Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ"

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9cyclops9

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Anyone going to see this? What are your thoughts on it?

My take is this. I'm definitely going to see it. Probably the first night it comes out if I can. I've been waiting for this to come out for a long time. From what I've heard from people who have seen advance screenings of it, it is the most moving thing they have ever experienced. Here's on review, and I've read a dozen or so that echo what this one says.

This is written by Jody Dean who is a member of Richland Hills Church of Christ and is a Dallas TV anchor.
All...
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 t. 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 punisHydromaxent 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 punisHydromaxent 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
is 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
 
I've been wanting to see this movie too. Looks good.

If Jews hate it I'm pretty sure I'll love it.
 
I'm going to see it. They guy from the 700 club was praising it, which is an ODD occurance, he never praises anything worldly. Anywho, yeah, looks like a great movie.

You guys seen the trailer?
 
I'm definitely going to see it and from what I've been hearing...Jews should have no reason to hate it or not see it.
 
If it sticks to the Biblical account of what happened, then there is no reason why Jews should take any offense at all. The Bible makes it clear that it was because of our (everyone's) sin that Christ died. Not because of any particular group. Nobody is to blame, except everybody. It looks like it's going to be a really powerful movie. I can't wait for it to come out.

John
 
I've been seeing shit on the news about how Jewish groups are already against it. Finally, a movie comes out that doesn't showcase Jews as victims, but as the condemners...of course Jews will hate it.
 
I generally don't care to go to the theater that often, since the crowds tend to annoy me and my home theater usually gives me a better experience. However, I really feel compelled to see this as soon as there's a showing that isn't sold out.
 
Godsize, it doesn't show Jews as the condemners. They did exactly what they had to. In their eyes it was right to turn Jesus in to Pilate. Christians don't hate Jews for that. God doesn't hate Jews for that. I'm actually glad they did it. Without the Jews turning Jesus in, He wouldn't have been crucified, wouldn't have made His Sacrifice so that we can live. I don't think Christians have anything whatsoever against Jews. This may have been so in the past, but it was WRONG. We should be glad they did what they did.

John
 
9cyclops9 said:
Anyone going to see this? What are your thoughts on it?


hi 9cyclops9,

no im not. if you read deut 5:7-9 it talks about not making an image of God and not bowing unto them. its like ancient israel with their high places of worshipping other gods, in our day doctrines of mens minds. if you want the real story of God and the pictures he paints of himself, read the bible. there is a lot of fudging done to the bible that they add in or take away to make it what they want.

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all. Amen.

so either way the deut passages or the rev, we know that it is not good to do.
____________
Is the Church Dead? DOES GOD LOVE YOU?
 
Whoa whoa whoa. Are you telling me that you think that the movie is intended for us to WORSHIP it?!? I think not. And that Mel Gibson is taking words away and adding to the Bible? Consider this. Those verses in Revelation are talking about not adding to the Book of Revelation. Not the Bible in general. And that doesn't mean don't make a film about it. I bet you think the Left Behind series is sinful too. But what I think it means is don't add to the actual book itself.

Do you think John knew that his book was going to be the last book in the Bible? No, he didn't. The Bible was put together some 200 years later (I think it was 200) by the Church. They felt the need to make an authentic, standard form of the Bible. This was because the Gnostics used lots of the same Scriptures, but they had some books that were contrary to what the Bible as we know it today says. So John was definitely talking about his Book of Revelation rather than the whole Bible. There was no Bible then. It was still being written at that point. I can see you're way over to the right, but you need to learn some history and read some apologists before you start saying you know exactly what the Bible means in every verse. I really don't think you can say it's bad for us to go watch this movie, when the intent of the movie is not to make us worship the movie or Mel Gibson, but to let us see how it might have been for Christ when he was getting beaten and crucified. And it is definitely not adding or taking away from the actual Scriptures.

John
 
9cyclops9 said:
Whoa whoa whoa. Are you telling me that you think that the movie is intended for us to WORSHIP it?!? I think not. And that Mel Gibson is taking words away and adding to the Bible? Consider this. Those verses in Revelation are talking about not adding to the Book of Revelation. Not the Bible in general. And that doesn't mean don't make a film about it. I bet you think the Left Behind series is sinful too. But what I think it means is don't add to the actual book itself.

Do you think John knew that his book was going to be the last book in the Bible? No, he didn't. The Bible was put together some 200 years later (I think it was 200) by the Church. They felt the need to make an authentic, standard form of the Bible. This was because the Gnostics used lots of the same Scriptures, but they had some books that were contrary to what the Bible as we know it today says. So John was definitely talking about his Book of Revelation rather than the whole Bible. There was no Bible then. It was still being written at that point. I can see you're way over to the right, but you need to learn some history and read some apologists before you start saying you know exactly what the Bible means in every verse. I really don't think you can say it's bad for us to go watch this movie, when the intent of the movie is not to make us worship the movie or Mel Gibson, but to let us see how it might have been for Christ when he was getting beaten and crucified. And it is definitely not adding or taking away from the actual Scriptures.

John



many people think its the book of revelation we arent to add to. but the bible is one whole, its one word. so if anyone adds to any of the other parts of the bible they are adding to revelation too.

and if you look at revelation 10:9 describing this book, what book, the book that God has been writing for hundreds of years, it says,

10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take [it], and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

and by comparing that description with other parts of the bible we know that it is not just the book of revelation,

psalms 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

but to let us see how it might have been for Christ when he was getting beaten and crucified. And it is definitely not adding or taking away from the actual Scriptures.

how does anyone know what Christ went through being beaten and crucified and to die the second death? if one were to say this is how, then are they not coming with their own image? trust in Christ and not a movie. i hope i do.

___________
Is the Church Dead? DOES GOD LOVE YOU?
 
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Man you're really blowing it out of proportion. It isn't about putting your faith in a movie! I thought I made that clear. It is not possible to know exactly every single thing that happened to Christ, but the Gospels give a pretty good description, plus there have been many books written about how people were crucified in those days. I think it's reasonable to say that the movie is probably pretty accurate. It probably isn't quite as gruesome as what it really was, but you're basically saying that its a sinful movie just because we don't know exactly every minute detail of what happened. I don't see where you get this.

About the Revelation thing. My point was that whether you think it's Revelation the verse is talking about or the whole Bible, what the verse means is that you aren't supposed to add to the actual BOOK. It doesn't say that you can't try to depict what happened. You shouldn't add words to the actual PRINTED BOOK.

I think next you're going to tell me that KJV is the only 'real' Bible. Sheesh.

John
 
The reviews are starting to come in on this one. I won't be seeing it on Wednesday, but probably over the weekend for sure.
 
True. None of us was actually there, so we'll never know the real story. It all comes down to having faith in some random book written by human men (liars) many many years ago.

Enjoy.
 
I just got back from seeing it. I rarely feel a loss of words, but I do now. I have never experienced anything so horrifying, so grotesque, and yet so wonderful and so intensely beautiful. I cried through at least half of the movie and thinking of it is still causing me to tear up. During quiet parts of the film I could tell that I was certainly not the only one. The more brutal scenes were causing people to cry out in the theater. When the crown was pushed into his skull, you could hear several people scream. I sat with every muscle in my body clenched through most of the movie. You will not be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy this. This movie is heart-wrenching in the true sense of the word.

I left feeling very drained, and very thankful. It amazes me that Christ was willing to endure this for me. I sat there thinking, "He did this for me, and look what I do with His gift. Look at how I live my life. What makes me think I am worthy?"

To everyone on the board: go see it. It doesn't matter if you're a Christian or not. You will get something from this movie. If nothing else you will learn something about forgiveness and love. If you're a Christian and you haven't seen it, see it as soon as you can. It will change the way you view your faith, and it will change the way you view the trivial things that do not matter in life.
 
Although I have not seen the film, I must admit that it has inspired some negative feelings in me. Not for it's content, but rather its polarizing effect. It seems that people are either unwilling or unable to criticize and judge it upon it's own merit, or the reverse, the critics will not give it a fair and measured assesment, or even consider it's worth as art. This is a result of both the media coverage and conversations I've had with friends and various others over the past week. It seems that the extreme on either side has tried to capatalize on the film and use it to enforce their agendas, which I do not believe was Mel Gibson's intention. I get disgruntled when I hear Christians insisting that everybody should required to see the film, and likewise when I hear critics bash it as just gory propaganda and call for boycott. It is an indication of the strange social climate of our times that one religious film could produce such an agitated response from so many, as religious films used to be fairly standard in hollywood.

To those who bash the film, keep in mind it is just one man's interpretation, and a fairly straight forward one at that. An expression of belief does no harm to anybody. As for the claims of anti-semitism, an orthodox Jewish friend of mine disagrees with them wholeheartedly, and pointed out to me that Mel Gibson made a very to the letter of the book version. Rather, he feels that complaints from the Jewish community will only bring negative attention upon them. To the zealots, keep in mind that the bible is one book of many. Enjoy the film if it bolsters your faith and helps you get in touch with your beliefs, but remember as well, it is merely a film and presents nothing more than a filmed depiction of what has always been there for you to read in the bible. Although I am not religious, it was always my understanding that Christians understood and contemplated Christ's suffering and sacrfice a great deal to begin with, that it was fundamental to the faith. In some ways I see it as a sad coommentary on faith in that so many people seem shaken by a film that displays something that was essential to the experience but is appearently rarely considered by most. Hope this doesn't offend anybody, it's been on my mind for a few days.
 
Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I missed this.

Godsize said:
True. None of us was actually there, so we'll never know the real story. It all comes down to having faith in some random book written by human men (liars) many many years ago.

Enjoy.

Sorry, no that isn't true at all. There is no question in anyone's mind (that is, anyone who has studied such things...historians in other words, both Christian and non-Christian) that the Bible is historically very accurate. You may think it isn't, but that is your own unwillingness to accept it, and not based on any fact. The question is not whether to believe in the Book, but whether Christ was indeed who He said He was. And before you can make a good decision about that, you must know what you are deciding. Which I will assume you do not since you think that the Bible is just some random book. It is not. Know what you're arguing against before you argue. Study it before you decide it is bogus. A book I would recommend for you is The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel. He was an atheist setting out to write a book to prove that Christ could not have been who He said He was. He ended up convincing himself that Christ actually was. I'll also recommend Sea of Faith by Don Cupitt, an atheist. His book is anti-Christian. After that, read Ocean of Truth, Brian Hebbelthwaite's Christian answer to Cupitt's book. Another good one is Mere Christianity by CS Lewis.

I'm sure you know who Stephen Hawking is. The foremost physicist of our time, considered by most to be the greatest mind since Einstein. He has written books on the origin of the universe. His book, A Brief History of Time (I think that's the title) deals with the origin of time, the universe, black holes, etc. In other words, he's pretty smart. He goes to church across the Charles River from me. Scientists have proven that before the universe came into existence, there was absolutely nothing. NOTHING! Up until recently it was thought that there was a blob of matter that exploded...the Big Bang. Now they know that there was nothing. It is very difficult for our finite minds to grasp what nothing really is. Aristotle defined 'nothing' as "the things rocks dream of." This discovery prompted Stephen Hawking, the foremost scientist of our time and authority on the universe's existence (as far as humans go) that there is indeed a God, and that he did create the universe.

So you just keep thinking that the Bible is a bunch of baloney and untrue and just some random book and whatever else you may believe. But you'd better have some hard evidence and strong arguments to convince me. Or perhaps you could explain to me how something came from absolutely nothing.
 
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