Can't wait for Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ"

[ISUKappa]

I would like to see it, as would Mr. ISUKappa.

Never in my 25 years did I ever think that the Jews were responsible for the death of Christ, but maybe that's just me.

Man, what to do on Ash Wednesday: Go to church, go to The Passion or watch The Bachelorette.

ETA: Well, in the historical/literal sense, maybe, but I don't carry that over to current times.

[kappaloo]

I'm probably going to go and see this movie. There is a lot of talk about Anti-semetic views in it, but I'll have to see it before I believe it.

It just seems like it's anti-semetics because they show the story as the bible tells it. We watch movies about WWII all the time and people don't get up in arms cry anti-germanic setimets will run rampant.

Then again... the anti-semetism tends to underlie the social current more than I think most of us want to believe. Last I heard, this wasn't true for the Germans.

Oh - justamom - I agree. JCS - best adaptation ever. It was on a few weekends ago and I just had to watch it again.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by justamom


When you think about all the Easter movies-The Robe, Damitrius and the Gladiator, the Ten Commandments...
The Musicals-Jesus Christ Superstar (TALK ABOUT A CONTROVERSY !) edited here to add-(I LOVED JCS, I think it is one of the best musicals and adaptations I have EVER seen!)Godspell, where was the uproar from the religious critics then?
I thought Dogma was horrifically sacrilegious but nobody screamed about that OR The Last Temptation of Christ...except the Christians and then-we were trying to practice censorship.

I thought Dogma did receive some controversy, especially because Alanis Morrisette was playing God. I don't know about JCS, but I was really surprised when my high school and the local boys' school did it without any complaints from the school chaplain.

[Rudey]

Actually, there are a ton of historical inaccuracies in this and Mel Gibson is just plain old dumb or trying to sell a story for something it isn't. He not only kept in a part during the advanced screening that Jewish groups find inflammatory in which Jews are portrayed as evil both in image and in spirit (a part he said he wouldn't keep), but also made anti-semitic remarks about how Jews own Hollywood and are coming after him for it.

-Rudey
--I'm sure he can find enough outlets in Christian media along with the same kind of people who call Mohammed a child molestor so good for him.

Originally posted by justamom
I will rent the video!

Lot's of controversy around this film. I have a very hard time understanding that. It's not like we ALL haven't heard this story.
They say it's because it is so moving and of course the fear
of people blaming the Jewish all over again. Mel cut this scene-

"A scene in the film, in which the Jewish high priest Caiaphas calls down a kind of curse on the Jewish people by declaring of the Crucifixion, "His blood be on us and on our children," will not be in the movie's final version, said the Gibson associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The passage had been included in some versions of the film that were shown before select groups, mostly of priests and ministers.

"It didn't work in the focus screenings," the associate said. "Maybe it was thought to be too hurtful, or taken not in the way it was intended. It has been used terribly over the years."

Jewish leaders had warned that the passage from Matthew 27:25 was the historic source for many of the charges of deicide and Jews' collective guilt in the death of Jesus.

Gibson's decision to remove the scene could indicate that he was being responsive to concerns of Jewish groups that the film will fuel anti-Semitism."

http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache...hl=en&ie=UTF-8
OK, though Biblically it stands correct, it was feared it would re-ignite anti-Semitism.
I don't think that holds too much water, but then, people often surprise and disappoint me...

When you think about all the Easter movies-The Robe, Damitrius and the Gladiator, the Ten Commandments...
The Musicals-Jesus Christ Superstar (TALK ABOUT A CONTROVERSY !) edited here to add-(I LOVED JCS, I think it is one of the best musicals and adaptations I have EVER seen!)Godspell, where was the uproar from the religious critics then?
I thought Dogma was horrifically sacrilegious but nobody screamed about that OR The Last Temptation of Christ...except the Christians and then-we were trying to practice censorship.

[AOII_LB93]

Did anyone watch the Diane Sawyer interview with him? I missed it and was interested in what he had to say about it all.

[James]

He was getting ragged on by a talk show host for taking that "inflammatory" line out of the movie.

The Host was like: Well Mel wouldn't remove the line because all the groups protested but he removed it when a focus group was made uncomfortable by it.

Tell me something: If something is generally hisorically accurate is it really anti-anything?

I know its taught academically that the Jewish leadership at the time was instrumental in the death of the mythic Jesus.

I don't really care, I wasn't there at the time and he wasn't a relative or anything.

Why is that anti-semitic?

[Mz Destiny]

I am going to make it a point to see this movie! I watched the Prime Time special, and the whole segment was wonderfully done.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by James
He was getting ragged on by a talk show host for taking that "inflammatory" line out of the movie.

The Host was like: Well Mel wouldn't remove the line because all the groups protested but he removed it when a focus group was made uncomfortable by it.

Tell me something: If something is generally hisorically accurate is it really anti-anything?

I know its taught academically that the Jewish leadership at the time was instrumental in the death of the mythic Jesus.

I don't really care, I wasn't there at the time and he wasn't a relative or anything.

Why is that anti-semitic?

Do you always speak about things you don't know? Because I will tell you something, it's not historically accurate.

An MSNBC article on the movie: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4212741/

From the ADL:
The film portrays Jewish authorities and the Jewish "mob" as forcing the decision to torture and execute Jesus, thus assuming responsibility for the crucifixion.
The film relies on sinister medieval stereotypes, portraying Jews as blood-thirsty, sadistic and money-hungry enemies of God who lack compassion and humanity.
The film relies on historical errors, chief among them its depiction of the Jewish high priest controlling Pontius Pilate
The film uses an anti-Jewish account of a 19th century mystical anti-Semitic nun, distorts New Testament interpretation by selectively citing passages to weave a narrative that oversimplifies history, and is hostile to Jews and Judaism.
The film portrays Jews who adhere to their Jewish faith as enemies of God and the locus of evil.

Furthermore, the remarks made by Gibson and fans of the movie are anti-semitic. They include every wonderful theory out there such including conspiracy theories.

-Rudey

[GeekyPenguin]

Rudey is entirely right. We've had some long discussions on this in my Theo class (I'm in a NT class and we're studying the gospels right now) and our professor is irate about some of the things they've included.

[adduncan]

I have trouble believing anything Rudey has to say about anything Christian given that his hate gets in the way. Being "right" and merely agreeing with him are two very different things.

I'm also not taking opinions of anyone who has not yet seen the film.

If the ADL is an acceptable reference, then so should be the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights:

"The Catholic League's interpretation of the film is best expressed by Father Augustine Di Noia, O.P., Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He said that "each of the main characters contributes in some way to Jesus' fate: Judas betrays him; the Sanhedrin accuses him; the disciples abandon him; Peter denies knowing him; Herod toys with him; Pilate allows him to be condemned; the crowd mocks him; the Roman soldiers scourge, brutalize and finally crucify him; and the devil, somehow, is behind the whole action." Only Mary, Di Noia observes, "is really blameless."

When asked point-blank whether the movie is anti-Semitic, Di Noia said, "There is absolutely nothing anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish about Mel Gibson's film."
"

[_Opi_]

Let me just say this: It was a BAD idea for Mel to do this movie about such a religious figure. If his interpretations of the Gospels are not COMPLETELY accurate, then alot of people who haven't studied the Gospels will be mislead.

Personally, my mouth dropped open when Diane asked about his dad talking about the pope and calling him "Garrulous Karolus, the Koran Kisser¡± that was a bit much!

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by _Opi_
...If his interpretations of the Gospels are not COMPLETELY accurate, then alot of people who haven't studied the Gospels will be mislead...

I see a problem with this sentence. INTERPRETATIONS is the key word here.
There are so many interpretations of the gospel and every denomination thinks theirs is the right one. No body knows for sure what really happend, unless of course you were there. So as far as Mel is concerned, his interpretations are COMPLETELY correct.
Maybe he's right, maybe he isn't, but can anyone say for sure?

[RACooper]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
I see a problem with this sentence. INTERPRETATIONS is the key word here.
There are so many interpretations of the gospel and every denomination thinks theirs is the right one. No body knows for sure what really happend, unless of course you were there. So as far as Mel is concerned, his interpretations are COMPLETELY correct.
Maybe he's right, maybe he isn't, but can anyone say for sure?

Very ture... one can say that Mel's interpretations are based on one particluar politcal/theological branch/movement of the Church; but then we don't know all the facts yet.... until we see the film we can not make a judgment either which way, all we are doing now is voicing opinions on other peoples interpretation of what they have heard or seen......

>>For Rudey>>

I agree that some Jews are not going to lok good in the film, but that is because of their role not their religion/culture... after all Jesus and most of his followers and disciples are Jewish as well.
It's just you love to throw down the "anti-Semitic" accusations a little to easily....

Of course the Romans are going to look bad too....

[Rudey]

Originally posted by RACooper
Very ture... one can say that Mel's interpretations are based on one particluar politcal/theological branch/movement of the Church; but then we don't know all the facts yet.... until we see the film we can not make a judgment either which way, all we are doing now is voicing opinions on other peoples interpretation of what they have heard or seen......

>>For Rudey>>

I agree that some Jews are not going to lok good in the film, but that is because of their role not their religion/culture... after all Jesus and most of his followers and disciples are Jewish as well.
It's just you love to throw down the "anti-Semitic" accusations a little to easily....

Of course the Romans are going to look bad too....

Honestly, do you enjoy having me make you look foolish thread after thread? I didn't throw down anti-semitic accusations too easily fool. Not only that, but you can't even respond to my earlier post so you say dribble...garbage.

-Rudey
--What a joke.

[justamom]

If MY post instigated this, I'm sorry.

Supposedly it's BIBLICALLY correct. I did not mention historically correct. (We're still trying to find proof of Noah's Ark and the Shroud)

Within the Bible there are several versions of the same story.

The thing is, the Irish weren't around the area. Who knows, they may have tried to get in line too. To "blame" anyone today for what happened then is CRAZY! I liked the example

adduncan-"The Catholic League's interpretation of the film is best expressed by Father Augustine Di Noia, O.P., Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He said that "each of the main characters contributes in some way to Jesus' fate: Judas betrays him; the Sanhedrin accuses him; the disciples abandon him; Peter denies knowing him; Herod toys with him; Pilate allows him to be condemned; the crowd mocks him; the Roman soldiers scourge, brutalize and finally crucify him; and the devil, somehow, is behind the whole action." Only Mary, Di Noia observes, "is really blameless."

taualumna-Yes, I did hear that about Alanis. That didn't sit too well with me either, but it was the whole project, not just that. You should have seen the picketing against JCS. All these ministers and their congregation lined up. It was the first time I ever heard of the conservatives rallying around an issue with enough anger to picket!!!

I saw the interview-GREAT. His Dad is nuts. The media knows it. Mel wouldn't take the bait.