Remember the Amazon ad released earlier this month that played up a positive relationship between a priest and an imam? It turns out the two real-life clerics — who first met on the set of the commercial — have now struck up a real-life relationship.
The Rev Gary Bradley, vicar of Little Venice in London and Zubeir Hassam, principal of the Muslim School Oadby, in Leicestershire, England, recently sat down to discuss their participation in the commercial — and their newfound friendship.
Much more than just a mere commercial, the Amazon spot has seemingly brought people together, as the scenes within showed the priest and the imam drinking tea together, laughing and maintaining a friendship despite their theological differences.
“It was the reflection that showed that the two faiths get along very well,” Hassam said during a Facebook Live video that was recently streamed from Al Jazeera English’s London office. “And I think that hug we gave each other that really got everyone.”
Bradley agreed that the impact has been profound, saying he heard many delightful responses from those in his community.
“One of the reactions was that people were very moved by it,” he said. “And I think that there was a tremendous sense of relief that the tensions, which are so often projected onto our friendship as people of faith, were dissipated.”
See the two clerics discuss the project:
According to Bradley, the Amazon ad showed that friendship — even across religious divides — is entirely possible.
Both the Church of England and the Muslim Council of Great Britain participated by giving Amazon’s filmmakers advice prior to making the ad, according to the Telegraph.
Watch the original spot below:
(H/T: Relevant)
—
Other Must-Read Stories:
– Mom’s Frazzled Facebook Selfie and ‘Real Life Confessions’ About Parenting Woes Goes Viral
– Meet the NYC Librarian Who’s Helping Change Homeless Kids’ Lives One Book at a Time