Krauthammer: "Gibson's Blood Libel"

Washington Post ^ | Mar. 5, 04 | Charles Krauthammer

[churchillbuff]

Gibson's Blood Libel

By Charles Krauthammer Friday, March 5, 2004; Page A23

Every people has its story. Every people has the right to its story. And every people has a responsibility for its story. ...[snip]

Christians have their story too: the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Why is this story different from other stories? Because it is not a family affair of coreligionists. If it were, few people outside the circle of believers would be concerned about it. This particular story involves other people. With the notable exception of a few Romans, these people are Jews. And in the story, they come off rather badly.

Because of that peculiarity, the crucifixion is not just a story; it is a story with its own story -- a history of centuries of relentless, and at times savage, persecution of Jews in Christian lands. This history is what moved Vatican II, in a noble act of theological reflection, to decree in 1965 that the Passion of Christ should henceforth be understood with great care so as to unteach the lesson that had been taught for almost two millennia: that the Jews were Christ killers.

[stands2reason]

Did you see the film?

[Agnes Heep]

Welcome to the ____hole. I think there are about six of us on all of FR. I commend you on that swandive. Stupendous. I would like only to add the word 'misinterpreted' as a qualifier to your 'christian'.

Thanks, the "water" is great! I hope no one thinks, though, that I've got it in for Christians or Christianity. I think that after a few heated exchanges, some of which fall short of the initial thread, that's the impression one might get--but it isn't so. And I'm not Jewish, so don't think that's what motivates me. But I look at this movie issue from the same perspective as I look at the Confederate flag dispute. Many black Americans are genuinely offended by the flag, and not without good reason, even allowing for the fact that there are some who just want to use it to race-bait. I think it's tasteless and offensive to wave the flag in their faces, just as I think it tasteless and offensive for Gibson to throw a movie like this into the faces of those Jews who, not unjustly, find it disturbing--especially when I strongly suspect that his motives were far less noble than he lets on. But let everyone take it as he wishes.

[man of Yosemite]

Jews and Christians are like cousins, we have our disagreements but we look to the same Father. That is why those who want to kill Jews are perfectly glad to kill Christians as well. As a Christian, I support Israel, and every Jew I see reminds me of the Jews which kept the word of God for centuries, the Messiah himself dying for me. The born again Christian in America today seems to be quite a different animal than those who populated Europe sixty years ago.

[Thorin]

Gibson's not throwing his movie in anyone's face. No one is forced to see it. Gibson is being targeted for abuse because he has dared to make a movie that presents Jesus Christ as the Son of God, without any irony or ambiguity.

[handk]

How would you, then, reconcile this passage?

I Thessalonians

2:10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
2:11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
2:12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
2:13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
2:14 For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews,
2:15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men
2:16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

[MEGoody]

"True, but only Judaism, Christianity and Islam have ever believed in killing or forcibly converting the non-believer. Every other religion I know of has been satisfied with looking down on non-believers."

While claimed adherents of these faiths have done these things, it is a whole other issue when we get to whether that faith's scriptures actually instruct such a thing.

We know the Quran does instruct Muslims to kill those who will not convert.

It could be argued that Judaism didn't kill to convert. When ancient Israel waged war, it was because they believed God was calling them to do so as a way of executing justice on pagan nations around them.

As to Christianity, there is nothing in our scriptures that would indicate that Jesus ever commanded us to 'kill or convert'. Only preach the gospel. Therefore, it is obvious that those who went the 'kill or convert' direction in the name of Christianity were violating the tenets of their own proclaimed faith.

Of course, we could bring up the issue of certain pagan religions that didn't kill to convert but did sacrifice human beings to their 'gods'. But that is probably a topic for another thread.

[stands2reason]

The reaction of some Jews to this film has caused more stress in the relationship of Jews and Christians in this country than the film itself.

[ambrose]

How do I reconcile that with what? I was referring to the movie.

[miloklancy]

And again I have not seen The Passion Of The Christ, but intend to do so. I'm not in any position to really comment on Krauthammer's assertion that Gibson is guilty of libel. I was merely addressing what the person who posted the article said was Krauthammer being anti-Christian and this was not evident from any of Krauthammer's statements. From what I have heard and seen about The Passion, I think the anti-semitism allegation is pretty weak with respect to Mr. Gibson. I admire Gibson's willingness to portray things as close to reality, while certainly relying upon his own faith.

[stands2reason]

They certainly validate Foxman's concerns.

Oh yes. Watch out! The Christians are coming to attack you! Hide under the bed!

[petitfour]

Is it fair to say that Krauthammer is as anti-Christian as Mel is anti-Semitic? I don't think Mel is anti-Semitic. He has dedicated an entire film to a Jewish man's death for telling the Truth. I think Mel is more anti the fear of truth. That is a clear message in the movie. What is truth? Who seeks it? And who seeks to repress it???

[iranger]

"Because they have been killed by the thousands because of it."

Doesn't seem to be the predominant reason for the Moes...so maybe there is more to it.

[handk]

"Any "Christian" who condemns Jews for the death of Jesus are repudiating their own religion which teaches that ALL OF MANKIND is responsible."

[johnb838]

it would be difficult to understand why anyone was mad enough at Jesus to subject him to the punishment he received.

If you were Jewish you should know what the reaction would be among the Pharisees (a Jewish Sect) to a man who claimed publicly to be the Son of God.

perhaps Jesus as depicted in this move shed more blood than a human body has.

He didn't shed THAT much blood. People have a lot of blood.

[af_vet_1981]

How would you, then, reconcile this passage?

With another passage

• In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
• The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.
• Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
• Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.
• Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
• But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.
• Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
• I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
• Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
• And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
• And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
• Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
• And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
• So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
• And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
• Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
• Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
• Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
• And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
• And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.
• Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

[ArGee]

Charles' mistake is a common one.

On the first Good Friday, the Jews weren't attacking Christians.

They were attacking fellow Jews.

It was an internal religious squabble. One could not be angry at the Jews as Christ Killers unless one was also sympathetic with the Jews as Christ Followers, or even the Jew who was dying on the cross.

Shalom.

[shhrubbery!]

With the notable exception of a few Romans, these people are Jews. And in the story, they come off rather badly.

Krauthammer and some other critics of this movie seem remarkably blind. They see only negative portrayals of Jews. Rabbi Joe Patasnik (sp?) here in NYC has been complaining that only the Jews are portrayed with bad teeth and "hook noses."

I just saw The Passion today, and I noticed:

(1) Only a couple of the Jews portrayed had "hook-noses" -- and they were the GOOD GUYS (or in one case, it was a woman: Veronica). Perhaps the most prominent "hook nose" in the whole movie was that of PETER (Cephas), the disciple.

(2) Some of the Romans had WAY worse teeth than any of the Jews.

(3) There are many good Jews in the movie, starting with Jesus himself. Add to that all the disciples (except Judas), Mary, Mary Magdalene, Veronica, Simon who helped carry the cross, the crucified criminal who sought redemption, and the many weeping people in the crowd who accompany Jesus to Golgotha).

These complaints about anti-Semitic stereotypes of Jews are silly. I have to believe that Krauthammer, usually a very perceptive man, had blinders on when he watched The Passion.

[Servant of the 9]

As to Christianity, there is nothing in our scriptures that would indicate that Jesus ever commanded us to 'kill or convert'. Only preach the gospel. Therefore, it is obvious that those who went the 'kill or convert' direction in the name of Christianity were violating the tenets of their own proclaimed faith.

True, but that isn't much comfort when a majority of Christians believed it was a part of the faith as they seem to have between the 4th and 18th centuries.

So9

[handk]

Yeah, sure, that's on point. /not

[Servant of the 9]

it would be difficult to understand why anyone was mad enough at Jesus to subject him to the punishment he received.
If you were Jewish you should know what the reaction would be among the Pharisees (a Jewish Sect) to a man who claimed publicly to be the Son of God.

The Romans didn't do prisons.
If an offense was too serious to be handled with a fine and you were not a citizen, they either sold you into slavery, or scourged you and crucified you.

Don't forget people in Europe were being sentenced to death for petty theft only a few hundred years ago.

So9