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'Exodus' film whitewashes the Bible, say critics

A new film about one of the more dramatic times of the old testament is cast with actors who might be more at home in a Viking saga than a Mediterranean one. Critics call the film "Exodus" a whitewash. Today, a conversation about our beliefs, and representations of Biblical history....
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The Current26:56'Exodus' whitewashing is bad for Christianity - Nov 28, 2014
A new film about one of the more dramatic times of the old testament is cast with actors who might be more at home in a Viking saga than a Mediterranean one. Critics call the film "Exodus" a whitewash. Today, a conversation about our beliefs, and representations of Biblical history.


According to Hollywood, people in Old Testament times spoke with very hoarse voices. And in Ridley Scott's latest epic, "Exodus: Gods and Kings", the Hebrews and Egyptians are also quite fair-skinned. The cast of the Moses story is led by Caucasians and that has kept Twitter feeds busy.

David Dennis Jr. says he's had enough of what he calls cinematic colonialism. He's a writer from Mableton, Georgia and that's where we reached him.



Even if Fox News presenter Megyn Kelly was thinking of St. Nicholas of Smyrna, it's hard to know how she could be so sure of the skin colour of people who lived centuries ago.

Jonathan Merritt took issue with Megyn Kelly and others who believe Jesus is white. He's a senior columnist for Religion News Service and the author of "Jesus is Better than you Imagined."


Will you go see "Exodus" in theatres this holiday season? Or will you join the boycott? Let us know what you think about Jesus, Moses, or other biblical characters being portrayed as white people.

Tweet us @thecurrentcbc. Or e-mail us through our website. Find us on Facebook. Call us toll-free at 1 877 287 7366.

This segment was produced by The Current's Shannon Higgins, Pacinthe Mattar and Ines Colabrese.

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