Jews blamed more for death of Christ after Passion

Ekklesia ^ | April 4, 2004

[EveningStar]

The percentage of Americans who say Jews were responsible for Christ's death is rising according to a poll taken since the release of Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ."

The poll released by the Pew Research Center in Washington is the first statistical evidence that the film's box-office success may be associated with an increase in anti-Jewish feeling, although social scientists cautioned that cause and effect are not clear.

As Christians prepare to celebrate Easter week and the Jewish holiday of Passover also approaches, the poll could sharpen the focus on what some perceive as the film's anti-Semitism.

Some say the film unfairly portrays the role of Jews in Jesus' death, while Gibson and others insist the film is not anti-Semitic and is faithful to Gospel accounts. A judge in France also ruled that the biblical text was not manipulated in the film but a catholic Bishop suggesting that it presented an "incomplete theological picture".

In a random telephone survey of 1,703 adults, 26 percent said Jews were responsible for Christ's death, up from 19 percent in an ABC News poll that asked the same question in 1997.

The increase was especially pronounced among two groups. The portion of people younger than 30 who say Jews were responsible for killing Jesus has approximately tripled, from 10 percent in 1997 to 34 percent today. The portion of African Americans who hold that view doubled, from 21 percent to 42 percent.

The Pew poll found a statistical link between Gibson's film and belief that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus. But the correlation is not simply that a relatively large proportion of those who have seen the film hold Jews responsible. That view is also somewhat more common among those who plan to see the film than in the general public.

Researchers therefore say that it is unclear whether the change in attitudes is down to the film or the publicity surrounding it.

While attitudes toward Jewish responsibility are changing, the Pew poll found that Americans' views of the Crucifixion generally are not. Forty percent say the Bible is the literal word of God, about the same proportion as in 1996. Ninety-two percent believe that Jesus died on the cross, and 83 percent believe that Jesus rose from the dead - both essentially unchanged since 1997.

A poll last week suggested that people in the US are reading the Bible more as a result of the film. It also said 75% of people believe that the film was "very close" to the Bible's account of Jesus' death. 15 percent responded "somewhat close" and five percent answered "not close at all."

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Ekklesia

[Xenalyte]

That one made me spit at the monitor! (Thank heaven it was just water.)

[Polybius]

I don't understand this. Was it ever in dispute that the Jews killed Jesus?

Mary, Joseph, the Apostles and most of Christ's followers were Jews.

Did they kill Jesus?

Caiphas and his underlings, ........not the generic "The Jews",.........killed Jesus.

Now, why do more people think that "The Jews" killed Jesus after the release of "The Passion"? Maybe it's because Abe Foxman has been advertising that line of thinking non-stop for the last three months.

[Polybius]

It was a pre-ordained death, however facts are facts. Judas (a Jew) was paid by Caiphaas (a Jew) and the Jewish High Council (all Jews) to betray and hand over Jesus (a Jew). At a mock trial, evidence that could not be refuted as to who Jesus was, was ignored or twisted to suit the Jewish High Priests desire to get rid of Jesus. Pontius Pilot did not want him killed and found no guilt with him, Caiphaas did. The Jewish crowd could have released him, but wanted him crusified. Could have released him, but picked a murderer Baraabas instead.

You make the call.

Ummmmmmm........Caiphas, his underlings and his rent-a-mob killed Jesus?

[Vermont Lt]

If I remember correctly, it was a Roman hand that drove the stakes. It was Roman hands that wielded the whip. It was Roman hands that held the spear.

Or was that Mel Gibson's hand...I've had a few glasses of wine with dinner so I am a little cloudy....

[isthisnickcool]

Pew research?

Pulleeeze!

[Criminal Number 18F]

I'll tell you what, I saw the movie and I have been VERY angry ever since. The next Roman centurion I see is gonna hear about it, too...!

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[aimhigh]

Only because Jewish leaders having been repeating the lie for six months.

Good point. Without their continual drumbeat, this point would never have come up from the movie itself. You don't see Germans protesting every Holocaust movie.

[Polybius]

If I remember correctly, it was a Roman hand that drove the stakes. It was Roman hands that wielded the whip. It was Roman hands that held the spear. ..... Or was that Mel Gibson's hand...I've had a few glasses of wine with dinner so I am a little cloudy....

Again, back to individual responsibility.

Did the entire Roman Empire, including my ancestors in Roman Hispania on the other side of the Mediterranean, kill Jesus?

Or was it one particular Roman Governor who did not have moral courage to say "No" to Caiphas? Or was it the dozen or so Roman soldiers who had to carry out the mechanics of the judicially mandated execution?

Let's just blame "The Brunettes" for killing Jesus. There probably wasn't a single blonde or red-head in all of Jerusalem that day.

That makes as much sense as blaming "The Jews" and "The Romans" for killing Jesus.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Where have you been? There's been plenty of good and serious discussion by Jewish freepers since this whole thing came up, even after some idiots would then jump down their throats just for being Jewish.

If you can't see the clear differences between most Jewish freepers and Abe Foxman types, you've got problems.

[bayourod]

"There's been plenty of good and serious discussion by Jewish freepers since this whole thing came up"

And all of them that I remember commented on how bad passion plays in the past had been and how much Jews had suffered because of Jesus.

I'm an American Christian. I saw "The Passion". I was able to control my racist hatred and didn't burn one single synagogue. I resent being told that as a Christian, I'm not emotionally stable enough to see a movie. It gets old real fast.

[AMDG&BVMH]

"The Pew poll found a statistical link between Gibson's film and belief that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus. But the correlation is not simply that a relatively large proportion of those who have seen the film hold Jews responsible. That view is also somewhat more common among those who plan to see the film than in the general public."

I see. The film is statistically correlated with those beliefs, esp. when you include those who plan to see the film but have not seen it?

I'd have to see the data to know what they are trying to prove.

[VRWC For Truth]

Pew is a lefty poll. Says more about the left than the US as a whole.

[no more apples]

Don't worry about polls. The only worries we should all have this week is whether or not we are paying enough attention to the real issue. Do we appreciate what Jesus did for us? He died for all sins, past and future. We were all there - we were all responsible.

[TheDon]

Safe to say, if the Jewish leaders didn't want Jesus dead, he would not have been executed.

[yonif]

Ping.

[yonif]

Ping.

[ASTM366]

THE JEWISH RELIGIOUS CONSPIRED TO KILL JESUS.

THE JEWISH CROWD CHOSE BARRABAS, NOT JESUS, THEREBY CONDEMNING HIM TO DEATH AT THE HANDS OF THE ROMANS.

MATTHEW 27:25 - READ IT.

[New Horizon]

What do you think of this?

I'm thinking "Can we please stop milking this stupid angle?"

[EveningStar]

I saw the article, posted it, and asked for comments. I have yet to see the movie. I'm not a Christian.

[Wycowboy]

LOL. Maybe the Honorable Senator could be encouraged to start a joke thread?