'Moses was schizophrenic'

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Christian Bale ignites religious row ahead of Exodus movie release by describing prophet as 'barbaric'

Christian Bale, who plays Moses in Exodus: Of Gods and Kings, the forthcoming biblical epic directed by Ridley Scott has upset several Christian writers after he described his character as 'barbaric' and 'schizophrenic'.

Speaking at a press conference in Los Angeles last month, Bale said he had undertaken significant research for the role, including also reading the Torah, the Koran and Jonathan Kirsch’s life of Moses.

‘I think the man was likely schizophrenic and was one of the most barbaric individuals that I ever read about in my life,’ he said.

Bale also said he was surprised by the complexity of the Old Testament figure – and his creator.

‘He was a very troubled, tumultuous man and mercurial. But the biggest surprise was the nature of God. He was equally very mercurial.’

Bale’s controversial comments haven't been well received by Christian writers and bloggers who fear the film is tampering too much with the original Biblical text.

Influential Christian writer, Brian Godawa, who leaked elements of the Noah script online before the movie was finished, weigh in on Bale’s comments at his blog.

'Yes, Moses murdered a man, and he had a character arc that went from being adopted and raised as a pagan Egyptian to a conversion to his troubled and tumultuous faith. 

'He had difficulty trusting Yahweh. He didn’t want to be God’s spokesman because he stuttered. And he even had arguments with God.

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