(Jewish Daily Bulletin)
A statement characterizing “The King of Kings,” as tending to “fix in the public mind ancient and unfounded religious prejudices,” was issued yesterday by the Board of Rabbis of Northern California at a meeting here. Objections to the film include the assertion that it is “offensive alike to Christian and Jew.”
The text of the statement follows:
“The picture, “The King of Kings,” is offensive alike to Christian and Jew. It gives an insipid and uninspiring portrayal of Jesus. It emphasizes him rather as a performer of miracles than as a teacher of high moral ideals. It juggles and distorts the text of the new testament in order to secure theatrical effects without historical verity. It is filled with gross inaccuracies and vicious exaggerations.
“The King of Kings’ misrepresents the religious political and social life of the times of Jesus. The portrayal of Cainphas. the high priest, of Judas and the seribes is fictional unrepresentative and inilammatory.
“The net result of the picture is to fix in the public mind ancient and unfounded religious prejudices, It gives an untruthful account of the crucifixtor excusing the Romans and throwing the blame upon the race which gave Jesus to the world.
“As citizen we protest against the use of the morning picture as an instructment of public education to disseminute religious and tacial misunderstandings. In the name of our common brotherhood we ask that moving picture producers refrain from producing pictures which will has the flames of ? will in this country and abroad.”
Among the signers of the statement are Rabbi Jacob Niete of Temple Sherish Israel Presidnet of the Board of Rabbist Rabbi Louis E. Newman of Temple .###Rabbi # M #of Temple Beth Israel Rabbi R## I. Coffee of Temple Sinai Quklund.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
