Conservative Babylon

Video after the jump.

So far, we think we know this much:

A nonprofit outfit* called “Media for Christ” in Duarte, California, makes anti-Islam film. Producer lies to actors about purpose of film, redubs dialogue.

Producer uploads clip to YouTube using fake name “Sam Bacile” (which, notes the Christian Science Monitor, “is strikingly similar” to the middle name of one Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, who denies directing the film, but says he “helped with logistics” — while holding his thumb over the middle name on the driver’s license he offered to the CSM as proof of his identity).

Producer tells AP he’s an Israeli-born Jew, which is also a lie; producer is actually Coptic Christian (probably Egyptian), and film company website is all in Arabic; mission on MediaForChrist.net “About Us” page translates (via Google) to, roughly: “To reach a cross and redemption to every Arab home in the Diaspora and the Arab countries in the Middle East.”

Meanwhile…

Radical Muslim fundamentalists (al-Qaeda and/or bitter, leftover Quaddafi supporters and/or other militants) launch deadly, military-style (and planned for 9/11) attack on U.S. consulate in Libya, under cover of initially peaceful protests against “Media for Christ” movie (“The Innocence of the Muslims,” a.k.a. “Desert Warrior”).

So…

1) A hardline Christian fundamentalist — who wants to destroy Islam and spread his twisted version of Christianity throughout the Middle East — lies about who he is and about the nature of his movie, tries to make it look like a nonexistent Jew is responsible, and then disappears like a coward, while…

2) Hardline Muslim fundamentalists (or, rather, “Islamists”) — who want to destroy the West and spread their twisted version of Islam across the Middle East (as well as into Africa and even Europe) — lie (in trying make it look like a popular uprising) about the reason the U.S. consulate was attacked, and then disappear like cowards, which…

3) Sets off violence throughout the Middle East, all of which makes…

A) Muslims, who profess Islam as a religion of peace, look like irrational, murderous hatemongers reminiscent of the Muslim crusaders of the seventh century, and…

B) Christians, who profess Christianity as a religion of peace, look like irrational, murderous hatemongers reminiscent of the Christian crusaders of the 12th century.

So… What’s the difference between religious fundamentalists again?

. . . . . . . . . .

Who’s Steve Klein in the video above?

“Steve Klein, the leader of a California hate group, says that Islam is a ‘penis-driven religion’ whose followers have ‘no choice but to hunt Jews and Christians down, torture us and murder us.’

“Klein of Hemet, Calif., who has a long history of ties to militant Christian organizations, has been identified as one of the brains behind the anti-Muslim film that triggered violence in northern Africa, including a rocket attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and the murder of Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya.

“Much like Terry Jones, the Florida pastor whose much-hyped Koran burning sparked mob riots that led to at least a dozen deaths in Afghanistan last spring, Klein is an anti-Muslim ideologue who knew exactly the risks he was taking.

“A longtime religious-right activist who brags about having led a ‘hunter killer’ team as a Marine in Vietnam, Klein believes that America is already at war with Islam. …

“Muslims, he wrote, ‘are a cancer that WILL attack us and KILL as many as they can to further the Islamic doctrine of Sharia law. …’

“Klein has been waging his own holy war since 1977, when he founded Courageous Christians United (CCU), a group that conducts ‘respectful confrontations’ outside of abortion clinics, Mormon temples and mosques.

“In 2004, CCU’s anti-abortion efforts earned Klein the acclaim of the late Robert Ferguson, an anti-abortion extremist whose vocal support for the murderers of physicians, reproductive clinic workers, secretaries and escorts led the radical, pro-violence ‘Army of God’ website to dub him a ‘Hero of the Faith.’

“Klein now heads Concerned Citizens for the First Amendment, which has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The group recently partnered with the ironically named Christian Anti-Defamation Commission to leaflet California high schools with material depicting the prophet Mohammad as a sex-crazed pedophile.

“When he’s not busy spreading fear and hate among America’s youth, Klein conducts outreach and encourages militancy among Christians from the Middle East and northern Africa. …”

Much more:
“Meet Steve Klein, the Hate Group Leader
Who ‘Consulted’ on ‘The Innocence of Muslims’”
Leah Nelson, SPLC Hatewatch

* Notes:

“Media for Christ” is a California corporation registered to one Joseph Nassralla Abdelmasih of Arcadia. Use the Secretary of State website to search for Media for Christ (tick the “corporation” radio button before searching). Manta shows Abdelmasih as director.

The Guidestar listing shows Media for Christ’s “mission statement” as: “Media for Christ is a non-denominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual aid to people worldwide through its web site and its satellite TV station, the Way TV. Media for Christ also provides humanitarian assistance to needy people. Media for Christ’s slogan is ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’”

Guidestar also shows the website for Media for Christ as www.atvsat.com — which leads to “The Way TV,” described as…

…a unique and strategic ministry that uses satellite TV to reach into millions of homes across the Middle East and North Africa, America and Canada helping to share the love of Christ and to encourage Christians in their faith. …

With over 90% of the Arab world having access to television and large numbers of people who cannot read, the need for The way TV’s high quality Christian TV service is clear. Conservative estimates put The way TV’s audience at approximately 40 million people. Viewers can watch a wide range of entertaining and informative television programs that are culturally sensitive and relevant. …

Since its inception in 2005, The Way TV`s vision has been to see a growing Church in the Middle East, North Africa, America and Canada confident in Christian faith and witness, serving the community and contributing to the good of society and culture. We try to do this by providing the churches and Christians of the region with an opportunity to witness to Jesus Christ through inspirational, informative and educational television services. …

“Culturally sensitive”? Who are they kidding? This claim is repeated on another page of the site (highlighted emphasis ours):

Our programmes are politically and culturally sensitive because 80% are made in the region by local Christians and the rest are chosen by them specifically with their own people in mind. They understand the culture, the language and can speak meaningfully into the circumstances of people in the region because they themselves live there and have the same experiences. That is why we don’t sell airtime to other ministries so we can keep control of everything that goes on our channels and make sure of the quality and cultural relevance.

We are careful that none of our programmes ever attack another faith but rather we always seek to present the positive truth of Christianity. …

THE WAY TV makes extensive use of YouTube where viewers can watch programmes and comment on them. …

Among the English-sounding names listed on the page “How We Started?”: “Larry Chairman” (another pseudonym, we expect), a “Pastor Dr Michael Coral,” and a “Pastor Samuel Doctorian” — the last of whom may or may not be the same Samuel Doctorian who is the founder and president of Bible Land Mission, whose “aim is the evangelization of the Bible Lands and a revival ministry in the Body of Christ.”

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