Jews make case versus Mel’s movie
I’m looking forward to the chance to see this movie. I am a big Mel Gibson fan. He’s one of the real people in the movie business. He operates to make a profit, but he also does things from the heart.
“The Passion” is a story all Christians know, as do most others in the Western world. It is a story both horrific and wonderful at the same time.
Since its inception, leaders of Jewish groups have been on pins and needles. They’ve searched high and low for ways to delegitimize he film.
They believe Gibson faults the Jewish high priest Caiaphas rather than the Roman tyrant Pontius Pilate for sending Jesus to his death, and they’re upset Gibson did not cut a line implying Jews are cursed by God.
Outrageous comments by Gibson’s father about Jews and his son’s failure to publicly denounce those remarks have fanned the controversy.
Critics charge the ultra-gory movie could incite anti-Jewish attacks, and some worry that it will undermine decades of Judeo-Christian reconciliation.
“The concern is he has selectively taken the worst possible interpretation of the Passion narrative, which involves blaming Jews for the crime of deicide [killing God], and is transferring that blame to all Jews, including Jews alive today,” [Mark] Weitzman [director of the Task Force Against Hate at the Simon Wiesenthal Center] said.
This is what I dislike about groups. Because the film portrays the high priest as a villain, the Group (embodied by Mr. Weitzman) takes it as an attack on the entire group.
Caiaphas was the direct cause of Jesus’ death. The Jewish priests at the time were concerned about the “progressive” activities of Jesus and his followers. He upset their applecart. Pilate was a vehicle for eliminating this impostor.
People like Weitzman can’t deal with this, and want all Jews to be incensed. Just because they’re Jewish.
What happened 2000 years ago was done by people who lived then. Because they shared the same religion as someone today doesn’t make those living in 2004 responsible. I think it is important for all Christians to see this movie. I also think it would serve us all well to see the intense violence which can be visited on someone in the name of religion or empire. It would be a tribute to 3000+ who died on September 11, 2001.
Update on Mel.