I have to be honest (and please feel free to correct me if I seem to be straying), I saw the bloodshed and thought to myself, "I'm not that bad. That isn't all my fault." Some was, of course. I am a sinner. But Jesus died for our collective sins. What struck me was that Jesus died not only for me, but he died for the soldiers who spit on him. He died for people he knew would reject him. He died for people he knew would actively further the cause of evil in this world.
He did it out of love. How much easier it is to die for people like us (here on this thread)! We are sincere, we believe, we love God and try to follow the path he has laid for us. It says much more about God's love for humanity that he died for murderers, rapists and traitors too.
This is why I must love and forgive my fellow man. I have a perfect example set before me. I must pray for them too. God doesn't want any to be lost. I hurt him by not loving those that he adores.
Is the message, "I am worthless, sinning scum and Jesus chose to be tortured to save me."? Is that a loving message? It does demonstrate love, Jesus did CHOOSE to die for me. But think about saying this to your children. "Gosh honey, you're awful and beastly and worthless but I love you anyway." I have a hard time with that. It's part of it, certainly. But is it the central message?
I guess what I am trying to say is that I came out of this movie not focused on what Jesus did for me. But what Jesus did for everyone. I have a very hard time being that selfless (or even close). Maybe that is why it was striking for me.
Well how strange because it is all right there in the bible. What a disadvantage we all were at until Mel Gibson made a gory, bloody movie that upset half the Jews in America. Why he's practically the fifth evangelist and not only that he is sub-saviour of the Christian conservative movement or something. Of course he could have made it a bit less gruesome and sensational but then maybe nobody would have gone to see it.