'Passion' shakes North Jersey clergy to the core

The Record of Hackensack ^ | 02.29.04

[Leatherneck_MT]

"It wasn't THE Jews, it was SOME Jews"

Actually it was all of Mankind

I nailed Christ to that Cross, I whipped the flesh from his bones just as suredly as his Roman Guards did.

I stood in the crowd and yelled for his crucifixition, spat in his face, ridiculed him and hit him in the face just as suredly as the Sanhedrin did.

He died for me anyway and through his death paid for my sins.

And I Love him for that.

[Coleus]

We all killed Christ, all mankind since Adam.

[Leatherneck_MT]

Amen

[Coleus]

The Jewish people need to save their hostility and join the Christian people in combating Islamic radicalism, and perhaps help the Moslems reform their violent religion.>>

Yes, we sure do, notice there were no Palestinians in the Movie. There was NO Palestine sicne it never existed. They've been at war with the Christians and Jews ever since they started thier new faith 600 years later.

[Coleus]

We, mankind, all killed him since the time of Adam. Sin killed us and Jesus made it possible for us to live, he had to shed his blood.

[kstewskis]

"I saw it as religious barbarism ... in my opinion, God did not send his son to die,''

Gee, throws Isaiah 53:3 right out the window, doesn't it? The very essence of what this entire movie is based on. The hypocracy of one who wears the cloth reiks to no end.

"I feel much more comfortable with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops or the National Council of Churches teaching this story than I do with Mel Gibson,'' Borovitz said. "But Mel Gibson is going to reach more people than they will, and that's what concerns me.''

Yes, more comfortable within the den of those from "the other realm" Mel refers to quite often.

St. Michael, protect us all.

[AFPhys]

Suzi: I will second your #194 nearly line by line, from age [53] through your defense of the Pope.

I've never met an anti-Semitic Catholic, or practicing Christian. I have, however, met several liberal and Democrats who are. All the more reason I find it incredible that the Jewish typically vote Democrat.

[AFPhys]

From Fr.Lasch's very respectful personal letter to me:

"Thank you for your thoughtful and thought-provoking comments. Distance from the film has indeed resulted in some revision of my initial reaction and a refinement of my opinion. However, I still have very serious reservations about Mel Gibson's portrayal. "

From the website:

My first reaction to "The Passion of Christ" was quite severe and in hindsight, I believe more than a bit impetuous.

Distance from the film has provided me with the psychological space needed to process my immediate response to what I initially characterized as "religious barbarism." Although the Gospel of John provided the basic ‘script’ for the movie, Gibson used non-canonical gospels and devotional meditations which contributed to the brutality unleashed on Jesus in the film. He was beaten prior to his trial. His fall off the cliff hanging only by the ropes ...

I choose not to share any other part of my on-going discussion with him at this time. Let me state, though, that in some ways I believe he is in somewhat of an ephiphany himself as a result of the film and the reflections and meditations and study brought about by it.

[AFPhys]

Shucks, I am remiss in not including Fr.Lasch's closing statements, with which I wholeheartedly concur:

I am further disheartened by the 'nails' and other "devotional" paraphernalia that we will be seeing hanging around people's neck.

I do not disparage your reaction to the movie. Mine was different.

[SunkenCiv]

The Pope's church is the Vatican City.

As far as not recognizing Israel, that was done precisely because of the Jew haters running the church. If it were reasonable that all of Israel's citizens were treated fairly, there wouldn't be Arabs mass-murdering Jews, continuing the Nazi agenda that predates the foundation of the modern state.

"The Arabs are after our blood"
by Christopher Farah
Jan. 23, 2004

In a recent interview with the liberal Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Morris not only justified the 1948 expulsion of the Palestinians from Israel, but also said that then-Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion failed in his task by not expelling all Arabs from the nascent Jewish state... Morris went on to say that renewed expulsions of the Palestinians -- those in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and even those who are Israeli citizens -- could be "entirely reasonable" in circumstances that are "liable to be realized in five or 10 years." ...The Arab and Muslim world, in his eyes, consists of barbarians who don't appreciate the value of human life, barbarians knocking on the gates of the civilized West... Like many other Israeli liberals, Morris' optimism about peace, and whether the Palestinians really wanted it, was shaken by the outbreak of the second intifada in 2000 -- after the Oslo peace accords and the Camp David talks had convinced many that a resolution was at hand. With the collapse of the Camp David talks amid mutual acrimony and the escalation of violence, in particular the rise of suicide bombings within Israel, many Israeli peaceniks became disillusioned, feeling that they had found no true "partner for peace" in the Palestinians... "You go to have coffee with your equally liberal friends, you talk peace and human rights and Palestinian independence, and if you are lucky the place blows up only after you leave," says Tom Segev, an Israeli author who like Morris was dubbed a "new historian" for writing books that challenged the traditional Israeli version of history.

[NCLaw441]

" ... in my opinion, God did not send his son to die,'' said Lasch...

What is that verse I learned long long ago? Oh yeah, "For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son......"

Lamb of God..... I wonder why they call Him that?
"He was bruised for our transgressions.....and by His stripes we are healed....."

I am no biblical scholar, but kind of just off the top of my head. I am protestant. Perhaps the Catholics no longer believe in Christ on the cross. I must be having a senior moment (and I am only 46!)

[per loin]

And notice, also, it was the devil who was always circling around.....Satan was there.....like a vulture, imho, egging the ROMAN SOLDIERS....NOT JEWS....on to commit even greater torment and torture upon Jesus.

In fact, the movie shows Satan lurking behind both Jews and Romans. Pick up a copy of "The Passion" and check out the scene on page 63 for a better understanding of this. Satan is portrayed in the midst of the Jewish leadership, directly behind the evil Caiaphus, who is standing behind the Roman soldier.

[Centurion2000]

"I saw it as religious barbarism ... in my opinion, God did not send his son to die,'' said Lasch, of St. Joseph's Church of Mendham. "God sent his son to live, to be faithful. And in being faithful, it cost him his life.''

Sounds like he needs to turn in his collar and go get a real job .... or maybe something like marketing.

[ex-Texan]

This report is pure Bovine Squat !!

[TEXASPROUD]

Rev. Ken Lausch evidently doesn't know his ass from a hole in the wall. (Bless his heart) This is coming from an ex-seminarian.

[nicmarlo]

Satan is portrayed in the midst of the Jewish leadership, directly behind the evil Caiaphus, who is standing behind the Roman soldier.

I quite remember him in the room....I missed that he was behind Caiaphus. What Mel did with Satan was quite interesting, imho.

[per loin]

I quite remember him in the room....I missed that he was behind Caiaphus. What Mel did with Satan was quite interesting, imho.

Yes. BTW, you may find the book with the still scenes of interest. The composition of character in Mel's visioning of the events astounds me. I had no idea he was an artist of that caliber.

[nicmarlo]

you may find the book with the still scenes of interest. The composition of character in Mel's visioning of the events astounds me. I had no idea he was an artist of that caliber.

I've always thought he was a great actor...and also thought he had depth, from what I've read of him and just the "way" he conducts himself, but also didn't realize his artistic talents in the creative/symbolic sense, until this movie. The book may just well be worth my checking into. Perhaps it is because of his depth of creative talent, in part, as to why he has been attacked for so very long over this movie production...Hollyweird knew that if Mel Gibson's hand was to be so involved, it would, indeed, threaten them; he is a formidable giant.

[per loin]

I not only bought the book, I bought the sound track too. I don't think I've bought a sound track since Lawrence of Arabia.

[CyberCowboy777]

"....God did not send his son to die,...''

This guy is a pastor? Death was an absolute must, core to the concept of the Messiah and foretold by the prophets.