Reply #68: Okay I have some thoughts.

[Wonder]

mostly the problem is that in general there exists an ignorance in populace as a whole. Again, when one understands that the romans were the authority, that this "Jews Killed Jesus" mantra would not have lost ferver all these many centuries is proof not so much of anti-semitism as much as it is proof of ignorance with, in this case anti-semitism the symptom.

It seems there are two issues being argued here:

1- is mel's script based on fact
2- will this film incite anti-semitism, not so much that the film IS anti-semitic but more specifically that hatred of the Jews is prevalent within society and therefore might it be incited by the content of this film.

From this article Indiana Green places here, I tend to think #2 is the bigger issue, mostly because of the ignorance that abounds within society in terms of prejudices as they apply to race or creed. So this IMHO is more so the heart of this debate, rather than whether Mel is anti-semitic or whether the content of the film is factual.

As to the latter... since when has it been easy to nail historic fact. Look at the falsity imbedded in so much history. Look at the myths purported by orthodoxies and propaganda. This is why I say whether the film is factual or not is moot. Completely irrelevant. I am not surprised that there would exist a debate wherein discrepancies are revealed in historic context between one christian sect vs a the catholic sects vs various Judaic sects. This doesn't surprise me at all.

snip from article:

"Although those attending were required to sign a nondisclosure agreement pledging that they would not reveal details of "The Passion," Tackett said that in general the film faithfully followed the scriptural narrative that has the Jewish high priests plotting to eliminate Jesus and even threatening Pilate with a general uprising if he fails to order Jesus' execution."

---------------------

Now even if this is true, a few Jewish high priests plotting to eliminate Jesus DOES NOT translate to this misnomer that THE JEWS KILLED JESUS.

In fact I wouldn't be surprised if in fact it IS TRUE. Jesus could have been considered a tear away from Judaism as these High priests were disseminating the religion and they may have seen Jesus's preachings as a threat to their power which was power under Roman Authoritiy. STILL DOES NOT TRANSLATE TO THE JEWS KILLED JESUS. A Few Jewish Priests does not translate to ALL JEWS. It especially does not translate to ALL THE JEWS in the world today so many centuries since roman times.

Therefore it seems to me the heart of the contravercy is not whether the film is factual, it is not whether Mel is an anti-Semite, but instead it is whether this film because it highlights in specific terms perhpas the various heirarchies (that of the Jewish people living under Roman rule), will incite an anti-semitic backlash MOST SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE of the acute IGNORANCE intrinsic within our society.

So the question really is should this film be banned from showing because 1- it might insult the sensibilities of a number of religious groups in America and 2- because it threatens to incite anti-semitic sentiment. Are these two points enough reason to have a film barred from view in America? That is the question here.

IMHO, THIS IS THE HEART OF THE ISSUE