Pope Loves Mel Gibson's Film

NewsMax.com ^ | 12/17/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

"It is as it was."

This, Peggy Noonan reports in the Opinion Journal, was the Pope's comment to his good friend Msgr. Stanislaw Dziwisz after watching "The Passion of Christ," Mel Gibson's much-maligned film.

In other words, the Holy Father feels that Mel Gibson's film accurately shows how events unfolded in the last days of Christ on Earth.

The Vatican has had no official comment on the movie, but Noonan in her latest column tells us that "John Paul II, who even with the challenges of his current illness has more good sense than many of his cardinals, knew of the controversy surrounding Mr. Gibson's film, and wanted to see it."

When he did, he approved wholeheartedly of Gibson's rendering.

Producer Steve McEveety laughingly told Noonan that the pontiff saw the film "At the pope's pad," i.e., the papal apartments. "He had to watch it late in the evening," Mr. McEveety said of John Paul. "He's pretty well booked. But he really wanted to see it."

Noonan writes that the Msgr. told McEveety that John Paul II "found ["The Passion"] very powerful, and approved of it."

"I was kind of relieved – it's a scary thing," Mr. McEveety told Noonan. "But Billy Graham saw it and was very supportive, and now JPII. The amazing thing is they're in agreement on the film."

Noonan writes that the pope, in supporting the film and affirming its merits, repudiates those who feel the film, and Gibson, are anti-Semitic.

John Paul II, she writes, has done more for Judeo-Christian relations than any other pope.

This pope would know anti-Semitic, and this film isn't.

Noonan concludes: If the pontiff's feelings end the controversy over the film, it would be a "beautiful gift to everyone this holiday season."

[ken in texas]

Your reply is in extremely poor taste and does not reflect well on this forum.

p.s. Perhaps I'm out of touch... are you trying to say something with your tagline?

[Beck_isright]

Thus the controversy inflames. I'm sure the commielibs will say this an attempt to convert more people to that evil religion of Christianity.

[Ann Archy]

You really are a very sick puppy...I;ll pray for you.

[ex-snook]

"It is as it was. "

The best review of the movie, I've seen. Lincoln was shot and we weren't there either. However, contemporary eye witness is pretty good testimony.

[Siamese Princess]

My local movie theatre just mounted on the outside wall a "coming soon" The Passion movie poster.

[the artisan]

it's the sad truth

[solitas]

Hey - you got your opinions; I got mine. :) Given all that he has evidenced by his actions (or, inactions) with the child molestation caused by, essentially, his EMPLOYEES and the universal-given that "money talks" (and greases wheels, etc) One cannot help but wonder if it MAY (and I stress MAY) have been the case this time around too. P.S - Prayers (non-formulaic) to the Father work well - no beads/candles/incense/trinkets required, And Scripture (John 14:6, 1 Tim 2:5) states that prayers to other individuals (Mary, saints, etc.) are not in His Will. If praying for me makes you feel better: go for it! T'would be better done quietly and in private though - there may possibly be those around who would assume inordinate piety of you for your charitable mention of praying for me. But we ALL know, of course, that you wouldn' do THAT...

[Ann Archy]

In your ignorance you showed you know nothing.....I did pray for you and your soul in eternity.

[solitas]

Oh! The self-nobility of the self-righteous! The the name of what character you do have: please assure me that your Prayers were to the Father Himself, none of the others, and that 'religious' paraphernalia (beads/etc.) weren't involved: I would not rest easy knowing that your Praying for me utilized practices, or materials outside of God's Will, and that the Prayers were only to Him and not minor religious personalities.

[Ann Archy]

A tad anti-Christianm you sound like.

[solitas]

Anti-Christian? No. Just intolerant of the huge Rome-based 'corporation' masquerading as the 'true Church' with all its manmade rules and conditions, and hushed-up history, and questionable ethical practices is all. :)

(God made sheep, and there are those out there determined to subjugate and take advantage of said sheep for their own glory and comfort and profit; He also made Sheepdogs to help protect those sheep 'in the field'...)