Churches Make 'Stunning' Show of Support for Gibson's 'Passion'

Newsmax.com ^ | Thursday, Feb. 5, 2004

[nickcarraway]

Protestant and Catholic churches nationwide have stepped up an unprecedented effort to promote and benefit from Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."

"Churches are reserving entire theaters for opening day. A national evangelical organization is helping sell tickets from its Web site. Pastors are planning sermons timed to the movie's Ash Wednesday release," the Associated Press reported today.

'Best Evangelization Opportunity Since the Death of Jesus'

"It's the best evangelization opportunity we've had since the actual death of Jesus," Lisa Wheeler, associate editor of Catholic Exchange, a Web portal dedicated to Internet evangelism, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"This is a window of opportunity we have. Here's a guy who's putting his money into a movie that has everything to do with what we do," said pastor Cory Engel of Harvest Springs Community Church in Great Falls, Mont.

"Churches used to communicate by having a little lecture time on Sunday morning. People don't interact that way anymore. Here's a chance for us to use a modern-day technique to communicate the truth of the Bible," the Rev. Engel said.

Arch Bonnema, the insurance executive and Southern Baptist from Plano, Texas, who spent $42,000 to reserve all 20 screens of a cineplex for Ash Wednesday after seeing the movie weeks ago, told AP: "As a Christian, you hear the term 'Jesus sacrificed his life for us.' We say it so many times that it's routine. I walked out of the theater and thought, 'This is incredible.' I thought, 'Man, this really puts it in perspective.'"

In the Atlanta area, when St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church and St. Brigid Catholic Church reserved 1,500 seats for two showings Feb. 23, they were told that 40 other churches had competed for the same time slot. The Rev. Frank McNamee, pastor of St. Peter Chanel, told the Journal-Constitution: "Our tickets just went like that. It was unbelievable."

'They Attack Millions'

An attempt by foes to "mute" Gibson's movie has backfired and only increased interest. "When they attack him, they attack millions of people in middle America," said Jennifer Giroux, a Cincinnati nurse and Roman Catholic who created seethepassion.com.

"They're going to bus them to theaters. They will give assignments in many churches: Go to the movie, we're going to talk about it," said Josh Baran, a New York public relations executive who promoted another controversial movie, "The Last Temptation of Christ."

"I think it's going to be one of the big movies of the year," Baran said.

From 'Dismal' to 'Stunning'

AP reported, "The groundswell is stunning considering the once-dismal expectations for the film, which is in Latin, Hebrew and Aramaic with English subtitles and is rated R for violence."

Outreach Ministry Inc. says it sent DVDs with a trailer for the movie to "most churches in the United States."

"National Association of Evangelicals, which represents more than 50 denominations with 43,000 congregations, has posted a link on its Web site for buying tickets," AP reported.

Christian Booksellers Association has asked its 2,500 U.S. retailers to consider selling tickets and posting displays.

"Religious broadcasters and publishers have put discussion of the movie in heavy rotation on television, in magazines and on Web sites. Leaders from the Rev. Billy Graham to movie reviewer Michael Medved have given 'The Passion' two thumbs up," the Atlanta paper reported.

Norm Miller, chairman of Interstate Batteries, replaced his company's hood-sized logo with an ad for "The Passion" on NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte's Chevrolet. The car will carry the ad during the Daytona 500 race Feb. 15.

"It's probably the highest demand that we have seen for group sales this early," said Dick Westerling of Regal Entertainment Group, which owns 555 theaters. Callers trying to place orders on Regal's toll-free number have been put on hold for up to 10 minutes.

[r9etb]

It will be interesting to see what effect it really has over the years.

The movie itself will probably have no lasting impact. What could happen, though, is that in the short term the movie may convince a lot of folks to try going to church -- either again, or for the first time.

The rest of it is up to us in the churches to nurture these potential new Christians -- to keep as many of them in the fold as possible.

IF the churches can step up to that task, this even could very well spur a revival, similar to what happened in the mid-1800s. But we cannot rely on a mere movie to do that. The hard work of evangelizing people is still up to us.

It's also a challenge to us: the Gospel Message is compelling, but it's also tremendously uncomfortable. We so often tend to soft-peddle the hard stuff -- repentence, the need for salvation, and giving up our selves -- and it creates in us a wishy-washiness that chases people off after a while.

If the movie brings people to us, we've got to be clear on what that movie is really all about. That means we are called to honesty, true repentence, and amendment of our own lives.

With God's help, I think we can do it.

[rwfromkansas]

"It's the best evangelization opportunity we've had since the actual death of Jesus," Lisa Wheeler, associate editor of Catholic Exchange, a Web portal dedicated to Internet evangelism, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution."

This is not only appallingly shallow and revoltingly in poor taste, but ultimately inaccurate.

Again, the RCC woman here is ignoring completely what Paul says in the Scriptures, that our faith would be in vain if Jesus just died.

Jesus did not just die, but rose again and ascended in victory to the right hand of God.

If Jesus just died, there would be no point of evangelism, for there would be no hope for a resurrection of our own selves at the Great Last Day. There would be no hope for eternal life with the Divine moldering in the grave!

He is Risen! Hallelujah!

Thanks to Mel Gibson for not leaving Christ on the Cross, but showing that empty tomb. Indeed Mel, many people were crucified by Romans, but only one rose from the grave.

[rwfromkansas]

1 Corinthians 15......a Christ dead on the Cross defeated means our faith is in vain.

---

1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[1] : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter,[2] and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For he "has put everything under his feet."[3] Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
29Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
"Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die."[4] 33Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 34Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

35But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" 36How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"[5] ; the last Adam, a lifegiving spirit. 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we[6] bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."[7]
55"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"[8] 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

[rwfromkansas]

And I am glad that Mel definitely focuses on the atonement wtih this movie, for the atonement and the Resurrection go hand in hand. I am also glad he concludes with the Resurrection. Both are required for ultimate salvation and eternal life.

Without the Cross, nobody's sins could be forgiven. Without the Resurrection, Christ would not be able to be our advocate, our high priest, our victorious intercessor, the being that covers our sins and makes us white as snow in the eyes of a holy but loving God. Without the Resurrection, God would just see us humans as having blood on our hands and his anger would be more incensed than ever!

You see, both the Cross and the Resurrection are essential. To ignore either one, and no doubt some Protestants neglect the Cross in kneejerk reactions to Catholicism, is to totally miss the total wonder and beaty of what Christ did, what God had His Son do.

[MississippiMan]

Stunningly bad taste, in my opinion.

Why? It's simply the truth. There are too many attempts to portray Christianity as all soft and warm and gooey, when that's not reality. There's nothing soft about being tortured to death.

MM

[Aquinasfan]

It's also a challenge to us: the Gospel Message is compelling, but it's also tremendously uncomfortable. We so often tend to soft-peddle the hard stuff -- repentence, the need for salvation, and giving up our selves -- and it creates in us a wishy-washiness that chases people off after a while.

That's the essential point. Our society desperately needs the truth, and I think that people generally can handle the truth. And most importantly, deep down, most people want the truth.

[r9etb]

The "bad taste" comment refers to the lady's saying that this movie is the "biggest thing since the death of Christ."

[r9etb]

This is not only appallingly shallow and revoltingly in poor taste, but ultimately inaccurate. Again, the RCC woman here is ignoring completely what Paul says in the Scriptures, that our faith would be in vain if Jesus just died. Jesus did not just die, but rose again and ascended in victory to the right hand of God.

Excellent point!!!

(I just love FReepers' ability to cut to the heart of the matter.)

[MississippiMan]

The "bad taste" comment refers to the lady's saying that this movie is the "biggest thing since the death of Christ."

The biggest evangelization event. That may be an exaggeration, but I don't find it in bad taste. The guy's obviously excited about the prospect of saving souls, as he should be.

MM

[r9etb]

See rwfromkansas's response in #22 for a much more substantial complaint about the comment. ;-)

[King Black Robe]

I doubt the lady misses that theology. I am always surprised at how hard Christians are on one another. I believe she meant death and resurrection, but the focus of the criticism has been on the accusation that Jews think we are blaming them for His death. I think you should give her the benefit of the doubt. An unsaved person will not care that she spoke theologically imperfectly, but they will be turned off by the attacks of Christians on one another.

Just my opinion.

[ArrogantBustard]

defeated

Defeated???? Hardly ... You completely fail to respond, as a result of completely failing to understand. Christ is eternal. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. To God, the Incarnation, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection are a present reality.

[GatorGirl]

The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ are both central to our Faith, but the Resurrection would not have occurred without the Crucifixion.

Here is a small sample of what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about the Crucifixion and Resurrection:

272 Faith in God the Father Almighty can be put to the test by the experience of evil and suffering. God can sometimes seem to be absent and incapable of stopping evil. But in the most mysterious way God the Father has revealed his almighty power in the voluntary humiliation and Ressurection of his Son, by which he conqured evil. Christ crucified is thus "the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men". (1 Cor 1:24-25) It is in Christ's Resurrection and exaltation that theFather has shown forth "the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe." (Eph 1:19-22)

I find it fascinating that many of our fellow Christians who love to attack the Roman Catholic Church are excited about seeing this film made by a very orthodox Roman Catholic.

[Leroy S. Mort]

I put the statement "It's the best evangelization opportunity we've had since the actual death of Jesus," on the same level as LaBonte's "Passion of Christ (brought to you by Interstate Batteries)" Daytona car:

Cheap, trivializing, and not spiritually compelling. Your mileage may differ....

[TexConfederate1861]

That is a cheap shot. If you are a Christian, as you claim, you owe somebody an apology!
Roman Catholics are Christians, and love Jesus!
Ask yourself how Jesus would react to your "flame"?

[Paulus Invictus]

Amen, and amen!

[Dataman]

State by state theater listing

[rwfromkansas]

You have no understanding of Scripture if you believe a Christ hanging on the Cross without coming alive again somehow accomplishes fully God's plan and is not defeated.

[rwfromkansas]

I am excited about the film because Gibson does include the Resurrection, and his portrayel of the Crucifixion is accurate to the Scriptures. Mary is a central figure, but that should not be a surprise, as she was...being the mother of Jesus and all. But, she also is not given too prominent a role. From my understanding of the film, there is an excellent theological balance, and Gibson is not afraid to make sure folks know just how much our Lord suffered.

I am definitely going to see this film.

[ArrogantBustard]

Since I don't believe that, you're debating a straw man. You committed the same error as Elsie. You presume to know what others believe, when in fact you are completely ignorant of their beliefs. You then pontificated on the basis of your false understanding of their beliefs. Your actions only serve to make you look foolish.

You have no understanding of Scripture if you believe Jesus rising from the dead, without first having sacrificially died (really, truly died), and without first having taken on human nature (really, truly become a man) has any meaning. What part of "Sacrifice" do you not understand? Do you think God can ever be defeated? Such a preposterous thought! Christ Jesus, God, was no more defeated on the Cross than he was at the Resurrection. He is the same, always, glorious, victorious King. Or is your god so puny that he could be defeated?

Are you so scandalized by His Incarnation and His willing, self-sacrificial Death, that you can't stand to see them portrayed? Are you so abyssmally ignorant of the Catholic (universal, for all times and places) Faith, handed to us by the Apostles, as to think we do not consider the Feast of the Resurrection to be the highest point of our Liturgical Year? Are you not aware that Our Lord Jesus Christ makes His eternal, once-for-all Sacrifice present everywhere and every time the Divine Liturgy/Holy Sacrifice is offered?