"The Passion of Christ" MOVIE should christians

[Hvnly1Rose]

I looked in the Dictionary for the word "anti-Semitism" but, couldn't find it, "what dose anti-Semitism mean?"

To be anti-Semitic is to be a hater of the Jew. The Germans were anti-Semitic.

Dose this movie represent Jesus or Mock Jesus?

This movie is to represent Jesus.

Why is this movie rated R?

Do to the GRAPHIC violence that Jesus endured prior to and on the cross.

Is Mel Gibson a Christian?

It has been said that he is Catholic,by his own tongue, which is a Christian sect. Now to know for sure if he is a Christian is to know only what God knows, or to know the man personally. I would have to think that it is a good posibility he is but it is really hard to tell by the fruit of his previous labors. All I can say is that in recent years he has done many movies that are much different than that of the norm for him. So maybe God is working on his heart.

Is this movie in Spanish, with parographs translating to English?

The movie is done in the orginial Aramaic as well as others languages (don't remember for sure which ones) could be also Greek and will be subtitled (translated). No Spanish.

[traveller]

This is an incredible review of "The Passion of The Christ"!!

This is from Jody Dean, who is a Dallas' CBS news anchor (Ch 11).

There've been a ton of emails and forwards floating around recently from

those who've had the privilege of seeing Mel Gibson's "The Passion Of

The Christ" prior to its actual release. I thought I'd give you my

reaction after seeing it last night.

The screening was on the first night of "Elevate!", a weekend-long

seminar for young people at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano. There

were about 2,000 people there, and the movie was shown after several

speakers had taken the podium. It started around 9 and finished around

11...so I reckon the film is about two hours in length. Frankly, I lost

complete track of time - so I can't be sure.

I want you to know that I started in broadcasting when I was

13-years-old. I've been in the business of writing, performing,

production, and broadcasting for a long time. I've been a part of

movies, radio, television, stage and other productions - so I know how

things are done. I know about soundtracks and special effects and

make-up and screenplays. I think I've seen just about every kind of

movie or TV show ever made - from extremely inspirational to extremely

gory. I read a lot, too - and have covered stories and scenes that still

make me wince. I also have a vivid imagination, and have the ability to

picture things as they must have happened - or to anticipate things as

they will be portrayed. I've also seen an enormous amount of footage

from Gibson's film, so I thought I knew what was coming.

But there is nothing in my existence - nothing I could have read, seen,

heard, thought, or known - that could have prepared me for what I saw on

screen last night.

This is not a movie that anyone will "like". I don't think it's a movie

anyone will "love". It certainly doesn't "entertain". There isn't even

the sense that one has just watched a movie. What it is, is an

experience - on a level of primary emotion that is scarcely

comprehensible. Every shred of human preconception or predisposition is

utterly stripped away. No one will eat popcorn during this film. Some

may not eat for days after they've seen it. Quite honestly, I wanted to

vomit. It hits that hard.

I can see why some people are worried about how the film portrays the

Jews. They should be worried. No, it's not anti-Semitic. What it is, is

entirely shattering. There are no "winners". No one comes off looking

"good" - except Jesus. Even His own mother hesitates. As depicted, the

Jewish leaders of Jesus' day merely do what any of us would have done -

and still do. They protected their perceived "place" - their sense of

safety and security, and the satisfaction of their own "rightness". But

everyone falters. Caiphus judges. Peter denies. Judas betrays. Simon the

Cyrene balks. Mark runs away. Pilate equivocates. The crowd mocks. The

soldiers laugh. Longinus still stabs with his pilus. The centurion still

carries out his orders. And as Jesus fixes them all with a glance, they

still turn away. The Jews, the Romans, Jesus' friends - they all fall.

Everyone, except the Principal Figure. Heaven sheds a single, mighty

tear - and as blood and water spew from His side, the complacency of all

creation is eternally shattered.

The film grabs you in the first five seconds, and never lets go. The

brutality, humiliation, and gore is almost inconceivable - and still

probably doesn't go far enough. The scourging alone seems to never end,

and you cringe at the sound and splatter of every blow - no matter how

steely your nerves. Even those who have known combat or prison will have

trouble, no matter their experience - because this Man was not

conscripted. He went willingly, laying down His entirety for all. It is

one thing for a soldier to die for his countrymen. It's something else

entirely to think of even a common man dying for those who hate and wish

to kill him. But this is no common man. This is the King of the

Universe. The idea that anyone could or would have gone through such

punishment is unthinkable - but this Man was completely innocent,

completely holy - and paying the price for others. He screams as He is

laid upon the cross, "Father, they don't know. They don't know..."

What Gibson has done is to use all of his considerable skill to portray

the most dramatic moment of the most dramatic events since the dawn of

time. There is no escape. It's a punch to the gut that puts you on the

canvas, and you don't get up. You are simply confronted by the horror of

what was done - what had to be done - and why. Throughout the entire

film, I found myself apologizing.

What you've heard about how audiences have reacted is true. There was no

sound after the film's conclusion. No noise at all. No one got up. No

one moved. The only sound one could hear was sobbing. In all my years of

public life, I have never heard anything like that.

I told many of you that Gibson had reportedly re-shot the ending to

include more "hope" through the Resurrection? That's not true. The

Resurrection scene is perhaps the shortest in the entire movie - and yet

it packs a punch that can't be quantified. It is perfect. There is no

way to negotiate the meaning out of it. It simply asks, "Now, what will

you do?"

I'll leave the details to you, in the hope that you will see the film -

but one thing above all stands out, and I have to tell you about it. It

comes from the end of Jesus' temptations in the wilderness - where the

Bible says Satan left him "until a more opportune time". I imagine Satan

never quit tempting Christ, but this film captures beyond words the most

opportune time. At every step of the way, Satan is there at Jesus' side

- imploring Him to quit, reasoning with Him to give up, and seducing Him

to surrender. For the first time, one gets an heart-stopping idea of the

sense of madness that must have enveloped Jesus - a sense of the evil

that was at His very elbow. The physical punishment is relentless - but

it's the sense of psychological torture that is most overwhelming. He

should have quit. He should have opened His mouth. He should have called

10,000 angels. No one would have blamed Him. What we deserve is obvious.

But He couldn't do that. He wouldn't do that. He didn't do that. He

doesn't do that. It was not and is not His character. He was obedient,

all the way to the cross - and you feel the real meaning of that phrase

in a place the human heart usually doesn't dare to go. You understand

that we are called to that same level of obedience. With Jesus' humanity

so irresistibly on display, you understand that we have no excuse. There

is no place to hide.

The truth is this: Is it just a "movie"? In a way, yes. But it goes far

beyond that, in a fashion I've never felt - in any forum. We may think

we "know". We know nothing. We've gone 2,000 years - used to the idea of

a pleasant story, and a sanitized Christ. We expect the ending, because

we've heard it so many times. God forgive us. This film tears that all

away. It's as close as any of us will ever get to knowing, until we

fully know. Paul understood. "Be urgent, in and out of season."

Luke wrote that Jesus reveals Himself in the breaking of the bread.

Exactly. "The Passion Of The Christ" shows that Bread being broken.

Go see this movie.

His, and His alone.

jody

[Guest yod]

wow.....I'm sobbing over the reviews!

Hope I can make through the movie.

[mobile21]

It has been said that he is Catholic,by his own tongue, which is a Christian sect.

I believe you are twisting the facts -or lack of- in order to slander the Catholic Church.

The sect, if any involved in this, would be the Lefevbrist sect which was founded by an excommunicated Archbishop (Marcel Lefvebre) in 1988. This means that particular religious community is no longer in spiritual communion with the Catholic Church just like all the other christian churches or sects (example of churches: orthodox, anglican ; example of sects: jehovah witnesses, mormons).

Now, what we know of Mel Gibson is that he is a christian and that he often participated in mass during the shooting of the film so the assuption is that he is a catholic BUT actually, like I've said before, everything points in the lefevbrist direction because of what has been reported about him.

[His son]

I'm with you on that, and I know I'll never make it through with out letting it go, and you know I don't care.

[WayneB]

For those still considering whether or not they should see "The Passion of Christ", RBC Ministries has done some sound research. I have not read all they have to say BUT they usually are a reliable source of information and sound guidance.

Why would RBC Ministries give so much time to a Hollywood film? | written by Tim Jackson

It is strange to take much time responding to most of what is produced in Hollywood. But we cannot ignore it when someone produces a film about the story that we as a ministry are most passionate about. For almost 70 years, RBC has focused on telling the story of Jesus through an array of electronic and print media. And for the most part, Mel Gibson

[Hvnly1Rose]

It has been said that he is Catholic,by his own tongue, which is a Christian sect.

I believe you are twisting the facts -or lack of- in order to slander the Catholic Church.

I in no way intend to Slander the Catholic Church, I just do not agree with any Church making up their own doctrine and making it more about man than about God. My doctrine is and always will be the Holy Word of the Living God.

Now, what we know of Mel Gibson is that he is a christian and that he often participated in mass during the shooting of the film so the assuption is that he is a catholic BUT actually, like I've said before, everything points in the lefevbrist direction because of what has been reported about him.

Mel Gibson said on the ABC Primetime Interview that he is a "Traditionalist Catholic". He didn't say which "Traditionalist" organization he belongs to so rumors cannot confirm or deny that he is a "Lefrebvre Traditionalist" aka "Sacerdotal Society of Saint Pius X". It says here that Lefrebvre "refuses to cooperate with what they consider the post-Vatican II hierarchy's "auto-destruction" of the Church". Now I am not educated in the Catholic Church so I do not understand what the "auto-destruction" of the Church means, all I know is that the fundamental doctrine of the Catholic Church is basically the same no matter which sect/denomination you encounter, they didn't completely rewrite their doctrine they had a dissagreement on one or more issues. It seems to me (IMHO) that they have a difference in oppinion of their own written doctrine not of the Bible, and that they have taken liberty with God's word and twisted it to meet there own agenda. Now that does not mean that a Catholic cannot know the truth and stay Catholic all the while having a good relationship with the Lord. So, like I said before, it has to do with the mans heart and that is only known by the Lord and possibly those closest to him.

The sect, if any involved in this, would be the Lefevbrist sect which was founded by an excommunicated Archbishop (Marcel Lefvebre) in 1988. This means that particular religious community is no longer in spiritual communion with the Catholic Church just like all the other christian churches or sects (example of churches: orthodox, anglican ; example of sects: jehovah witnesses, mormons).

As for implying, in so many words, that I misused the word sect when refering to the Catholic church/Traditionalists. The Websters definition is:

Sect

1. a body of persons adhering to a particular religious faith; denomination.

2. a group regarded as heretical or as deviating from a generally accepted religious tradition.

3. any group or faction united by a specific doctrine.

I would have to say that the Catholic church/Traditionalists can be defined as a sect, just like ANY other church.

I am sorry if we don't see eye to eye on this issue but as far as any one persons beliefs, unless we know the person, personally, then we have no right to say one way or another. His fruit will tell us more of a story than anything, "we will know them by their fruit".

Blessings to you,

Rose

[Ovedya]

I read that Mel Gibson does not agree with Vatican II. Some have said that Gibson's rejection of Vatican II means that he saught in his film to slander the Jews. But his rejection of Vatican II does not make him, or his film, anti-Semetic. Nostra Aete is just one Declaration from Vatican II, and only one small part of this declaration addresses the Jews' responsibility for the crucifixtion anyway. Perhaps Gibson disagreed with that part of the declaration which held that all faiths, Judaism and Muslim included, are one with the faith of the Catholic church. I know I certainly disagree with that! But that doesn't make me an ant-anything.

[Hvnly1Rose]

I read that Mel Gibson does not agree with Vatican II.  Some have said that Gibson's rejection of Vatican II means that he saught in his film to slander the Jews.  But his rejection of Vatican II does not make him, or his film, anti-Semetic.  Nostra Aete is just one Declaration from Vatican II, and only one small part of this declaration addresses the Jews' responsibility for the crucifixtion anyway.  Perhaps Gibson disagreed with that part of the declaration which held that all faiths, Judaism and Muslim included, are one with the faith of the Catholic church.  I know I certainly disagree with that!  But that doesn't make me an ant-anything.

Wow, the lies the enemy weilds. ( Nostra Aete )

I think we need to have someone interview Mel Gibson on his beliefs so we can end this discussion on what he believes, personally I think it's irrelevent as long as this movie is right on with scripture then why debate what he believes?

Blessings~Rose

[Guest yod]

I haven't seen the movie yet...but I read the book and it's a powerful story.

It would be hard to mess it up so much that no one understands the power of the gospel.

I am excited that entire synagogues are planning to go watch it with christians to foster understanding.

(saw that on FoxNews)

Can you imagine???

How many times have non-Moshiach-aware jews wanted to go watch a film about Yeshua with christians?

Hmmm....I don't even need fingers to count that!!!!