Islamists censoring historical facts using death threats. and why is the police not investigating these threats
Channel 4 has been forced to cancel a screening of the controversial documentary Islam: The Untold Story, after the presenter was threatened with physical violence.
Historian Tom Holland received abusive messages on Twitter and warnings he would come to harm because of the film, in which he suggests that Islam is a 'made-up' religion.
The programme has already been aired on Channel 4, sparking more than 1,200 complaints, but the broadcaster was planning a screening for 'opinion formers' at its London headquarters later this month.
It had hoped to organise a debate around the screening but the whole event has had to be axed because of fears it would be targeted.
Critics have accused Holland of distorting the history of the religion in Islam: The Untold Story.
His investigation into its origins claimed that there is little written contemporary evidence about the prophet Mohammed.
He also suggests the Koran makes little or no reference to Islam’s holy city of Mecca, and argues there is no evidence for the general assertion that Islam began 'fully formed' in the 7th century.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...elled-presenter-threatened.html#ixzz26GIudhia
Scientologists step up campaign against The Master
Church of Scientology reportedly planning publicity drive to undermine Paul Thomas Anderson film based on L Ron Hubbard
Scientologists have stepped up their campaign against Paul Thomas Anderson's controversial new film The Master in the wake of the film's critically acclaimed debuts at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, a US newspaper is alleging. The New York Post says the Oscar-winning producer Harvey Weinstein, who runs the film's distributor The Weinstein Company with his brother Bob, has increased his personal security.
The Master, which has long been billed as Paul Thomas Anderson's "new film about Scientology" has been the talking point of the autumn festival season so far. The film-maker himself has admitted Phillip Seymour Hoffman's snake-like charmer, the nascent cult leader Lancaster Dodd, is partly based on Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard, but has also argued that his film does not deal with the organisation at a wider level. The film, which also stars Joaquin Phoenix as a drifter sailor who becomes one of Dodd's first followers, won the Silver Lion award for best direction and the Volpi Cup prize for best acting (split between Hoffman and Phoenix) at Venice on Saturday. It would reportedly have also taken the top Golden Lion prize for best film but for a technicality.
The Post's Page Six column also says that Scientologist leaders are planning a publicity drive to undermine the film when it is released in the US on Friday. It reports the words of "behind-the-scenes sources" but does not name or quote them directly. Other members of The Master's crew have also added extra security, the newspaper says.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/sep/11/scientology-campaign-master
Channel 4 has been forced to cancel a screening of the controversial documentary Islam: The Untold Story, after the presenter was threatened with physical violence.
Historian Tom Holland received abusive messages on Twitter and warnings he would come to harm because of the film, in which he suggests that Islam is a 'made-up' religion.
The programme has already been aired on Channel 4, sparking more than 1,200 complaints, but the broadcaster was planning a screening for 'opinion formers' at its London headquarters later this month.
It had hoped to organise a debate around the screening but the whole event has had to be axed because of fears it would be targeted.
Critics have accused Holland of distorting the history of the religion in Islam: The Untold Story.
His investigation into its origins claimed that there is little written contemporary evidence about the prophet Mohammed.
He also suggests the Koran makes little or no reference to Islam’s holy city of Mecca, and argues there is no evidence for the general assertion that Islam began 'fully formed' in the 7th century.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...elled-presenter-threatened.html#ixzz26GIudhia
Scientologists step up campaign against The Master
Church of Scientology reportedly planning publicity drive to undermine Paul Thomas Anderson film based on L Ron Hubbard
Scientologists have stepped up their campaign against Paul Thomas Anderson's controversial new film The Master in the wake of the film's critically acclaimed debuts at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, a US newspaper is alleging. The New York Post says the Oscar-winning producer Harvey Weinstein, who runs the film's distributor The Weinstein Company with his brother Bob, has increased his personal security.
The Master, which has long been billed as Paul Thomas Anderson's "new film about Scientology" has been the talking point of the autumn festival season so far. The film-maker himself has admitted Phillip Seymour Hoffman's snake-like charmer, the nascent cult leader Lancaster Dodd, is partly based on Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard, but has also argued that his film does not deal with the organisation at a wider level. The film, which also stars Joaquin Phoenix as a drifter sailor who becomes one of Dodd's first followers, won the Silver Lion award for best direction and the Volpi Cup prize for best acting (split between Hoffman and Phoenix) at Venice on Saturday. It would reportedly have also taken the top Golden Lion prize for best film but for a technicality.
The Post's Page Six column also says that Scientologist leaders are planning a publicity drive to undermine the film when it is released in the US on Friday. It reports the words of "behind-the-scenes sources" but does not name or quote them directly. Other members of The Master's crew have also added extra security, the newspaper says.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/sep/11/scientology-campaign-master
