I just got back from the movie and it was completely amazing. It is one of the most powerful and graphic films that I have ever seen. I admittedly cried profusely during several of the scenes. Many of us have grown up hearing the story our entire lives yet never really have it presented to us in such a raw manner. I don't feel that it was anti-Semitic at all for those who are wondering. The entire theater was somber after leaving and everyone left virtually in silence...there was definitely no idle chatter. I think it can be an altering film for many...it certainly has made begin to think about the triviality of so much and also the importance of my faith...

I just got home from seeing this movie. Maybe tomorrow I will be able to say more, but for now, after all the tears and emotional drain I went though tonite, all I have energy to do, other than post this, is go to bed.

I will say this though, there aren't many words, in my opinion, to describe this experience for me. It was, by far, the most powerful movie I have ever seen.

No argument but I didn't realize the country was taken away...dunno where I've been.

But I guess we could go back to those fundamental beliefs, all those freedoms even the one about freedom of religion, so awesome and so true.

I saw this movie and it was great and I'm not relligiious at all. It was moving but then I realized that it was just a movie - a depiction of an account through the eyes of a certain person.

In any event it is a very good movie and somewhat graphic. The two girls I went to see it with both walked out before it ended...

To give a little more perspective on this... the theater referred to is a 20 screen Cinemark with huge stadium auditoriums. The Passion was being shown on all 20 screens, starting every 2 hours from 6:30 am to 9:30 pm. The tickets cost him about $42,000.

The church he attends here is affectionately called the "Bapti-dome". A HUGE church with 8000 to 10,000 in attendance every Sunday.

HOLLA!

I agree. I have never seen a theater full of people where NO ONE talked AT ALL.

That's because it was the first date they had been on where a guy took two girls at once to see "The Passion".

Jokes aside-
A lady dies from heart attack watching the movie!
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Central/0...eut/index.html

I must say that I read this thread and expected to hear what I have heard already. That is, people's opinion on the movie when they haven't seen the movie. I hate that and am very pleasantly surprised to hear people's opinions who have actually seen it.

I'm not interested in seeing it, I don't really know why. But find it interesting how many people who haven't seen it claim it to be anit-semetic but not one person I have heard who have actually seen it says it is.

Also, it seems to be that by default being crucified would be bloody and horrific and violent. Complaining at the violence doesn't make sense to me but then again, I haven't seen it so I can't really say.

Keep the opinions coming. I'm curious what people think.

That is the stupidest logic ever.

Do you have to stab yourself to know you'll bleed?

If you know there is a certain scene, if you know how certain characters are portrayed, and if you know what remark Gibson made after the movie as well as the history behind blood libel, then yes it might worry you.

-Rudey

I find that a bit of a stretch.

That's another thing, how can this movie cause anti-semitic feelings? I mean, Jesus died for all of mankind's sins, right? Wouldn't that include, white,black,hispanic,oriental, jews, christians,buddhists,taists,atheists etc. Not only that but Jesus asked for forgiveness for the ones who crucified him, so if Jesus forgave the Jews, shouldn't everyone else forgive them, even if they believe it is the Jews' fault for killing Him? Jesus was killed by all mankind from the beginning of time to the end of time. Another thing, do people not realize Jesus had to be sacrificed to fulfill the scriptures and thus someone had to kill Him so all of man's sins could be forgiven? He couldn't just die of old age nor could he kill himself, it had to be the actions of others that caused his death.

I liked how Gibson (I take it as a way to show it wasn't the Jews fault) had satan walking among the crowds of Jews when they were trying to get Pilate to condemn Jesus to death. Yet another way to look at it is this, the Jews did not actually sentence Jesus to death, Pontius Pilate did and European civilization& Islamic civilization both descended from the Roman Empire and the Islamic Empire spread far to the east so I guess that is more proof we are all guilty of the crime of killing Jesus.


Sorry for my diatribe, I'm just sick of people saying this movie somehow promotes anti-semitism and most times they have not seen it. I saw an interview where one person said Gibson left out many important things and exagerated others to try to increase hatred of Jews and it later adds, he has not seen it.

-Mark
(this is my $1.05 or so worth)

Oh yeah, James, I meant that Jesus suffered to forgive my sins and that is very sobering to think someone went through that kind of torture to guarantee me entrance into Heaven.

I know there are people who suffer in bad neighborhoods for whatever reason, but is suffering not why our GLO's do philanthropy events, to ease the suffering of others and make their life better?

I agree!

If you like it fine. If you enjoyed the Christian message, fine. But it seems you and several other people keep talking about how YOU don't understand it's antisemitic and how YOU have this problem with people who haven't seen it saying so. Not only is the logic faulty, but it's annoying to see someone say another group doesn't have a right to feel a certain way. In fact Mel Gibson did not see Jesus, and thus, using your logic, he can't share his sentiments in this movie.

-Rudey
--YOU are not entitled to YOUR beliefs.

I think that people get out of the movie what they take into it. If they are looking for anti-semitism going in, then they will get that out of it. If they are looking for a powerful experience or what not, they will get that experience, and so on. Therefore, I think those that come out with anti-semitism ideas, were either looking for that to begin with, or had anti-semitism ideas in their head to begin with to lay blame somewhere.

But let us not forget. There are good and bad people with every religion. The Jews portrayed in this instance were obviously "bad jews." Just like priests and other ministers(because there are some in other christian denominations that do this too) that molest children as well as those that cover it up are bad catholics/christians. Klansmen claiming to be "good protestants/christians" are obviously bad protestants/christians. Muslims that take it upon themselves to be fanatical and implement terrorism are bad muslims and so on. So I think to label an entire religious people based on the actions of a few is quite ignorant. As kafromTN noted, Jesus was killed and died for us all regardless of our faith/beliefs and our sins.

[B]ThetaPrincess-I think that people get out of the movie what they take into it. If they are looking for anti-semitism going in, then they will get that out of it. [B]

I totally agree with this. As an example, when Jesus Christ Superstar was attacked, one reason was because they showed Christ too MUCH like a man, stopping short of the Resurrection.
I FELT the Resurrection in the musical movement at the end of the
final act. When I sat my parents down and made them listen, they understood...others thought I was daft!

No one likes to have their feelings negated...
Rudey, no one on this site has pointed any fingers. Most of us ARE sensitive to your feelings.

I think what most people are saying is THEY don't see the anti-Semitism. Sure, it would be naive to think that some nut cases won't pull out of this movie responsibility of the Jewish people for His death, but that's like saying the idiots who watched the Matrix or Natural Born Killers (I still consider these recent examples of "placing blame") got some kind of message from the content of those movies that said it's OK to go out and kill innocents.

Many on this board hold different beliefs, when one side can acknowledge that WE ALL (not a single group or groups) are responsible, I'd call that progress.

On another forum, they are discussing different elements of this movie. The main feeling is the same-He died for ALL of us and ALL our sins. No cognizant person would think otherwise. I understand fearing unreasonable people. We all do in different ways and for different reasons.