[Greg Luzinski]

Much discussed. Thought it would be worthwhile to put online.

[Greg Luzinski]

I recently received this for a breakfast tomorrow in NYC 823 United Nations Plaza (46th Street and First Avenue) ...

Upcoming Events:

Gibson's The Passion: Special Insider Briefing with Abraham H, Foxman: Mr. Foxman will offer his perspective and concern surrounding the film. Friday, September 12th, 8:30 am @ ADL. Space is limited. Please RSVP to 212-885-7977 or vbecker@adl.org.

[Rain-maker]

Sure is strange they want to silence Christ's message again. Must be a genetic defect.

[nickcarraway]

The Passion ping

[nickcarraway]

BUMP

[stands2reason]

Very interesting article.

[Clintons a commie]

Thanks for posting this. An excellent read!

Also, Mel's anger is more understandable in context.

[bethelgrad]

What is interesting to me is that Gibson's "traditional" approach dislikes ecumenism, yet he seems to be actively courting Evangelicals. And, the fact that this movie is being made shows that he is ok with private interpretation.

[Belial]

Best article on this so far, thanks!

[Cap'n Crunch]

Hey Mel,

Your not an 'artist', your a man. Make the movie, take your stand.

I'm starting to think your brother is right when he called you a wimp.

Oh, start praying your rosary and quit being a potty mouth.

[mlmr]

This reporter's bias is the reason I dumped the New Yorker about 10 years ago. For background he only consults leftist and paleoliberal scholars. Where is the balance with interviews from Fuller theologiacal , Wheaton College, Dallas Theological Seminary and other conservative Catholics? More leftist garbage masquarading as balanced reporting.

[Urbane_Guerilla]

What a great article. The New Yorker is the best magazine, ever. And what does it say? Gibson is a human being ... just like the rest of us ... imperfect. So what.

As an agnostic, I am very much looking forward to this movie. As this article suggests, it seems it will be a movie which transcends its pre-release criticism.

I make this prediction: this movie will make more money than any other ever produced. I will go further: this movie will dwarf all others in the money made.

The interesting question, which is the subtext of all the controversy, is whether this movie will affect human hearts more than any other.

Judging by Sister Mary Applesauce and the other leftists who felt compelled to lecture Gibson, they are very very scared that Jesus might actually come across as a messanger of love and compassion. Why would they feel that way?

[F16Fighter]

It was like they [so-called "scholars"] were more or less saying I have no right to interpret the Gospels myself, because I don't have a bunch of letters after my name. But they are for children, these Gospels. They're for children, they're for old people, they're for everybody in between. They're not necessarily for academics. Just get an academic on board if you want to pervert something!”

Amen Mel.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Mel is under a tremendous amount of pressure these days. I am going to cut him a whole lot of slack. Lesser men would have succumbed by now.

[aimhigh]

Abraham Foxman, the head of the Anti-Defamation League. Foxman was equally alarmed by the Gibson project, and had written to Gibson, seeking assurances that the movie “will not give rise to the old canard of charging Jews with deicide and to anti-Semitism.”

Do you suppose he is as concerned about anti-German sentiment that might arise from the next holocaust film?

[duckln]

Good post.

I was taken back by Foxmans' remark...

‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' Now, has the Jewish state, or have Jews, practiced the Old Testament by taking an eye for an eye? No. So a literal reading of almost anything can lead to all kinds of things.”

The fact is the Jewish state does take 'an eye for an eye..'. Whenever the Palistinians 'kill', the Israelis recipricate, but only in 'equal' measure. And IMO so it should be. It would be wrong to respond beyond measure. Seems the Bible is right on the money in this case.

If a person kills, it's right that he forfeit his own life.

[The Iguana]

Speaking with Foxman made me realize just what it was that Gibson had done in making “The Passion.” Gibson had said from the start that he was going to make a movie taken straight from the Gospels. Foxman was saying that, for better or worse, Gibson had done just that.

The horror of it all!

[dennisw]

bttttttttttttt

[Hildy]

I'm astounded that a group "insists' on consulting on a movie when they're not asked to. Name me one other director that would put up with this?

[Lost Highway]

In the view of historical-Jesus scholars, such differences invalidate the Gospels' strict historicity, and, therefore, any dramatization based literally upon them is deemed ahistorical.

Maybe true, but if all four gospels mirrored each other exactly they would be saying that they had to be a hoax because they are all exactly alike. They already have their opinion they just have to find the "facts" to lead them there.

[StriperSniper]

Bump for later.

[A. Pole]

Gibson and McEveety had been surprised to learn that Fisher's panel was an ad-hoc initiative, bearing no authority from the Church. After the Bishops Conference received the letter from Gibson's lawyer, it acted quickly to distance itself from the scholars and their report on Gibson's film. “Neither the Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, nor any other committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, established this group, or authorized, reviewed or approved the report written by its members,” the conference declared in June.

Tricksy, tricksy.

[Tench_Coxe]

"Rabbi Eugene Korn, the head of the A.D.L.'s interfaith affairs, was quoted in the article as warning Gibson that he should not ignore the scholars' group. “If he doesn't respond, the controversy will certainly heat up,” Korn said."

Probably more a revealing statement than any. Has Mafia-like implications between the words ( such as: " We'll be sure to make things hard for you if you don't do as we say. " ).

[Taliesan]

Sanders believes it is because of Jesus' actions at the Temple during his Passover visit to Jerusalem, when he drove the money changers from the premises and overturned their tables. Fredriksen, though she is an admirer of Sanders, believes that the Temple scene probably didn't happen. She places the initiative of the Crucifixion entirely upon Pilate, almost to the point of absenting Jews from the scene altogether. Fredriksen's theory is that Jesus was so popular among the Jewish people (as evidenced by his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the day Christians call Palm Sunday) that Pilate wanted him dead in order to teach Jews a lesson: Do not rebel.

I present to you the "experts", who, after two centuries of enlightenment, and after informing us that the gospels weren't written by the men whose names they bear, will now tell us what was originally in them.

As soon as they can figure it out.

Note that Frederickson thinks the Temple scene "probably didn't happen". Based on what evidence, you ask?

Well, it doesn't comport with HER IDEA of what did happen. Where did she get that idea, you ask?

Other parts of the gospels, which she likes better.

[My back yard]

Great article, the best I've read. Explains a lot of between the lines stuff lately.

I have to say - Caiaphus be damned, or not, if Gibson's movie manages the point of -- people of power, even our spiritual leaders, are as corruptible as the least of us when it comes to preserving their power -- and manages to stay true to the Gospel, he has done well. Those calling for the crucificion of Christ were not necessarily the Jews; they were those who might stand to lose control, and power is nothing, without control.

Did I see a suggestion in this article though that Traditionalist Catholic is a schism? I believe that is not true.

[RaptureReady]

I think this movie looks great.And im going to see it today,and I also believe,along with many others,that this is the last message from God before the rapture.As Jesus said of the signs that will and have just happened;wars and rumours of wars,nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom,famines and Earthquakes in diverse places,all the beggining of birth pains.Matthew 24.But the rapture wont happen unti lthe gospel is heard aroudn the world one mroe time,(The Passion Of The Christ)take a look at this: you cant tell me this is a coincidense,look at the dates,there every day.These are just a short list of things happening.


DECEMBER 26th 2003
Iran,magnitude 6.5; More than 41,000 killed

FEBRUARY 20,2004
Earthquake 6.0 Santa Cruz Islands
Magnitude 4.8 CHIAPAS, MEXICO
Magnitude 4.8 SEA OF OKHOTSK


FEBRUARY 21,2004
Magnitude 6.6 EAST OF SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS


FEBRUARY 22,2004
Magnitude 6.0 SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA


FEBRUARY 23,2004
Magnitude 5.6 PAGAN REG., N. MARIANA ISLANDS
Magnitude 6.3 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
Moderate earthquake rocks eastern France 5.1


FEBRUARY 24,2004
Magnitude 6.5 NEAR NORTH COAST OF MOROCCO
Magnitude 6.5 - STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR
Morocco Earthquake death Toll 564

If any ones wants to argue with this,i have this to back me.
If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thief,
and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee Rev(3:3)