The Culprit of the Passion of the Christ
Much hoopla has been made over Mel Gibson's cinematic account of the last twelve hours of Christ's life. Some say that it is a brutal feast of gore; others call it a controversy-induced money-maker. But the most vitriolic of these labels is as old as the gospels themselves: anti-Semitic.
The Boston Globe, in an attempt at creative journalism, attaches a more potent tag to the same basic unease. The movie’s fidelity to the original texts gives liberal Catholic columnist James Carroll little comfort because in his eyes, the Gospels are permeated with “the virus of Jew hatred.” The Jews, critics say, are constantly and wrongfully in the crosshairs and even a faithful telling of Christ’s death “can do damage.”
Well, the heads will talk as they always do, but let the accused speak. In Acts 4:26-27, John and Peter (the pinnacle of Catholic ancestor-worship) clearly indicates the culpable parties: “The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together.”
I suppose then it makes sense that “there is not a scintilla of anti-Semitism to be found anywhere in this powerful film.” After all, the Jews did crucify Jesus…
YourThoughts?
(Minutia)
This entry was written by Jesse on Sunday, February 22, 2004 at 11:56 PM and appears in the Movies chapter. The previous article was entitled, "CBS Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry", and the next entry is called, "I Watched My Savior Die". Bookmark the permalink, save it to del.icio.us or Digg it.
GetUpdated
ElseWhere
AllChapters
- 50 articles in the chapter 0's and 1's
- 34 articles in the chapter America
- 54 articles in the chapter Blogging
- 34 articles in the chapter Ears
- 35 articles in the chapter Eyes
- 17 articles in the chapter Family Ties
- 18 articles in the chapter Friends
- 3 articles in the chapter Great-Grandmother
- 58 articles in the chapter Heart
- 4 articles in the chapter Intercessional
- 61 articles in the chapter Journeys
- 44 articles in the chapter Kicks and Giggles
- 47 articles in the chapter Mind
- 28 articles in the chapter Miscellany
- 16 articles in the chapter Movies
- 2 articles in the chapter Podcasts
- 30 articles in the chapter Retrospection
- 63 articles in the chapter Savior
- 2 articles in the chapter Tech Tips
- 32 articles in the chapter The Pen
- 6 articles in the chapter Wedding/Honeymoon
- 18 articles in the chapter World
BiteSize.journal
ReaderFavorites
- The Mosquito Tone Test
- The Girl And The Boy: An Engagement Story
- A Farewell Letter
- Would Jesus Have Cared About The Cake?
- 10 Signs of a Jesus Follower
- Erego Ergo Sum (I Pay, Therefore I Am)
- A Libertarian View of Pensacola Christian College
- Situational Ethics
- Rich White People
- Fundamentalism and the Gentleness of Wisdom
















