The star who plays Jesus in the new miniseries Killing Jesus was raised a Muslim.
The casting of Haaz Sleiman, who was born in Lebanon and came to America when he was 21, is raising eyebrows among Christians.
But the actor is filled with pride over his casting, saying it sends out an important message of tolerance. He told Inside Edition he was raised to respect Jesus’ teachings.
The miniseries is based on Bill O'Reilly's bestselling book. O'Reilly's "Killing Lincoln" and "Killing Kennedy" were also turned into successful TV movies.
His book is not without controversy. Christians believe that Jesus is God’s son, so why didn't O’Reilly include this central theological underpinning in the book? When 60 Minutes asked this important question, he was candid.
“Because it’s not a religious book,” O’Reilly said, explaining that it’s rooted entirely in history. “There’s no religion in the book — nothing.”
