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.

[Dialup Llama]

My Review of The Passion

I saw it 1 pm Wednesday. Sellout, it was opening on 4 screens in that theater. Barely got a good seat and I arrived 1/2 hr early.

The movie is MUCH better than anyone can imagine. It's powerful artistic vision was beautifully and yet horribly filmed. The character of Satan was very unique in how the movie showed his evil influence on people and events and how he is defeated in the end.

THERE IS NO ANTISEMITISM IN THIS FILM. It contains specific quotes during the crucifixion spoken by Jesus in flashback sequences to counter any chance someone might get the idea of corporate blame from the film.

The film DOES NOT in any way blame Jews or cause the view to feel anger toward the Jews.

The movie is totally mind blowing. It shows probably the most Jewish disciples ever. Jesus and his followers are shown as specifically and fully Jewish and you feel like you are really there and not in some sort of religious re-creation. You experience the heat, dust sweat, rain, dirt and bugs.

The normal religious and devotional modes normally found in a Jesus film are totaly absent from The Passion, making it very effective.

The movie clearly present Jesus as savior which is why people are so mad at it. Starting from the Isaiah prophency, to his words at the Last Supper, to the events of the crucifixion, the Gospel is CLEARLY and DIRECTLY presented in the film.

DO NOT TAKE KIDS TO THIS MOVIE. Yes people do cry during the movie. Don't eat before you go. You won't feel like doing anything for a few hours after as well.

Saying that, I fully encourage everyone else to see it. Its incredible. (Don't stop at Return of the King, check out the real King ROTK was pointing to.)

[rmlew]

Why is it that you don't identify the collaborators?
The Herodian Tetriarchs, the High Priest Ciaiphas ben Annan, and much of the Sanhedrin.

[rmlew]

In my opinion, they don't want people to believe Jesus was the Christ prophesied in the old Testament. They don't believe it. They don't want other people to believe it either.
Christians are greatly preferable to pagans.

[rmlew]

No, you are thinking of Yeshu ben Pandera, who was killed 60 years before Jesus's birth.

[rmlew]

Religion is a touchy subject in Israel. No religion can do everyhthing that it wants. The possiblity of religious violence is too great.

[rmlew]

What the bloody hell are you babling about?

[dougherty]

We sat through Shindlers list. No one bitched about the violence in that film. No one said a word.That's because the critics of The Passion and Mel Gibson are hypocrites.

[rmlew]

Unfortunately, people like Mr. Pink come out too.

[dougherty]

Thanks for the review, I plan on seeing it this weekend. Do you know approximately how long the movie runs?

[rmlew]

What the heck are you talking about?
The Torah is the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
I'm sure tat you have a translation at home.

[rmlew]

Bar Kokhba sought to save the Jews from the Roman attempt to erase Judea. He worked with Samaritans. How was he genocidal?

[Dialup Llama]

> Do you know approximately how long the movie runs?

120 mins.

[rmlew]

You are correct abou the Talmud, although it also contains the "Oral Law", ie a compendum of tradition that make the Written Law of the Torah practicle.
As for the claim about Jesus and Mary, the claim is false. It is about Yeshu ben Pandera, a false prophet who was killed 60 years before Jesus's birth.

[Natural Law]

This "take" on makes you both wrong and in a decided minority! I will pray for you.

[Imal]

Some of the websites he gets his information from make similar mistakes, hence they are repeated in his posts, along with the tell-tale stench of the insinuations of a "Jewish conspiracy" to keep non-Jews from finding out the "truth" about the "Torah", by which he means the "Talmud", and all the hateful quotes attributed to various rabbis in the early centuries after Jesus' death.

He seems to believe he's the only one who has visited those websites, but is mistaken. I know them all too well, and know their disciples by the fruit they bear and its foul odor. I spotted it instantaneously in Guillermo's post. The signs are unmistakable, right down to the thinly-veiled way he worded it.

If what I am saying seems puzzling, try a Google of the terms "talmud truth jesus", for example, and you can get a better idea of what I am referring to. It has found its way into this thread.

Those who think Jews are being paranoid about a backlash from "The Passion" would do well to research the history of passion plays and their consequences. Visiting some of the websites whose influences are evident even here, in our own Free Republic, is also a real eye-opener.

To quote one of them:

"...I believe that I am acting in accordance with
the will of the Almighty Creator by defending
myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the
work of the Lord." -- Adolf Hitler. Mein Kampf

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

[bonfire]

Have you seen the movie?

[rmlew]

What are you using for refference?
You are simply wrong and trusting a source of disinformation.

[rmlew]

He suffers from victimhood mentality. He will support anyone he sees as opppressed, regardless of Jewish law.

[Imal]

" I'm sure tat you have a translation at home."

No, he makes it quite clear he gets his information off the internet, which reveals all those shocking truths Jews have been purposefully hiding all these years.

[cartoonistx]

Where is the ROMAN anti-defamation league?

Their off balancing their checkbooks. Very time consuming what with those darned Roman Numerals and all!