I concur. Rimbaud, sorry to disappoint you but I don't have particularly interesting views about the Russian Revolution. I didn't care for history much before I met JV (admittedly rather early in life, but nonetheless late enough to have paid surprisingly little attention to the subject when I had the opportunity). Aside from how it fits into my general views about history, I'll take JV's word about a lot of what happened and why - he did study the subject for several years.
i think/hope that you're wrong. If the movie was in English I think it would have more mainstream appeal. Looking at past recent Christian films, that core audience is't enough. Left Behind only made $4million and The Omega Code only 12 million and its sequel $5 million. i don't plan to see this movie but if i did i would buy a ticket for another film and sneak into this one. I will never pay for anything that profits Mel Gibson.
outlaw -- really?? actively rooting against a movie you've never seen making money?? doesn't that seem a bit odd to you? tonight my business partner is going to a synagogue where they've invited Jews and non-Jews to come and discuss the movie...what it meant to them. there's a chance for real dialogue there...for real conversation and understanding. i can't root against something that bears that as its fruit.
Second to the disgusting way gibson went about intentionally creating controversy between 2 religions for PR purposes, I was also disappointed to here the critics mention how little of Jesus' teachings are in the film. It was such a good opportunity. Max, people listen to movie reviews before spending the time and cash. Why should this move be different?
This movie is about the last 10 hours of Jesus life. Lets not get sidetracked here into what Mel Gibson left out of the movie as far as teachings, carpentry, etc...
This movie is about mel's interpretation of the last hours of Jesus' life. Thus, since mel was not there (and even if he was), it will be wrong in some fashion and deserves discussion.
Don't worry, I was just joking. You guys have different religious views, right? So I was just playing off of that, since I know he feels strongly about the RR. Max, While I understand what you mean with this statement, and the others you have made before, what do you really think this will do? In other words, the ideas in the movie are not new...so why will it matter how Jews react to the movie? Additionally, since it seems the movie is light on spirituality, what are they supposed to feel? I am not criticizing, I guess I just think you are hoping for something that I don't fully understand. If the movie is about the suffering of Christ, what is there to more fully understand? Do you get at all what i am saying? i feel as if I am expressing myself poorly.
rimbaud -- i can tell you for a fact that before the genesis of this film, i had no idea how scary passion plays have been to Jews around the world because what they've been twisted to justify. i simply did not know that....so my ignorance has been unlocked. i'm hoping there are others like me who have learned the same. and from the other perspective...i've heard Jewish folks who've seen the movie say that this is an opportunity to attempt to dialogue to understand the significance of this event to a Christian's faith. anything that moves us away from our ignorance of each other and each other's beliefs is generally a good thing, from my perspective. i did not guess that i would learn more about Judaism and my Jewish friends from a movie about the crucifixion of Christ...but it happened...and I'll attribute that to God.
On the larger scale it might not change a thing. But too often people's opinions of other 'groups' of people is based on a non-personal and superficial knowledge of that group. It's why integration worked to some extent. Once you see the human side to the equation the rhetoric will decrease. So if a group of Jewish folks, and Christian folks get together, it will probably be enlightening to everyone involved to see and interact with real people, and not just the faceless group called 'Christians' or 'Jews'. For the people there it probably can be something very valuable. If things like this happen elsewhere then maybe more people will look at issues on a more human level. Will it change the world? Will it erase hate groups or solve racism and prejudice? No, but that doesn't mean it doesn't do real and actual good.
more rooting against Gibson than the movie itself. he's a smug, arrogant, manipulative, homophobic b*stard who was never much of an actor to begin with.
Do you guys remember that movie, "The Gospel of John?" It was mentioned in the Chronicle review of the "Passion." It came out last October, sort of. There were no calls of anti-semitism against this film, nor did the evangelist seem to get behind it. Anyways, it is word for word from the Bible. From what I read on IMDB, it also doesn't contain inaccuracies like Jesus carrying the whole cross when he actually carried just the cross beam and the nails go through his wrists as opposed to his hands. I guess those are just minor details.
I saw that movie, Oski...you probably will not be surprised to learn that I really liked it. But the director was attempting to do something that Gibson was not...particularly telling an entire gospel related to Christ...starting from the beginning. Gibson just made a movie about the last 12 hours of Christ's life.
That is part of my question, though. The film, based on accounts, is not a movie about Christianity or spirituality but only really about Christ's suffering. So, I don't really see what Jews or others are supposed to learn about Christianity...aside from what they might not know about this sectio of the Gospel narratives. Jews, by definition, don't think Christ was/is the messiah, so to them wouldn't it just be a movie about a religious man being tortured? Just thoughts in my head, this isn't really any kind of serious argument.
Sorry I misunderstood. I thought you were referring to the discussion that Max had mentioned. From the movie I don't know what anyone would really learn or not learn. But if it provided a chance for people who might not have too much contact with one another to discuss issues, then I can see where that is good. I was talking about the discussion group, and not the movie itself.
