Gibson's no fool: the pocketbooks of the pious are just as deep as those of the lemmings who have to be the first in line for the latest "blockbuster". Considering all the free publicity he's been given (this website just being a minor example), by his dealings and interviews and private screenings, and who _was_ and who _wasn't_ invited to a screening, everything goes to show he knew what he was doing and is going to make a lot more than if he just kept his mouth shut, made the film, and put it out with only the regular showing of advertising. Posit a religious belief, or in some way demonstrate your faith or expound upon it and not only will you have your detractors and conscientious defenders but also unintentional detractors and defenders caught along in the undertow.
There are those who only want to be entertained with another "blood and mud" movie, there are those who will attend hoping for some kind of divine experience (not saying that they won't think they'll have one), plain old curiosity seekers, malcontents looking for another device to be insulted/offended/scandalized by, aforementioned lemmings, and the regular crowd wanting to see another crucifixion movie. Six months from now all the conflict will be blown over; and then in a year the DVD will come out and I'll bet it'll be presented with a nicely merchandising "own the movie everyone's been talking about today or you won't go to heaven" spiel. Sad.
< /my interest in the topic>