2024-07-29 14:21:24
Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, Lolwah Al-Khater, has lashed out at the depiction of Christ, describing his portrayal as “shameful” amid a global uproar over a display described as a reenactment of Christ’s “Last Supper” at the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Al Khater said in a tweet she published on her official page on the X platform (formerly Twitter) without directly naming the Olympic Games: “As a Muslim, I completely reject and denounce the insulting way in which Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, was described.
“I express my solidarity with my fellow Christians who were insulted, and rightly so. What we saw was absolutely disgusting, but unfortunately this is not the first time we have seen this shameful representation of Jesus Christ in some Western media and artistic productions.”
“Some people like to claim that they have been ‘liberated’ from religion, but the truth is that they have only become prisoners of their uncontrolled desires, and people no longer matter as long as the money machine is counting,” she added.
The official spokesperson for the Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee confirmed in a statement: “It is clear that there was never an intention to show disrespect towards any group or religious belief. On the contrary, the aim of each of the paintings of the Paris 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony was to celebrate community and tolerance.”
“For the celebrations, Thomas Joly (the stage director who was commissioned to organize the event) was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting to create the decor. He is not the first artist to refer to a world-famous work of art, from Andy Warhol (American artist) to The Simpsons (American cartoon comedy series), many have done so before him,” he added.
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2024-07-29 14:21:24