My Sister's Review of GIBSON's Flick

[UTUSN]

My older (by 7 yrs), "delicate", standard-Cath sister, who is something of an unofficial nun, saw GIBSON's movie yesterday, and she reports that she liked it a lot, that it is nothing new to somebody like her (she said like "us") who has been fully indoctrinated (my word) in Cath brainwashing (my word) lifelong, that the violence was broken up by flashbacks, that the woman playing Mary was her favorite, that the media hype was just that.

I had been concerned about her capacity to take it, heck, had wondered whether *I* would have a heart attack. But her reaction takes the fun out of it for me, makes me want to skip putting $7.50 more in Saint Mel's pocket.

Shucks. I guess I'll see it anyway. It has pulled in way over $100 mil already and is headed toward BILLIONS. Plus, everybody connected to it is cashing in. Yesterday the USA cable outlet showed The Thin Red Line, which features the Jesus actor; and last night Braveheart. O'REILLY, who sold a novel a few years old to GIBSON, "Those Who Trespass" about the sharks in the media business, is doing book-signings/sales, and will later cash in again if the movie gets made from it.

The last movie I saw in an actual theater was Gladiator, and before that GIBSON in Hamlet.

[Raster]

1. i refuse to spend even one dime to watch this piece of tripe...

...I'm not christian and I don't give a shit. Further, I won't do anything to put a penny in gibson's pocket. Hypocritical bigot.

One of the happiest days in my life was when my somewhat conservative "reagan democrat" dad said that "all the biggest problems are directly caused by religion." Way to go pop!

[SonofMass]

7. It is a shame that Jesus couldn't have been

a haughty French looking Senator who, oh by the way, served in Vietnam!

[forgethell]

2. The movie is one of the most important

of all time. It was an emotionally gut wrenching experience. And, as they say about so many love scenes, the violence was 'tasteful and well-done". Not to mention that it was relevant to the plot.

There was no anti-Semitism. This is a true love story, God's love to mankind. It may not make much sense to non-Christians,

1 Corinthians 1:23
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

but they don't have to watch it. I thought, though, leaving aside all the theological and even political aspects of the release of this movie that it is a superb artistic achievement. I'd see it for that alone.

[histohoney]

4. I agree.

I am a Christian so that part of me was deeply moved by the film. No I do not think there is anything anti-Semitic nor anti-Latin either. I was always taught and believe from reading the Bible for myself, that the sins of ALL mankind (Past and future) were the cause of Christ's Crucifixion. He came as a sacrifice for ALL.
That the Sanhedrin(did I spell that right?)called for his Crucifixion is history, yes BUT it was God's will that it happen that way as well. If we blame the Jews for Christ death and give them grief over it, we are disrespecting God.
A good Christian rule, you may not agree with someones belief but NEVER make fun of it or others.
Oh and I thought the quality of film making was first rate. I loved the blend of languages, it didn't take anything away for me. The acting was very believable and moving.
Thanks Friends.
P.S. Am I the only one who cringes when the spell check tells you how many you got wrong? Yeecks!

[UTUSN]

10. Just for the Record

re: "NEVER make fun of it or others"

I *do* respect what I perceive to be the SPIRITUALITY of others and in my own clumsy way strive for it myself, but absolutely abhor the havoc inflicted over thousands of years of (what I perceive to be) militant, fanatical, usually hypocritical "religion". The ones who are parading their "beliefs" vulgarly and towards the detriment of others, and usually insisting on the superiority of THEIR brand of "religion" over those of others.

A point that GIBBON made in "Decline and Fall" was that the Ancients (pagans) practiced a profound MODERATION, were TOLERANT of the religions of others, that it was JARRING in their scheme of things when the Judeo-Christian(-and Muslim?) insistence on THEIR ONE God came along, with all the strife, confrontation, and intolerance implied.

And again to those who have reacted strongly to ANY criticism of GIBSON or the movie on their religious grounds: There is another New Testament injunction that tells them to "shake the dust" from the sandals and go away if somebody refuses to be preached to.

[ArkDem]

12. Hmmmmmmm.........

I see the same thing in politics.

[hunter]

5. I've had enough "emotionally gut wrenching" experiences in real life...

So, no thank you, I will probably not see this movie.

If you must see Christ suffer, see it in your fellow man, for Christ is in all of us.

No "special effects" or actors are required.

[forgethell]

14. You misunderstand the whole point.

No one sees the movie to watch suffering. I don't know here, though, I thought us progressives occassionally got out of our 'comfort Zones'. I know that I attempt to from time to time. Not always, though. Hey, it's an individual decision. I've expressed my opinion; you'll do what you want. Peace

[wjittermoss]

3. i don't watch "Bible movies" i read the original script.

the answers to questions about Christian doctrine are all there. Read it for yourself.
The Koran has all the answers to Islamic doctrine...read it for yourselves.
The Torah and the Talmud have the answers to Jewish religious doctrine.
Read it for yourself.

[THUNDER HANDS]

6. i don't understand the fuss

I mean, why pay $10 to see a fake Jesus get crusified? Are we that hard up for anything even remotely religious in this country?

And isn't there something inherently wrong about paying to see something about the son of God?

[ArkDem]

8. What exactly is involved in

crusifiction?

[forgethell]

15. They tie

or nail you up on a cross, arms extended above your head and supporting your weight, although you can push up with your feet. you have to keep pushing up to breathe. Eventually, you die of exhaustion. May take days.

The Romans didn't put up with capital punishment protests.

[ArkDem]

18. You are describing crucifixion.

I was asking about crusifiction. There probably isn't an adult in America that doesn't know what crucifixion is.

[forgethell]

20. You might be surprised

at what adults in America don't know. Then, again, you may not be.

[Ilsa]

9. I'm a Christian and I'm not going to see it.

I don't need Mel's version of it. He doesn't need my money.

[Plaid Adder]

11. Can I just say, Gibson's Hamlet SUCKED!

It was b-a-d bad. I hated just about all of that movie, but he was particularly uninspiring. Why must everyone be trying to turn Hamlet into an action hero? First Mel running around that stupid castle and then Kenneth Branagh swinging from the chandelier.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[Trajan]

13. As an atheist ...

and an ex-catholic ..

I would have to say that THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT of Jesus .. according to this movie and its admirers ... is that Jesus suffered pain ...

He suffered SO MUCH pain ...

He hurt ! ..

The MOST hurt that anyone has ever hurt ... ever ..

The GREATEST POSSIBLE PAIN ... Flying teeth and sloughing flesh ...

Jesus is placed in shackles, and whipped til his flesh was ribboned in panavision/pixar accurate imagery ...

In slo mo ...

For 12 minutes ...

He suffered 'tastefully' ...

The gorey images were 'tasteful' images that revealed that GREATEST torture ever known to mankind ..

And because Jesus suffered so horribly, ... He is an extraspecial deity who deserves our greatest reverence and respect: .. because he suffered so badly ...

So: .. what is important: is that all see the tastefully filmed carnage of the extraspecial deity who suffered the most pain of all time and who because of this 'fact', this man should be revered as a god ...

I REALLY REALLY do not miss catholicism ...

[ArkDem]

16. I'll bet they really really miss you too.

..

[rucky]

17. and as a Jew who just saw the movie...

that's about all I got out of it. Jesus suffered alot, that's for sure. but why does Gibson want to focus on that alone?

I don't think it was antisemetic, although the Roman conquerers were protrayed more sympathetically than the Pharasees, but maybe that's how it is in the Bible, too. I just don't think the movie was made for non-Christians. Besides a few 20-second flashback scenes (greatest hits), his death seemed out of context - so the significance of it was lost on me.

I'm not saying he should've made a different film, I'm just saying that I was not the intended audience.

[Az]

19. Whipping up passion

If you want to enrage a group show injustice or cruelty being done against them in some way. Its really that simple. There are people within religious circles that fear that the churches are losing ground. People do not take their claims as seriously as they would like to. So you whip up Passion.

They got a hint of the effect after 9/11. 1000s of people died and people got pissed and went back to church for a while. No one said the churches were stupid or couldn't learn things. They found the motivator. Violence and destruction aimed at us sends people into a religious fervor. So whip up some passion.

Violence is a motivator. Used in the right way it can force people to make descisions. It can be used as a leverage to force people down certain paths. Like cattle being controlled. Its a basic force within social dynamics. Blood agitates the herd. Agitation leads to action.