In the Christian world, including the Americas, Europe, Australia, etc, it's common practice to swear on the Bible. That's because it's considered G-d given and true.
The story of Samson and Delilah is part of the Biblical narrative. It's a drama which has been adopted as plot for various media, including opera. Any drastic change in the plot should be protested by all religions which base themselves on the Bible, like Judaism and Christianity.
The Samson and Delilah Opera was totally re-written. First the main characters' identities were reversed. In the production, Samson is an Arab, and Delilah is a Jew. Secondly it was put into "modern context," making Israel the evil oppressor and terrorizing the Arabs. In that form it's being performed at the Flanders Opera.
The real Samson, from the Bible in the time of the Judges, was born to a barren couple, after an angel came to the woman and told her that she would have a son. Her son was to be a "Nazir;" he was forbidden hair cuts and wine. Samson's G-d given strength was supposed to be used to save the Jewish People, which he did until he was seduced by the Philistine Delilah. Delilah's task was to weaken Samson, which she did by convincing him to cut his hair. Shorn of hair, he was shorn of his strength, and he was captured and blinded by the Philistines.
The Philistines didn't realize that Samson's newly grown hair would return his power, and he didn't let them know that he was getting stronger. Finally, while they celebrated in their temple in Dagan, Samson brought down the building and killed them by moving the pillars to which he was tied.
The new opera perverts the story completely.
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