Yes, a moral code is important. I saw the film and found it to be very powerful. But one of the scenes that impressed me most was the flashback to the stoning of Mary Magdalene. Not one word was spoken in that scene. It only lasted for a few brief seconds. But the message couldn't have been clearer to me.
Under the morality of the law, she was guilty of a great sin--adultery. And the community had an obligation to punish her under the law--stoning her to death. But forgiveness isn't a moral obligation. It is a suspension of moral judgment.
Seeing those people drop their stones and Mary, dressed in her finery and jewelry, crawling to the feet of Jesus was a very powerful statement of love. Love may be absolute, but it isn't a moral absolute because love isn't about morality. Love can't be earned because it isn't based on the behavior of the person you love.
That was one of the hard lessons I learned, or rather relearned, from this movie. Morality serves as a guide in life. But knowing when to suspend morality for the sake of love and forgiveness is perhaps even more important.
Beautifully stated bump