Posted on 08/12/2003 6:55:36 AM PDT by presidio9
Mel Gibson's controversial new film about the crucifixion of Jesus was panned yesterday by the Anti-Defamation League. ADL officials emerged from a screening of "The Passion" concerned that the film might "fuel hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism."
"The film unambiguously portrays Jewish authorities and the Jewish mob as the ones responsible for the decision to crucify Jesus," said ADL national director Abraham Foxman.
"We are deeply concerned that the film, if released in its present form, will fuel the hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism that many responsible churches have worked hard to repudiate," he added.
The controversy began after an early version of the script leaked out in April and was critiqued by Christian and Jewish scholars, who said they found it anti-Semitic and historically inaccurate.
The "Braveheart" star spent nearly $30 million of his own money to make the film in Latin and the Aramaic language spoken by Jesus. Gibson, said to be a devout Catholic traditionalist who eschews the reforms of Vatican II, denied he's anti-Semitic.
A spokesman for the star said his intent was to combat hatred.
"Neither he nor his film are inspired by anti-Semitism, and he will continue to do whatever he can to combat hatred and bigotry," said Alan Nierob. "Mel Gibson, for his whole life and career, has been vehemently opposed to anti-Semitism and hatred of others."
Josephus Flavius was a hellenizing (assimilated) Jew, a member of the Sadduccee sect, and wrote his histories primarily to please his Greek and Roman patrons and fellow Jewish hellenizers (known today as "liberals"). He would not have considered Jesus of Nazareth, a common carpenter, important enough to mention. He also made up lies about himself in order to increase his own importance.
It is generally believed by historians who have studied the original works of Josephus that the excerpts concerning Jesus were inserted much later by Christian transcribers who were disappointed that Josephus considered Jesus not significant enough to include in his histories.
That would be the disciple Elmer. He's mentioned in The Gospel of Bubba....
Every one of these stories quotes the same group: the ADL.
Is the ADL the only entity that has a problem with this movie? They sure are getting a lot of press over it.
Thanks, that's what I thought. So, when the ADL complains that this film is historically inaccurate, they're refering to the Gospels? What exactly is portrayed in the film that is in contradiction with the Gospels?
January 15, 1998
AN OPEN LETTER TO ABRAHAM FOXMAN
National Director, Anti-Defamation League 823 United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017
There is an old Yiddish axiom: "OUR OWN JEWS WILL DESTROY US."
You, Abraham Foxman, are that Jew. In the decade that you have directed a once prestigious and respected organization, you have defiled it.
In the newly issued Anti-Defamation League Resources for Classroom and Community, you, Foxman, are promoting "It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School". This is the title of a 78-minute film being shown to elementary school teachers nationwide. In my 40 years of frontline experience in the schools, I have never seen so scandalous a plan for indoctrinating children. Efforts of Communist teachers to impose their views on students, elementary through university, were infantile compared with this sophisticated program for gaining ACCEPTANCE (NOT TOLERATION) of homosexuality by first to eighth-graders in our nation's schools.
Your endorsement of this pro-homosexual film, prepared by professed lesbians, is consistent with your amicus briefs in opposition to state governments that have sought to prevent special protection for homosexuals. You, Abraham Foxman, have sunk so low as to go on record opposing the right of the Boy Scouts of America to exclude a homosexual as an adult scout leader.
You, Abraham Foxman, have opposed the right of sponsors of Boston's St. Patrick's Day Parade to exclude Irish-American "gay and lesbian" groups from marching under their own banner.
You are combating a provision of the Telecommunications Reform Act that you allege is "a significant threat to the continued flow of information about abortion on the electronic superhighway, and could seriously interfere with a woman's right to receive abortion material on-line."
I am urging all who decry ADL's departure from Jewish causes to WITHHOLD CONTRIBUTIONS TO ADL UNTIL SUCH TIME AS ADL CEASES TO ADVOCATE PRO-HOMOSEXUAL (GAY) AND PRO-ABORTION POSITIONS.
ADL UNDER ABRAHAM FOXMAN'S MISLEADERSHIP UNDERMINES TRADITIONAL FAMILY VALUES!
Howard L. Hurwitz, Ph.D. Chairman, Family Defense Council
Most "Christians" in America are nominal or cultural Christians. If you did a study to discover how many "Christians" actually read their Bibles, I'm certain the answer would be less than 10% (probably 5% if we're talking about the current lot of US Episcopalians).
The point is, the Gospels and true Christians have been under attack for a long time.
The part I suppose the ADL really is having trouble with is that the death and resurrection of Jesus were the events which allow the forgiveness of all sinners. THE sacrifice of God's only begotten son, who rose on the third day and ascended into heaven.
However, to admit to those events, and the paradigm of forgiveness which they set for all Christians might be a trifle theologically uncomfortable for the ADL.
I doubt that those of us who embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ will go off on some holocastic bent, it is not part of the religion.
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