--- Ok, everyone needs to pull their panties out of their butts about this movie right now---and that includes Mel Gibson.

I hate to tell you this, folks, but it's a movie.
This is not the be all, end all, debate of our time. It just isn't.
Terrorism, yeah, that's a biggie. But a frigging movie? Get over
yourselves.
Ever since I started this blog back in August, I've began a few
epistles about The Passion,
numerous times. I stopped and did the digital equivalent of ripping
paper out of the typewriter, balling it up, and shooting for three---I
deleted the posts. Much easier on the trees. I just couldn't get it
down. I've tried to defend Mel's vision. That didn't work. I tried to
tell the ADL to get over themselves, but that didn't work out either. I
think I've finally come to a conclusion about what will work:
EVERYBODY GO INTO A CORNER AND TAKE A TIME OUT. WHEN THE EGG TIMER GOES
OFF, YOU CAN GET UP AGAIN, BUT IF YOU SHOOT YOUR MOUTH OFF ONE MORE
TIME...
I will make a fantastic mother one day, won't I? Heheheheh. I'm all
about the empty threat.
Anyway, the gist of the debate swirling around this film is that a. Mel
keeps shooting his mouth off and b. numerous Jewish groups think its
going to incite hatred against Jews because--they think, they haven't
actually seen it to my knowledge---they're depicted as ultimately
repsonsible for the crucifixion. This is all one big fabricated
controversy. A few people got wedgies because of perceived slights, and
then it got out of control. It's ridiculous. I don't even want to see
the movie anymore. I really don't. Movies are supposed to be another
form of storytelling, but if some jerk is going to scream through the
entire thing, why bother? What exactly are you supposed to get out of
the story if you can't even hear it? Now, just a few comments. Mel
thinks his wife is going to hell? I'm sure she's thanking you for
sharing that assessment of the situation with a few million readers
worldwide, buddy. She gave birth to eight
of your children. And your way of thanking her for seventy-two months
of swollen ankles, bloated boobs, and the eventual joys of labor, is to
tell her---and the world---she's going to hell because she doesn't go
to the same church that you do? HUH? You could have kept your views of
salvation to yourself, Mel. She'd be well within her rights to nail you
with a frying pan. I would. But this is what Mel believes. That anyone
outside of his church is going to hell, yet the guy calls himself a Catholic. Well, bud, I hate to tell you this, you're not a Catholic. Anyone who rejects Vatican II is a heretic. Yep. That's right. Say it with me---her-e-tic. That's right. You're
the heretic, not the other billion people served. Stop calling yourself
a Catholic. You're not. By what my church---you know, the one ruled by
the guy in the big funny hat---teaches, you're the one going to hell.
Stop being so sanctimonious and realize people believe in different
things and that you have no right judging anyone or declaring who is
going to hell and who isn't. Leave it up to God: He's ultimately the
one who will have to settle the score. And I can't think that patently
ignoring Jesus' message of judge not, lest ye be judged is
going to earn you any points in the Man's books. Now, on to the ADL.
This movie is not going to cause worldwide panic. It's just not. Most
Christians can't even be bothered to go to church on Sundays---why on
Earth would you think they could organize themselves into a big
screaming mob who are going to start burning synagogues if they go and
see a movie this movie? The attendance at Mass worldwide is even less
if the World Cup's running. Give it a rest. We're unorganized and we
can't be bothered. Don't worry about us. You've got your hands full
with the Muslims. We know you have to worry about them, but us...pffft.
No fretting necessary. And besides, we're all going to wait for the
rental anyway.
Second, I hate to tell you this, but the Jews are the ones who
organized the crucifixion. No, they didn't kill Jesus, but they ordered
the hit. I don't hold today's Jews reponsible for this. Neither should
anyone else. But if you read the Bible it's pretty clear that it was
the Sandedrin's guards who took Jesus from Gethsemane. They had
recruited Judas to point Jesus out. They were the ones who sent their
guards to round 'em up. The Chief Priest's guard even had his ear
whacked off and Jesus healed it. They were the ones who lobbied Pontius
Pilate to find him guilty of some crime, so he was out of the way. They
were the ones who took him over to Herod when Pilate could find no
reason to hold him. They were the ones who took him back
to Pilate after Herod couldn't come up with anything. Pilate finally
gave in---after trying to let Jesus go free as an act of goodwill for
Passover---and ordered him crucified. Is the name Barrabbas ringing a
bell? No, the ruling Jews of ancient Jerusalem didn't want to have a
damn thing to do with Jesus. They saw him as a threat to their way of
life, so they rejected him, but they went even further---they got him
out of the picture. They got the Romans to crucify him. They are the ones who are culpable here,
not the however many million Jews out there today. We Christians know
this. We are not going to rise up and punish the "Christ Killers"
because a movie has inspired us to do so. Pffft. Ain't going to happen.
Simply because we know the Jews of today had nothing to do with it.
Hear me now: I DON'T HOLD THE JEWS OF TODAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF JESUS!
Neither do millions of Christians worldwide. But that admission in no
way means we don't recognize the historical fact in this. The Jews of
ancient Jerusalem took out a Nazarean they thought was a threat. And
Jesus was
a threat to their way of life. They liked their way of life. They liked
the sway they held with the powers that were and Jesus was a threat to
all of that. Jesus didn't like their way of life, actively preached
against it, and was gaining followers. Hence, he had to be taken care
of. It was, in essence, a power play. No different than the whole Et
tu, Brute business with Caesar. But this doesn't mean diddly squat to
most Christians. It's the meaning of the crucifixion that has
significance to us---the what, the why, the how---not the who. That,
quite frankly, is irrelevant. Jesus knew he was going to die in the
Garden at Gethsemane. He knew who was going to kill him, too. He asked
for God to forgive his killers when he was on the cross. And he wasn't
just talking about the Romans there, kids. To focus on who is or is not
culpable---today, right here, right now---is to be missing the entire
point of Jesus' suffering and ultimate death on the cross. If Jesus
wasn't concerned with the who, neither should anyone else. And this is
from a person who doesn't take the rest of the Bible literally. I do
happen to know my Passion, though. You sit through a few Holy Thursday
and Good Friday masses and you'll know it, too. Not to mention when
they used to shepherd us around the church, doing the Stations of the
Cross in grade school. The Passion, as described by Luke is filled with
enough facts that despite the author's leanings, it's a credible
recording of what actually happened. IF
and only you believe it happened in the first place. Which I do. Others
may not, but I'll take Luke's word for it. He seems to be the apostle
who strove for accuracy, unlike John, whose writing, at times,
honestly, forces you to wonder what the hell the man was smoking to
come up with his Gospel, let alone Revelations. Must have been some seriously
good weed. Everyone just needs to get over this whole thing. Mel didn't
show the film to people he thought would rip it up and down the river
and shot his mouth off about it. He's defeating himself in this manner.
Let him, is what I say. I don't want this story told by him. He should
be shouted down---because he's now pissing off his core audience---the
Christians. And if they don't want to see it, who do you think will?

Posted by: Kathy at 10:52 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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