Egyptian Censors Strike at the Tale of David vs. Goliath

David slew Goliath, and then the Egyptian censor slew David.

Three thousand years after the biblical battle between the daring young shepherd and the armor-clad giant, the government censor ruled that the Old Testament story, also found in Islam’s holy book, the Koran--shows Israel in too positive a light.

“Presenting this subject now is not in line with the Egyptian social and political stance on the Palestinian uprising,” said Madkour Thabet, head of the Audiovisual Censorship Authority.

He vetoed the production of a children’s music cassette that would have included a song based on the tale, saying it was inappropriate at a time when Egypt and other Arab states have accused Israel of excessive use of force in confronting Palestinians.

More than 300 people have died in the current violence, most of them Palestinians. Those killed included Palestinian children and youths, some of whom were throwing stones at Israeli troops.

The track on the David and Goliath tale was the only one struck by the censors. The cassette on which it was to be used had been envisioned as the first of a series to teach Christian children various virtues by drawing on biblical characters.

The contents of the album--lyrics and narration--had been approved by Egypt’s Coptic Christian Church, whose followers number about 10% of the mostly Muslim population of 65 million people. But Thabet said the church’s opinion on the material was only relevant insofar as religious matters are concerned.

“Anything related to the political and social contexts is a different story,” he added.

In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, but relations have often been cool. Angry and frustrated with Israel’s role in Israeli-Palestinian violence that began Sept. 28, Egypt recalled its ambassador last month.

The story of David and Goliath is common to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. David is a hero for all three faiths, showing how God helps those who believe in him.