert dweller (and most like Mohammand) - not too sure of the names - I'm drawing this from 10-year-old memory...) was his 'opposite'.

If they weren't to chickensh*t to produce 'A Horse and his Boy' (which was chronologically after Lion / Witch / Wardrobe) it would have been clearly shown. But the way I understand it they skipped that book for fear of offending Muslims.

The association of Aslan with Christ is very explicitly made in "The Last Battle" - the last book of the series.

Not to mention the whole 'Sacrifice oneself for another' part of "The Lion, the Witch, and the wardrobe". I doubt Neeson even viewed the movies....
Posted by: CrazyFool   2010-12-04 21:20  

#2  Facts are irrelevant in Hollywood's mind, since replicating and making people believe the non-existent is their business. I have an aunt in Hollywood, and her shock that I DISAGREED with her in MY area of expertise betrays an arrogance that Heaven is sure to answer.

Death is a shark attacking mankind. Confucius, from the beach, would assure us our children would revere our courage. Mohammed is too busy fondling Aisha to notice. Buddah would tell us the shark does not exist. ONLY Jesus Christ gashed himself and jumped into the water to draw the shark off of us.

And people roll their eyes and wonder why I'm such a fanatical Christian...
Posted by: Ptah   2010-12-04 21:03  

#1  Neeson is a typical entertainment industry cultural idiot, mind rotted by living and working with the cultural relativists in Hollwierd. Alsan is clearly alluded to as Jesus in the books, if you bother to read all of them.

I guess Neeson believes in everything, which means effectively he ultimately believes (latin: credo) nothing at all.
Posted by: OldSpook   2010-12-04 18:17  

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