Novak: No anti-Semitism in Gibson's 'Passion'

Chicago Sun Times ^ | 11-03-03

[Brian S]

November 3, 2003

BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

When a private viewing of Mel Gibson's ''The Passion of Christ'' was completed at a Washington hotel 10 days ago, my wife and I along with a dozen other invited guests were emotionally frozen into several minutes of silence. The question is whether public presentation of the film four months hence shall be welcomed by tumultuous demonstrations outside the theaters.

Hollywood actor Gibson, who spent more than $25 million of personal funds to produce ''The Passion,'' has finally found a distributor to begin its showing Feb. 25 -- Ash Wednesday. A campaign by some Jewish leaders to radically edit the film or, alternatively, prevent its exhibition appears to have failed. This opens the door to religious conflict if the critics turn their criticism into public protest.

That is not because of the content of ''The Passion.'' As a journalist who has actually seen what the producers call ''a rough cut'' of the movie and not just read about it, I can report it is free of the anti-Semitism that its detractors claim. The Anti-Defamation League and its allies began attacking the movie on the basis of reading a shooting script without having actually seen the film. The ADL carries a heavy burden in stirring religious strife about a piece of entertainment that, apart from its artistic value, is of deep religious significance for believing Christians.

The agitation peaked in early August when New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind told a rally: ''This film is dangerous for Jews all over the world. I am concerned that it would lead to violence against Jews.''

Hikind had not viewed the film. After an ADL representative viewed a rough cut, longtime ADL director Abraham Foxman on Aug. 11 declared the movie ''will fuel hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism.'' Foxman called on Gibson to change his film so that it would be ''free of any anti-Semitic message.''

This renews the dispute over the Jewish role in the crucifixion of Christ, the source of past Jewish persecution.

''The Passion'' depicts in two hours the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ's life. To watch him beaten, scourged and crucified so graphically is a shattering experience for believing Christians and surely for many non-Christians as well. It makes previous movie versions of the crucifixion look like Hollywood fluff. Gibson wants to avoid an ''R'' rating, but violence is not what bothers Foxman.

Foxman and other critics complain that the Jewish high priest Caiphas and a Jewish mob are demanding Christ's execution, but that is straight from the Gospels.

Father C. John McCloskey, director of the Catholic Information Center in Washington, told me: ''If you find the Scriptures anti-Semitic, you'll find this film anti-Semitic.''

Complaints by liberal Bible scholars that ''The Passion'' is not faithful to Scripture are rejected by the Vatican. Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, who heads the Congregation for the Clergy, called the film ''a triumph of art and faith,'' adding: ''Mel Gibson not only closely follows the narrative of the Gospels, giving the viewer a new appreciation for those biblical passages, but his artistic choices also make the film faithful to the meaning of the Gospels.''

As for inciting anti-Semitism, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos contended ''the film does nothing of the sort.'' This Vatican official is denying that Gibson violates the 1965 papal document Nostra Aetate, which states: ''What happened in [Christ's] passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today.''

No such libel is committed by ''The Passion,'' where the mob's Jewish identity is not specified. As a Catholic convert, I was taught we are all sinners who share in guilt for the crucifixion.

At the heart of the dispute over ''The Passion'' is freedom of expression. Liberals who defended the right to exhibit Martin Scorsese's ''The Last Temptation of Christ,'' which deeply offended orthodox Christians, now demand censorship of ''The Passion of Christ.'' As a result, Abe Foxman and his allies have risked stirring religious tensions over a work of art.

[Bohemund]

and, while we're at it: http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/blhitler19.htm

http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/blhitler25.

Wow. Photos of Hitler and unidentified cardinals or bishops, taken in 1935 and sometime between 1933 and 1939. You sure nailed Pius XII there!

[missyme]

Hitler a catholic? what kind of catholic might that be?
(A wolf in sheeps clothing?)

Out of curiosity why is it when we have a religious film out about Jesus we have to hear about the Holocaust? Did we have to worry about Roots when it came out that Blacks felt maybe the white race would try ro re-capture them again for slavery purposes gimmie a break....

I am not dimishing the atrocities of the Holocaust, or Slavery or any people that have been un-justly tortured by the evils of men, but leave Jesus alone already!!! no human being has ever suffered the torment not even close to what he went through for the world, and he did it for LOVE something most of us have forgotten about.

There is EVIL in the world and evil does not need an excuse to bring pain upon any of us, we are fighting our best to rid the world of terrorism, Jesus is also fighting for us, to know who he is and to bring us closer to G-d he is fighting the pain and evil man has in his heart I hope this movie will make people think of who they are and what G-d is all about... Please support "The Passion"

[aynrandfreak]

The link is from post #9. He is basically saying that Hamas are freedon fighters. As I've said several times on this thread already, if you believe even that it's open to discussion that Hamas are freedom fighters, then I believe that you are anti-semitic. I mean it and I don't apologize for it.

It is no different than the people (mainly on the left) who want to talk about the "root-causes" of terrorism. The root cause is twisted people who want to kill others who aren't like them, and to some extent it's also the people who try to find justifications for those terrorists that are partly to blame.

[missyme]

Well I agree with you...Anybody in there right mind that think Hammas is anything but the devils employees are nuts, but I did not see or read that Novak said that maybe I need to read it again, but I really cannot beleive he thinks that way.

[missyme]

You definetly want to play the "Victim"

Get on with your life, look at what is happening in the world NOW! 9/11 the war on terrorists, homosexuality, smut on T.V taking the Ten Commandments out of every area they need to be in.

Better yet read about Jesus who he is, why he came what his message is about, he is the only one that can cure your tormented heart.

[missyme]

Where did you get that from his father was dead his stepfather was jewish which is why many people beleive he had hatred for the jews and his mother was a whore?

Who gave him his catholic unbringing???? Go figure...

[Coleus]

And he did a great job, what religion were you while growing up and what religion are you now?

[missyme]

God gave us bitterness???

G-d does not give Bitterness, if you have bitterness make Peace with G-d.

[missyme]

He says he is full of Bitterness and I can see that by his postings, I pray that he finds G-d and Jesus which I Know will cure his torment. But it is up to him.

[missyme]

The Hillside Stangler was a supposed Catholic the Son of Sam was born a Jew, let me see all the mass serial killers that were born into an organized religion for pete's sake The DEVIL himself at one point was an Angel in Heaven until he wore his welcome out and was thrown out with his own un-godly behavior yes there are evil and there has been evil in the world so what the heck is your point regarding Jesus and the movie "The Passion" ?

[rmlew]

Kristalnacht is widely taken to be the beginning of holocaust, many of the camps were operating long before the Wanasee Conference, or Kristalncht, and jews were being arrested for the sole crime of being jews, and sent to the camps promptly following Kristalnacht.
The "Final Solution" was not implimented until late 1941. Until then, the Nazis were open to expelling Jews.
Church leaders railed against both stages of the Holocaust.

[Coleus]

But it is up to him.
>>

yes it is, and I think his baseless and irrational attmepts of bashing a pope isn't going to help him. We must pray for him

[donh]

The "Final Solution" was not implimented until late 1941. Until then, the Nazis were open to expelling Jews. Church leaders railed against both stages of the Holocaust.

Some church leaders railed against the holocaust, some gave it aid and comfort.

[donh]

The Hillside Stangler was a supposed Catholic the Son of Sam was born a Jew, let me see all the mass serial killers that were born into an organized religion for pete's sake The DEVIL himself at one point was an Angel in Heaven until he wore his welcome out and was thrown out with his own un-godly behavior yes there are evil and there has been evil in the world so what the heck is your point regarding Jesus and the movie "The Passion" ?

What's yours? How do you quickly segue from The Hillside Stangler was a supposed Catholic to Mel Gibson's movie? I believe I was originally responding to the contention that Mel Gibson's rendering of Matthew's blood curse of the jews for the death of Jesus, had to be toned down for the movie.

[donh]

Where did you get that from his father was dead his stepfather was jewish which is why many people beleive he had hatred for the jews and his mother was a whore?

Who gave him his catholic unbringing???? Go figure...

I presume you are talking about Hitler, and I presume you got your facts from a bubble gum machine. His upbringing was as I quoted from The History Place, intensely Catholic, and when he was young, he was fairly ardent about it, and wanted to be a priest. And his mother was certainly not a "whore". Good grief.

[donh]

Wow. Photos of Hitler and unidentified cardinals or bishops, taken in 1935 and sometime between 1933 and 1939. You sure nailed Pius XII there!

Yes, unidentified cardinals and bishops giving the nazi salute, and making happy kissy-face with Hitler at grand public gatherings to cement his legitimacy, and the legitimacy of his policies, in the eyes of catholics. All of which the Church has the power to prevent--had it the will.

[donh]

BTW, why must you post answers to ONE post in multiple, separate posts?

When I am having trouble maintaining my internet connection, I'd rather not risk losing a lot of work on a long-winded post that never manages to get through and posted.

[donh]

If you get that simple fact wrong, or, worse yet, purposely misstate it to buttress your case, what else of all the unsourced bilge is wrong?

I have now checked four history web sites and an encyclopedia, and they all say that PIUS was the Holy See's Secretary of State at the time, and, in fact, signed the Protocols.

[donh]

If you get that simple fact wrong, or, worse yet, purposely misstate it to buttress your case, what else of all the unsourced bilge is wrong?

http://motlc.wiesenthal.com/gallery/pg18/pg7/pg18739.html

[donh]

So now we have departed from "lots" back to merely "a handful"? Evidence? Yes, those are your words.

As you bounce around your allegations, how do you expect anyone to take you seriously?

How do you expect anyone to take your defense seriously when you pin it on a vague turn of phrase?