The violence shown isn't gratuitous: it is necessary.
I see this as an antidote to the poisonous, peace-nik, sentimentalized 'Christianity' imposed on the culture by main line 'Christian' churches -- churches that are CINO: Christian in name only.
Joan Brown Campbell and the National Council of Churches epitomize this leftist bunch.
I've heard some of these churches are going so far as to remove crucifixes from their sanctuaries.
They do this because they want to de-emphasise Christ's suffering and sacrifice --AND THE SINFUL NATURE OF MAN.
They supplant that message entirely with the supposed "all-inclusive" message of Christ's love for "all" -- implying, of course, that there is no such thing as sin, and that Jesus would have approved of homosexual 'marriage' and pedophiles.
The Passion's explicitness is meant to convey something much larger.
Unfortunately, Hollyweirdos intellectual curiosity does not stretch that far.