The gospel according to Gibson

International Herald Tribune ^ | August 1, 2003 | Frank Rich

[Map Kernow]

Frank Rich, Drama Queen of the New York Times, does a hit piece on Mel Gibson's "Passion," featuring a gratuitous smear of Freeper Jim Hirsen.

[Libertina]

Thanks for the summary, Map. Now I don't have to actually read all his drivel.

[goldstategop]

Frank Rich hasn't even seen the movie so he already knows its "anti-semitic." And he doesn't like Mel Gibson either. That's all I need to know about him - he's a biased liberal who can't be objective about anything that contradicts his world view.

[anniegetyourgun]

I join you in refusing to read it.

[Cacophonous]

More drivel from the Perpetually Pissed and Offended.

[Libertina]

LOL Great FReepers think alike ;)

[Map Kernow]

Sorry, ladies! I forgot the BARF! Alert...I'm a chronic offender in that way.... :)

[FateAmenableToChange]

Let me think ... why would Gibson refuse to allow the ADL to see an advance screening of the movie?

Maybe because they stole a draft copy of his script and began running hit-pieces about the movie way back when?

Maybe because they've been attacking Gibson regularly since learning of the project?

Maybe because the ADL's record on responsibility in leveling accusations of anti-semitism against anyone who doesn't toe their party line is second only to that of the little boy of wolf-crying fame?

Or maybe just because it's his movie and he can show it to anyone he wants.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

I'm sure it doesn't matter to ol Frankie that he hasn't seen it.

He doesn't have to see it to KNOW it's wrong wrong wrong.

[lepton]

One Jewish leader whose requests to see the film have been turned away is Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League. ‘‘If you tell everyone they won’t see it until it’s ready, O.K.,’’ Foxman said in a phone interview from Jerusalem. ‘‘But what Gibson’s done is preselect those who’ll be his supporters. If the movie is a statement of love, as he says it is, why not show it to you or me?’’

I seem to recall that Foxman is greatly offended by the thought that some Christians want to tell Jews about Christ. So what good purpose would it serve to show it to him?

[goldstategop]

Abe "Twentieth Century" Foxman isn't comfortable with the notion there's a Christian message to Christians. Gibson is not out to convert Jews or any one else, and for crying out loud, its just a movie! So what's Foxman's real problem with it?

[Map Kernow]

Rich is absolutely mendacious when he states that Drudge, whom he calls a "token Jew," is the only Jewish person who's seen the movie or spoken out in its favor. What about Michael Medved, Dennis Prager...? The ADL and Frank Rich are acting as a militant secularists and left-wing provocateurs in this matter, not as agents trying to advance the welfare of Jewish Americans, and their charges of "Jew-baiting" and "anti-Semitism" are just a politically correct smokescreen for their true radical agenda.

[Uncle Hal]

If you are white, male, heterosexual, and christian you are automatically fair game for the liberal press. We can not say anything derogatory about minorities but they can say any thing they want about us and have no fear they will be punished. I am getting so tired of this I could scream. The double standard is truly sickening.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

It's because if they demanded he changed it, and he refused, voila! Instant anti-Semite, just add publicity!

[hobbes1]

You know, Frank Rich would be easier to take, if he limited hmself to the smear jobs on his chin.

[Cousin Eddie]

This whole episode reminds me of the release of "The Last Temptation of Chirst". When Christians ripped that movie to shreads, the liberals complained that Christians hadn't even seen the movie and were prejudging it.

Now the liberals haven't seen "Passion" but are doing the save thing that they castigated Christians for 10 years ago...prejudging the movie without seeing it.

Frankly, the detractors of "Last Temptation" had grounds for their comments even without seeing it...the whole concept of Christ 'sleeping' with a woman has no basis in recorded history and is quite offensive to Christians.

Detractors of "Passion" have only been told that it's based on the 4 Gospels. Other than that, they know zip, nada. If they had any guts and honesty, they would just spend their life slamming the Gospels rather than Gibson and the movie, because, once again, all they know is that the movie is based on the Gospels.

[Map Kernow]

Now the liberals haven't seen "Passion" but are doing the save thing that they castigated Christians for 10 years ago...prejudging the movie without seeing it.

Simply excellent point. Chalk another one up for liberal hypocrisy...

[steplock]

This PIG is a "pretender to Judaism". His venom dripping hate pieces need to be emblazoned with the words - I AM A LIAR! - I VOTED FOR CLINTON! - LENIN IS MY god! - The NYTimes is my bible!

[Digger]

This is hard for me to do but I am going to break my approx 13 years of non-movie going & see this picture.

[MEGoody]

Yes, there were some Jews who, in fact, conspired to get Jesus crucified. But there were also some Jews who loved Him dearly and ended up giving their lives for Him. It's not as though Gibson has turned the Jewish disciples into Europeans or something in order to make all Jews look bad.

Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of the NT could not blame the Jews as a whole for the death of Jesus. (And anyone with even a cursory knowledge of Gibson's film could not claim it is anti-semitic.)