[Zionist Conspirator]

Here's hoping that somewhere underneath all the bull about Chanukkah and Judaism being in favor of "pluralism" and opposed to "intolrance" the true meaning of Chanukkah may nevertheless shine through--even for us lonely Noachides in the heartland surrounded by chr*stmas and bombarded with ADL-ACLU nonsense about "the meaning of Chanukkah" on the boob tube.

A film by Mel Gibson picturing the Maccabees as the fundamentalists they were (and their enemies as the liberals of their day) would be a most delicious irony.

[maro]

What is Foxman thinking? Weinstein is a modern-day Hellenizer.

[escapefromboston]

I am looking forward to seeing this film.

[NeoCaveman]

I'll see any movie made by Mel.

This could be really good.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[SJackson]

Fundamentalism is always bad.

But there's hope.

Dreihen (teetotum to the anglos) will soon be played in casinos throughout the nation. :>)

[Alouette]

I always thought Howard Fast was a communist.

[Ciexyz]

The main thing is that Gibson will make a film featuring people of faith standing up for their belief in the one true G-d of Israel. Hmm, sounds a lot like The Passion to me!

I'm looking forward to seeing this film.

[Moorings]

I love those Maccabees. Its a great story. However, I think the author of this article has got some facts wrong. The Maccabees were not stronger or numerically more powerful. They fought against all odds to defeat the Greeks.

Those Maccabee brothers and their daddy were a tough bunch.

[xJones]

Letting Gibson alone would maximize the chances of our avoiding a whole string of heavy-handed, biblically-inspired historical dramas with contemporary relevance. Undoubtedly the controversy sparked by the release of "The Passion" pumped up ticket sales, with many viewers feeling, not without reason, that Gibson had been persecuted just like Jesus was. Without the aura of martyrdom around the new film, perhaps it will be recognized for what "The Passion" actually was--a kind of film that doesn’t put Gibson’s considerable gifts to their best use. This, all around, seems the best strategy.

"How we going to keep Christians down on their farms, after they've seen Passion?"

The great unwashed goys might even enjoy movies about secular vs. religious Jews, and then....oy vey! (slapping head). They'll have a take-an orthodox-Jew-to-lunch, and pogroms for the rest

[weenie]

I just went to Amazon and read the review and short synopsis of My Glorious Brothers and it sounds like a great read and, with Mel producing and directing, it should be an incredible movie.

Here the Amazon link:

My Glorious Brothers

[rmlew]

Why is the term "Palestine" used for Judea or Israel?
Klinghoffer should know better. Or is Beliefnet openly palestinianist?

[Inyokern]

The problem with Gibson making a film about Chanukkah, in which the Orthodox Jews are the heroes and the Hellenized Jews are the villians, is that it was Hellenized Jews, such as Matthew, who became the first Christians.

Judah Maccabee would not have looked upon Christianity any more kindly than he looked upon Dionysus-worship.

[jocon307]

"A film by Mel Gibson picturing the Maccabees as the fundamentalists they were (and their enemies as the liberals of their day) would be a most delicious irony."

Indeed. What a great post!

Let us not forget, Mel already rang that hollywood bell with "Braveheart", a mere fact that has seemed overlooked in all the recent hoopla.

[Theophane]

I think that what many miss here is that the Maccabees are a great source of inspiration for traditionalist Catholics, as they heroically held out against the Hellenizers (read modernists, or...well, whatever) of their day, even those in the clergy. And, of course, they execrated the Abomination of Desolation--to which some would draw modern (e.g. Assisi 1986) parallels. I have the hunch that this is why Mel is so interested in the Maccabees.

I can hardly wait.

[Pharmboy]

Author of Spartacus, Citizen Tom Paine, Freedom Road, and The Immigrants, Howard Fast wrote over eighty books in his lifetime. Once a member of the Communist Party, he served three months in federal prison for refusing to give Congress the records of the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee.

After revelations of Stalin's terror in the Soviet Union, Fast left the Communist Party. Fast gradually overcame the blacklisting of the McCarthy era and became one of the most productive American writers of his time.

[Radix]

"Fundamentalism is always bad."

Really? Certain of the orthodox persuasion would likely disagree.

"The Maccabees were not stronger or numerically more powerful. They fought against all odds to defeat the Greeks."

Correct!

"The great unwashed goys might even enjoy movies about secular vs. religious Jews, and then....oy vey! (slapping head). They'll have a take-an orthodox-Jew-to-lunch, and pogroms for the rest"

Bl-w me! ( I do not wish to be banned from FR.com. but you are simply an ass if that post is any indication of your true sentiments.)

The problem with Gibson making a film about Chanukkah, in which the Orthodox Jews are the heroes and the Hellenized Jews are the villians, is that it was Hellenized Jews, such as Matthew, who became the first Christians.

You are simply (it appears) uninformed. Scholars have determined that the Gospel according to Mark is in fact more likely to be of greater antiquity than that of Matthew, despite certain traditional claims. Paul, nee Saul was more Hellenized than any of the known Apostles, and that is exactly why he  was able to make such a profound difference and impact in the first century AD! A citizen of Rome was a title and claim worthy of some respect and reverence back in those days.

[Cicero]

I can't imagine that many Jews are unfamiliar with the story of the Maccabees.

I just reread 1 and 2 Maccabees a couple of months ago. It would be a great story for Mel Gibson, Braveheart on steroids. I don't know how on earth anyone could twist it as being antisemitic.

[Nachum]

The "Patriot" "Band of Brothers", meets the "Passion" prequal, episode III.

[lady lawyer]

When I read the part about the Hellenized Jews slaughtering a pig on the altar in the temple, I thought that the modern day equivalent was gay marriage.