[.cnI redruM]

Let's suppose Caiphas was a total jerk. Let's also suppose Caiphas had parents of Jewish ancestry who attempted to raise Caiphas to be a nice kid. And let's suppose that despite all the noble efforts of his parents, Caiphas insists on pulling the wings off of flies and grows up to be an obnoxious jerk.

If Mel Gibson makes Caiphas look like a jerk in his movie, and if arguably overdoes making Caiphas look like a jerk in his movie, does that make Gibson's movie antisemitic?

[Mamzelle]

Caiaphas--

I keep remembering scenes from Jesus Christ Superstar (which I loved as a teen, to the upset of my pastor). Caiaphas and Annas sang a song where one was this fabulous deep bass and the other an annoying whiny tenor. They were fantastic, singing of their fear of Jesus and plotting against him--and they were unquestionably and unapologetically the heavies in that movie. There wasn't even a moderating Nicodemus in the musical, that I recall.

Nobody seemed to think that was antisemitic... lo these many years!

And the crowd that turned on Jesus in the musical was clearly the canaille of the scriptures, "Crucify him!" What, and crucify your king? "We Have no King But Caesar!"

There is no criticism I've read of "Passion" that could not be leveled at JCSuperstar.