Gibson's 'Passion' is devastating, uplifting

The atmosphere inside the movie theater Wednesday night -- immediately following "The Passion of the Christ" -- was unlike any I had seen before. No one was munching popcorn. There was no idle chit-chat. A sullen, stunned crowd stumbled for the exits, faces pale and anguished. Patrons headed toward their homes or some other quiet place to think or pray.

It was an audience of ordinary people who, after a year of hearing the accusations and the praise, were finally able to judge Mel Gibson's instant classic for themselves.

As a practicing Catholic and the grandson of Austrian Jews who narrowly escaped the Holocaust in 1938, I have both a yearning for a positive Hollywood portrayal of my faith and a revulsion for anti-Semitism. I bought my ticket in advance, then crammed into that packed theater on Ash Wednesday, curious and suspicious -- wondering whether the film would live up to the hype.

As a production, "The Passion" is an artistic masterpiece. It conveys with beauty and agony one of Christianity's greatest paradoxes -- that an event so excruciating, so cruel and so wrong could ultimately be so liberating, so generous, so right. That the worst imaginable Friday could forever be known as Good, by the grace of a God whose love for the people he created is as infinite as himself.

Artistically and spiritually, the film is all that supporters said it would be and more. The tender flashbacks of a young Jesus and his mother, the moment Christ prays for his tormentors while hanging on the cross, the converts he wins in his final hours, all bear triumphant testament to the "no greater love" of which he preaches.

What's utterly overrated are the two aspects of the film that detractors attacked before they even saw it -- the alleged anti-Semitism and the complaints of excessive violence.

Yes, angry Jewish mobs repeatedly and successfully clamor for Jesus' death -- just as they do throughout the Gospels. But these are hardly the only Jews we see.

They share the stage with Jesus himself, a Jew whose disciples -- also Jews -- fittingly call him "rabbi." The story is told largely through the eyes of the Virgin Mary, depicted as a faithful and devoted Jewish mother, who happens to be played by a Jewish actress, Maia Morgenstern. When Christ first goes before the Sanhedrin, two priests step in and denounce the show trial as a "travesty."

And along Jesus' journey to Calvary are Jewish mourners, openly grieving and protesting his treatment.

Most notably, there's Gibson's moving, extrabiblical portrayal of Simon of Cyrene, the Jew whom Roman soldiers forced to help Jesus carry his cross. In the movie, Simon is brave and compassionate, ultimately risking his life -- while enduring the naked anti-Semitism of Roman soldiers -- to come to Christ's defense.

For all the controversy over Gibson's portrayal of the Sanhedrin and the Jewish mob, it's the Romans who come across as the most mean-spirited and sadistic. The centurions take delight in the beatings, the scourging, the crucifixion. They mock Christ and laugh with ghoulish delight when his blood splatters their clothes.

Yet even here, Gibson is careful not to paint with too broad a brush. Pontius Pilate is more a coward than a villain, and his wife, a pagan, somehow senses something divine about Jesus, something blessed about his mother. "The Passion of the Christ" portrays Romans and Jews of both good will and ill. It conveys no sense of corporate responsibility for Christ's death, other than the guilt that all humanity shares because of our sinfulness.

Perhaps that's why some of the groups that most loudly suggested that Gibson and "The Passion" were anti-Semitic have gradually downgraded those charges. Now they claim that though the film itself is not anti-Semitic, its fans might be. Bigots will misinterpret "The Passion" and be emboldened by it, they say.

But bigots will misinterpret anything to support their prejudices -- that's what makes them bigots. If all entertainment and art must be sterilized so as to prevent extremists from misinterpreting it, then neither art nor entertainment can ever seriously touch on religion again.

Yet more curious than the charges of anti-Semitism, which stem from a real history of real suffering, is the hand-wringing over Gibson's violent depiction of Christ's final 12 hours. Newsweek describes the film as "relentlessly savage." The New York Times says it "seems to arise less from love than from wrath." The New Yorker calls it "one the cruelest movies in the history of cinema."

Yes, "The Passion of the Christ" is a violent film, but certainly not more so than, say, "Reservoir Dogs," "Gangs of New York," "Kill Bill" or any number of movies that have won the praise of some of the very critics now denouncing Gibson's gore. It contains cruelty, but it's not itself cruel, like, say the wretched and critically acclaimed "Seven."

And its violence, while intense, is never gratuitous. Unlike any number of bloody films that have made millions in recent years, the depiction of pain and brutality in "The Passion" isn't meant to appeal to our morbid fascinations, but to horrify us with the ugliness and the brutality of the sins we commit every day.

That, I suspect, is the real reason why "The Passion of the Christ" has aroused such consternation.

In an age when deriding faith passes for intellectual sophistication, where truth is considered relative and the very notion of sin is dismissed, the film offers an honest, unapologetic portrayal of Christianity. It explicitly documents the evilness of men in this, a culture that often denies the existence of evil. "The Passion of the Christ" tramples on all the rules and hypocrisies of political correctness. It says there is a God, and it names him.

Gibson has created a work that's both devastating and uplifting, making the abstraction of an infinitely loving God seem tangible in a way that only the big screen can. "The Passion" isn't about the Jews or the Romans. Nor is it about guts and gore. It's about each and every one of us, and our role in the greatest love story of all time.

Chris Weinkopf is the Daily News' editorial page editor. Write to him by e-mail at chris.weinkopf@dailynews.com .

**Feel free to recopy this in its entirety, so as to give attribution, and citing your source; PLUS people can visit one of my three mirror websites. --gordon watts**

Before you read this, please know that I forgot to include the most important Bible verse of all:

John 13:15 "For I (Jesus speaking here) have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you."

When you read it, you will understand why this verse it the verse that beats out even honored John 3:16. -gw

Subj: Word Count=319 Letter: THE PASSION by Mel Gibson
Date: 2/25/04 6:08:16 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: Gww1210
To: Gww12102002@yahoo.com
BCC: tribletters@tampatrib.com, letter@globe.com, letter@twtmail.com, letterch@herald-sun.com, letters.greenwichtime@scni.com, letters@augustachronicle.com, letters@azstarnet.com, letters@baltsun.com, letters@cjnetworks.com, letters@cnsnews.com, letters@coralridge.org, letters@dailypress.com, letters@denver-rmn.com, letters@denverpost.com, letters@desnews.com, letters@detnews.com, letters@fresnobee.com, letters@gfherald.com, letters@gomemphis.com, letters@guardian.co.uk, letters@kcstar.com, letters@latimes.com, letters@lmtribune.com, letters@lvrj.com, letters@msnbc.com, letters@naplesnews.com, letters@news-jrnl.com, letters@news.oregonian.com, letters@newsday.com, letters@newsweek.com, letters@nytimes.com, letters@observer.co.uk, letters@observer.guardian.co.uk, letters@pd.stlnet.com, letters@pe.net, letters@pop.adn.com, letters@portland.com, letters@projo.com, letters@publicintegrity.org, letters@reason.com, letters@record-journal.com, letters@rollcall.com, letters@sfexaminer.com, letters@sj-r.com, letters@sjmercury.com, letters@sptimes.com, letters@starbulletin.com, letters@statesman.com, letters@suntimes.com, letters@tallahassee.com, letters@thereporter.com, letters@trib.com, letters@uniontrib.com, Letters@USAToday.com, letters@washpost.com, letters@worldnetdaily.com, voice@tbo.com, voice@theledger.com, RWilling@USAToday.com, DLindsey@USAToday.com, dlynne@worldnetdaily.com, khollowell@worldnetdaily.com, Lsssgul, JanetM@discovery.org, Rob@discovery.org, submissions@nationalreview.com, letters@nationalreview.com, nronline@nationalreview.com, DRUDGE@DRUDGEREPORT.COM, Rush@eibnet.com, Dittos@RushLimbaugh.com, Doug.Patton@GOPUSA.com, bobby.eberle@gopusa.com, terri.hillhouse@gopusa.com, news@gopusa.com, newslist@gopusa.com, postmaster@gopusa.com, WJS@WesleyJSmith.com, postmaster@DrudgeReport.com, Liberty@LC.org, Info@1Cubed.com, info@aclj.org, info@judicialwatch.org, info@maranatha.tv, info@naplesnews.com, info@tv3.ie, Info@ThomasMore.Org, info@unison.ie, tips@baynews9.com, comments@baynews9.com, mmcgee@baynews9.com, News@540WFLA.com, News@970WFLA.com, news@wfla.com, sandrews@wfla.com, 10news@tampabays10.com, desk@tampabays10.com, News@wtvt.com, Investigative@wtvt.com, 13@wtvt.com, desk@wtvt.com, WebMaster@wtvt.com, newstips@wfts.com, takingaction@wfts.com, LMcElroy@wfts.com, mmason@wfts.com, pr@ap.org, kwalsh@ap.org, BFarrington@Ap.org, VChachere@ap.org, mstacy@ap.org, Hallifax@ap.org, DRoyse@ap.org, Harold.muddiman@theledger.com, gary.greene@theledger.com, billy.townsend@theledger.com, bill.rufty@theledger.com, generalmanager@abcactionnews.com, RGuess@wfts.com, BMclaughlin@wfts.com, rscott@wfts.com, rspicker@wfts.com, tsievertson@wfts.com, akeck@wfts.com, lhurtado@wfts.com, lcampos@wfts.com, jcallaway@wfts.com, sfazan@wfts.com, wshattuck@wfts.com, bjohnson@wfts.com, dgermaise@wfts.com, lgialanella@wfts.com, driley@wfts.com, wryan@wfts.com, jthomas@wfts.com, 28investigates@wfts.com, ksmith@baynews9.com, The700Club@CBN.org, thefamuaneditor@hotmail.com, me@glennbeck.com, stu@glennbeck.com, WebMaster@GlennBeck.com, Gww1210, PLUS Lots of others, whose private email addys are Blipped-Out here as a "professional courtesy." -gw

Dear Editor:

A lot is being said about Mel Gibson’s film, “The Passion,” but what really is the meaning of The Christ’s crucifixion? How could this act possibly save a world? If it was so important, then why wasn’t Jesus crucified as a child?

Answer: We needed an example to show us that life wasn’t hopeless, and He was the only one.

It was His sinless life, not His gruesome death, that saved us. (The death was the result of our refusal to accept His ways.) His resurrection is another example: We can be raised when it is time.

In short, if even God incarnate were unable to live a life without depression or sin, then we
would be “toast.” We needed that encouraging example. Thank you Mr. Jesus!

“Let US make man in OUR image (plural)...” (Genesis 1:26)

They made us, thus they can answer in prayer and repair us.

One of them came among us, to show us BY EXAMPLE, and we don’t get saved by works any more than our parents love us for “being good.” Conversely, we are “good kids,” by the
help of our parents; and, we are “saved” by the acceptance of our heavenly father. So, while we don’t get saved by works, we do “good works” by being saved, a free gift, yet we must remember that, once saved, faith without works is dead, in the same way a job without work results in you getting fired!

We can do even greater works than Jesus -and miracles -all without sin or fear: John 14:12; Joel 2:27-32; Acts 2:17-21; I John 2:1; Romans 6:1-2; Mark 146:15-18; II Timothy 1:7.

Yeshuah or “Joshua” is Hebrew for, Jesus, our High Priest and advocate: First John 2:1; Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15; Zechariah 3:1-10.

For further information on The Passion of The Christ, by Mel Gibson, point your web browser to:

http://hometown.aol.com/Gww1210/myhomepage/Passion.html

http://www.geocities.com/Gordon_Watts32313/Passion.html

http://gordon_watts.tripod.com/Passion.html

Gordon Wayne Watts

Gordon Wayne Watts
BS, The Florida State University, Biological and Chemical Sciences
AS, United Electronics Institute
821 Alicia Road
Lakeland, FL 33801-2113
http://HomeTown.AOL.com/Gww1210 or http://www.GeoCities.com/Gordon_Watts32313
Home: (863) 688-9880 Work: (863) 686-3411 Voice&FAX: (863) 687-6141
Gww1210@aol.com ; Gww12102002@Yahoo.com
Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe.
TRUTH doesn't bend to the will of tyrants.
Gordon Wayne Watts
Get Truth.

"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." (Martin Niemoller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper &Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty, Life, and Family Publications.

*
*

**Feel free to recopy this in its entirety, so as to give attribution, and citing your source; PLUS people can visit one of my three mirror websites. --gordon watts**

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.