Mel Gibson Hero Bump...By Request
Posted on 03/07/2003 10:46:15 PM PST by Pharmboy
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A prominent Jewish leader on Friday asked actor Mel Gibson (news) to make certain that his new film on the last 12 hours in the life of Christ does not portray the Jews as collectively responsible for the crucifixion.
Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, said he was concerned because an article to be published in the New York Times Magazine portrays Gibson as a traditionalist Catholic opposed to the reforms of Vatican (news - web sites) II.
Heir said, "Obviously, no one has seen 'The Passion' and I certainly have no problem with Mel Gibson's right to believe as he sees fit or make any movie he wants to. What concerns me, however is when I read that the film's purpose is to undo the changes made by Vatican II."
He said that Vatican conclave was convened to deal with several critical issues, including the rejection of the notion that the Jews were collectively responsible for the death of Jesus.
"If the new film seeks to undo Vatican II ... it would unleash more of the scurrilous charges of deicide directed against the Jewish people, which took the Catholic Church 20 centuries to finally repudiate," he said.
Gibson is completing the self-financed film on the last 12 hours in the life of Christ and a friend of the Gibson family is quoted as telling the Times that Gibson will graphically portray the intense suffering of Christ, "perhaps as no film has done before." Gibson is directing the film.
The friend, Gary Giuffre, a traditionalist Catholic, also said that the film will lay the blame for the death of Christ where it belongs -- a reference that some traditionalists believe means the Jewish authorities who presided over his trial, the article said.
A spokesman for Gibson had no comment, saying he had not seen the article. Sources close to the actor said Gibson's religious views and those of his family were known.
Discussing his film in a recent TV interview, Gibson was asked whether his account might particularly upset Jews. He said, "It may. It's not meant to. I think it's meant to just tell the truth."
Isaiah 53 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
By reading a lot of history about that time in history. And, I have read Josephus. The Jews, and especially the family from which Mary and Joseph came from, were the only ones who had a clue as to the real nature of God. They were preserved and readied to accept the Son when He came. Those same kind of Jews were the ones who became the first Christians.
Yes, the conditions of Judiasm was similar to what we find today by just looking at the Christian church. There are mixtures of Christians who are closer to the Christian ideal and then their are other faiths who have willingly accepted a watered down approach.
A good example of what affected Judiasm during the time of Christ would be the Samaritan's of Samaria. They had Rabbi's and temples but they enjoyed a mixture Judiasm and other beliefs. I remember reading an account where a young couple were looking for a place to have their newborn blessed and were not satisfied with the local temple's rabbi for his non-Judaic beliefs.
Mel Gibson Hero Bump...By Request
No, He is remember that for hundreds of years Jews have been killed by religious bigots who blamed the Jews for Killing Jesus. It's the historic excuse for killing and oppressing jews. The Rabbi is just asking Mel to be Aware of it when he makes the film.
Who Killed Jesus? John 10:17-18
You shouldn't slander the United States (The country that sent hundreds of thousands to their deaths to defeat Hitler) by suggesting Jews are in danger here. Jews have never found a safer haven than in USA - a country founded by Protestants, by the way. As a practical matter, Jews are much safer here than in Israel at the moment.
How do you know he didn't?
Let's not start equating Christianity as a religion with antisemitism. It hardly explains the antisemitism of the Arab (Moslem) world, and it doesn't help cement the Jewish-Christian alliance in our current confrontation with the Islamo-fascists.
Acts 4:26-28 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
But verse 28 makes clear when you read it in context that it was God's plan that all this happen as it did. It had to happen in order for salvation to be available for all who will humble themselves, repent, and accept this sacrifice for sin.
Exactly
If you thought Mel Gibson was going to start another holocaust right there in the theater..
Come again? 
The Pharisees were the real culprits for the evil act, and everyone involved but the Romans were all Jews, including Jesus. Niether Herod nor Pontius Pilate were anxious to kill him.
By the by, have you seen Popular Mechanic's re-constituted digital image of Jesus as they think he really might have looked? The image is purported to be that of a typical Jew of the time period. It looks nothing like the medieval or more modern images that many have characterized as "genuine" representations (such as the shoud).
No kidding, I'm a protestant and we were always taught just like you, he dies dor everyone. The OT was always framed as the worldly, power-mad Pharasees pitted against Jesus.
No one would ever have thought about slighting the Jews as a race for this. It just wouldn't have been tolerated.
I have never understood why people get pissed off at Jews for Jesus' crucifixion, since without it what do you have? It's not like Jesus was looking for a corner office and a cushy pension from the Pharrisees. And besides, he was a Jew. Jews and Catholics alike should get over it, and focus on the true enemy...Islam.
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