[evolved_rage]

Hmmm. Every ad I saw had Sawyer asking Mel if he was Anti-semitic followed by a quick shot of a wide-eyed Mel. I guess the ads won.

[jeffo]

Gibson bows to pressure, changes "The Passion"

In a move designed to appease detractors who have labeled his upcoming movie antisemitic, Mel Gibson has made numerous changes to the controversial film.

"I am just sick of the fight," remarked Gibson from his offices late Tuesday night. "The movie was intended to be a very personal statement of my faith, but the controversy has has changed it into something else entirely. I hope that these changes remove the bad feelings but still leaves at its core the message I was trying to convey". The re-shoots were reportedly done in secret last weekend.

Gibson, a Catholic, had come under fire when early viewers of the movie reported that it places the blame for the death of Jesus Christ on Jews, and many fear that the film will inspire hatred or even violence against them. Although the details of the changes to the movie were not confirmed, sources at Gibson's production company give the following details:

• The setting of the movie has been changed from Judea, traditional homeland of the Jewish people, to Saskatchewan, Canada.
• Although Jesus remains of Jewish lineage in the movie, no other Jews appear in the movie. Instead, Jesus' death is sought by a large group of terrorist aliens from another galaxy.
• The horrifyingly graphic scenes of Jesus' crucifixion have been replaced with him being sternly talked to and, in one scene, being made to stand in a corner for several hours. This has resulted in the movie being re-rated as a "G" film.
• In the most shocking change, Jesus no longer dies at the end of the movie. He is instead rescued by a company of Navy Seals who represent each of the world's major religions.

Insiders who have seen the changes have had mixed reactions. Actor James Caviezel was apparently unavailable for re-shoots, and in the new scenes Jesus was played by a much taller man who holds a cape over his face.

The film opens nationwide this Friday.

[rovenstinez]

What bothers people is Mel actually believes...THE MESSAGE. And it is precisely his firm conviction that unsettles people who have gone astray in a flea market of philosophies that sell cheap, and render no use to the inner person that desires to know his Creator.

[biblewonk]

It was a Mel Gibson love-in. She played softball with him and most of it was about Mel not about Jesus. I wish that she'd have asked him about gay marriage. She and her ilk will do their best to grill W on that issue but Mel gets a free hr of advertising. OK there was a little gospel there too, just a little.

[My2Cents]

I watched about three-quarters of the show. The fact it was hosted by Diane Sawyer almost made me miss it entirely.

[JohnnyZ]

ABC scored with Mel Gibson and Jesus Christ

That's not the best title.

[My2Cents]

The show uses ancient texts, plus interviews with experts who can interpret them, to retrace Christ's activities in the days leading up to his crucifixion.

Do they mean "the Gospels"?

[JohnnyZ]

The show uses ancient texts, plus interviews with experts who can interpret them

I cringe to think who they might consider experts.

[Constantine XIII]

"The show uses ancient texts, plus interviews with experts who can interpret them..."

D'oh *smacks forehead

[MissAmericanPie]

Amos and other places in the bible describe the famine of the last days will be for the truth, and for the word of God. It's good to see that there are still a few million that want to be fed. I hope the movie does a good job.

[GretchenEE]

These reports keep emphasizing the people who charge the movie is anti-Semitic.

Very little is being said about the content. That's the real issue. Who is Jesus, what did He do that He was crucified, and how in heaven's name did He rise from the dead, as the Gospels' eyewitness accounts say.

THERE'S the real story.

[N. Theknow]

"The man was bent over and had his wrists lashed to his ankles so that his back was fully exposed." "The scourging was administered by two men. One man was taller than the other. The shorter of the two was more brutal with his lashes. The taller man was somewhat hesistant in his lashes."

"There was not one inch of skin left unscathed on the man's back and buttocks. Several spots on his back were opened to the bone. The lashes wrapped around the body onto the chest area. However, as was customary with the Romans when administering a scourging, the area around the heart suffered no trauma. The penalty for a Roman soldier accidently killing a prisoner by scourging before the prisoner could be crucified was to take that prisoner's place on the cross."

"He was taken prisoner while he was saying his prayers."

"The strange appearance of the eyes is because they are not the actual eyes but coins. Each eye is covered by a coin minted in 30-35 A.D. and commonly referred to as the "widow's mite."

"There was evidence of a "cap" of thorns not placed on his head but jammed down into the scalp and forehead as if it was put on his head and then hit into place with either a board or the flat portion of a sword. It was not fashioned into a "crown" but more likely it was lopped of a thorn bush with a sword and jammed down onto the head."

"I cannot tell you if the man was Jesus Christ. But I can tell you he suffered terribly in the same manner as Jesus Christ."

Mr. Paul Bromley explaining the findings of the group of which he was a member that examined the Shroud of Turin, speaking to a church group in 1982.

[MaryFromMichigan]

You know the rule about Ann Coulter posts, don't you?

Well, I think we ladies should benefit from a similar rule for Mel Gibson posts...



As far as the controversy about "The Passion" goes, I think it breaks along along these lines-

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

HATE killed the Christ...

...and lost.

.

[ServesURight]

This movie will break "Titanic" box-office receipts.

[harpo11]

History according to the left is as it wasn't. Much like Clinton's how do you define "is".

It's too darn bad that Mel Gibson has been ridiculed for putting to film exactly what the Gospels stated. For putting to words what he believes. Haven't his First Amendment Rights been violated? Doesn't he deserve "equal protection under the Constitution".

I was never taught, nor do I believe that the Jews who lived during that time were responsible for Jesus's execution. Oh, a few people were really ticked off at Him, big time. He was a threat to the establishment's power. He was taking them on, entering into their territory, but no way could anything or anyone interfere in Jesus's ultimate destiny. Perhaps, Pontius Pilate could have, actually he was the only mortal who could do so, but perhaps not, a higher power was in charge.

The road to Jesus's death was our road to salvation.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

BUMP