Actually, that was sort of my point. Trying to destroy a man over things he supposedly said is in direct contrast to Christ's teachings. I don't know the man, and neither do you, but from what I understand, his relations with members of other races sharply contrast the image the media has presented of him. If the guy hated Jews or black people, he wouldn't have Jewish or black friends. The tapes were taken out of context and used to destroy the man. First, because of his political views, and second because of his attepts to mainstream Christianity.
The incident reported here is a perfect example. Gibson obviously did not present any real threat to his girfriend. Otherwise, there would have been more to the story. I know I've threatened to "kill" a loved one a few times in my life. Doing so here was a mistake that's going to cost him more money in court, but that didn't make it credible.
Meanwhile, Christ instructed us specifically not to judge people, and especially when we don't know the whole story.
Mania can also stir religious fervor, though Gibson was brought up in an "Orthodox Catholic" family, so who knows how much the Bi-Polar effected this. It can certainly cause people to do irrational things like leaving your wife and kids, but the press doesn't seem too hung up on that one. In the more advanced stages, it often produces syptoms thqat are a lot like schizophrenia (hearing voices, seeing things), and I wouldn't be at all suprised is that's where he's headed. I also think that if he were on lithium, he's probably go back to making excellent movies like "The Patriout" and "Braveheart."
Well, the abandonment of his family is a sin. Christ said judge not lest ye be judged; He also said to judge with righteous judgment.
As for threatening to kill people, Christ said we are guilty of murder if we do that. I have a hard time with your attitude about that, as though it is no big deal. No one in my family has ever threatened to kill me. As a matter of fact I can’t remember anyone outside of my family threatening to kill me, either. It is a big deal.
When God tells us that a person who abandons his family is worse than a heathen; or that hating people is the sin of murder; he does not make exception for bi polar disorder.
I appreciate that Mel has, or had, black and Jewish friends. Is he perhaps double minded? Or has he descended more and more into sin as the years go on? I don’t know.
The Bible further tells us to have nothing to do with someone who has left the faith, not even to eat with such a one. That would require judgment. There are many instructions about who to fellowship with and who not to. So, the admonition not to judge must be understood in relation to these many instructions.
I do not condemn Mel to hell. I can’t, and anyway, I don’t want to. I do not declare him unforgiveable. It’s not my lookout, and anyway, he has not committed the unpardonable sin so far as I know. In that sense, I don’t judge him.
However, to put him in there with the believers in detention center 20 in North Korea, or the ten Boom family, or Dietrich Bonhoeffer, or the two Margarets, or William Tyndale, and so forth - fantastic, godly Christian who were indeed persecuted for their faith - is absurd, and insulting to the martyrs of today and yesterday.
Here are real Christians being really persecuted for their faith:
T. J. Joseph, a teacher at Thodupuzha New Man College in the Southern most state of Kerala in South India was attacked by Muslim fundamentalists and his hands were cut off.
Kerala claims the highest literacy rate in India and Christians make 19% of the population of state with Islam and Hinduism making 24% and 56 % respectively.
T.J. Joseph is a Malayalam teacher at the NewMan College, Thodupuzha, Kerala State, India. The College was started by Dr. Mathew Pothanamuzhy, the then Bishop of Kothamangalam diocese of Eastern Catholic rite, Syro Malabar Church in one of the most backward district Idukki in Kerala.
The issue started when Muslim fundamentalist organizations accused the question paper of a second year Bachelor of Commerce degree Malayalam course at the Newman College with a reference to Muhammad as “misleading and inflammatory’”. Protests were called by various Muslim organizations which turned violent in April 2010.
The Communist is in power in the Kerala state. The State Education Minister M.A.Baby then instructed Idukki district administration to register a criminal case against the teacher who prepared the question paper. A witch hunt was followed and the teacher later submitted himself to the Police after his son was allegedly taken in Police custody. Since then the teacher and his family was getting frequent threats from Muslim fundamentalist organizations in Kerala state.
The College management and the Mahatma University whose under the College instigated actions against the teacher.
At least three times group of people broke in and searched the house of the teacher including night time. The state police under the communist government did not act on the complaints by family and failed to undertake investigation and provide security to the teacher.
On 4th of July 2010, when the family returned from the Mass at Church, their car was stopped and the family including his aged mother and sister was tortured by a group of eight people who came in a Maruti Omni vehicle. The teacher was taken out of the vehicle and his two hands were cut off. T J Joseph, has sustained multiple injuries in his whole body. The fundamentalist group created fearful atmosphere with fire crackers to carry out this most heinous act. The teacher is admitted now at a specialist hospital in Ernakulam and his condition is said to be very critical.
The state police has confirmed that Popular Front, a Muslim fundamentalist organization is behind the attack. The Police has arrested five people, Jaffer, Ashraf, Hassan, Ali and Abubekrar so far. The Muslim terrorist organization Popular front has blocked the Police station at Perumbavoor in Kerala to free its activist who did this heinous crime.