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LA Rabbi Asks Mel Gibson to Reconsider Jesus Film
Reuters ^ | 3-7-03 | Anon

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."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: catholicism; gibson; jesus; jews; melgibson; movies; passion; thepassion; vaticanii
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Comment #61 Removed by Moderator

To: Pharmboy
Nazi!

LOL Fine post. I was going to ask what Goodwin's law was about. Having participated in several newsgroups I also voiced this and never realized it had been codified- along with a lot more.
62 posted on 03/08/2003 4:27:43 AM PST by KeyWest
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To: Pharmboy
SOME STILLS FROM THE FILM:


63 posted on 03/08/2003 4:30:06 AM PST by Knuckle Sandwich Combo
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To: Pharmboy
I'm a cradle Catholic from a very religious family, especially father and NOT ONCE...NEVER did I hear Jews were blamed for Christ's death!!! It was Adam anEve and EVERYBODY.....he DIED for all people.

Jewish leaders get their people riled up to be victim's and see anti-Semitism under every rock...stop it....there's no more anti-Semitism from Catholics to Jews than there is anti-Christian stuff from Jews to Christians.

The Chosen People should not feel picked on. GOD chose the Jewish people to send his Son to. HUGE PRIVILEGE I would say.

64 posted on 03/08/2003 4:34:56 AM PST by Ann Archy
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To: Knuckle Sandwich Combo
Thanks for posting. I checked at IMDB.com (internet movie database) and they did not have anything about the movie as of yet. This is strange since they often list movies that are in production.
65 posted on 03/08/2003 4:40:19 AM PST by Pharmboy (Dems lie 'cause they have to)
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To: KeyWest
OK--here's a new law: If you call a poster a Nazi in jest, Godwin's Law cannot be invoked. <;-)
66 posted on 03/08/2003 4:41:37 AM PST by Pharmboy (Dems lie 'cause they have to)
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To: mvpel
One difference about Christianity from other 'religions' is that really 'pissed off' Christians tend to bless their enemies or shake the dust off their feet and depart from their enemies rather than act in vengeance against them.
67 posted on 03/08/2003 4:42:22 AM PST by Cvengr
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To: PhilDragoo
We're faced with a flesh and blood Satan in Saddam Hussein and the Pope just wants to get along.

Much as I agree that Sadam must be taken out, I don't fault the Pope for trying to bring peace up until the end. Remember, back when the Bent one was bombing the Serbs back into the stone age (i.e. Legacy building). The pope petitioned for a cessation of hostilities, particularly during Holy Week. Of course Slick's response was "Hell No!!" or words to that effect. Of course at the same time we had to be sensitive during Ramadan.

The point is, that unlike the leftists coming out of the woodwork to protest this war, the Pope has been consistant in his calls for peace. I can respect that, just like I can respect a true conscientous objector. What frosts me is the same "peacenicks" had no problem when the impeached one was raining cruise missles down on Iraq and bombing aspirin factories to save his sorry political a$$. "It wasn't cool to protest that president."

68 posted on 03/08/2003 4:58:00 AM PST by YankeeReb
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To: Right to be Wrong
"You are a joke! You are an actor, you are celebrity, you are greedy, you are......."

Reads as though the author is an accusor. Let's see what was that Hebrew name for Accusor,..."HaSatan"

69 posted on 03/08/2003 5:01:21 AM PST by Cvengr
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To: Pharmboy
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.

This keeps coming up. Jesus as Christ came here to be crucified. That was the purpose. In the face of that purpose, whatever human agency brought it about is moot. God preordained and was "responsible" for the entire sequence of events. End of issue.

70 posted on 03/08/2003 5:09:34 AM PST by William Terrell (Advertise in this space - Low rates)
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To: Pharmboy
My only heartburn with the position of the rabbi is the phrasing of the request.

"...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."

Considering the Abrahamic, Davidic, and Mosaic Covenants, it need to be well noted that the Jews did reject Jesus as Christ. The New Covenant now provides for all men, Jew and Gentile alike.

Perhaps it is better to say the Jews of the day, especially the Sanhedrin were fully liable for the death of Jesus Christ. Christ allowed himself to be taken and crucified by remaining obedient to the Father. Nevertheless, it was indeed the Jews who offered that sacrifice.

Perhaps this best exemplifies the protocol of proper sacrifice. Jesus held the royal title as the high priest and offered the Perfect Lamb remaining faithful and obedient to the Father. The active slaughter of the Lamb came at the hands of man, and just as liable as the centurions or Pilate, were those who were afforded the opportunity to allow Jesus, the Christ, to be released and instead chose Barrabas.

The holding of court at night to decide a capital charge by the Jewish authorities obviously was intentional as was the tone of accusation against Jesus from the last Supper onwards through the Ressurection.

If the meaning of Vatican II doesn't match the implication, then perhaps Gibson's film will help to clarify the issue.

71 posted on 03/08/2003 5:30:22 AM PST by Cvengr
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To: VOA; cyborg
........protesting Last Temptation of Christ? Nah........

I saw it in Los Angeles when it first came out. There were protestors marching IN FRONT OF theaters, bomb threats called IN to theaters, and security guards standing IN theaters. You still cannot RENT "Last Temptation........" at Blockbuster in Virginia.

Having also read the book..........My interpretation is that there is a bit of a culture shock attached to LAST TEMPTATION. Scorcece's and Kazantzakis's portrayal of Christ brings out the Human side of Christ more than is usually present in a Western interpretation. Kazantzakis's upbringing was Greek Orthodox so it's 'take' on the Gospels tends to be foreign to Protestant and Catholic sensibilities, besides being a contoversial piece of literature in it's own right.

I am looking forward to Mel's effort.

72 posted on 03/08/2003 5:36:03 AM PST by DoctorMichael ("It's a hard tag gonna fall" ~Bob Dylan)
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To: William Terrell
Did Jesus Christ come here to be crucified or did Jesus Christ come to remain obedient to the Father and to lead the Jewish nation as their Messiah?

Since Jesus Christ was the Perfect Lamb, the Perfect Sacrifice, who was the priest making the offering?

73 posted on 03/08/2003 5:37:25 AM PST by Cvengr
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To: Right to be Wrong
The only truth about this movie, is your intentions to make money.

Wow! I almost gagged on the cynicism in your Post.

74 posted on 03/08/2003 5:42:39 AM PST by DoctorMichael ("It's a hard tag gonna fall" ~Bob Dylan)
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To: Cvengr
Lets go one step further, Psalms 22 foretells of Christ's death. The words in Psalm 22: 1 "My GOD, my GOD, why hast thou forsaken me?" were the words of Christ on the cross, sending us back to see this even though it was written hundred of years before it happened.

The Psalms thus are prophecy written for verification of Christ and since no New Testment written yet where Christ taught from.

Psalms 22: 8 "He trusted on the LORD that He would deliver him: Let Him deliver him, seeing He delighted in him."

Who was it that said these words, check out Matt. 27:43, Mark 15:29, Luke 23:35

Matthew 27:41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said. v42 "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.

v43 "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'".



75 posted on 03/08/2003 5:50:20 AM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: TheAngryClam
"Most traditionalists upset at Vatican II are so because it marked the destruction of much of the tradition and beauty of the Church, and was, in fact, a quick road to the protestantization of the Mass."

Agreed. But lately I am wondering, was it at VCII that the Church decided pedophilia was OK? I don't think it was at VCII that they decided Islamic murder and terrorism of Catholics and Christians is OK, but that seems to be their view today. As much as I have been appalled at the "protestantization" as you rightly call it of the Mass, I'm right on the verge of running over to the Baptists, or some other fundamentalist protestant group. Rome seems to be taking as its motto not What Would Jesus Do, but rather, What Would a Corrupt Communist Pervert Do?

76 posted on 03/08/2003 5:52:25 AM PST by jocon307
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To: Cvengr
I'm not sure what you're saying. My only point is that Jesus knew He was doing the Father's Will and knew He was destined to be crucified. Obviously He had no choice in the matter, from our human viewpoint, so neither did the perps. The drama was preordained.

Therefore, this business about the Jews murdering Jesus and to be condemed therefor is silly. God wrote the script and the actors played their parts.

77 posted on 03/08/2003 6:14:33 AM PST by William Terrell (Advertise in this space - Low rates)
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To: Just mythoughts
Thanks for the verses.
78 posted on 03/08/2003 6:14:35 AM PST by Cvengr
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To: William Terrell
Au contraire.

God never prevented man's volition in the matter. Note Christ's lament when he rode into Jerusalem on the donkey and His people received Him not. The opportunity for the Jews to receive the Messaih did indeed exist. Continued suffering wasn't necessary at that point had the Jews received Him. A decision point was reached and the decision made by the Jews was a rejection of the Messiah.

Again on the cross, Jesus remained obedient to the Father, but I must admit I'm not certain that Jesus Christ knew if he was going to suffer the first death and at that point. One significant point was Jesus Christ's perfect obedience to the Father and His resultant Perfect Sacrifice. An adversary might argue that foreknowledge of this and lack of a decision point on Christ's behalf would eliminate any element of sacrifice.

79 posted on 03/08/2003 6:25:24 AM PST by Cvengr
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To: cyborg
His twelve disciples were not all Jews my friend, though I get your point.
80 posted on 03/08/2003 6:37:52 AM PST by ItisaReligionofPeace ((the original))
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