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Frank Rich: 'Passion' and the U.S. culture war
IHT ^ | 03/05/04 | Frank Rich

Posted on 03/05/2004 8:26:00 AM PST by Pikamax

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To: Pikamax
Thus we see the gospel according to Mel. If you criticize his film and the Jew-baiting by which he promoted it, you are persecuting him.

In Frank's world, Christian-baiting is A-Okay.

And Christianity itself is anti-Semitic.

21 posted on 03/05/2004 8:50:59 AM PST by Reelect President Dubya (Drug prohibition laws help support terrorism.)
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To: Pikamax
What concerns me much more are those with leadership positions in the secular world - including those in the media - who have given Gibson, "The Passion" and its most incendiary hucksters a free pass for behavior that is unambiguously contrived to vilify Jews.

WHAT??

What media have YOU been watching/reading/listening to?

22 posted on 03/05/2004 8:51:00 AM PST by MegaSilver
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To: h.a. cherev
You can just feel the love of the Passion supporters. \sarcasm.

If you are shocked at this, maybe you missed some of the red-letter text of the four Gospels.
When confronted, J.C. was pretty good with shooting back with some zingers.
That's why I envision Him as something like Jackie Mason with a good tan.
23 posted on 03/05/2004 8:53:58 AM PST by VOA
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To: h.a. cherev
"My local Jewish paper published two articles - one expressed the views of a number of Rabbis who'd seen the picture, the other were the views of several Christian clergy who'd seen the picture. None of the Rabbis had anything positive to say. Only one of the Christian clergy said the movie was anti-Semitic, but all of them expressed some level of concern about the negative images of Jews in the film."

All that tells me is that your local Jewish paper is run by a bunch of liberals.

I have read some of your comments, but I forget-- have you seen the film? Do you intend to?

24 posted on 03/05/2004 8:54:41 AM PST by walden
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To: DoctorMichael
Thats interesting, but I've felt a lot of righteous indignation.

That's understandable. I don't know if you've expressed this indignation on other threads, but I wonder if it's misconstrued by those you've corresponded with.

Or is that unimportant?

25 posted on 03/05/2004 8:55:34 AM PST by h.a. cherev
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To: maryz
Andrew Sullivan (gay) used the terms "pornographic" and "sado-masochism" in describing the film. I forget the names, but I've seen the same stuff from one or two other gay writers. The only straight writer I've seen the same thing from is Christopher Hitchens, a rabid leftist on most issues.

I agree-- I find it very, very creepy. Just proves that what you get out of the movie depends very much on what you take into it.
26 posted on 03/05/2004 8:57:35 AM PST by walden
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To: Pikamax
If Hitler did a movie with these numbers, we'd give him his next deal," one Jewish mogul
told me in a phone conversation this week.


Congratulations, Frank Rich.
You've just pushed more a bigger anti-Semitic image than Hutton Gibson ever possibly could.

After this sort of revelation, I don't know why any Jew would ever trust you with
a confidence again.

Frank Rich, surely you are on the payroll of the KKK, The Christian Identity Movement,
and a band of other thugs who'd otherwise love to finish Hitler's mission.
27 posted on 03/05/2004 8:59:18 AM PST by VOA
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To: Pikamax
I do not believe in "jew-baiting." I do not even believe in "moron-baiting," generally. People who are genuinely slow-witted should never be made fun of. However,....

Someone who has made himself into a moron, by having the journalistic ethics of a depraved alley cat, by twisting facts, printing lies, and always keeping his personal bigotry, front and center, now THAT's a person who needs to be baited. I do not care the least that Frank Rich is a Jew. I'm not too concerned that he is a screaming liberal. However, he deserves everything he gets for being a pus-filled blister on the backside of American journalism.

Or am I being too kind to the gentleman?

Congressman Billybob

Click here, then click the blue CFR button, to join the anti-CFR effort (or visit the "Hugh & Series, Critical & Pulled by JimRob" thread). Please do it now.

28 posted on 03/05/2004 9:00:26 AM PST by Congressman Billybob (www.ArmorforCongress.com Visit. Join. Help. Please.)
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To: Pikamax
"There is no question that it rewrites history by making Caiaphas and the other high priests the prime instigators of Jesus' death while softening Pontius Pilate, an infamous Roman thug, into a reluctant and somewhat conscience-stricken executioner".

On the contrary, there is a question that it "rewrites history". What history book is he reading?

The group with the bad teeth where the hired mob, poor and badly needing a dentist, and very much for sale as a mob, as the film rightly portrayed. I really didn't see any bad teeth in the corrupt mouths of that corrupt segment of the Priesthood.

The author needs to get over himself, corrupt priests are no secret to the world. They are in every religion, including those priests and pastors in both the catholic and prodestant demonminations in the Christian churches.

The author is running from swords that are not there and ignoring swords that are at his back. Voting demonrat is certainly ignoring a real sword at his back, while whining over a film that has little to do with the Jewish race is running from an imaginary sword that has captured all his attention.

He doesn't like Mel Gibson and seeks to unload that dislike on Gibson's movie, not a very honest individual is he.

29 posted on 03/05/2004 9:02:40 AM PST by MissAmericanPie
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To: Pikamax
I doubt that "The Passion of the Christ" will inflame too many people in the Muslim/Arab world, as they will never be allowed to see it. Muslim's reject the Crucifixion story (Jesus was taken up to Paradise, and did not die on a cross per the Holy, Sacred, May Peace be Upon it Koran), and the fundamentalist types will not tolerate any of Jesus' message getting out to the masses (Aramaic is the root language of Arabic and Hebrew, so many Muslims may recognize what's being said, even without subtitles).
30 posted on 03/05/2004 9:04:02 AM PST by pawdoggie
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To: h.a. cherev
I don't think I'm reading you right. You seem to be saying that G-D thinks anti-Semitism is justified because of what G-D thinks of the Jews - because of what they've done. I doubt this is correct so please explain.

I think if you read the passages I mentioned, it will be clear. That is my point.

Anyone who has read Isaiah could not possibly come away with the conclusion that God thinks anti-Semitism is justified.

31 posted on 03/05/2004 9:06:32 AM PST by Pete
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To: Pikamax
Thank God - I think. Mel Gibson has granted me absolution for my sins

This is the author's way of saying "I am a complete and total jackass, utterly incapable of coherent, civil discourse.  Please don't bother reading any more of my drooling tripe."

So I won't.

32 posted on 03/05/2004 9:07:32 AM PST by Psycho_Bunny
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To: Pikamax
Frank Rick the persecuted? Nope. Doesn't sell.
33 posted on 03/05/2004 9:07:45 AM PST by King Black Robe (With freedom of religion and speech now abridged, it is time to go after the press.)
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To: Pikamax
The one ugly incident reported on Ash Wednesday, in which the Lovingway United Pentecostal Church posted a marquee reading "Jews Killed the Lord Jesus," occurred in Denver, where the local archbishop, Charles Chaput, had thrown kindling on the fire by promoting the movie for months.
So out of the 20 million or so people who have seen the film, the only negative thing he can find is that goofball in Denver.
The funniest thing is believing that a Pentecostal minister is influenced by the Catholic archbishop.
34 posted on 03/05/2004 9:07:54 AM PST by sharkhawk (I want to go to St. Somewhere)
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To: Polybius
It seems that "anti-Semitism" has been defined as anything that portrays any Jew at any time in history as less than good and blameless.

I doubt that. But I can understand why you might feel this way.

Is there no concept of the individual Jew as imperfect human beings apart from the entire Jewish people?

Were the Nazi's Christian?
How about those who were helped them, but weren't "card-carrying members" of the party?
How about those who didn't help, but took the Jews possessions afterwards?

No need to respond to these questions, but I've asked them of other Christians. Would you be surprised to learn that they don't consider any of these types to be Christian? The only ones they consider Christians were those who helped the Jews.

To answer your question more directly, no Jew likes to learn that someone who was born Jewish has committed some misdeed which might reflect badly on all Jews. But, strange as you may find it, that's how we think...that the misdeeds of one are reflected upon us all.

Is it Hollywood's position that Catholics have to admit having a Torquemada, Protestants have to admit having a Henry VIII, Muslims have to admit to having tyrannical mullahs but Jews must never be portrayed as ever having a Caiphas?

Let's not bring the muslims into this. Since 9/11, I think Hollywood has gone out of its way to avoid portraying Muslims as terrorists. But that may just be my perception.

Be that as it may, I haven't seen any movies about Torquemada or Henry VIII. Nor have I seen any movies where Christians were stereotyped. Maybe I need to spend less time on FR and more time in the theaters. :-)

35 posted on 03/05/2004 9:08:40 AM PST by h.a. cherev
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To: h.a. cherev
"...That's understandable...."

If YOU understand then I don't understand what the purpose of your Posts on this Thread are for.

36 posted on 03/05/2004 9:13:23 AM PST by DoctorMichael (What the %$#&!)
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To: Pikamax
Poor Frank Rich once proudly known as the Butcher of Broadway when playwrights and actors could be see their jobs destroyed by one of his nasty drama reviews in Sulzberger's rag now he can only stamp his foot at Mel's highly successful film.
37 posted on 03/05/2004 9:16:23 AM PST by aculeus
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To: walden
All that tells me is that your local Jewish paper is run by a bunch of liberals.

I don't see how. They published quotes from Jewish and Christian clergy. How could you conclude anything about their politics from that?

I have read some of your comments, but I forget-- have you seen the film?

No, and I haven't made any comments about the film either. I have commented on the reactions of those who have since I've read them.

Do you intend to?

No. As I've mentioned on other threads, I go to the movies for entertainment. If I want to understand something serious, I'll read the book. That way, I try and connect with what the author is saying - as opposed to what the producer, director, and actors think the author is saying.

38 posted on 03/05/2004 9:16:29 AM PST by h.a. cherev
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To: Pikamax
Frank Rich is worried less about anti-semitism than about a religious awakening that will bury secular liberalism. That's what he really fears. Anti-semitism is simply a smokescreen to conceal the last acceptable form of bigotry on the Left from Americans, and that's their being revolted by the existence of religious people in America. Up to now they could pretend they didn't exist but when more than 100 million people went out to see the movie, its a not a good day for liberals.
39 posted on 03/05/2004 9:17:34 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: maryz
G-D bless Rush.
40 posted on 03/05/2004 9:19:11 AM PST by h.a. cherev
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