The Passion and the Jews

LewRockwell.com | 3/8/04 | Paul Gottfried

[Lucky2]

I saw The Passion this last weekend. No where in this movie does anti-semitism rear it's ugly head. This movie accurately reflected the times in which the story took place. The Jewish elders wanted Christ crucified but there were many Jews in the general population who did not. This was the story according to the gospel accounts. I truly believe that those who are trying to stir up this anti jewish hatred are out of their minds and are parnoid to begin with. It's time those with hatred on their minds stop trying to stir it up again and read their Bibles for the true account of Christ's death and ressurection. Maybe they'll learn something!

[Sloth]

Although I too find excitement in C.S. Lewis’s bold assertion, "Jesus was either the Son of God or a wicked, deranged imposter," this either/or seems in retrospect overstated. Certainly one can thrill to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount or his magnificent parables without having to find in them the revelation of his divine status as presented in John, Chapter One. One might even reasonably contend that Jesus’s sublime moral teaching has led some into accepting his divinity.

Nope, Lewis was right. Either the accounts are accurate, divinity & all, or they are deceptions, in which case why would one accept any of the moral teaching?

[philosofy123]

I agree

[TigersEye]

Liberal Christians are the classical enablers in both situations. Why should Jews reassess their own history of prejudice when they enjoy the status of Christian victims, courtesy of the Christian world? In this situation, David Klinghoffer, Abe Foxman, and Elie Wiesel will all go on sharing the fruits of moral success.

This article boils down to recognizing, in essence, the same enemy I saw in the Sanhedrin in Gibson's TPOTC. Backstabbing politicians and liberal activist judges. That's the modern analogy for the impression I got from the movie; not 'Jews.'

The enemy tries to hide behind many faces but here and now they are all liberal leftists.

[Siobhan]

When I was told what S. Beniziri was reported to have said, I thought it was actually a joke. Now I am going to dig through Ma ariv and see what I can find.

Pinging to others who may find this letter provocative.

[Siobhan]

IsraelInsider Newsmagazine:

Meanwhile, Yishai's colleague in the ultra-Orthodox Sephardic party, former minister of labor and social affairs Shlomo Benizri, told a Haredi pirate radio station a number of weeks ago that the Jews did, in fact, kill Jesus. "According to Torah law, they decided to hang Jesus."

Benizri, who confirmed the comments yesterday, said Jesus was put to death according to Sanhedrin (ancient Jewish court) tradition, Maariv reported. "They took him up to a high roof, and threw him crashing to the ground. Afterwards they hung his body on wooden beams in the shape of a "T," but not as the Christian legends say that he was crucified. That's nonsense."

Benizri told Maariv that Jesus' death was an internal Jewish affair. "What is there to deny? We're talking about a yeshiva student who left Judaism, and the Sanhedrin put him to death."

[Dataman]

I truly believe that those who are trying to stir up this anti jewish hatred are out of their minds

It is bizarre (in a sick sort of way) that people who say they fear a backlash against Jews seem to be urging it on.

[Dataman]

Nope, Lewis was right.

Lewis is exactly right.

[Dataman]

"They took him up to a high roof, and threw him crashing to the ground. Afterwards they hung his body on wooden beams in the shape of a "T," but not as the Christian legends say that he was crucified. That's nonsense."

Hahahaha! That's not even as original as the discredited swoon theory. Such foolishness only testifies that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. If he were just a man, why all the effort to discredit him?

[Dataman]

Jesus was a shoe salesman who offended the Pharisees with a revealing open-toed sneaker.

[reformedliberal]

After the man who helped Jesus carry the cross was told to leave the scene, there is an interaction between him and one of the Roman soldiers, where the soldier spits the epithet:"...Jew!"

That is the one instance of antisemitism I saw in the film.

I am sorry to affirm that the description of Jewish attitudes toward Jesus and Christians is accurate. It has taken me until the past decade or so to unlearn what I thought I knew of this. Hopefully, other Jews are experiencing something similar. For me, it took the reaction of Leftist Jews toward my Evangelical Christian friends to force me to begin to reevaluate everything I thought I knew.

My husband is a moderate Protestant and nothing prejudicial was ever apparent in his attitudes over the past 30 years, despite his mother being convinced that getting a bargain was a tenet of Judaism. She is gone now and I must add that this was an innocent error on her part, something she had somehow absorbed and never thought about. She was otherwise a sweet woman and a lady in all things.

40 years ago I would have been amazed if someone had told me that in the future I would count Christians as closer trusted friends than my fellow Jews, but it is true.

I have to add that this troubles me deeply and I have no way to change the minds of the Jews and the secularists I know, so, unfortunately, I see less of them and do not discuss much of any depth when I do.

[Askel5]

Wow ... what a grotesque quote.

[reformedliberal]

Thank you for your informative post and for opening yourself to show the pain of a real injustice.

I have no answers. The tradition in which I was raised (intellectual Orthodoxy) covered over the Talmudic teachings you quote. Thank you for them. It will give me more to think about.

I think you have your answer, though. I think the people you reference do want us separated, the further the better. The New Covenant is threatening. If we don't know each other, then how could we ever communicate or heal old wounds?

[Lucky2]

It's sad that these attitudes are still around today. The Passion depicted a sign of the times. The Roman guard who spit the epithet Jew was a product of his time. It was just the way it was. Antisemitism was normal during those times. Many Jews and Romans alike disliked Jesus and did not trust him. There are many among us today who feel the same way. Too bad that we all aren't more enlightened as Jesus was.

[ambrose]

The film actually hinted that there wasn't even a legally constituted Sanderhin present. Many of its members weren't informed of the meeting, and those who dissented were thrown out.

My recollection is that an overwhelming majority of the full Sanderhin is required to pass a sentence of execution.

[ambrose]

This only points to a mutual history of nasty name-calling by extremists on both sides. However, it can't be forgotten who had vast numerical superiority and was in a position to act on their prejudices by force, for the past 2000 years.

By the way, it is unlikely that a secular Jew has any idea what is said in the Talmud, and the Orthodox Jews have been largely silent, or even supportive, re The Passion.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

and the Orthodox Jews have been largely silent, or even supportive, re The Passion.

Huh? You've been following a TOTALLY different story than I have. Micheal Medved and Dennis Prager sure, but Orthodox Jews....sing me another song. http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8814988%255E1702,00.html