← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Ed Toner
Thread ID: 6368 | Posts: 7 | Started: 2003-04-28
2003-04-28 11:22 | User Profile
JEWISH GROUPS DEMAND RIGHT OF PRE-CENSORSHIP ON NEW MEL GIBSON FILM
4/27/03 2:57:53 PM Contra Costa Times
Los Angeles, California -- [url=http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/entertainment/5728715.htm]http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/enterta...ent/5728715.htm[/url]
Posted on Sun, Apr. 27, 2003
[Scholars express concern over Gibson's 'Passion' By Bettijane Levine LOS ANGELES TIMES
HOLLYWOOD -Mel Gibson's upcoming film "The Passion" is being questioned by Jewish scholars who worry that the film -- which they have not yet seen -- might fan religious animosity and misunderstanding. The movie, which depicts the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus, features actors speaking only in Latin and Aramaic.
The controversy swirling around Gibson, his film and even his personal religious beliefs is built largely on conjecture. It is based on the few comments Gibson has made about the movie, which he claims will be historically accurate. It is also based on a magazine article about a church the actor is building in Agoura Hills. The article quotes his father, who claims that the Holocaust never happened and that the World Trade Center was destroyed by remote control.
The actor's father, Hutton Gibson, is a member of the traditionalist Catholic movement, which operates outside the Roman Catholic Church and embraces a 16th-century form of the religion that celebrates Tridentine (Latin) Mass and denies the legitimacy of all popes and church reforms since the start of the Second Vatican Council, 1962-65. (That council, among other things, eliminated the belief that Jews, collectively, were responsible for the death of Jesus, and directed the church to seek reconciliation.)
The younger Gibson's church, which will not be open to the public, is reportedly also a traditionalist Catholic house of worship. (It is not affiliated with the archdiocese of Los Angeles.) According to tax and other public documents, Mel Gibson is president and CEO of the nonprofit foundation that funds the church, and he is the foundation's sole contributor.
Is the younger Gibson a chip off the old block? And should anyone care?
No one did seem to care until Jewish scholars connected the dots between his new church, his new film -- to be released in 2004 -- and his father's unorthodox beliefs.
Roman Catholic and Jewish scholars have expressed concern, even alarm. Catholics fear Gibson might use his star power and clout to promote traditionalist views in his new movie. Jews worry that it may promote anti- Semitic feelings.
"What we have here is a rich filmmaker whose beliefs may counter what the teaching of the church has been for the last 50 years," says Sister Mary Boys, professor of practical theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York. "He can get his views into the media and has far more power in that sense than what the church has."
Boys says Jews and Catholics are concerned, for example, that Gibson's film may "blame the Jews for the death of Jesus," ..........
2003-04-28 14:12 | User Profile
OY VAT! How dare he offend Gods' chosen people.
Of course, it's ok for Jews to produce movies that promote race-mixing, homosexuality, and attack Christianity.
2003-04-28 15:55 | User Profile
Originally posted by Ed Toner@Apr 28 2003, 06:22 Boys says Jews and Catholics are concerned, for example, that Gibson's film may "blame the Jews for the death of Jesus," ..........
Matthew 27:1-26
1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death.
2 They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money."
7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners.
8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel,
10 and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."
11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.
13 Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?"
14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge--to the great amazement of the governor.
15 Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.
16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.
17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"
18 For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him."
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
21 "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered.
22 "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!"
23 "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"
25 All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" 26Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
2003-04-28 16:18 | User Profile
25 All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"
All Jews since that generation. taken literally.
2003-05-04 13:38 | User Profile
John 8 has even sterner words.
:taz:
2003-05-04 21:50 | User Profile
Originally posted by Ed Toner@Apr 28 2003, 10:18 ** 25 All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"
All Jews since that generation. taken literally. **
Ed started a thread in the Christianity section on this, if anyone is interested. I won't repeat what I said there.
b
2003-05-04 22:13 | User Profile
TD,
Considering Matthew's other contents, including Christ's exhortations against the Pharisees and his statements against then nascent Talmudism, I'm surprised there hasn't been a more active campaign to discredit this Gospel and have it excised from the NT.