Groups Outraged by Mel Gibson's Crucifixion Parade (Aussies nix Pell's Invite)

NewsMax ^ | August 24, 2005

[NYer]

Some of the most vehement critics of Mel Gibson's blockbuster film "The Passion of the Christ" are trying to rain on Mel Gibson's parade.

As NewsMax.com reported August 6, Mel Gibson has been asked by Australia's Archbishop George Pell to recreate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in the streets of Sydney during Pope Benedict XVI's visit there in 2008 - should that city be selected to host World Youth Day.

According to reports the crucifixion re-enactment - similar to scenes from Gibson's hugely successful film "The Passion of the Christ" - would begin with the Last Supper staged at Sydney's landmark Opera House at sunset, and would end with the crucifixion of Christ at St. Mary's Cathedral.

Pell's invitation to Mel Gibson has apparently enraged disgruntled dissident Catholics and others who were not so happy that Gibson produced the blockbuster film "The Passion of the Christ."

Many of these same critic are now staging a campaign against Gibson in Australia to stop him from creating a re-enactment of the crucifixion.

Warning that his group would drop plans to hold their annual conference in Sydney in 2007 if Gibson's parade goes ahead, Professor John Pawlikowski, president of the International Council of Christians and Jews said the invitation to Gibson is a serious issue for Christian-Jewish relations.

Pawlikowski claimed Gibson is contributing to the "the ever escalating crisis regarding Vatican II within contemporary Catholicism."

According to Australia's Age, Professor Pawlikowski, professor of social ethics at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and a leading critic of Gibson's "The Passion" wrote in an e-mail published on the independent website Online Catholics that Cardinal Pell will be giving "affirmation as a Catholic hero before a global audience" to a person [Gibson] who "totally dissents" from the teaching of Vatican II.

His complaint was echoed by Sister of Sion Dr. Marianne Dacy, secretary of the Australian Council of Christians and Jews, who told Online Catholics there were "deep anxieties" in the local interfaith dialogue community.

"Mel Gibson cannot be allowed to be part of this Sydney event. It will be a severe body blow to the progress that has slowly been made in Christian-Jewish relations," Dr. Dacy said.

Mel Gibson, who grew up in Australia, has not said whether he would honor Cardinal Pell's request.

[FatherofFive]

You don't have to see the face of Christ to believe, but certainly it helps us emotionall;y to see a representation of it.

I find the Stations of the Cross a far more emotional experience than the Gibson movie. I know I am in a minority here, but I didn't feel anything spiritual in the movie. Parts of it seemed comical - eg, Christ's pratfalls.

I bought the DVD expecting a deeply spiritual experience. I was totally disappointed.

[BulldogCatholic]

If Pontius Pilate, A Roman could find no cause or reason to kill this innocent man, and "wiped his hands clean" of this mans blood, yes, Jesus was meant to die for all of mankinds sins, but it was his own who betrayed him (Was Judas not a Jew, and was it not the Phrasies (Jewish high priests) who paid Judas silver for turning him over? Rome was just the instrument for these high priests to get Jesus out of the way as they were rich and had the power and did not want it disrupted by anyone, and he was not their idea of what a "messiah" was to be.

Lets all get real and not try to be PC, the Bible is the Bible and you cant change history. I think by the Jewish people to continue to deny ANY involvement in the death of Our Lord just makes others get upset and angry

[livius]

There's nothing "PC" about this. Gibson does not blame the Romans and absolve the Jews; he simply puts on screen what is recorded in the Gospels and what is part of Catholic art and iconography.

It's the libs who are trying to make it sound anti-Semitic. It wasn't, he was very accurate, and they have nothing to wail about. But that doesn't stop them.

[Victoria Delsoul]

"Mel Gibson cannot be allowed to be part of this Sydney event. It will be a severe body blow to the progress that has slowly been made in Christian-Jewish relations," Dr. Dacy said.

Oh, here we go again. The ones blocking and damaging this progress are the ill-motivated, ill-informed so-called critics and opponents.

[NYer]

Not to stray too far but did either of you watch the live interview last night on EWTN Live, hosted by Fr. Mitch Pacwa with a forensic pathologist and authority on crucifixions?

[sitetest]

Cool pics!

[BulldogCatholic]

No I didnt NY'er

If you remember living down here on LI-we get overridden by Telicare which overides all of the great EWTN shows and replaces them with "God squad", "Our Muslim Neighbors", and various Latino Catholic shows, and then goes back to EWTN programming sometime around 10PM where sometimes with Gods grace I get to see Father Corapi who I would follow till either poles on the planet.

[BulldogCatholic]

I agree-why bring up the Jewish Christian angle-it is the radical Jews and liberal Catholics who are the problem

Everyone else understands the roles we all played in History

Heck we as Christians have various parts of our history where we strayed and so did the Jews, for them to claim absolute impurity as it pertains to this actually justs hurts those Jewish radicals groups like Foxman who was saved by a Catholic family during WWII

Hatred and intolerance gets you no where, heck I am the first to admit when I make a mistake whether at work or at home.

[Salvation]

Just the Way of the Cross, correct?

Didn't they do that in Toronto?

[Romish_Papist]

Ah, thanks, more can be found here:

www.red-december.net/madhatter/

[Dominick]

L to R. Dr Neil Radford, (former University Librarian), Dr Jennifer Alison (former Gift and Exchange Librarian), Dr Marianne Dacy (Archivist), Prof Alan Crown (Former Head of Semitic Studies and now Emeritus Professor in Hebrew, Jewish and Biblical Studies)
src: http://judaica.library.usyd.edu.au/about.html



Src:http://www.ccjaustralia.org/en/?id=53

"ICCJ Conference, Utrecht
(June - July 2003)
Marianne Dacy (NDS)

The theme: Re-imagining the Other; Jews, Christians and Muslims in Modernity attracted between 150-200 participants, Christians, Muslims and Jews - representing 25 of the 32 member countries of the ICCJ. Leading Israeli as well as Muslim scholars were among the lecturers, and workshop topics included Limits of Tolerance and thought; Women in conflict; Burning issues in the trilateral dialogue; Integration of Muslims in Europe; Confronting extremism and extremists in our communities; and Addressing the different historical experiences in the relationship between state and religion.

The concluding addresses were presented by Cardinal William Keeler of the US and Denmarks Chief Rabbi, Bent Melchior. "

[SaintDismas]

It's the libs who are trying to make it sound anti-Semitic.>>>>>>


Yeah, and its kinda funny how caring these folks are about the Jews only when it suits their purpose. Which is what, pray tell? Like we didn't already know. Why aren't they crying over them being yanked out of Gaza if they care so much?

[Rosary]

If Gibson does he's called an idiot, and worse- if he doesn't he's called one too-WHAT WOULD JESUS DO ????? as that "ole arm band" says,thats somewhat popular now.WWJD
Hey Mel I'm with ya- whatever ya chose. Great job on the Passion,on the greatest story ever told in the oldest book in the world The HOLY BIBLE. God Bless you and those with ya-
AMEN

[Rosary]

If Gibson does he's called an idiot, and worse- if he doesn't he's called one too-WHAT WOULD JESUS DO ????? as that "ole arm band" says,thats somewhat popular now.WWJD
Hey Mel I'm with ya- whatever ya chose. Great job on the Passion,on the greatest story ever told in the oldest book in the world The HOLY BIBLE. God Bless you and those with ya-
AMEN