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Thursday, September 20, 2012

Did Portugese Superstar Soccer Player Cristiano Ronaldo Really Support Islam?

By Jeremy Reynalds
Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

Reportedly photoshopped picture.

IRAN (ANS) -- According to a story by Mohabat Iranian Christian News Agency, a recently published photo of superstar soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo later turned out to be (reportedly) photoshopped.

Mohabat News said that Iranian media, through this photo, tried to prove that Ronaldo is a supporter of Islam.

According to Mohabat News, the Iranian government media dependent Young Journalists Club recently quoted (although the report was removed from their website later) Lebanese daily, Al-Diyar as reporting this. “While many people all across the world are protesting against the screening of the American movie that insulted the prophet of Islam, social media users say the Portuguese footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, also protested against the movie.”

Mohabat News said Facebook users shared a photo of Cristiano Ronaldo, a player with Real Madrid F.C., showing him holding a picture frame with Arabic writing on it reading, “There is no God but Allah.’”

Genuine photograph.

Mohabat News said the report continued, "By doing this, the Portuguese superstar, who is a Catholic, wanted to show his objection to the distribution of this movie that insulted Mohammad, the prophet of Islam.”

But what is the real story?

Mohabat News said the reality is that the photo was photoshopped! The photo was taken of him while receiving a picture frame of himself that his team-mates gave him as a gift.

 Mohabat News commented, “The Islamic Republic media tried to provoke Iranian youths’ feelings by distributing this made-up photo of a superstar soccer player to achieve their own religious purposes.”
 

Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City."


Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available at http://www.homelessinthecity.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net.
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