I'm a Muslim. I find Olympics' Last Supper scene insulting too
Perhaps, banning the hijab, the traditional Islamic headscarf, wasn’t enough for the French authorities. They had to attack Christians now in one of the most egregious displays of religious mockery.
Despite the apology from the Olympic organizers, the offense was already committed. Such an action should be considered as an assault on the sanctity of Christianity. Since the Bible has been translated into about 700 languages, the Last Supper is one of the most known Bible stories worldwide. The Olympic organizers were conscious of their actions.
“And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me” (Mark 14:18-26).
France has betrayed Jesus and crossed the boundary to not only offend Christians but also the Abrahamic religions in general.
France has taken its secularism system to the extreme level with its implementation of a law banning any form of religion in the public sector. In 2004, the French national assembly voted to ban Muslim hijab, Jewish skullcaps, kippah, and Christian cross to be worn in public schools. France’s claim to implement such laws is to protect French secularism. In 2023, France Education Minister Gabriel Attal banned the Abaya, which is a long loose dress some Muslim women wear to conceal the body’s shape in schools.
“When you walk into a classroom, you shouldn’t be able to identify the pupils’ religion just by looking at them,” Attal said.
France’s opposition to religion can be traced back to the French Revolution in 1789. By 1794 all the churches were closed and religious worship was banned. The majority of France was Catholic and the Catholic Church had an immense role in the country before the revolution.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
However, regardless of the pros and cons of both the Catholic Church and the French Revolution in the 18th century, France today is waging a moderate war through secularism against religion. It is ironic that France is banning religious clothes and crosses to block people from identifying individuals' religion, but allows posing as a drag queen and assaulting a sacred religious scene.
Such a depiction only causes resentment for people of faith and creates a gap between France’s secularism and those who are adhering to religious beliefs.
Serwan Zangana supported Operation Iraqi Freedom as a U.S Army translator before coming to the U.S from Kurdistan, Iraq in 1997 to seek political asylum. He was granted asylum status and years later proudly became a U.S citizen. He currently serves as a correction officer in Roanoke, Va.
