[Saundra Duffy]

There was a guy on the radio this morning who saw the movie last night. He said he never could understand why Jesus died so fast. He said that some crucifixions took like 10 days for the person to die. He said NOW he knows why Jesus died so fast - because of the beatings and torture.

It wasn't the Jews who killed Jesus; it was me.

[Robert Teesdale]

Yeah, the pre-nail treatment isn't terribly life-extending.

The entire purpose of the scourging and crucifixion is to kill the person it's inflicted upon. It's a sentence, of death, imposed by the ruler of the day.

It was intended not just to punish, but also terrify the onlookers. Did a good job, too, from the Roman perspective. Otherwise it wouldn't have been such a common practice.

[beckysueb]

He died fast because He had fulfilled Gods plan and God saw no reason to let him suffer any longer. When he said My God my GOd why hast thou forsaken me, God let him die. As I recall, it was highly unusual for Him to die so fast. That in itself was part of the miracle. Also they usually broke their legs to hasten death and it was foretold in the Old Testament that his bones would not be broken. And they weren't. Praise His Holy Name.

[radiohead]

It wasn't the Jews who killed Jesus; it was me.

This is the point that is probably missed by many Jews who are against the movie.

I can speak from a unique perspective, as a person raised in the Catholic church w/12 years of Catholic school who is now a Reform Jew, with convert classes and maybe 20 years of reading Jewish theology and history behind me.

As a Catholic, I was always taught that it was my sins that put Jesus on the cross. I don't have to blame anyone but myself; not the Jews, and certainly not the Jews of today. I don't know why Jews seem to have such a problem w/the movie as Christians 'know' what killed Christ and why he had to die.

Someone posted earlier about the difference between gentiles here and in Europe. We certainly have had enough Jew-bashing and discrimination in this country, but not pogroms and not a hatred that seems to spring from deep inside the very culture. I don't think American gentiles are going to start taking out their feelings about Christ's death on the Jews. I don't think Jews are going to be pulled from their cars because of Gibson's movie.

If you are a Christian, it seems to me the only answer to 'who killed Christ' is 'I did.' The Jews have nothing to do with it.

I plan on seeing the movie. It won't make me a Christian again, but I am going to take a secular Christian friend (she's European; I think they have secular Christians over there. Maybe she's a CINO?) in the hopes it will bring her closer to her faith as she seems to be searching for some meaning in her life.

[montag813]

He said NOW he knows why Jesus died so fast - because of the beatings and torture.

Pilate was sending a clear message to the Jews: you f**k with Rome and you get THIS. The Jews did not listen and within the century, the 2nd Temple was destroyed and they were scattered to the far winds of the earth. Pity they followed a hothead like BarKochba into disaster instead of biding their time and working with Rome like the other colonies. The history of the Jews would have been very very different.

[GRANGER]

Those people who said it took ten days to die by crusifiction knew nothing.