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Mel Gibson
Speaking with Foxman made me realize just what it was that Gibson had done in making “The Passion of the Christ.” Gibson had said from the start that he was going to make a movie taken straight from the Gospels. Foxman was saying that, for better or worse, Gibson had done just that.
In focussing on Gibson's Traditionalist Catholicism, some of his critics have created the expectation that “The Passion of the Christ” is a medieval Passion play depicting Jews in horns drinking Christian blood. It is not that. Nor is it the attenuated dramatization that the Catholic scholars might have wished for. Gibson's “Passion” is a literalist rendering of the Gospels' account of Jesus' Passion, which makes it the ultimate Traditionalist expression.
Quoted from, The Jesus War, by Peter J. Boyer.
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No human attempt to commemorate the divine can be perfect. We commend Mel Gibson for his honest attempts to share his understanding of and faith in the atoning sacrifice of a Jewish teacher within the Pharisaic party of ancient Roman Judea named Yeshua, better known as Jesus. Generally, we take the attitude that we should accept Mel’s honest effort, imperfections and all. On the other hand, a little education will help counteract the impact of what several have pointed out to be various weaknesses in this film’s overall concept and likely impact on the masses.
A big problem is that over the last thousand years or more, the established Christian churches have persecuted other Christians, Jews, and other faiths in this same name of Jesus. This fact is just one source of controversy surrounding The Passion of the Christ. There is nothing Mel can do about that but keep it in mind as he edits the film. Then there are the reports that Mel Gibson and his father, Hutton, are Catholic Traditionalists who deny the validity of Vatican II and the authority of the popes of Rome since that church council. While the subject matter should not be a point of controversy between the Gibsons and the Catholic powers that be, it does potentially clash with Rome’s recent attempts to atone for the historical sins against the Jewish people beginning with Vatican II. Other controversial aspects of this movie include the perceived anti-Semitic nature of the New Testament in general and the role of the Roman Catholic Church in the Holocaust in particular, which Mel and his father discount in significance.
If the personality and socio-historical contexts were not enough, the actual movie provides a challenge to market and distribute. Not only is the movie devoid of famous name stars and graphically bloody, but it is also produced in (Mel’s understanding of) their original languages - Latin, Aramaic, and Hebrew – with English subtitles.
While the blood may not be a problem generally for today’s movie audiences, it might be one for a significant number of potential Christian viewers. More to the point, the controversies surrounding the film might open the door for its distributor to be sued in court. Who wants to take the chance of spending long and very expensive years in court – especially with all of its negative publicity? What a way to blow away profits!
The choice and use of Latin, Aramaic, and Hebrew in the film has also led to scholarly criticism as to accuracy of the choice of languages. (It should have been Greek, not Latin.) Then there’s the whole idea of inserting the gospels literally as the dialogue of the movie, which is certainly not a Mel Gibson exclusive. If that weren’t enough, many who would be happiest with the concept of a movie literally based on the gospels might be quite upset to learn that the graphic detail and staging were sourced from the visions of a Catholic nun and mystic experienced and recorded in the 1800’s. Are the English subtitles of the gospel subverted by the powerful graphic messages of the nun’s visions?
Regardless of the above, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ seems to strike a chord close to the truth in its challenge of Christian complacency. Over the last 200 years, the power of scripture to influence western culture has been undermined by the agnostic to atheistic worldview that has accompanied the scientific materialism spread in the mass media and through the government educational systems. Elaborately developed private and public institutions of risk management have watered down the simple faith of the gospels. Miracles discounted by association with exploitive religious hucksters, and spiritual truth has fallen under the judgment of a biased system of scientific propaganda. Christians struggle upstream against the modern currents to even get a reasonably objective hearing regarding the enduring validity and empirical substantiation of biblical statements that can properly be put to scientific evaluation.
The churches have not been immune to this “enlightenment” either. Faith has grown soft during these decades of America’s prosperous tolerance. As a result, polls show that “cultural Christians” pretty much believe the same things and suffer from the same social and person sins that their non-Christian neighbors do.
Gibson’s movie may effectively confront our comfortably modern concepts of a mythical god created by our very human ancients to soothe their collective ignorance and fears. Rather than presenting the god of the Bible is an ethical fairy tale that can be ignored, Mel Gibson portrays a divine Savior who powerfully places His life on the line for each person with the promise of once again intervening in the affairs of nations. It might even stir up some folks to taking their Savior more seriously. It might also cause them to study biblical history some more, or to become more aware of the important issues and sensitivities surrounding the undying and irrational hatred known as anti-Semitism.
So what’s the bottom line? Rather than criticize Mel Gibson for producing and directing The Passion of the Christ, critics should encourage him to do a sequel.
Since artistic people learn from working creatively in their chosen medium, we’d like to recommend to Mel that he do a sequel to The Passion of the Christ called, Martyred for Christ. This movie could explore the irony in how an originally Jewish religious organization born out of martyrdom could turn around and in that same name martyr others, including dissenting Christians and Jews.
Such a film would indeed require scholarly research. If historically accurate, it’s bound to be controversial to all branches of Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Calvinists and others due to the buried secrets digitally displayed on a wide screen. Skip a detailed list for now. Just know for certain that there will be no lack of blood and violent passion…
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Articles:
Becoming Rational About Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ,
by Christopher J. Patton (the webmaster)
Many in the Jewish community are legitimately concerned about the possible social consequences that might be inspired by Mel Gibson’s new movie, The Passion of the Christ. History is on their side. In fact Christians would do well to reflect a little on the history of religious warfare and persecution between themselves over issues of passionate faith. A little mutual understanding might go a long way on this topic.
Faith, Hope, Love and Forgiveness’
Mel Gibson Tackles Passion Controversy, and Despair That Spurred His Faith
But Gibson tells Diane Sawyer in an exclusive interview that was aired on Monday February 16th during ABCNEWS' Primetime — that those who accuse him, or the film he directed, of sparking anti-Semitism avoid the central point he hoped to make. "I don't want people to make it about the blame game," Gibson says. "It's about faith, hope, love and forgiveness. That's what this film is about. It's about Christ's sacrifice."
When asked who killed Jesus, Gibson says, "The big answer is, we all did. I'll be the first in the culpability stakes here."
Gibson: I was 'spiritually bankrupt',
'Passion' producer opens up as film generates unprecedented buzz
January 31, 2004, WorldNetDaily.com
Mel Gibson says his upcoming controversial film "The Passion of the Christ" has become a strong force in his life after years of living as a "monster" and "spiritually bankrupt" in the thralls of success.
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As mentioned above, the Newmarket Films and Icon Productions seek the active promotional help of non-professionals. You can obtain materials by paying shipping and handling only at the movie’s official fan site. Enter the site, and you will see several pages of helpful information. On the international fan site there’s an option to check for breaking news announcements as well as to log your interest and zip code so that that web site can map interest for potential distributors. Click here!
Other ways to promote Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" include: talk to others about it; pray that the film be made available to those who want to see it and that it touches the hearts of its viewers; tell others to visit this web site by inclucing a link to our main page in your e-mail to them; and don’t forget to go see the movie during the first two weeks that it is open!
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