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.

[af_vet_1981]

Well lets not stop there IIKings 9 tells the story I pointed to. Got to be careful who you allow up in your chariot.

I'll take Oskar Schindler in my chariot.

[DentsRun]

Remember who is really being slandered. CHRIST.

Right.

[SJackson]

Hillary is thought to have gotten between 53% and 57% of the Jewish vote, a bit below her statewide margin of 56-57% and well below the 80% of the Jewish vote Gore got, and 20 points less than what Schumer got. Besides, only 9% of the state’s population is Jewish, so while it’s an important swing factor, to say the Jew’s elect Hillary or any other Senator is silly.

[archy]

Medved is not a "hebrew".

He is an American and a fairly devout Jew and pretty good pal to Conservatism, Culture War and Christianity and should be respected.

*Medved* is the Russian word for *Bear.* Unless altered somewhere along the generational path, I'd suspect Russian Jewish ancestors.

Somehow, I think Theodore Roosevelt and Michael *the Bear* Medved would have gotten along pretty well....

[Just mythoughts]

Now there is an interesting topic, Russia.

[DentsRun]

But European/Catholic Christianity has been killing Jews for centuries.

And in the 20th century, Jewish Bolsheviks helped bring about a virulently anti-Christian totalitarian system that killed 200 million people worldwide.

[archy]

After seeing the actual movie, I went back a second time to view it from a different perspective.

I looked for anything anti-Semitic in any way possible.

Ah, but you failed to look at it as a Jew. Jesus, the troublemaking Jew, was betrayed and condemned by his fellow Jews and Jewish political leaders, just as many today would sell out their fellow Jews.

It's not fear of the idea that *the Jews killed the Christian Christ, Son of God* of which so many of todays Jews are so fearful. It's the vision of a Jewish leadership that sells out one of its own, and uses the Roman authorities to do their dirty work for them. They're today's Warsaw Judenrat.

[wardaddy]

Bump for Teddy and the Ten Point Hunting Club of Issaquena County Mississippi.

[Salamander]

Bless your heart.
I knew someone would know what I'd meant.....:))
[I've been gnawed on a bit for saying it but that's okay, I guess]....;)

[philosofy123]

Anti-Semite is not a person that hates Jews, it is a person that jews hate.

These liberal godless holywood so called Jews are a disgrace to the Jewish people that I know, and love.

[mdmathis6]

I tell you what they are hurt and afraid of. Mel Gibson is a well respected and charismatic actor and producer who made a bold unequivical statement of faith , leaving none of "bloody, nasty parts out". Christianity is a bloody religion. God required blood to cover the national sins of Israel for once a year, but the blood of animals was never enough to completely extirpate the "blood libel" owed by Israel to God, and of course the gentile nations were still in the gross darkness of ignorance regarding the love of God. "Since by man came death, by man came also the Resurrection of the dead"...simple poetic balance as stated by Paul..."not by animals" but by Man. But not just any man, for even the best men among us think thoughts that would cause angels to lose their light, should they ponder them. The man Christ Jesus!

If a pastor preaches the "bloody story" of Christ Jesus, is he not conjuring up images of violent flayings and crafty evil men conspiring "against the Lord and his Anointed!"? Are not Southern Baptist ministers guilty of presenting Christ as the "blood libel" poured out for our trnasgressions? Gibson has just gone ahead and captured his particular vision of this on film; he has not done anything differently than Billy Graham would have done at a local crusade!

Lets take the term "blood libel" A libel is not just a law term meaning a tort liability.. The term libel also means "drink offering", libels of wine and oil were often poured out in sacrifice in ancient Israel. Christ's blood was indeed offered as a drink offering, a "blood libel" poured out for our transgressions! Krauthammer was right about "blood libel", he was just wrong about the interpretation, and miles from God's message of grace

[man of Yosemite]

We are not very far from 1st century Rome. It could happen easily, and is happening in certain places. I never thought gay people would be lining up at city halls to be married, but it's here.

[af_vet_1981]

I have no problem with that, assuming your bigoted, anti-Christian posts are also at an end. If you continue to insinuate anti-Semitism where it does not exist, you will have chosen to continue the conversation.

You didn't understand me Sabertooth. I don't want you to post any more comments to me. Please comply.

[Thorin]

Another phony conservative exposed. Walter Mondale's former speechwriter reveals his disdain for the Christian core of Western civilization by blaming Christianity for the Holocaust and blaming Gibson for being a Christian artist who dared to express his faith in art. An outrageous column.

[philosofy123]

Please keep that F--N Hitler out of this. We have a peaceful life with perfect harmony between Christians and Jews, and now, Mel Gibson makes this movie, and all of a sudden, he has no freedom of speech, no artistic freedom of expression, and all Christians become the subject of attack as anti-Semitic! That is a plain unfair, and unacceptable. Liberal dudes from the N.Y. Times can slam Mel, but conservative dudes like William Safire, and Charles Krauthammer simply illustrates that these losers are of one track mind, and their allegiance is not the American people, but to the American people as they support their cause only. Life is a give and take, these losers are the take only, and never give!

[af_vet_1981]

I'm glad Gibson doesn't suffer fools gladly.

He swings back and forth between anger and humility. He is fighting a battle within himself to reconcile many competing voices. He is fascinating to listen to and I condemned Hitchens' personal attack on him. I can see why he is feeling alot of heat. I have defended him before many Jews. Some of his comments are ambiguous and make it more difficult. He is an actor (and director), not a preacher. He has a right to make a movie that reflects his Catholic vision of his faith. Critics have a right to praise or criticize the movie. We shall all witness the fruit of this movie for good or ill.

[SJackson]

Can't remember if it was this thread or not, but it doesn't worth the time to look back. I remembered who coined 'Antisemite' used to mean someone who hates Jews. Now it means someone whom the Jews hate that Sobran popularized. It was Lou Rollins, the guy on the left. Think in was in defense of Zundel.

[SJackson]

It's Michael Hoffman on the right in case you're curious.

[man of Yosemite]

You do realize that Christianity and Judaism have been coexisting in America for generations don't you. I also know that Christians have been living in Israel without being killed. What happened in Europe in the forties is not the norm, neither the persecution that drove the Christians out of Israel in the first century was the norm. We can respect one another even though we approach God in different ways.

[Mamzelle]

re: I also know that Christians have been living in Israel without being killed.))

At least until lately--Bethlehem's been cleaned out of Christians. Of course, it wasn't the Jews who cleaned them out.