Krauthammer: "Gibson's Blood Libel"

Washington Post ^ | Mar. 5, 04 | Charles Krauthammer

[churchillbuff]

Gibson's Blood Libel

By Charles Krauthammer Friday, March 5, 2004; Page A23

Every people has its story. Every people has the right to its story. And every people has a responsibility for its story. ...[snip]

Christians have their story too: the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Why is this story different from other stories? Because it is not a family affair of coreligionists. If it were, few people outside the circle of believers would be concerned about it. This particular story involves other people. With the notable exception of a few Romans, these people are Jews. And in the story, they come off rather badly.

Because of that peculiarity, the crucifixion is not just a story; it is a story with its own story -- a history of centuries of relentless, and at times savage, persecution of Jews in Christian lands. This history is what moved Vatican II, in a noble act of theological reflection, to decree in 1965 that the Passion of Christ should henceforth be understood with great care so as to unteach the lesson that had been taught for almost two millennia: that the Jews were Christ killers.

[Sabertooth]

I'm sorry but you are being calous. If Krauthammer can't make you see it I guess nobody can.

I like Krauthammer, but he's no idol of mine. He's off the rails here.

He's a frequent guest on the Dennis Prager Show. Dennis is broadcasting from Israel this week, but I'll be mightily surprised if doesn't address Krauthammer on this matter.

Prager is Jewish, and has spoken and written that Jews and Christians aren't seeing the same movie, and that while he understands the fears of anti-Semitism among the Jews, he also takes great pains to reassure them that this is not what is in the hearts of the Christians who produced or are viewing the film.

Again: Mel Gibson's own hands nailed Christ to the Cross.

Do you grasp the significance of that?

[hellinahandcart]

It's not the first one I have seen. There were a couple over the weekend. This one's less angry IMO.

[CWOJackson]

I've got you all beat.

The other day the wife and I heard a Seattlelite complain that they didn't like the story line.

[LdSentinal]

It's been 9 days since the movie has been released. Where are the mass burnings of synagouges in this country?

In fact, where were the mass burnings of mosques following 9/11?

[Texasforever]

bloody movie that upset half the Jews in America.

Source?

[mercy]

Geeminie! A free thinker! You won't last long around here.

Me, I've got a history and am harder to get rid of.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I blame myself. The rest of you are just an illusion or a dream for all I know.

What an odd remark.

The fact that you are wholly unwilling to empathise with sensible and feeling jewish human beings is not christian.

Be careful stating "facts" about how I feel. I'm trying to say to our Jewish friends, in as clear and compassionate a way as I can (given that some will apparently not be satisfied until Christianity is completely silenced), this: This film is not about your guilt. It is about the collective guilt of humanity, and the forgiveness we've received in spite of ourselves. You are not to blame, aside from your humanity. Christians understand this, and you need not fear this film.

I've been saying this since long before the movie was released. I suppose you think it would be more empathetic and compassionate to say, "Hell yeah, be afraid. Be very afraid."

Sheesh.

[Sabertooth]

The source of the information about the line which calls for punishing Jews down through history is two respected univesity professors of religion I heard in person earlier this week at a community lecture about the history and religions of the first century. This professors were the ones who expresssed their great concern about whether the line will appear in other countries when the film is shown there.

Name them, and their universities.

Post the offending line from the Aramaic that is as you characterized it, with the translation, and the source of the translation.

Quite frankly, I don't believe you, or these "professors."

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Bravo, ambrose.

[per loin]

If today's Sanhedren of Jewish columnists had Pilate ruling over them, Mel would be on a cross by now.

[hellinahandcart]

The reason this one is a kinder, gentler thread is because we all have much more respect for Charles Krauthammer than we do for Sister Mary Boys.

But it is distressing to hear them sound so alike on some points.

[stands2reason]

This professors were the ones who expresssed their great concern about whether the line will appear in other countries when the film is shown there.

Ooooh! University professors. Wow. We know how pro-Christian they can be. (/sarcasm)

And they are wrong.

Do you think that they really will translate the Aramaic instead of the English? Please answer my question.

[DestroytheDemocrats]

"So the blood of the Jews killed in the Holocaust be on Christians and their children?"

No. It is a lesson of history to be learned. Christians are no better than anybody else. We can be craven, weak and cowardly. It is a lesson not to ever let something like that ever happen again. It is a reason to examine how such a thing could happen. That's been done and Christian scholars all agree that there was an attitude that Jews were Christ killers that permitted Hitler to get away with the things he did for so long.

[ultima ratio]

Oh, come off it--that's nuts. Hitler was not a Christian, he hated real Christians almost as much as Jews. Why must Jews always reduce everything to the Holocaust? One begins to suspect it fits in with the myth of Jewish choseness. That's probably the real problem--and it pushes other people away. It's become a self-fulfilling prophesy--you clobber the other guy and when he strikes back you call it "anti-Semitism"--and get to feel special, victimized, isolated. This is what's happening now with this film. The Jewish intellectuals who are criticizing it so vehemently are people of influence--one professor from Berkely recently called the New Testament "a nasty little document"--but they are rapidly alienating Christians. Jewish producers, Jewish writers, Jewish historians, Jewish museum curators--all have taken plenty of pot-shots at Christians, in particular linking Christianity itself to the Holocaust. There's a helluva lot of anti-Christian garbage being hurled at us on a regular basis by this culture--and most Christians have restrained a natural instinct to express anger for fear of being called anti-semitic. But the gloves are now coming off--you will hear from us, I guarantee it.

[wardaddy]

As an aside:

There are a few FReepers here that are strongly advocating that Jewish suffering since AD33 is reason enough to eschew this film.

For perspective, I would like to point out that Jewish tribulations, persecutions, blood feuds and whatnot did not being with Christ but are a part of Hebrew/Israelite/Jewish history from the getgo and have been foretold by the prophets.

[mercy]

Antisemitism is now rampant in Europe and it is being largely covered up. The Jews have real reason to fear the effects of this movie. But it seems empathy or even any modicum of consideration for their feelings are too much to ask form arch-conservatives.

[Texasforever]

The other day the wife and I heard a Seattlelite complain that they didn't like the story line.

I think Archie Bunker said it best when Edith reminded him that Jesus was a Jew. Archie squared his shoulders and proclaimed "only on his mother's side".

[DestroytheDemocrats]

"We know how pro-Christian they can be. (/sarcasm)"

Yeah since when do non-Chrisitans get to have an opinion about anything?

[wardaddy]

ouch.

[stands2reason]

A free thinker!

Maybe one day I'll think exactly like you do and be "free" too.