The Passion Of The Christ

I just saw this movie this evening on the MM2 Movie channel…

A great Mel Gibson film and definitely not one for young kids…

If you haven’t seen it see if you can get it. English subtitles a must though.





[quote=“Satellite TV”]I just saw this movie this evening on the MM2 Movie channel…

A great Mel Gibson film and definitely not one for young kids…
[/quote]

Yeah, Christians certainly like their violence. Instead of focusing on Christ’s message of LOVE and NON-Violence Gibson insisted on making a movie with enough blood to fill a swimming pool and a not so subtle anti-semetic message.

“The basic message of Christianity – love your brother – is obscured under torrents of blood to the point of benumbing the audience.”
– Bill Muller, ARIZONA REPUBLIC

“Whereas the words say love, love, love, the sounds and images say hate, hate, hate.”
– Andrew Sarris, NEW YORK OBSERVER

“So obsessively and so graphically bloody-minded that it comes perilously close to the pornography of violence.”
– Rick Groen, GLOBE AND MAIL

“While it fails to shed significant new light on its subject, Gibson’s film and the all-Jesus-all-the-time attention from the media it’s attracted do tell us something somewhat disconcerting about the state of American culture: That the way to make a religion based on love and forgiveness relevant today is to turn it into violent entertainment.”
– FILM THREAT

“BLOOD GORE PAIN!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”
– Eric Lurio, GREENWICH VILLAGE GAZETTE

:flog:
Number of minutes Jesus was beaten: 45
Number of times Jesus was whipped: 115
Number of nails pounded into Jesus: 4

We don’t like our violence, but I can’t see pitching a movie about LOVE and NON VIOLENCE to a group of MBA producers.

Let’s play suppose if:


Mel Gibson:
So, this movie is a about the glory of Jesus’ message. Which I got the idea after I built my own church in my back yard.

Producer: So what you’re telling me is that there’s no CGI or cars blowing up

Mel: I don’t think you’re getting the point. Let me pitch it again. A man comes to earth to give glory to God and save his people from their sins.

Producer: And we wont get to see Mary Magdalene’s tits either?

Mel: :unamused: Jesus was not about profit. He was about changing the powers that be.

Producer:So…You’re saying that , umm, that’s there’s no sex, no explosions, and you wanna do this in (turns to secretary)what language? Aramic? Hmm, okay, well can we see Jesus’ ass at least. You know, we have to have something to get the audiences in the seats. Oh I got it, how about a “Leathal Wepon 5” where Jesus appears to help you and Danny fight supernatural forces in LA. Now that’s a movie we can sell.

Mel: :noway:

It worked for the movie [b][u]GANDHI[/b][/u]. It even won 8 Oscars.

[quote]Whenever I despair, I remember that the way of truth and love has always won. There may be tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they may seem invincible, but in the end, they always fail. Think of it: always.

  • Gandhi[/quote]

:bravo: :shocker: :noway:

True about Ghandi, but it still had violence in it. :wink: I think they call it “creating a dramatic effect” and whatnot :unamused:

The key word here is passion. The [i]Passion[/i] of The Christ. If you didn’t want to see such brutality you should have paid closer attention to the title. The title often gives away what the movie is about. If you’re not Christian, nor a native English speaker, use a dictionary to gain some insight into what you are planning on viewing.

Also, it’s not that Christians enjoy violence; Christ’s suffering is an integral part of our religion, it’s not just about love, love, love.

Doctor, I DO understand the word Passion and it’s implications in the movie. My complaint is that the “brutality” doesn’t develop the characters in the movie. It’s brutality for brutality’s sake. Does it say anywhere in the Bible that when Jesus was nailed to the cross that it fell down and his face was [i]SMASHED[/i] into the ground?

Yes, but the violence didn’t consist of 2/3 of the movie and it was included because it showed the development of the main character and the brutality of the British army. Big difference.

“Passion of the Christ” sold more tickets on it’s promise to feed people’s sadistic fantasies than anything else.

[quote=“Cyberguerrilla”]

Yes, but the violence didn’t consist of 2/3 of the movie and it was included because it showed the development of the main character and the brutality of the British army. Big difference.[/quote]

Knew that, but since we don’t have a tongue in cheek emoticon, then you had to read btw the lines to get that. I am being really sarcastic when discussing this movie. As it was the umpteen film I’ve seen about Christ(Exception of Sorcese’s(sp)) about how Jesus died so brutally.

No, this is your original post.:

That’s not a complaint about violence in movies, it’s an outright slagging of Christians in general.

Only if one was to consider it from a cinematic perspective. I choose to view it from its religious perspective, as Mel Gibson intended.

[quote=“Cyberguerrilla”]
Does it say anywhere in the Bible that when Jesus was nailed to the cross that it fell down and his face was [i]SMASHED[/i] into the ground?[/quote]
No, the Bible doesn’t say that, but what did you think crucifixion was? It does, however, say that Christ was scourged. Scourged, not slapped on the wrist with a wet noodle.

Had Mel Gibson presented us with a sanitized version in which not a drop of blood was to be seen and all was sparkling clean and new, you would no doubt be complaining that it wasn’t realistic.

Jesus took enough of a beating in that movie to kill a person ten times over. We got the idea. He was tortured and yet forgave. They could have done a little less beating and used the time saved to explore other themes. Brutality for brutality sake and sold as something “religious”. Hard to get much lower than that.

Wow. I hadn’t realized fundamentalist Christians had developed the ability to read people’s minds and predict how they would react to events that haven’t even taken place.

“Judgement” isn’t the right word, but it’s the first one that comes to mind.

:smiling_imp:

(and how do you explain all those dinosaur bones? “God the Prankster”?)

I’m not a fundamentalist Christian. I’m Anglican.

Cyberguerilla, if you want to engage in a debate about the movie, that’s fine. If you want continue slagging Christians, start a thread for that and I guarantee I won’t visit it even once. I came to this thread to discuss a movie, not to be denigrated for my religous beliefs.

As for judgements, you cast the first stone with your original post.

Gee Whiz Bob, if only you had been around at the time 2000 whatever years ago you could have told Pontious Pilot and the Romans about it… :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

Maybe you could have introduced humans rights themes to the romans… :unamused: :unamused:

In any case I’m not religious :help: :help: but I do think this is a great movie. OK It’s not the reality channel but it sure does strike up the emotions. :wink: :wink:

That’s what this movie is meant to do… I guess we just got used to seeing too many beheadings last year and the action was over way to fast… :loco: :loco: it onlt took a minute or so to behead a guy with a short knife… :astonished: :astonished: :astonished:

Crucification is much more gratifying… just hope it never happens to me :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Well it’s only about the last 12 hours of Jesus’ life so I guess next time Mel can make a movie about the other 33 missing years… yeah great title for his next movie The Missing Years :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Yes but how about performing a crucifiction on somebody else, or seeing one live at least. Would that do it for you?

Yes but how about performing a crucifiction on somebody else, or seeing one live at least. Would that do it for you?[/quote]

I’m not sure it would Bob? :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

I’ve never seen one to know if it’s better than just doing the firing squad, gas chamber, burned at the stake, bein lynched, or being drowned. Maybe we should all just watch Top Assassination Missions of the KGB & CIA.

End result is pretty much the same. :yay: :yay: :yay:

When I was a kid on the farm killing a chook or a lamb or just plain shootin wabbits and foxes I haven’t really been bothered by death, just the manner of it. Quicker seems to be better but I’m sure many people could find excuses to prolong the process for those they are no so keen on. :howyoudoin: :howyoudoin:

Public floggings, hangings, and beheadings have been pretty common practice for centuries. But then that was civil society came along with their lawyers and their rules and considered these methods barbaric so we moved along to the lectric chair and now lethal injections. :angel:

I’m sure a few public crucifictions played live on our lovely mass media networks would not go down too well. :ohreally: :ohreally:

We must have a more tolerant and kinder gentler way of doing in those condemned never to breathe again. :bravo: :bravo: Of course it’s just not the same as killing in Gods name though is it? That bring a whole new meaning to it.

But I’m really going :offtopic: I’m sure that 2000 years ago public crucifictions were probably pretty brutal.

But without Jesus bein up there I’m sure Christianity would have been thought of a lot differant than if he had been laid gently down on a slab and been expired by the more pleasant lethal injection techniques. :unamused: :unamused:

I mean Jesus’ death had to play a significant religious and historical purpose, whereas if it was my death by crucification, although perhaps tragic, serves no really useful purpose. :sunglasses: :sunglasses:

I was talking with a missionary in Chiayi not long back and we were discussing these things about Christ and what his death meant. When he asked me what I thought about the crucifiction my immediate reply which just popped outta my head before I had time to think [i]was that it was a waste of wood[/i][/b]. :astonished: :astonished:

Too much an abundance of whiskey had made the tongue a bit too liberal but it was still true enough. imho

At least it stopped all the circular debates about wether God actually exists or not. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :howyoudoin:

Thing is most people think death comes prim and proper wrapped up in plastic like they buy their steaks and chicken at the supermarkets. :tic: :tic:

Best they never see an abbatoirs really. Theyd’s never eat meat again, and then where would we be, thousands of meat workers outta work and on the dole. :help: :help:

I hope these ramblings have made sense to you… death is a part of life, better learn to live with it… :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:

A Ha, we now know your fetish :smiley: :smiley:

I saw the movie long long ago. Great piece of fiction.

A Ha, we now know your fetish :smiley: :smiley:[/quote]

Oprah is not Christ. Althought, after the Frey interview, she just may think so. :unamused: