, Research Paper

electronic mail: cgohm @ netrover.comtitle: Media Representations of Judaism and IslamIn this century at that place have been infinite struggles affecting the people of Judaism and those of Islam. The Holocaust in World War II, the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the belligerencies of the Palestinians towards the Hebrewss are all illustrations of such struggle. The media is particularly involved in the portraiture of these two states, as the events that go on in the Near-East have many sympathisers. The media, particularly the local Toronto Star, feeds off of the Jew/Muslim quandary. This representation is wholly contrary to the historical position of these two faiths. Harmonizing to academic texts, both states are peaceable and earthy. However, as will be seen, the media does nil to back up these ideals. Jews and Muslims, these words are common in both newspapers and tabloid articles. They are abundant in nature, but the one common subject for both parties is political instability. The authoritiess for each society are both in convulsion, fearing rebellion and the force that stems from it. The chief issue being addressed is the battle over complete land ownership in Israel ; the Judaic control of the Gaza Strip and West Bank and the & # 8220 ; Palestinian demand for an independent province & # 8221 ; ( Toronto Star, January 27, 1997 ; A11 ) , has merely added to the tenseness between the two parties. One position from the articles is that the Jews are inquiring for excessively much and giving small in return. The resistance Labor party in Israel said, & # 8220 ; We in the Labor have given up the dream of turn overing back the colonies & # 8221 ; ( Toronto Star, January 27, 1997 ; A11 ) . Israel wants to put claim to the Gaza strip and West Bank and their lone offering to the people of Palestine is to re-instate Palestinian occupations. This is apparent in The Toronto Star when it states, Israel plans to behave dozenss of 1000s of foreign workers this twelvemonth and reinstate 45,000 Palestinian labourers whose occupations they took & # 8230 ; ( Toronto Star, January 22, 1997 ; A15 ) . This indifference between give and take on Israel & # 8217 ; s portion has re-ignited the hatred felt towards them by Muslims. This is seen when Sheikh Mohammed Tantawi said, Jews are chesty, they believe they are above all other human races. They committed unfairnesss against the prophesier Jesus and his female parent ( Toronto Star, January 26, 1997 ; F1, F5 ) . The Mufti of Egypt believes that & # 8220 ; Hebrews have no historical claim to Jerusalem & # 8221 ; ( Toronto Star, January 26, 1997 ; F! , F5 ) . The choler towards Jews has heightened late with progessional brotherhoods prohibiting their members to cover with Israel and with & # 8220 ; brazenly anti-semitic imitations cropping up late in newspaper sketchs & # 8221 ; ( Toronto Star, January 26, 1997 ; F1, F5 ) . Another perspective prevalent in many Muslim based articles is the force stemming from rebellion. In four of the six Muslim-based articles, force was the chief subject of the narrative. In Algeria, & # 8220 ; the force was the worst in what has been a bloody 1997 in the North African state, where a five-year Islamic insurgence has killed at least

60,000? ( Toronto Star, Jan 20, 1997 ; A3 ) . Algeria is confronting a ghastly rebellion in which Muslim activists want to subvert the present authorities in order to give rise to Islamic jurisprudence.

Overall, these articles are just without any prejudices, since they are merely intelligence coverages and non columns. The articles tell the truth and neglect any sentiments the journalist might hold. They are considerate to the quandary confronting both states but still handle human mortalities as merely statistics instead than calamities of society. Even though in most instances journalists are just and merely in their articles, they still over-exploit the middle-east struggle which disrupts peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine. The Toronto Star depicts the faiths of Judaism and Islam in a really distinguishable manner, while the portraiture in the World Religions text is radically opposite. Harmonizing to the text edition Jewish and Muslim populations are comparatively peaceable, while the Toronto Star describes both as being greedy and violent. One interesting point about the word picture of Jews is their evident greedy nature ; desiring excessively much and giving nil in return. As it says in World Religions, & # 8220 ; Judaism has spawned two subsequent universe faiths, each tremendously larger and more politically powerful than Judaism has been & # 8221 ; ( Oxtoby, pg 15 ) . Judaic civilization has given much to the Muslims, including the fundamental of their faith! Besides, harmonizing to the text, & # 8220 ; Christians and Muslims readily acknowledge a debt to ancient Judaism for spiritual thoughts and patterns & # 8221 ; ( Oxtoby, pg 16 ) . The fierce words of Sheikh Mohammed Tantawi involve none of the regard that should be awarded the Jews in acknowledgment of such a debt. The entire population of the Jews on Earth is about 14 million, 1 to 2 per centum of the size of Christian and Muslim societies. One would believe that the great debt owed to the Judaic by the Muslims would rock their hatred and carry them to go forth Israel to the little contingent of Jews. Another striking difference between the portraitures of World Religions and The Toronto Star is that of the Muslim civilization. Harmonizing to the text, Islam means entry to the will of God. & # 8220 ; The three-consonant roots s-l-m contained in it connotes peace ( salam ) , soundness, and safety & # 8221 ; ( Oxtoby, pg. 353 ) . Due to the frequence of force in Muslim-related articles, this is hard to believe. The high quality that the Muslims portray themselves with compared to the Jews is besides contradictory to the text & # 8217 ; s information. Harmonizing to it all things are equal, & # 8220 ; inanimate things, animate beings, workss, every bit good as the angels, are Muslims to God by nature of replete & # 8221 ; ( Oxtoby, pg. 353 ) . Indeed, the portraiture of the Toronto Star and World Religions are decidedly hypocritical to each other. As one can see, the portraiture of Judaism and Islam in the media are really different from their historical representation. Changeless issues of force and discord arise through The Toronto Star, while impressions of peace, soundness, and credence emanate from academic texts like World Religions.