"The Passion"

Hoping I don't open up a can of worms here. . .

Has anyone seen this movie? I just got back and I have to say that was
the most difficult 2 hours I think I've ever had in my life. I cried
almost the entire time and at one point I thought I was going to have
to leave. . .

I feel emotionally and physically drained. I don't know if I could
bear to watch it again, but I have to say I'm glad I saw it once. And
as far as anti-Semitic sentiment in the movie - I really didn't see
any.

Incredible movie. I don't know what else to say.

Raine

On 3/7/04 6:39 PM, in article ,
"escapee" wrote:

I didn't see it and most likely won't. However, I cry just as hard for H.H.
The
Dalai Lama and all the Tibetans who to this day are being held captive,
beaten
and tortured by the Chinese government.

The Passion was probably brutally, violent, but that's what happened to
Christ.
I don't think I could watch it...but I do honor his name for having gone
through
the torment because he held to his passion.

My MIL said it was a very effective portrayal of the Stations of The
Cross...which is what it actually was supposed to be.

I hope it softens people, not make them angry. Jesus was a Jew. Jews killed
him. If one believes in the Bible, those are scriptures.

No - they refused to ask for mercy for him. The Romans courts convicted him
of inciting unrest.

Cheryl


If it helps bring people back to their traditions, their faith, the film will
have been worth every moment.

V


On 7 Mar 2004 15:27:02 -0800, (Raine) opined:

Hoping I don't open up a can of worms here. . .

Has anyone seen this movie? I just got back and I have to say that was
the most difficult 2 hours I think I've ever had in my life. I cried
almost the entire time and at one point I thought I was going to have
to leave. . .

I feel emotionally and physically drained. I don't know if I could
bear to watch it again, but I have to say I'm glad I saw it once. And
as far as anti-Semitic sentiment in the movie - I really didn't see
any.

Incredible movie. I don't know what else to say.

Raine

In article ,
(Raine) writes:

Has anyone seen this movie?

I haven't been yet. Two of my closest friends have, and said that the theatre
was absolutely hushed -- no yakking -- and the ride home was completely silent
as each of them tried to process what they'd just seen.

They're urging me to go, and I probably will.


--
Finished 12/14/03 -- Mermaid (Dimensions)
WIP: Fireman's Prayer, Amid Amish Life, Angel of Autumn, Calif Sampler, Holiday
Snowglobe

Paralegal - Writer - Editor - Researcher
http://hometown.aol.com/kmc528/KMC.html

Haven't seen the movie because I know I will be overcome by the scenes
depicted. My question regarding this movie is why the question of allowing
kids to see it. Would you bring your child to a crucifixion? An
electrocution? A lethal injection? Some people claim its violent. Well,
Duhhhh. Wasn't it a violent act? the so-called anti-semitism. Jews were
involved in Jesus's death. So were the Germans in the holocaust. History is
just that, history. All of us, have shameful acts in our ethnic backgrounds.
Americans just about anihilated the Native americans, and brought human
beings from Africa for slavery. We can't change that anymore that any other
group can change their history now. Sorry, I just get tired of the stupid
questions coming from what I used to think were intelligent journalists.
Mary Ellen





"Raine" wrote in message
om...
Hoping I don't open up a can of worms here. . .

Has anyone seen this movie? I just got back and I have to say that was
the most difficult 2 hours I think I've ever had in my life. I cried
almost the entire time and at one point I thought I was going to have
to leave. . .

I feel emotionally and physically drained. I don't know if I could
bear to watch it again, but I have to say I'm glad I saw it once. And
as far as anti-Semitic sentiment in the movie - I really didn't see
any.

Incredible movie. I don't know what else to say.

Raine

"Mary Ellen Daub" had some very interesting
things to say about "The Passion":

Americans just about anihilated the Native americans, and brought human
beings from Africa for slavery.

And Africans sold other Africans to the slave traders, let us not
forget.
--
"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.
:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL

"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
On 3/7/04 6:39 PM, in article ,
"escapee" wrote:

I hope it softens people, not make them angry. Jesus was a Jew. Jews
killed
him. If one believes in the Bible, those are scriptures.

No - they refused to ask for mercy for him. The Romans courts convicted
him
of inciting unrest.

Cheryl


Without being revisionist, please remember that the Scriptures were written
decades AFTER the Crucifixion at a time when the early Christians were
trying hard to stay alive. Putting the blame on the Jews took it off the
Romans who were still in charge.

Ann

On 3/7/04 10:00 PM, in article , "Ann"
wrote:


"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
On 3/7/04 6:39 PM, in article ,
"escapee" wrote:

I hope it softens people, not make them angry. Jesus was a Jew. Jews
killed
him. If one believes in the Bible, those are scriptures.

No - they refused to ask for mercy for him. The Romans courts convicted
him
of inciting unrest.

Cheryl


Without being revisionist, please remember that the Scriptures were written
decades AFTER the Crucifixion at a time when the early Christians were
trying hard to stay alive. Putting the blame on the Jews took it off the
Romans who were still in charge.

Ann


Actually, I know that - I took Latin and Classical history. The Romans
viewed "Christ" as a troublemaker and rebel leader. They could have cared
less about the religious aspect.

Cheryl

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 02:22:20 GMT, Deb Milner
wrote:

We're considering waiting for the DVD.

I know I'll wait for the DVD, assuming I watch it at all, if for no
other reason than I'm functionally a single mom with two kids and no
car and insufficient disposable income on a routine basis to afford a
movie AND a sitter AND transportation to and from the theater. Maybe
if I could con my parents into coming over and letting me use their
car? LOL


Jenn L.
--
http://community.webshots.com/user/jaliace
http://sewu9corn.blogspot.com
Current projects:
Lady Scarlet's Journey (Just Nan)
Just Nan Round Robin - currently Silver Needle
Lady of the Flag (Mirabilia)

In article ,
says...
Without being revisionist, please remember that the Scriptures were written
decades AFTER the Crucifixion at a time when the early Christians were
trying hard to stay alive. Putting the blame on the Jews took it off the
Romans who were still in charge.

Ann


Actually, I know that - I took Latin and Classical history. The Romans
viewed "Christ" as a troublemaker and rebel leader. They could have cared
less about the religious aspect.

Cheryl




Yes. The manner of death tells us that this was a political execution
rather than a religious one. Crucifixion was reserved for those who
committed crimes against the state--treason, inciting to riot, fomenting
rebellion against Rome, etc. Religious belief was a concern for the
Romans only insofar as they could use it to keep order in the Empire.

I probably won't see it. All the hype killed whatever interest I had in
it. Perhaps eventually down the road I'll get around to it but it's not
high on my list.

EJ

Okay, as a whole, we're off topic, but I figured I'd go ahead and add to the
mayhem. ;-)

I saw the film on the first day it was released. I was raised rather strict
Irish Roman Catholic, and know the Bible well enough to feel that I would be
able to expect what was coming. That being said, I will now say that I am
not a Christian. I chose a different path a while ago, and am very happy
with it. I respect the Christian faith (and all other faiths), inasmuch as
it succeds as a method by which humans find peace in this life. I try to
follow the moral teachings of Christ, since I feel they are an excellent
handbook toward success between humans.

The film, however, does not seem to promote that aspect of its subject
matter. Rather than focus on Christ's message, which would have made it, in
my opinion, a much stronger film, it focuses on the sheer torture the man
may have endured. I was ready to view a film that involved a scourging and
a crucifixion. What I viewed was a film that bordered on a pornographic
obsession with showing a man's body being drained of blood in the process of
killing him. I won't go into the historical accuracy or inaccuracy of the
methods of torture and death; I'm not familiar enough with them to be able
to debate the validity of the film's depiction or not. I am familiar enough
with human physiology to know that no man, God or not, would have been able
to move after losing that much blood. My willing suspension of disbelief,
necessary for every audience member to hold if a filmmaker's vision is to be
conveyed, was destroyed midway through the flogging. It may seem harsh to
say that the violence depicted bordered on "pornographic," but it just
seemed to be entirely too much. One could argue that society's
desensitization with violence demands that, in order to shock ourselves, we
now must transcend the "normal" level of torture we might see on a daily
basis. If that is the case, Mr. Gibson definitely went well past "normal"
torture.

Overall, I got the impression that the director chose to focus his film on
creating an overwhelming sense of guilt in the average theater-goer; guilt
that Christ suffered all of these horrors for _us_. At the risk of being
severely flamed, the joke goes that Catholics (of which group Mr. Gibson is
avowedly a member) are well-known as being exquisitely good at making others
feel guilty. Mr. Gibson probably succeeded very well on that level. Since
I went into the film refusing to be led along on an emotional ride, but
analyzing the movie for what, if any, political or ideological agenda it
might have, I was not pulled into the hoopla that seems to surround it. I
did not have an "overwhelming" experience, for I wouldn't allow myself to.
I cried once, when Christ's mother flashed back to his life as a child.
That was an empathic moment for me, and I allowed myself the tears.

It may simply be because I am not a Christian that I did not allow myself to
become fully immersed in the "experience" of this film. I am well-versed in
theatrical methods by which a director tries to pull an audience into a
performance. I teach theatre, and have directed quite a few productions
myself wherein I have tried to "tug at the heartstrings," so to speak. Mr.
Gibson's production did not find my heartstrings, but he did find my
stomach.

If Mr Gibson's intent was to bring people back to church, I think he
succeeded for those churchgoers who recently may have stopped attending
because they "don't have the time," or have made other such excuses. This
film probably shocked them back into their faith. If he's trying to make
new converts to Christianity (or regain those who have left), I have to say
he failed to grab this one.

Now I'm done. I've probably bored you all to tears, anyway. If anyone
wants to continue this discussion, I'm more than willing, but I doubt this
is really the place to do it.

Anastasia