I Cannot Publish the New Yorker Article, but I can Publish the Link About the Passion Critique

mlmr | 02. | DAVID DENBY

[mlmr]

Jim, I just read the Conde Nast Letter to FR requesting us not to exerpt or publish from their publications. I hope this is addressed. In the meantime it does not say I cannot link to an article for discussion and I think this is an importnat enough article to discuss and for interested freepers to see. If I am wrong in linking, I apologize, and pull the thread.

http://www.newyorker.com/critics/cinema/?040301crci_cinema

[Tanniker Smith]

some of whom, with an ungodly eye to the commercial realities of film distribution, have prepurchased blocks of tickets or rented theatres to insure “The Passion” a healthy opening weekend’s business.

Or maybe because entire congregations can go see it together and then talk about it with fellow parishioners afterwards over a cup of coffee.

ANd at least these tickets will be used, unlike, say, the block sales of Hillary's book to union backers and supporters.

TS
...

[Liz]

(Denby's) dissection of his own.....narcissism offers some of the most candid critiques of the Manhattan bourgeoisie ever found outside of a Woody Allen film.

Nice work by the reviewer placing Denby in Woody's narcisstic orbit. In his court battle with Mia Farrow after she discovered Woody's porn photos of her daughter whom he later married (utter disgust), the judge alluded to Woody's self-absortion and denied him access to the child they birthed, and their adopted children.

The narcissism angle should spring to mind whenever the ragtag cadre of naysayers raise their self-absorbed heads to denigrate Mel Gibson's film, and demean Christian beliefs.

We need to hear from Christian psychiatric experts to explain the anti-social behavior of these disturbed individuals imbedded in our culture who continually tear America down. The only "belief" they seem to hold is abortion worship.

If nothing else, Mel's film is bringing these moral cowards out in the open.

[quadrant]

The one thing that David Denby cannot tolerate is the idea of Jesus as the Lamb of God.
It is quite easy for Denby to accept Jesus as a teacher of a radical social gospel - which love your enemy certainly is - but to portray Jesus' death and resurrection as atonement for the sins of mankind would be to admit the truth of Jesus' other and most important message - that no one come to the Father except through Him. Denby has chosen to hide his dislike of Jesus as Messiah behind the screen of pretended shock at the violence of Jesus' treatment by the Romans. I doubt (but cannot prove) that until "The Passion of Christ" David Denby has never before criticized an 'R' rated movie for its violent con- tent. Perhaps Denby's greatest hypocrisy (and that is the essence of hiding the Messiah and Lamb of God behind the social reformer) is his pretended concern that children will be shocked by the movie. But perhaps Denby is concerned for another reason: his fear that children will be shocked into understanding that God was willing to allow His Son (in actually, to allow Himself) to suffer a fearful and horrible death for no reason other than His love for mankind.

[Zack Nguyen]

Gibson, of course, is free to skip over the incomparable glories of Jesus’ temperament and to devote himself, as he does, to Jesus’ pain and martyrdom in the last twelve hours of his life.

The the New Yorker reviewer is hinting at, in my view, is that he/she would rather regard Christ as a really nice guy rtaher than the Son of God who suffered atonement for our sins.

[mongrel]

You wrote: "Jesus came into this world to fufill His Father's will...and that was to be the perfect sacrifice for mankinds sins."

I am seeing a lot of this in posts, and agree with this statement. But aren't we also missing an important piece here if we limit our response to the movie to just that?

There is more than a transaction going on that gets us off the hook, Jesus is also showing us the way to live. Grace and forgiveness cannot truly be received until it is also offered to others. The Gospels are full of this. There is the parable of the man who had a great debt forgiven, and then refused to forgive another.

I have seen the movie, and I have read a lot of the comments by others who have seen the movie. The challenge for me is that if I am a follower of Jesus, I am also called to live and respond in the same way. People seem to ignore this and only dwell on having received a gift.

Jesus speaks to this with his call to his disciples that they are not greater than he is and they should expect the same kind of treatment.

[Liz]

Probably had to do a few lines before the PBS appearance.

[MaryFromMichigan]

"The Passion"
If you loved the Book, you'll love the movie...

[Liz]

Nice read....thanks.

[Liz]

The Passion" ....If you loved the Book, you'll love the movie.

We need to get that on a tee shirt.

[Lancey Howard]

Surprise, surprise - - another politically correct Hollywood butt-sniffer, David Denby, thinks the Holy Bible is "anti-semitic". (yawn)

[MaryFromMichigan]

LOL!
I'll get it copywrited!! :)

[Liz]

Hurry, and do it now.

[Just mythoughts]

We have the example of the clintons and their perversion and two thirds of this nation supported them.

There does seem to be a commonality of morals throughout the majority in this nation.

The number of individuals, I have encountered claiming to be "Christian" that voted for clintons and algore is mind numbing.

I do believe that the liberals know that more of the majority do not take issue with morals and that really has them in a state of lunacy tossing to and fro, because they can't get their power back.

It appears that those who "CHALLENGE" Christianity are trying to hide their own lack of morals by seeking to make people "FEAR" being associated with anything positive about this movie makes them "ANTI".

Hollywood cannot not make the profits it does with only liberal, democrat dollars.

[searchandrecovery]

This movie will fuel anti-semitism in much the same way Tora! Tora! Tora! fuels anti-Japanese sentiment.

Or the way "Jaws" fueled anti-sharkism.

Ya know, it's funny those liberals. Will argue that there's no connection between video games or movies and violence, then claim a movie might actually provoke action. Almost sounds like they play both sides of the fence depending on the issue.

[Old Professer]

Have they now so overwhelmed you that they can unilaterally usurp the Fair Use provision of copyright law or are you just tired of fighting the ink-stained wretches?

Would you allow a review of their review?

[Liz]

The number of individuals, I have encountered claiming to be "Christian" that voted for clintons and algore is mind numbing.

An important point that speaks to the deception of the Clintons (that Christ warned about). Of course, many voters had the Clintons tagged from the getgo when they lied and lied on 60 Minutes. Then all of America found out the calculated deception of the Clintons while they were in office.

The Clintons calculatedly "ran" as centrists knowing they'd "act" as a liberal. Clinton knew from Mondale and Dukakis that liberals could not win and he teamed up with the Democratic Policy Council to gull voters into thinking he was not a liberal. He even dissed Sister Souljah to fool the electorate into thinking he was not beholden to minorities.....this came from what was later termed the Nation's First Black president.

Clinton also manipulated the religious vote by visibly going to church on Sundays toting a Bible....which must have killed him and the choice-salivating Hitlery.

As with all politicians, voters should look at what they do while in office and not at what they appear to be.

[Just mythoughts]

Very good points, reminds me of Paul's warning to the Church

IICorinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ, (Spiritual body)

3 But I fear by any means, as the serpent beguiled (holy seduced) Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

[Clintons a commie]

It looks to me like the smears about anti-semitism haven't worked, so now many film critics are going to attack this film for it's violent content. Suddenly, critics discover a violent film they don't like.

Well, at least Ebert, Roeper and even Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film a positive review.

[mlmr]

If it is bad it is antisemetic

[Uncle Jaque]

RE:

"...this will lead to lower subscription rates for some and higher for others.
 Less money in Hollywood and east coast rags is always a good thing."

**********************************

BIN-GO, AD!

And don't they know it?!

Does anyone still wonder why these "Heathen Rage" against the Passion so?

Just as it was during the Roman Empire, a lot of "profits" stand to be lost if any significant number of the sheeple see the Light, experience a spiritual awakening, and accept the Redeeming sacrifice of our Lord, thus entering into the Kingdom of God and Eternal Life.

For one thing, how much do you suppose the big South American Drug cartels are raking in a year?

They have no problem with kidnapping, torturing, and/or killing anyone who even threatens to compromise that market, do they?
  How do you suppose they will feel about Mr. Gibson if this work ignites a major revival in America - or across the World?  Do you think anyone who has tasted the Living Waters that flow from the Throne of God will ever want to go back to cocaine?  Sadly, a few do, actually - but not that many.
If 10 million addicts are empowered to break free of the chains of addiction, how do you suppose the profits of the cartels will be effected?  Do you suppose that the Warlords and Gang Bosses might be a little "upset"?

 How many leftist rags full of anti-Jewish and Christian heresy do you think will sell after such an awakening?

  And how many of the Converted will be lining up to watch Hollywood's' gross (really gross) "national product" any more?

  Does anyone have an idea how much money is being gleaned from the Pornography "industry"?  How about just it's "internet" tentacle alone?  Any guesses?

  I'll bet "Education" would like to share a tenth of that amount per year - maybe they'd let up on trying to tax working Americans into poverty "for the Children" just a little bit?  

  What is Las Vegas raking in each year now?

  How many sincere Believers in the Risen Christ will be hanging around the casinos any more, do you suppose?

  I wonder how the collection plates in all of these "enlightened" liberal political clubs that adorn themselves with the robe of ecclesiastical credibility and meet in a "Church" or "Synagogue" to advance their socialist political and social agenda while paying lip-service tribute to "religion" will fare?

  Do you think that after some of the Parishioners get smacked full square in the Soul with one of those "cloven tongues of Fire" from the Holy Spirit, that they will be hanging around a "church" where the Name of Jesus Christ has been carefully expunged from the liturgy and Hymnal so as not to "offend" anyone?

  Will Americas be paying tuition for their Born-Again Children to attend a college where Wiccan and Islam are celebrated, but the Name of Jesus Christ systematically suppressed and His followers persecuted?

    I'll bet that you can think of a few more of America's key institutions and wielders of great power and cultural influence that have been thoroughly infiltrated and taken over by the Darkness of late, who are not going to be at all pleased by any great moral / Spiritual Re-Awakening in our Culture.

    Oh; BTW; do you suppose that a person's view of personal and collective eternal accountability to an infinite, almighty GOD and their personal relationship with Him might effect the way they VOTE?

    Now your humble Correspondent, for one, does not presume for an instant that the person/s in control of these key institutions are so stupid as to not consider the possible consequences of such a sweeping Revival, nor of the potential of the "Passion" for instigating one.

    So does it come as any as any surprise that such a vitriolic attack on Mr. Gibson and his latest offering would be launched - or from whence it originates?

    Not in this corner of Maine, it doesn't!

Shalom;

"Uncle Jaque"