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.

[vigilo]

"What part of "father, forgive them" do these idiots not understand? Any "Christian" who condemns Jews for the death of Jesus are repudiating their own religion which teaches that ALL OF MANKIND is responsible. I watched The Passion today, and I really don't understand why Krauthammer is protesting so loudly."

Yes, all of mankind is responsible, but it was the chief priests who deliverd Him up. And Jesus Himself said they had the greater guilt. Jesus said they were guilty. If you try to fudge this issue you are in danger of contradiction Christ.

[Howlin]

These discussions have been a real eye-opener - - not just for me, I'm sure. Your FR homepage has a US flag and a lot of statements to imply "we're all in this together" against the Moslems. But now it comes out that you really resent - - may I say despise - - Christianity, the faith of most of the Americans who are fighting Islamic extremists.

Nasty. What a nasty thing to say about a fellow Freeper; I've "known" dennis for years and there is NOT ONE IOTA of truth to your statement about him.

[presidio9]

I see they are no longer attacking the film, but rather the story itself. Good.

[claudiustg]

---Yes, all of mankind is responsible, but it was the chief priests who deliverd Him up. And Jesus Himself said they had the greater guilt. Jesus said they were guilty. If you try to fudge this issue you are in danger of contradiction Christ.---

“There is no difference,
for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God, and are justified freely
by his grace through the redemption
that came by Christ Jesus. God presented
him as a sacrifice of atonement,
through faith in his blood”
(Rom. 3:22–25)

[rbmillerjr]

"Then how come Jews were called Christ killers for centuries? Who was promoting this? The butchers and bakers? The cooks and candle stick makers?"

The Catholic Church has never accepted the collective guilt of Jews.

But you seem to be liberal with your accusations against Christians and the Catholic Church in the collective sense.

[dennisw]

What you haven't done is prove that the Catholic Church has ever in two thousand years ever held the doctrine of collective guilt.

Perhaps the official party line in Rome (Vatican) was not to name Jews as Christ killers. On the lower local levels this was done all the time without reprimand and lead to pogroms and a holocausts. Why else do you think the Vatican II conclave did away with the Christ killer libel (collective guilt, persecution for all Jews) for good?

[ought-six]

"There have been other very good movies made about Christ ... including well done scenes of the crucifiction. The Jews were not outraged. Why are they so hurt now? I think good christians need to ask themselves this question."

They were made by or produced by Jewish film makers. Remember the movies that showed Jesus' birth, and the killing of the innocents that took place afterwards? Those films were -- for the most part -- made by Hollywood, and by Jewish film makers and producers. In reality those innocents were killed by Jewish guards and soldiers, who were sent out by Herod, who was also a Jew. I don't know of anyone who is not disgusted at the murder of babies (well, except for some Democrats and an awful lot of feminists), but I don't recall anyone going ballistic and condemning those film makers who depicted Jews killing the innocents. I have to assume that if "The Passion" had been made by a Jewish film maker, and it was portrayed exactly as Gibson's film was, there would be widespread acclaim for it by all of Hollywood and virtually all of the Jewish leaders in America, instead of the vitriol and vehemence that have been thrown on Gibson. I just see a whole lot of hypocrisy.

[Just mythoughts]

I must ask you since you saw the film today.

Would it have given the film the credibility so many claim lacking if Gibson has prefaced this with Psalms 22?

After all King David penned this Psalm hundreds of years before, and Christ preached it while hanging upon that cross.

[dennisw]

Perhaps the official party line in Rome (Vatican) was not to name Jews as Christ killers. On the lower local levels this was done all the time without reprimand and lead to pogroms and a holocausts. Why else do you think the Vatican II conclave did away with the Christ killer libel (collective guilt, persecution for all Jews) for good?

[Sabertooth]

That is a libel. The rabbi who wrote the article you posted is just as bigoted as you are to say so.

That Rabbi is a Christian Messianic Jew. Figured I would snag you there. Zola Levitt.

Do you consider Levitt to be a "poached" Jew?

BTW, Levitt didn't write the "Blood Libel" article you excerpted from his website, it was written by Todd Baker, Th.M.

[dennisw]

Thanks much. She (ChurchillBluff) likes to make accusations whether justified or without foundation.

[churchillbuff]

Nasty. What a nasty thing to say about a fellow Freeper; I've "known" dennis for years and there is NOT ONE IOTA of truth to your statement about him.

He's blaming christianity for Hitler. THAT's nasty. It's in league with blaming Jews for communism - or for the crucifixion. That would be nasty too.

[Mamzelle]

re: I'm not ready to throw Krauthammer overboard, but this bigoted rant of his will color my view of his columns indefinitely. )))

Today, I've definitely gotten tired and bored with our gasbags. What do they really do for us, anyway? If they fail to inform and entertain, they're no longer earning their keep.

So many have gotten their positions from Mumsy and Dadsy--like Podhoretz and Goldberg and Kristol. Partisan Review diaper babes. Ivy League, never gotten their hands dirty, urban, never worn a uniform and probably not related to anyone who ever has.

Wasn't Kraut, Pod and Kristol McVainiacs in 2000? How smart can they be, anyway, and why should we keep paying them to blather on?

This latest from Kraut is an insult. It condescends and scolds--and it bores

[GraniteStateConservative]

The real emotion fest is Mel Gibson's' PASSION. How the heck has Christianity survived & flourished for centuries without such an in_your_face portrayal of Christ's torture and death?

Oh, that's an easy question.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power [of the blood depicted in this movie, by the way] that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." -- Ephesians 3:20-21

Christianity still exists because Christ is alive and where Christ abides and lives and loves, there is where Christianity is.

I have a question for you: Why are Jews so threatened by a depiction of Christ's suffering?

[Howlin]

Yeah, I've noticed that before.

No need for the thanks. Fair is fair. Most of us can disagree without going for the throat.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Opinions not based on fact and reason from Jackson and Kerry and Sharpton and Daschle = senseless babble

Opinions not based on fact and reason from Chuck = just an opinion of a well-meaning person

Do you understand why I'm confused?

[Howlin]

Stop digging.

[rbmillerjr]

..."Perhaps the official party line in Rome (Vatican) was not to name Jews as Christ killers. On the lower local levels this was done all the time without reprimand and lead to pogroms and a holocausts. "...

The authority of the Catholic Church is what it says...it has authority over all clergy and lay who claim to be Catholic.........Also, your claim that the Holocaust was due to anything the Catholic Church did is a giant leap of logic (see Hitler and Nazi Germany)

..."Why else do you think the Vatican II conclave did away with the Christ killer libel (collective guilt, persecution for all Jews) for good?..."

Vatican II included many, many objectives and changes. As to the Jewish objectives, it was a restating of the already stated due to the Anti-Semitism that existed throughout Europe, of which there are many Catholics. It was a reaching out to Jews as well in an affirmative manner.