Krauthammer: "Gibson's Blood Libel"

Washington Post ^ | Mar. 5, 04 | Charles Krauthammer

[churchillbuff]

Gibson's Blood Libel

By Charles Krauthammer Friday, March 5, 2004; Page A23

Every people has its story. Every people has the right to its story. And every people has a responsibility for its story. ...[snip]

Christians have their story too: the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Why is this story different from other stories? Because it is not a family affair of coreligionists. If it were, few people outside the circle of believers would be concerned about it. This particular story involves other people. With the notable exception of a few Romans, these people are Jews. And in the story, they come off rather badly.

Because of that peculiarity, the crucifixion is not just a story; it is a story with its own story -- a history of centuries of relentless, and at times savage, persecution of Jews in Christian lands. This history is what moved Vatican II, in a noble act of theological reflection, to decree in 1965 that the Passion of Christ should henceforth be understood with great care so as to unteach the lesson that had been taught for almost two millennia: that the Jews were Christ killers.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks for your kind comments. God is my inspiration.

[veronica]

Maybe you should convert to Judaism, the ony true religion!!!

(Just kidding. I think it's crass to insult the religion of others by claiming your way, is the only "true" way.)

It is getting a little tiresome the incessant bitching by Jews and yelling of "CRUCIFY!...CRUCIFY", at Christians.

Pu-leeze. Talk about a martyr complex...

[sfRummygirl]

I'm thinking we should start up a therapy fund.

[ContraryMary]

I'm disappointed in Krauthammer. I thought he was more intelligent than that.

[Alberta's Child]

You're quite welcome! ;-)

[SJackson]

With regard to the UN, it was the UN that took this land from Arab Christians and Muslims-- land that had been theirs for at least a millenium-- and handed it to foreigners.

Right, Turkey didn't engage in a war, and lose, did they?

[af_vet_1981]

Not at all. I just like exposing vicious hypocrites. Whited sepulchres.

I was thoroughly disappointed by those who attacked your wife for being Jewish. Tell her that for me. I have to run to hear the Megillah. Shalom L'Chem.

[AlbionGirl]

What an incredibly good read that was, thanks.

For, make no mistake, this is an intensely Catholic film. Mel Gibson is a traditional Catholic who rejects the humbug and chaos of the Second Vatican Catastrophe - as do an increasing number of the disillusioned survivors stumbling around in the ruins of the once-mighty Roman Catholic Church. The faithful translation on to film of the scriptural narrative of Christ’s passion and resurrection would, 50 years ago, have presented Catholics with an image that was totally familiar. Bishop Joseph Devine, bishop of Motherwell, is one of the few in Britain to have seen the film and has described it as "stunningly successful... a profoundly religious film."

This especially expresses the thoughts and feelings I have regarding my Catholic Church.

When I was a little girl, my Mom would try to get my older brother and I to remain silent between the hours of 12 and 3 on Good Friday. We were little, so the silence didn't last as long as it should have, but the reverence that my Mom, a few of her friends, and my Catholic Church exhibited for the Death and Resurrection of Christ was profound, and in turn had a profound effect on me.

I prefer the Church as it was before Vatican II as well. The author paints an exact representation of the Church following II. It is a weak, shallow, and skeletal thing. As a Catholic today, if you want good, solid, forthright instruction instead of '... a thousand futile ecumenical symposia and weasel-worded scriptural trade-offs brokered by pressure groups and Vatican appeaseniks.', you're most likely to find it in a Church that offers the Tridentine Mass.

My Church has parasites that need to be treated and removed if it is to remain whole and not suffer a historical schism.

[AlbionGirl]

..only to illustrate that I understand how Gibson sees his father, and why he did not publicly insult him by trashing him.

I couldn't agree more if I wanted to.

One more thing I'd like to add, if I might, is that a person such as Mel -in this instance- suffered slings and arrows on his father's behalf, rather than deliver to his father's detractors their pound of flesh.

I would do the same thing, I would prefer that people think I was nothing but a two-bit bigot than to publicly correct, or denounce my Father. I would take the slings and arrows, and they would be a badge of honor for me, because I acted not out of selfish motives but out of love for the man who gave me life, as flawed as he may be.

[Hamza01]

So what? Who the f--k is the UN? Most of those people are socialist scum who've been pushing for the demise of national sovreignity, using environmentalist blather to attack private property, and want to impose elite secular values on traditional societies (be they Christian or Muslim). Even worse, the UN allows French frauds and the Russian kleptocrats to pretend to great power status.

By the way, your nom de guerre, Scoop Jackson, refers to the venerable anti-communist Senator, doesn't it? But do you realize that Israel's most ardent early support came from the Soviet Union and it's communist allies in th UN? So, it is ironic to me that one with your screen name could justify anything that the socialist swine at UN would do.

So, I say again... who the f--k is the UN?

[Just mythoughts]

There is much irony in how Mel is being treated over his father, and what was demanded to be removed from the movie written in the Gospels.

Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of the just Person: see ye to it."

25. Then answered all the People, and said,

"His blood be on us, and on our children."


This is what they demand Mel do to his father.

[Torie]

Sullivan was not specific except about the Medieval anti-semitic tropes, and believe it or not, I don't know anything about Medieval anti-semetic tropes, not one thing, nada, nothing, the null set. The Lapin piece was largely an off topic polemic screed. It really doesn't cut much to the chase in my opinion. Heck, I didn't even know what the word "trope" meant until fairly recently, and that was in the context of interior decorating, also something about which I knew nothing until recently.

[af_vet_1981]

You know folks, I got some interesting freep mail from one of the 'level headed' posters ...

Next time my church has a board meeting, can you come?

You issued three unsolicitied personal attacks on me (939, 942, and 979). I have four private messages from you (two vulgar and one denigrating my Jewishness). You claim to be an "Evangelical Christian." I would be happy to discuss your behavior with your pastor should you invite him or her on this thread. In any case I ask that you cease and desist personal attacks and stay on topic.

[AlbionGirl]

As I said, I would never, and I mean never, give them what they were asking for with such relish, no matter what my Father said.

I know you understand this because I've read many of your posts, and find you an honorable poster but I want to say it anyway, and that is just because I refuse to hand my Father over to his enemies does not mean I would not take him to task in the privacy of our home, if it was merited.

It's hard to believe that Mel's father really believes what he says, but apparently he does. I was discussing this with my Mom last night, and when I told her what Mel's father had said, she said in her broken English, 'how can he be so stupid?'. And of course she's right, but as she and I agreed that changes nothing in terms of the loyalty one visercally feels towards family members.

And the caliber of individuals baying for his head was low. So I say to Mel, take the slings and arrows on your father's behalf, and take them proudly, because I would do the same thing.

[Hamza01]

"I would prefer that people think I was nothing but a two-bit bigot than to publicly correct, or denounce my Father. I would take the slings and arrows, and they would be a badge of honor for me, because I acted not out of selfish motives but out of love for the man who gave me life, as flawed as he may be."

Very eloquently said. How dare they try to get Mel to denounce his father in public. He may as well denounce his faith. There is a real malevolence on the part of those who keep pushing this forward for no other reason than to bring Gibson and his family pain.

If Gibson had succumbed to the critics and publicly denounced his father, I don't think I could have had any respect for him as a man. But as you point out, the courage with which he has stood his ground in the face of this onslaught demonstrates his character.

But neither has he endorsed his father's rather kooky views on the Holocaust.

[Torie]

Get your epidermis to grow thicker, and learn some diplomacy skills, and you will never suffer undue pain again. Stop whining, and get over it. If some poster is beneath you with flames, ignore the poster. I do.

[af_vet_1981]

Get your epidermis to grow thicker, and learn some diplomacy skills, and you will never suffer undue pain again. Stop whining, and get over it. If some poster is beneath you with flames, ignore the poster. I do.

What is your definition of a Christian ?

[Torie]

Rather than denounce, how about lovingly dissociate oneself from? I loved my Dad very deeply and profoundly, but he had an anti-Catholic animus. If it became an issue in the public square, I would have said that we all have character flaws, and I more than my father, but this was one that he had, with which I could not accept or excuse. We both however shared a point of view. He was an atheist, and I a near atheist. But my Dad was a very spiritual man, who touched many hears, and had hundreds at his funeral. Life is complicated.

[AlbionGirl]

I'm reading a book called the Life of Jesus Christ which is a work of scholarship that will leave you speechless. It's no longer print and it was written by Giuseppe Ricciotti just after WW I. The history (acutal history) in this book is unbelievable. If you have the chance to get your hands on a copy, dont' even think about it, just grab it because you won't be sorry. It is a work of science and a work of art.