Yishai calls for Gibson's Jesus film to be banned in Israel

Haaretz Israel ^ | 26 February 2004 | Amiram Barkat

[Hal1950]

Shas chairman MK Eli Yishai on Wednesday called for Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" movie to be banned from Israeli cinemas, calling it a blood libel.

In the U.S., the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement saying that the film "repeats all of the stereotypes and myths surrounding the death of Jesus that have accompanied anti-Semitism for the last 2,000 years. Regretfully, Gibson refused all of our attempts for a dialogue aimed at preventing this harm to Jews."

ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said he was troubled by Gibson's claim of historical accuracy. "He made his choice," Foxman told a news conference after viewing the film. "And it's to blame the Jews."

"The Passion," which depicts in gruesome detail the final hours of the life of Jesus, premiered in the U.S. and other countries Wednesday, but not in Israel.

Jewish and other religious groups in Manhattan planned protests for Wednesday. Amcha, The Coalition for Jewish Concerns, planned to wear concentration camp uniforms at a New York theater to link the film's portrayal of Jews to the sort of hate that led to the Nazi Holocaust.

"The whole thing is a blood libel," said Yishai, from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, using a term that refers to a medieval slur that Jews used the blood of Christians to make unleavened bread for the Passover festival.

However, it appeared unlikely that the film would be banned. Few films have been barred in recent years, and the ones to be forbidden are usually pornographic. The Israeli film board, which makes these decisions, could not be reached for comment.

Yishai said the belief that the Jews had killed Jesus had led to "millions" of Jews being killed and persecuted in the last two millennia.

"This libel used to spread by word of mouth. Now the media are spreading it," Yishai told AP. "We should not accept this."

Yishai said he had also appealed to the Foreign Ministry to try to encourage other governments to bar the film.

Jewish leaders have said that the movie gives a harsh portrayal of Jews and blames them for death of Jesus. They have warned it could lead to a rise in anti-Semitism. Gibson, who also funded and co-scripted the film, denies that charge.

New York Cardinal Edward Egan, meanwhile, wrote to parishes to stress Jews were not responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus.

"He gave His Life for us," Egan wrote in a column to appear in next month's issue of Catholic New York. "No one took it from Him. This is, and has always been, Catholic doctrine.

[537 Votes]

That is my take on it. I consider Jesus to be a false prophet murdered by the Romans and collaborators.

So you see the film as dangerously anti-collaborationist?

[Revolting cat!]

A bartender should never discuss politics or religion.

[Commie Basher]

1. Jesus was a Jew

2. The Pharisses endorsed the Roman view that he was a dangerous revolutionary, and believed that by sacrificing Jesus, they could avoid the wrath of Rome.

3. The Jewish leadership endorsed his execution.

My understanding, after 12 years of Catholic schooling, is slightly different:

1. Jesus was a Jew.

2. The Pharisses believed Jesus was a heretic, and would have had Him stoned even before the cruxifiction, but Roman rule forbade captital punishment without Roman approval.

3. Because heresy against Judaism was not a capital crime under Roman rule, the Pharisses had to convince the Romans that Jesus had commite treason against Ceaser, a capital crime.

4. Pilate was unconvinced, but believed that by sacrificing Jesus, he could avoid a Jewish uprising.

[Chris Talk]

Thread gone bad.

Jesus/Yeshua is the founder and be-all to Christians, of course. To most Christians, he is not just our Moses, but much more, our David, our Ezra, our Shimon bar-Yokhai and our Akiva, our Maimonides/Rambam, our Shulkhan-Arukh, our Shmoneh-Eshreh.

I was not aware that Akiva was more than just one rabbi more or less to Jews today, that one could not even say he was a baddie or badly mistaken without fear of blaspheming! Sheesh. Obviously he was very wrong about who the Messiah was, and IMHO much else,

-- obviously despite the fact he was Jewish I do not think either he or Bar Kokhba made the world a better place, to say the least. Surely I have a right to that historical opinion; surely Jews do not think he was infallible or sinless, so they should be open to the idea that he was rather less than their finest hour, to put it mildly.

[per loin]

No. I meant it also brought out alot of repressed hatred of Jews.

With a few noteworthy exceptions, such as Medved and Rabbi Levin, the "Jewish spokesmen" who have flooded the media are not of a character that anyone but a mother could love. If decent folks react with a natural repulsion to such vile beings, that does not evidence a "repressed hatred of Jews" any more than disgust at the sight or sound of Jesse Jackson or Louis Farakhan evidence a "repressed hatred of blacks".

[af_vet_1981]

The sacrifice of Christ to die this death for my sins is the corner stone of my faith. The movie is faithful to the scriptures that I hold Holy. That the Jewish community does not understand the Christ as the final Covenant that God has with His people is not my problem. They didn't accept Christ as Messiah 2000 years ago and still don't. They opposed Christ 2000 years ago and they oppose him today. They shouted him down then and they are attempting to shout him down today.That they have rejected Jesus as Messiah is their choice. I know why Christ died even if others don't. He died for me - I killed him - does that absolve the conscience of some.

You have the right in America to your own religion. I see you have taken advantage of that right. I hope it makes you a better person and that all your neighbors are the better for whatever good it produces in you.

[Piranha]

You can't be serious.

No, I don't think that the movie will lead to forced conversions.

I brought them up because an earlier poster was asserting that conversion to Christianity is a personal choice, and I was demonstrating to him that, at least in the context of Jews in medieval Catholic Europe (and even in Italy through the 19th century), this was not always the case.

[SJackson]

Thanks for the citation. The original statement was a little more banal,

A little research will get one a ton of information....There is no doubt as to why the Torah is not easily made available to non-Jews. Now, with the internet, it's easier to research it.,

specific as to time, up until the last 15 years or so, depending on when Al Gore invented the internet, and intent, so non-Jews couldn't see the Torah. Both of his contentions are indefensible.

[Piranha]

You can't be serious.

No, I don't think that the movie will lead to forced conversions.

I brought them up because an earlier poster was asserting that conversion to Christianity is a personal choice, and I was demonstrating to him that, at least in the context of Jews in medieval Catholic Europe (and even in Italy through the 19th century), this was not always the case.

[rbmillerjr]

I think Jewish people have miscalculated the intensity of which we watch this movie. This is the Christians' God. The Son of Man.

When Jews call this movie anti-Semitic, they are saying that our Word of God is evil. If Jewish people can't have an open mind about the movie - don't see it.

The Jewish radicals calling this movie anti-Semitic is as pathetic as if Christians were to call Schindler's List and other Holocaust movies anti Christian due to Germans being predominantly Christian.

[mr.pink]

So yes, marking you, in your temper and bent, as a Klansman is inappropriate. Not at all flattering. To the KKK, I mean.

I can easily see the attraction for guys of your mindset to the KKK (bet that second A bomb on those Japs really gave both you and Truman a rise). Seems literal burning of crosses is currently being played out via figurative burning of only one celluloid one....here's hoping your matches are blue tip, your kerosene robust, and your mob at the top of it's game.

[MarkL]

The Torah is the entirety of the Jewish scriptures, both written (Tanach) and oral (Talmud).

The written scriptures are what Christians refer to as the Old Testament. The oral, of course, is the Talmud.

The first 5 books are the Pentateuch.

Sorry, but you're WRONG!

When refered to as "The Torah," only the Tanch, or the Pentateuch, is being referred to... When the talmud, mishna, pirke avot, and any other commentaries or books on Jewish law are refered to, it is specifically by name, OR with the modifier, ORAL Torah.

Specifically, when the word "Torah" is used, it's refering to the contents of the "Torah Scrolls."

Of course, I could be wrong... I just learned this from my Grandfather... He was a "Sopher"... But what would he know, huh?

Mark

[missyme]

This what really baffles me: The Passion of the Christ never insinuates that any Jews go off and start another religion Jesus's message was for people to have "HEART" what good are you just to love the people that love you???
WHAT REWARD IS THERE IN THAT?????
Jesus wanted people to know that loving the sick the mamed the poor the sinners was more important than "THE LAW" that is what he wanted to incorporate in the faith of "JUDIASM" had that been done JUDIASM would of dominated the world forever..........

[Piranha]

To a Jewish sensibility, the idea of tearing a child from his home, separating him from his parents and his religion, and forcing him to be raised by a group of monks with no contact with his family, is traumatic, oppressive, contemptuous and illegal.

You really don't have a problem with it?

[af_vet_1981]

With a few noteworthy exceptions, such as Medved and Rabbi Levin, the "Jewish spokesmen" who have flooded the media are not of a character that anyone but a mother could love. If decent folks react with a natural repulsion to such vile beings, that does not evidence a "repressed hatred of Jews" any more than disgust at the sight or sound of Jesse Jackson or Louis Farakhan evidence a "repressed hatred of blacks".

"If decent folks react with a natural repulsion to such vile beings," ?

If you could only hear yourself !

This is like a bad dream from the 1930s.

[Chris Talk]

By the 1930's the Germans were predominantly NON Christian. That had been true already when Nietzsche was a young man.

BTW not many Christians in Germany today, or anywhere in ["advanced"] Europe for that matter.

[maestro]

Thanks for your, 'ST'.

[adam_az]

I'm not here to post quotes from the Talmud.

I'm not interested in inciting anything.

WAY too late for that!!!! You already brought it up, stand behind your words and either post it or a link to the web sites you refer to.

[AmishDude]

In the U.S., the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement saying that the film "repeats all of the stereotypes and myths surrounding the death of Jesus that have accompanied anti-Semitism for the last 2,000 years.

Ironically enough, this sounds itself like a blood libel.

[missyme]

Of course I think that any child should be raised by there natural parents if they are good loving people.