[Lunatic Fringe]

I'm really troubled by movies about the Civil War that portray the South as racist, slave-owning rebels, intent on waging a destructive war in order to protect their financial interests.

[missyme]

:Jewish and Christian leaders have not given up hope. We have urged Gibson to consider adding to the movie a postscript with him coming on screen at the end to implore his viewers not to let the film turn some toward a passion of hate."

NOW THIS ABOVE STATEMENT BY THE ADL REALLY TAKES THE CAKE. YES CHRISTIANS REALLY LOOK AT THE CRUCIFIXCION AND THE PASSION WITH HATE?????????FOXMAN IS MIXING UP CHRISTIANITY WITH ISLAM....

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

Praise GOD that...

LOVE is the Only Reality and that...

GOD is LOVE.

.

[SerpentDove]

When I saw "postscript" I thought they meant the film needed to include the Resurrection.

Does it? Anybody?

[lady lawyer]

I have never been the slightest bit anti-Semitic. But it really irritates me when someone like Foxman starts telling which parts of the New Testament I can believe, and which I cannot.

[Frank_Discussion]

Foxman and the ADL are absolutely blind. Yes, the Jews present at the time were responsible. That was the point - they did not see Jesus for what he is, and were threatened by his teachings. They called for his death, despite being offered an alternative, and it's not at all vague in the Bible history.

I have serious doubts that Mel Gibson would paint the jews of the present with the brush of hate in a similar circumstance. This is not an issue of hate for Jews, it's an appeal to the world to truly understand what Jesus went through for humanity. Foxman and ADL are being arrogant for assuming it's an attack of some kind.

[Spok]

Why is the media and the left only concerned about anti-Semitism when discussing Mel Gibson but not when they are supporting the Palestinians?

[trebb]

These guys don't seem to understand that Jesus' whole purpose was to die for us and that the Jews were merely the vehicle used.

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
John 19:30

When He said the words "It is finished", He was referring to his purpose to God. Without it, we would all be doomed. It seems that the Jews would be glad that they had a part in our salvation...

[BibChr]

"We are especially concerned with a scene in which a mob of Jews who are present when Pontius Pilate condemns Jesus to death calls down a blood curse (Matthew 27:25)."

This is what always puzzles me.

Is he "concerned" with what this mob of Jews in fact shouted out?

Or is he just "concerned" about anyone who reports what they shouted out?

Dan
Biblical Christianity web site

[Pelayo]

We are especially concerned with a scene in which a mob of Jews who are present when Pontius Pilate condemns Jesus to death calls down a blood curse (Matthew 27:25). This scene so far remains intact, even though Gibson indicated that he was removing it.

So I suppose we should ban the Gospels now, because it is anti-Jewish rhetoric. Frankly I could not think of a better way to engender antisemitism then to argue that the Christian Gospels should be band as antisemitic. This is kinda scary, I mean the ADL will be doing a lot more the accomplish hate then Gibson's movie will if they suggest that we Christians can't have our Gospels any more. I really hope they stop it, before they go to far and make antisemitism popular in THIS country again.

[FreedomSurge]

The Jewish leaders are playing a dangerous game. When people go to see the movie and do not find an antisemitic they will rightly start examining the motives of Foxman and his supporters.

By being so open with their hatred of Christianity, they risk Christians seriously reconsidering their support for Israel. Without American Christian support Israel does not continue to exist.

[Lost Highway]

It's funny how the more things change the more they stay the same. Jesus troubles them today just as much as he did 2000 years ago.

[Polybius]

We were saddened and pained to find that "The Passion of the Christ" unambiguously portrays Jews as being responsible for the death of Jesus.

"Jews" or a certain group of Jewish clerics?

Why is it that Catholics and Protestants are expected to acknowledge that some of their religious clerics may have done less than savory things in past history but some Jewish leaders today take extreme offense in any mention of the fact that the same was true in the history of Judaism?

[uncbuck]

I watched the interview with Gibson twice. I wonder if Foxman and the Rabbi watched the same interview?

Gibson specifically states that the teachings of catholocism are clear about it NOT being the jews individually, but ALL mankind. Then and now who are responsible.

I did wonder though why Mel never states how Jesus and His desciples are all jewish.

[ex-Texan]

Foxman only has himself to blame for all the repercussions when "The Passion of Christ" becomes a BIG HIT. He has whipped up a controversy where none existed. To Mel's credit he has been subdued in the tone of his reply rhetoric.

[Unam Sanctam]

Gibson's film rejects the modern church reforms. We were saddened and pained to find that "The Passion of the Christ" unambiguously portrays Jews as being responsible for the death of Jesus.

We are shocked that Gibson has not fulfilled his promise to remove the most troublesome aspects of this film. We are especially concerned with a scene in which a mob of Jews who are present when Pontius Pilate condemns Jesus to death calls down a blood curse (Matthew 27:25). This scene so far remains intact, even though Gibson indicated that he was removing it.

The ADL is correct in stating that the Vatican II Ecumenical Council in the early 1960s clarified that the Catholic Church rejects collective responsibility of Jews for all generations for the death of Jesus. If Gibson's film merely presents the Gospel account, however, then it is in no way contrary to that teaching of Vatican II. Some Jews, as well as Romans, are directly responsible for Jesus' being condemned to die, as there were some Jews and Romans at the time who were not responsible. We cannot blame any Jew of the present day for that. And just because the Jewish crowd in the Gospel says responsibility will be upon future generations, that is not a statement of God, but just the opinion of those individuals, and as we know from the Church's teaching, it is a wrongful opinion.

[BlessedBeGod]

We are shocked that Gibson has not fulfilled his promise to remove the most troublesome aspects of this film.

Maybe we should remove the most troublesome aspects of the Bible, too, while we're at it. Would that make you happy? < /sarcasm >

[HamiltonJay]

The Jews captured Jesus, the Jews took Jesus to Pilate, the Jews when given a choice still called for his death.... while I believe Christs death was preordained by God himself.... you cannot acurrately portray the crucifiction of Christ without showing the Jews turning him over to the Romans forcably and calling for his death... you don't have to like it, but THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED!

It is clear that the Jews carry a 2000 year old guilt trip over this.... and continue to try to pretend it did not happen. (or at least Some jews anyway).

[Sloth]

In a recent interview for a Christian television network about his film "The Passion of the Christ," director Mel Gibson, complaining about his critics, repeated the following phrase four times: "He is an anti-Semite" - suggesting this was the accusation repeatedly being made against him. We have never accused Gibson of being an anti-Semite... We are troubled that Gibson continues to spurn our requests for an audience and that he feels the criticism of his film is part of a campaign to label him an anti-Semite.

Now, where would Mel get a wacky idea like that?

"I think [Gibson]'s infected, seriously infected, with some very, very serious anti-Semitic views." -- Abe Foxman

"[Gibson]'s got classical anti-Semitic views." -- Abe Foxman

"When [Gibson] can say that he now understands how Jesus felt now - not before he made the film, not because the gospel inspired him, but now - because he has been criticized and attacked. That's anti-Semitism." -- Abe Foxman

"...does [Gibson] have attitudes that are anti-Semitic? Yes." -- Abe Foxman

Oh.

[Barnacle]

I hope Mel won't cave in to the whiners.