I was quite amazed to discover that Egyptian youth are into heavy metal music. And they are not alone, since the music genre has many fans all over the world. Personally, I find the discordant, tuneless, noise to be very painful to my ears, but to each his own; there’s some discordant classical music I find equally distasteful. Although I do not share their taste in music, neither do certain people in Egypt, but they’re taking their disapproval to the heights of lunacy by claiming that those who listen to heavy metal are satan worshippers and that the music itself is a Zionist conspiracy. Now I have heard some pretty ludicrous conspiracy theories, almost always blamed on the U.S., George Bush or the Jews, but this one takes the cake.
During a recent interview on Egypt’s Dream 2 TV with some heavy metal music lovers and Tuhami Muntasir, the former advisor to Egypt’s mufti, Muntasir accused the fans of worshipping satan and being party to the Zionist conspiracy ‘based on the protocols of the Elders of Zion”. Excuse me while I laugh, although the fans were not so amused, and vehemently denied the ridiculous, ignorant accusations. Frankly, the only thing the fans can be accused of is abysmal taste, but satan worship? And a Zionist conspiracy? What a breathtakingly ignorant statement.
In snippets from the interview, Muntasir actually accuses the fans of having their parties funded by Zionists:
Tuhami Muntasir, former advisor to the Mufti of Egypt: “It has become clear that this is being funded, and that it is sponsored organized Zionist activity. They get money from various sources – maybe from Cyprus, maybe from Israel… What they do at their parties…”
Interviewer: “Do you get money from any source?”
Karim ‘Ammad: “If we did, would we be in such a poor state? What money? This is the first time I’m hearing this claim.”
Tuhami Muntasir: “I am talking about confessions of people who were caught…”
Karim ‘Ammad: “What you said sums it up. You’re talking about the past. Today there’s nothing…”
Tuhami Muntasir: “I am talking about confessions of people who were caught… I am not done yet.”
Bassem Ali: “Go ahead, finish.”
Tuhami Muntasir: “Let me tell you that the phenomenon that we are witnessing right now is a clear manifestation of a well-funded Zionist campaign, which is based on a ‘constitution’ – The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. With your permission, I am not done yet. Protocols of the Elders of Zion – that founding constitution… What does Zionism want to accomplish? You are an intellectual, and you know this. It wants to rule the world.”
Interviewer: “Let’s be reasonable.”
Tuhami Muntasir: “It wants to rule the world. Let me finish. It wants to rule the world. Zionism has means to do so, and it has priorities. The Zionists say: We will establish clubs and we will draw people, who have certain characteristics and who are willing to collaborate, and we will bring them to the top of the pyramid…”
Interviewer: “But they are not spies…”
Tuhami Muntasir: “The third priority of the Elders of Zion is drug trafficking, and facilitating the spread of abomination, so that societies become enslaved to their desires and urges…”
Interviewer: “Let’s return to the heavy metal fans…”
Tuhami Muntasir: “That way, the countries will collapse with no need to resort to weapons. Ruling the world is the real and stated goal of global Zionism.”
Interviewer: “The question that needs to be asked is what this has to do with these young people, who like heavy metal music, wear these clothes, and perform these rites?”
Tuhami Muntasir: “How can they say they like heavy metal, if they haven’t listened to Umm Kulthum, Abd Al-Halim Hafez, Farid Al-Atrash, Amr Diab, and all the other singers? This is beyond the question of whether you like this music or not. This has become an ideology. There is an organized ideology aimed at alienating and dissolving one’s identity.”
[…]
Bassem Ali: “This is a form of art, just like cinema. Don’t make me repeat myself. It is a form of art that expresses emotion. It is a hobby. If you want to listen to heavy metal – go ahead, but what’s this got to do with Satan? You’d think they sit around in talk shows and discuss how to improve the religion, while we are busy worshipping Satan? The hell with Satan! To hell with Satan! To hell with all satans – from the tiniest one around to the minister of all satans! I say to hell with Satan. Who would curse the one he worships?!”
Tuhami Muntasir: “The answer to that is their mouths say things that are not in their hearts.”
Bassem Ali: “My God! Why do you say that? Do you doubt what’s in my heart?
[…]
“If this is a Zionist conspiracy, it has failed. No one can influence us. We’ve been brought up on Islam and its principles.
What a complete idiot. His talk of the Zionists’ goals of ruling the world, is utter hogwash. There are approximately 12 to 18 million Jews across the world, whereas there are as many as 1.5 BILLION Muslims worldwide. According to adherents.com back in 2007 Muslims made up 21% of the world’s population, the Jews 0.22%. Islam is the fastest growing religion and extremist Muslims all over the world often speak about global domination. I have never once seen the Jews do that, so you tell me, does it seem likely that the Zionists (who are probably an even smaller percentage of Jews) want to take over the world? I think not. No, I know not. I think Muntasir should stop showing his tremendous ignorance and find another reason to criticize the youth of Egypt for listening to heavy metal music.
