Outrage over Alternative Christmas Message

Translation transcript of the Alternative Christmas Message, delivered by the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in his native language Farsi.

"In the Name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Upon the anniversary of the birth of Jesus, Son of Mary, the Word of God, the Messenger of mercy, I would like to congratulate the followers of Abrahamic faiths, especially the followers of Jesus Christ, and the people of Britain.

The Almighty created the universe for human beings and human beings for Himself.

He created every human being with the ability to reach the heights of perfection. He called on man to make every effort to live a good life in this world and to work to achieve his everlasting life.

On this difficult and challenging journey of man from dust to the divine, He did not leave humanity to its own devices. He chose from those He created the most excellent as His Prophets to guide humanity.

All Prophets called for the worship of God, for love and brotherhood, for the establishment of justice and for love in human society. Jesus, the Son of Mary, is the standard-bearer of justice, of love for our fellow human beings, of the fight against tyranny, discrimination and injustice.

All the problems that have bedevilled humanity throughout the ages came about because humanity followed an evil path and disregarded the message of the Prophets.

Now as human society faces a myriad of problems and a succession of complex crises, the root causes can be found in humanity's rejection of that message, in particular the indifference of some governments and powers towards the teachings of the divine Prophets, especially those of Jesus Christ.

The crises in society, the family, morality, politics, security and the economy which have made life hard for humanity and continue to put great pressure on all nations have come about because the Prophets have been forgotten, the Almighty has been forgotten and some leaders are estranged from God.

If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would stand with the people in opposition to bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers.

If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would hoist the banner of justice and love for humanity to oppose warmongers, occupiers, terrorists and bullies the world over.

If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would fight against the tyrannical policies of prevailing global economic and political systems, as He did in His lifetime. The solution to today's problems is a return to the call of the divine Prophets. The solution to these crises is to follow the Prophets - they were sent by the Almighty for the good of humanity.

Today, the general will of nations is calling for fundamental change. This is now taking place. Demands for change, demands for transformation, demands for a return to human values are fast becoming the foremost demands of the nations of the world. The response to these demands must be real and true. The prerequisite to this change is a change in goals, intentions and directions. If tyrannical goals are repackaged in an attractive and deceptive package and imposed on nations again, the people, awakened, will stand up against them.

Fortunately, today, as crises and despair multiply, a wave of hope is gathering momentum. Hope for a brighter future and hope for the establishment of justice, hope for real peace, hope for finding virtuous and pious rulers who love the people and want to serve them – and this is what the Almighty has promised.

We believe, Jesus Christ will return, together with one of the children of the revered Messenger of Islam and will lead the world to love, brotherhood and justice. The responsibility of all followers of Christ and Abrahamic faiths is to prepare the way for the fulfilment of this divine promise and the arrival of that joyful, shining and wonderful age. I hope that the collective will of nations will unite in the not too distant future and with the grace of the Almighty Lord, that shining age will come to rule the earth.

Once again, I congratulate one and all on the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. I pray for the New Year to be a year of happiness, prosperity, peace and brotherhood for humanity. I wish you every success and happiness."

Left: British Viewers watch the Alternative Christmas Message by Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad on UK Channel 4 News.

Each Christmas Day, Queen Elizabeth II broadcasts a seasonal message to the nation. Since 1993, the UK's Channel 4 has broadcast an 'alternative message' presented by a range of figures, including an injured veteran from the war in Afghanistan, Jesse Jackson, Brigitte Bardot and a 9/11 survivor.

A myriad of critics, featuring gay rights, human rights and Zionist groups, came out to criticize Ahmadinejad's Christmas message on British Television.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stoked criticism on Thursday by delivering a Christmas message on British television, saying if Jesus were alive he would oppose "bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers." an apparent reference to the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as Israel's occupation of Palestine for the past sixty years.

Israel's ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, called it a "national embarrassment."

"That Channel 4 should give an unchallenged platform to the president of a regime, which denies the Holocaust, advocates the destruction of the sovereign state of Israel, funds and encourages terrorism, executes children and hangs gay people is a disgrace. Outrage doesn't begin to explain it," said the ambassador.

Henry Grunwald, President, Board of Deputies of British Jews opined: "To invite him to deliver a Christmas message, even a so-called alternative one, fills me with disgust. Whatever he may say in his 'message', his words on other occasions and his actions towards minority groups in Iran should have disqualified him from filling this television spot."

"This is the equivalent of giving Robert Mugabe a prime-time television slot to promote his propaganda." asserted Peter Tatchell, a human rights activist.

Left: The Queen highlighted the impact of the credit crunch in her traditional Christmas message this year.

These Campaign groups attacked the broadcaster's decision to air the speech, as 'dangerous' and motivated by ratings.

Britain's Foreign Office condemned the speech, "President Ahmadinejad has during his time in office made a series of appalling anti-Semitic statements," a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. She continued, "the British media are rightly free to make their own editorial choices, but this invitation will cause offense and bemusement not just at home but amongst friendly countries abroad."

The move was criticised by some Jewish groups who labeled it a scandal and a national embarrassment. Stephen Smith, director of the Holocaust Center, said the message should be treated with caution.

"I think this benign message is deceptive. People need to be alert to the fact that this is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Many of his political and historical views are very dangerous and do not uphold the views in his message."

Speaking in Farsi, Ahmadinejad centered his Christmas message around a theme, which highlighted the scourge of oppression supported and implemented by governments. "If Christ were on Earth today, undoubtedly he would hoist the banner of justice and love for humanity to oppose warmongers, occupiers, terrorists and bullies the world over," he proclaimed.

He ended by saying: "I pray for the New Year to be a year of happiness, prosperity, peace and brotherhood for humanity. I wish you every success and happiness."

Explaining the decision to invite Ahmadinejad to speak, Channel Four's head of news and current affairs Dorothy Byrne said: "As the leader of one of the most powerful states in the Middle East, President Ahmadinejad's views are enormously influential.

Left: Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad, center, is hellped by his bodyguards in the midts of a religious ceremony marking the death of the Shiite Saint Jaafar Sadeq in Tehran, Iran. (Hasan Sarbakhshian/AP)

"As we approach a critical time in international relations, we are offering our viewers an insight into an alternative world view."

Britain and Israel as well as the most powerful nations in the West in have had rocky relations with Iran for years, particularly over Iran's civilian nuclear program, which is a right availed to it as a signatory of the Non Proliferation Nuclear Treaty. Israel holds certain unfounded fears that the Iranian civilian nuclear industry could be altered for military purposes if so chosen, The West has acted upon those fears over the burgeoning nuclear energy advances in Iran and have instituted a harsh regime of sanctions against it through United Nations resolutions and initiatives on their own behalf based on the assumption that Iran could or may use the technology at some point to make arms. US intelligence agencies and the IAEA, the nuclear watchdog agency have both reported that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons.

There has been calls by Israel to bomb these civilian facilities in Iran as was done by the Jewish state in Iraq and recently in Syria as well as, against Lybia by the United States.

But these alarmists would have us believe in Devils and bogey men who must haunt our every waking hour and return at night to assail our dreams:

Ahmadi Nejad is a man who hates Jews, persecutes Christians in his own land and who denies the greatest crime against humanity ever happened has seven uninterrupted and unchallenged minutes on prime-time British network TV on Christmas Day to himself. Those whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad -- then put them in charge of Channel 4. No doubt if Hitler was still around they'd have him broadcast a Happy Hanukah message.