Caught in the Crossfire: Gibson and his movie

National Review Online ^ | February 25, 2004 | Roy Schoeman

[Reverend Bob]

Nice point, but I hope your analogy is wrong --- Spartacus came to a nasty end.

[atomicpossum]

Nice point, but I hope your analogy is wrong --- Spartacus came to a nasty end.

Well, of course, this situation is free to play out in it's own way, but I can see the Left wanting to put Mel in that figurative situation already...

[Quix]

HALLELUJAH!

JESUS said He came to bring a sword!

AMEN!

[DentsRun]

Are you saying that Gibson's film has actually fostered acts of anti-Christianism?!?

I don't know if you're arguing with me or disagreeing with me but sure, the semi-hysterical attacks by Foxman et al were unnecessary, unwise and clearly Christophobic. Foxman (and others) tried to say they weren't condemning the gospels themselves as anti-Semitic--only a literal interpretation of them. But it was clear they didn't want the gospels on screen in any form that suggested that the Jewish elite bore any responsibility at all for the death of Christ.

[Oberon]

I don't know if you're arguing with me or disagreeing with me but sure...

I'm not sure either, but I'm pointing out that thus far, to my knowledge Gibson's film hasn't caused any Jews to be accosted in the street. Apparently, however, it has caused that to happen to Christians, said Christians being accosted by the very people who claim to be aggrieved by this movie...and when I say "very people," I mean individuals, not a people group.

I'm sorry if I have offended you, but my sense of humor is based on a fine sense of the ridiculous, and this triggered it in a big way.

[theFIRMbss]

>...bus loads of people and spectacular opening day's figures ... (1) The people have spoken.
>>...Every/few months, some (2) Adam Sandler/"movie" makes millions . . ./I refuse to think/that's a defining statement/of our modern world...
>>>That's your problem, you refuse to think

It was a figure of speech, but, fine, have a seat in the rock garden. Let's think about it: Box office grosses tell us (1) folks are religious; (2) folks are dumb retards. So, if you think about life based on film earnings, you'd have to conclude that the psycho Left is right -- Americans are brainless, knee-jerk dolts with their heads up their butts, who think they're in Heaven . . . But, since we both know that's just the Left's crazy view, thinking about it makes it clear to us that all box office grosses mean NOTHING at all.

[Enterprise]

"that all box office grosses mean NOTHING at all."

Lemme splain then. If the movie had failed from its initial screenings, the left would be in full roar now. They would be orgasmic that it failed, and they would cite as proof the lack of attendance and earnings! There could be little to counter their assertions other than it is a powerful film, at which they would derisively laugh and jeer even more!. However, the point of my comment centered around "abandonment," and not movie quality. If the people had "abandoned" Mel Gibson, there would have been few tickets sold. However, the volume of tickets sold, and the number of people who watched the movie is proof that he and his film have not been abandoned. I am aware that doofus movies continue to be popular. However, I do not equate Gibson's movie with the doofus class movies just because both are successful. That comparison was made by someone else and it is dreadfully lame.

[theFIRMbss]

>box office grosses mean NOTHING
>>I do not equate Gibson's movie with the doofus class movies just because both are successful

Fine. But which of us,
now, is refusing to think?
Rand says A is A . . .

(There's refusing to
think, and refusing to face
the clear conclusions . . .)

[Enterprise]

"But which of us, now, is refusing to think?"

That would be you.

[DentsRun]

DentsRun: "I don't know if you're arguing with me or disagreeing with me but sure..."

(As some here have frequently observed) My mind goes on shore leave half the time these days. I meant to say I didn't know if you were arguing or agreeing with me. But in any case let me say I certainly agree with you. I think Gibson's film brought out a surprising amount of latent Christophobia in some folks.