Muslim Leaders Condemn "disgraceful" Olympics Scene: It "offended us as much as them"

“Immorality displayed at the opening of the Paris Olympics once again highlighted the scale of the threat we face,” he added.

Muslims do not recognize the divinity of Jesus but do reverence him as a prophet. 

The top institution of the Sunni branch of Islam in Egypt also issued a statement condemning the Olympic ceremony portrayal.

“The scenes portray Jesus ‎Christ,” the Al-Azhar statement read, “in an offensive image that involves disrespect to his person.”

“Al-Azhar, and nearly 2 billion Muslims behind it, believe that Jesus … is the ‎Messenger of Allah. The Quran reads, Jesus is Allah’s ‘Word through Mary and a spirit ‎from him.’” 

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The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, also issued a denunciation of the opening ceremony. 

“This disgraceful act showed a complete lack of respect for the beliefs of religious people and the high moral values they hold dear,” the statement read. “The council unequivocally rejects all attempts to demean religious symbols, beliefs, and sacred figures.”  

Christian as well as other leaders worldwide have spoken out against Friday’s opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The world’s wealthiest individual, Elon Musk, called the scene “extremely disrespectful to Christians.”

The controversial show, part of the 1.5-billion-euro (about $1.62 billion) spectacle to kick off the Olympic Games, featured drag queens portraying the apostles and an overweight DJ as Jesus in what appeared to be part of a fashion show apparently mocking Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting of the Last Supper.

Anne Descamps, spokesperson for the Paris Olympics, defended the opening ceremonies, saying “there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group.”

She said the goal of the opening ceremony was to “celebrate community tolerance.”

“We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense we are really sorry,” Descamps added.

Bishop Robert Barron panned Descamps’ statement as “anything but an apology.”