Posted on 03/22/2004 2:16:45 PM PST by presidio9
My current theory is that Christians and Jews see two different films when they watch Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." For example, when Satan slithered through the crowd, I saw nothing objectionable. It's conventional Christian theology that the temptation to do evil (or Satan himself) is everywhere. But many Jews saw Satan acting through a specifically Jewish gathering. Jews also noticed that when God becomes angry at the killing of Jesus, he doesn't wreak havoc on the Roman forum or Pilate's house, he destroys the temple.
Jews don't understand why Christians don't seem to get this. They tend to think that Christians are either blind to the movie's message or insensitive to the feelings of Jews.
I don't think that's it. Ordinary Christians were so overwhelmed by the film that they didn't much want to involve themselves in yet another debate about whether a few Jews or a few Romans were mostly responsible for killing Jesus.
This was the first movie available to a mass audience that powerfully portrayed the scope of Jesus' sacrifice. That's why so many of the faithful came out of the theater shaken, weeping or talking about their need to become better Christians. Nobody came out wanting to talk about Gibson's father.
The Christian unwillingness to analyze this film showed in a more obvious way. The core audience - evangelicals and fundamentalists - is meticulous about literal reading of Scripture and at least standoffish about Catholic interpretations. Yet they flocked to a film with a profoundly Catholic sensibility, based on the sometimes eccentric visions of a 19th-century nun and filled with free-wheeling scenes found nowhere in the Bible.
You could argue that Gibson's movie departed from the Gospels almost as much as Hollywood potboilers such as "The Robe." But to audiences, this didn't matter much. It was emotionally true to the Gospels, and audiences found that good enough.
A survey released last week by the Institute for Jewish and Community Research reports that 83% of people familiar with the film say it made them neither more likely nor less likely to blame Jews today for Jesus' Crucifixion. Two percent said they are more likely to blame Jews. The results are an indicator that the dire predictions of a big wave of anti-Semitism were wrong. Some 40 million to 50 million Americans have seen the film, and the mainstream press still seems to be awaiting an explosion of anti-Jewish feeling among Christians. It hasn't arrived.
I don't think it will.
I agree with Leo's sentiments, but he overstates the point here. They have analyzed the film, and they liked it. Only a few kooky FReepers here and there find the Catholic elements detracting from the greater good of the film, a great good that should be a sign to the Jewish detractors and this author above all, that this is an important and personal work to Christians, and the cries about it at this point smack of being innappropriate from any but people of that Faith.
He did. I went by really fast. But it was there.
So Christians are either stubborn or maybe not very analytical. Interesting.At least the wholesale allegations of anti-semitism have subsided.
Yes yes, reminds me of how Rush Limbaugh listeners are simply mind-numbed robots. Same principle, we go to this movie without a thought in our collective heads....
I went to see it again Friday, even better the second time. I look forward to seeing it again during Holy Week.
A survey released last week by the Institute for Jewish and Community Research reports that 83% of people familiar with the film say it made them neither more likely nor less likely to blame Jews today for Jesus' Crucifixion. Two percent said they are more likely to blame Jews.
Someone really ought to inform Mr. Leo that this is straight from the Gospels, not Mel's imagination. If he doesn't like it, he should take it up with the Author, not the one who adapted the story for film.
Chewbacca and Everyone,
"....Jews also noticed that when God becomes angry at the killing of Jesus, he doesn't wreak havoc on the Roman forum or Pilate's house, he destroys the temple."
NOT TRUE!...GOD DID NOT DESTROY THE TEMPLE!
The HANDS OF THE ALMIGHTY Living GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob actually RIPPED The TEMPLE CURTAIN IN HALF.
When Yeshua Willingly Gave HIS Life on The Tree of Shame and Death as a Final Sacrifice For ALL Human Beings to be FORGIVEN Of Our SINS and be Reconciled to Right Relationship with GOD THE FATHER...The TEMPLE Curtain that Separated The Most HOLY Place from the Holy Of Holies was TORN IN TWO by The Hands Of GOD.
Clearing The Way for ALL of US to Enter Into Relationship With GOD The Father, GOD The Son and GOD The Holy Spirit!
The TEMPLE IN Yerushalayim/ Jerusalem...The City That Bears The HOLY NAME of HaShem stood for another 40 YEARS!
Until the PAGAN ROMANS Utterly Destroyed The TEMPLE and Jerusalem in 70 AD, MURDERING Thousands if not Millions of Jews and Messianic Jews.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!" Mattew 27:50-54
I find this puzzling too. But it seems that most evangelicals and many fundamentalists are willing to turn a blind eye to things they would otherwise decry as heresy in this movie for the sake of what they see as the Evangelical event of a lifetime. In the study guides they promote and the sermons I have heard them make of this movie, you would think that they saw an entirely different movie than that of the 'Passion. For in these study guides and sermons not one word is ever mentioned of the extra-biblical things found in the movie. Although I did notice several Protestant churches having to do sermons on Mary and what her true biblical role was in the last couple of weeks.
You can always tell when it is a Fundamentalist's nativity scene. The three wise men are usually place on the far side of the lawn.
Why would they ? Everything used in worship, from music to preaching isn't limited to literal scripture. Even their doctrines are statements of belief that summarize and interpret scripture.
Why would a fundamentalist require a stronger adherence to scripture of a movie than they do their own worship services and their own doctrines ? Or conversely, how did you arrive at the conclusion that fundamentalists cannot appreciate art as an expression of scripture ?
Well, that's what I've learned from this whole flap. There are lots of people who believe the Gospels are hate literature.
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