I finally saw "The Passion of The Christ" after my various posts and reading all the debates about it. It was okay. It wasn't even a good movie to me since it seemed more like a documentary. I think all the hype and excitement raised the bar too high for me. My good Christian friend told me that it was awesome and how he was sobbing throughout the movie. He's not that emotional, so I was getting ready to shed some tears and preparing to be awestruck. I did not shed a tear, and it didn't stir any particular emotion in me.
The movie wasn't as gruesome as various critics proclaimed. If they saw "Kill Bill Vol.1" and still proclaim it's one of the most grotesquely violent movies in recent memory (from a comment a read a while back) then they are lying and just trying to slander the movie. "Kill Bill" is far worse in terms of graphic violence and blood shed.
It was confirmed for me that the movie was not anti-Semitic. I was more disturbed by the brutality of the Roman soldiers, but that is what I pictured from my readings of the Roman Empire. The Jews that were against Jesus were threatened and fighting for their faith, holding on to their power, or whatever other motivation that led them demand his death. It happens and those qualities are not solely Jewish traits, but of all of mankind. A great symbolic message related to this topic from Mel Gibson is his only cameo appearance. His hand was one of the hands that held Jesus down while He was being nailed to the cross. So the message is that we all nailed Christ to the cross. We all crucified Him for our sins.
It was a good reminder for me what kind of sacrifice Jesus Christ did for humankind. In our society, especially Western society where His name is a curse that people use daily, Jesus Christ has become too marginalized and commercialized (e.g. Christmas, which is suppose to be a celebration of His birth). Our minds are desensitized to the point that we tend to picture Jesus Christ as some distant character in a children's Bible, some person in ancient history, or a name that has been so commonly used it rolls off our tongues like the words crap, f*@k, or sh#t. In the remote parts of the world, modern day missionaries talk about how His name amazingly brings people to their knees. On rare occasions, they don't need sermons or discussions about the Bible, but by simply saying the name "Jesus Christ" people are transformed.
Anyway, I still am amazed by the impact Mel Gibson's movie has had financially and spiritually today. If you are a Christian reader of this blog and saw "The Passion of The Christ," you can consider donating to a project my close friend emailed me about a few days ago:
Dear friends,
Campus Crusade in Russia is mobilizing a special effort to enable interested Russian students to see the film, "The Passion of The Christ", which has had a world-wide impact on people and their interest in Jesus Christ. Please consider taking part in this unique outreach effort.
In His Grace,
Sam & Hanna Won
Ekaterinburg, Russia
--------------------------
From the Russia Campus Ministry:
Send a Russian college student to see "The Passion of the Christ" for $3.50 per ticket
Thousands of students in America have been greatly impacted by this film. The Buzz about the film has reached Russian students... they want to see it!
The film opens in Moscow on April 8 and will be shown in theaters all over Russia during the month of April.
Your gift will be used in several ways depending on the city:
- Christian students will take a friend to see the movie... this is the most effective approach!
- Special showings will be held.
- Related materials will be distributed at the theatres and on campus.
- Follow up discussion groups will be held.
How many students would you like to sponsor?
By April 15, please send your gift to:
Give ONLINE
Send a check payable to
"Campus Crusade for Christ"
PO Box 628222
Orlando, FL, 32862-9841
"Russia Campus Minsitry" account #2580598
Showing posts with label mel gibson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mel gibson. Show all posts
Monday, April 5, 2004
Friday, February 20, 2004
The Passion of The Christ Misunderstood
"The Passion of the Christ" is opening in theatres on February 25th in the U.S. with a stir of controversy. Mel Gibson's movie initially brought out some strong criticism and reaction from various Jewish leaders and organizations that it was anti-Semitic and would create some hatred towards Jews.
Without seeing the movie (and knowing Billy Graham "okay" it), if it simply follows the story of the New Testament, I don't understand how it can be anti-Semitic. Yes, the Jewish religious leaders called for Jesus Christ's death because he claimed what was outrageous and blasphemous to many of them... that he was the Messiah and also inferred that he and God are one.
In Judaism, it is prophesied that the Messiah ("Christ" is Greek for Messiah) will come to restore Israel and establish his kingdom. Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah and the Jews who believed this during that time (the initial group of Christians) saw the difference in how that prophecy was to be fulfilled. "Kingdom" as many Jews hoped for was a physical kingdom on earth established by their Messiah. While "kingdom" for those initial believers in Jesus Christ was a spiritual kingdom, which even his disciples did not realize until he was crucified. Jesus was a Messiah that most Jews never would have expected during those tumultuous times. He was a meek, humble carpenter not a strong, warrior or ruler who would save them from Rome.
Anyway, this conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees led to his death, but does anyone who believes in Christ and his teaching hold hatred for Jews? It might be an excuse for the really ignorant or really, really stupid, but to simply hate Jews because they "killed Christ" would not make sense and goes against everything within the Christian doctrine and the words that Jesus spoke.
If Christians were to hate all Jews than they should also hate Jesus and all the disciples since they were Jewish. Hence they wouldn't be Christians, just haters... and not political conversatives, just haters. Simple but truthful rebuttal. More convincing is that "hate" should not be within the minds and hearts of Christians. Anyway you slice it, whether today's Jewish leaders or liberal Christian-hating people or supposed-Christians who hate Jews for "killing Christ", those that say the Bible's New Testament encourages or promotes anti-Semitism are idiots. This site gives a more direct and lengthy answer to whether "The Passion of The Christ" is anti-Semitic or not.
On a related note, Gibson's father might be anti-Semitic: Gibson Father: Holocaust Mostly 'Fiction' .
Hutton Gibson follows a tiny wing of traditionalist Catholicism that views the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council as a conspiracy between Jews and Masons to take over the church.
He reminds me of Montana Freemen or people I use to talk to once in a while when I lived in Springfield, IL (truly Middle America). Some of them really believe in the black helicopters of the U.N., seven gnomes of Switzerland ruling the world (Jewish bankers), or how U.S. insurance companies controlled many presidential administrations. Of course, his views and recent public statements don't put people that really are concerned about an anti-Semitic message in the movie at ease.
Sort of timely too since I'm reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Conspiracy cracks must have loved this book. It's been a good read, but I hit some bumps in the road that made me lose my initial excitement. I'm back on track and will soon finish this entertaining book to blog about it. Definitely amusing since it has many historical stretches, logical flaws, poor assumptions about human nature, and the twisting of facts... of course, it's a fiction book so what did I expect, right?
Anyway, I do recommend the book and I'm excited about seeing the movie, "The Passion of The Christ."
Without seeing the movie (and knowing Billy Graham "okay" it), if it simply follows the story of the New Testament, I don't understand how it can be anti-Semitic. Yes, the Jewish religious leaders called for Jesus Christ's death because he claimed what was outrageous and blasphemous to many of them... that he was the Messiah and also inferred that he and God are one.
In Judaism, it is prophesied that the Messiah ("Christ" is Greek for Messiah) will come to restore Israel and establish his kingdom. Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah and the Jews who believed this during that time (the initial group of Christians) saw the difference in how that prophecy was to be fulfilled. "Kingdom" as many Jews hoped for was a physical kingdom on earth established by their Messiah. While "kingdom" for those initial believers in Jesus Christ was a spiritual kingdom, which even his disciples did not realize until he was crucified. Jesus was a Messiah that most Jews never would have expected during those tumultuous times. He was a meek, humble carpenter not a strong, warrior or ruler who would save them from Rome.
Anyway, this conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees led to his death, but does anyone who believes in Christ and his teaching hold hatred for Jews? It might be an excuse for the really ignorant or really, really stupid, but to simply hate Jews because they "killed Christ" would not make sense and goes against everything within the Christian doctrine and the words that Jesus spoke.
If Christians were to hate all Jews than they should also hate Jesus and all the disciples since they were Jewish. Hence they wouldn't be Christians, just haters... and not political conversatives, just haters. Simple but truthful rebuttal. More convincing is that "hate" should not be within the minds and hearts of Christians. Anyway you slice it, whether today's Jewish leaders or liberal Christian-hating people or supposed-Christians who hate Jews for "killing Christ", those that say the Bible's New Testament encourages or promotes anti-Semitism are idiots. This site gives a more direct and lengthy answer to whether "The Passion of The Christ" is anti-Semitic or not.
On a related note, Gibson's father might be anti-Semitic: Gibson Father: Holocaust Mostly 'Fiction' .
Hutton Gibson follows a tiny wing of traditionalist Catholicism that views the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council as a conspiracy between Jews and Masons to take over the church.
He reminds me of Montana Freemen or people I use to talk to once in a while when I lived in Springfield, IL (truly Middle America). Some of them really believe in the black helicopters of the U.N., seven gnomes of Switzerland ruling the world (Jewish bankers), or how U.S. insurance companies controlled many presidential administrations. Of course, his views and recent public statements don't put people that really are concerned about an anti-Semitic message in the movie at ease.
Sort of timely too since I'm reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Conspiracy cracks must have loved this book. It's been a good read, but I hit some bumps in the road that made me lose my initial excitement. I'm back on track and will soon finish this entertaining book to blog about it. Definitely amusing since it has many historical stretches, logical flaws, poor assumptions about human nature, and the twisting of facts... of course, it's a fiction book so what did I expect, right?
Anyway, I do recommend the book and I'm excited about seeing the movie, "The Passion of The Christ."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)