The Jews Who Cried Wolf (Hubbub over The Passion)

National Review Online ^ | March 05, 2004 | Julia Gorin

[independentmind]

The plan is to keep the Passion ruckus they raised in their pocket, for fuel in countering accusations of anti-Semitism the next time they diminish terrorism against Israelis, the next time they misrepresent Israeli raids of terror camps as massacres, and the next time they demonize Israelis for building a wall to stay alive. All they'll have to say is: "We can't be anti-Semites. Just look at the hell we gave Mel!" The very fact that the notoriously anti-Semitic and anti-Israel New York Times took the lead a year ago in condemning Gibson's film and family should be telling.

Thank you, Ms. Gorin.

[wimpycat]

It does? Where?

I'm not surprised you didn't see it. You were (silly you!) too busy looking at Jesus and not the real subject of the film, which is "the Jews".

[independentmind]

Mel Gibson is not an evangelical Christian.

Yep, blame it all on the Catholics.

[diotima]

Ping!

[katana]

You haven't answered the pertinent question of whether you have actually seen the film and therefore have anything besides hearsay to support your opinion of the film. I'd venture to say that most of us who have, and are Christians of whatever stripe, don't agree with your view. The lead actress in the film, a Romanian Jew whose grandfather died at the hands of genuine anti-semites in Auschwitz, might also disagree.

[Texas2step]

Hello, iny, long time. I see that you dropped off the face of FR for the first 2 weeks of TPOTC opening. Hmmm, coincidence?

I agree with just about everything in this piece.

As do I. Let's look at a few of the comments and let me get your view, since you brought it up:

If Jews spent less time worrying about ancient hatreds and more time worrying about the glaring contemporary ones, we wouldn't have come to a point where the legitimacy of Israel's very existence is regularly questioned and where the Jews get blamed when Muslims bomb America.

While Jews worry about things like intermarriage, a sleepy KKK, an Austrian named Haider, a second president named Bush, and now a movie about Christ, the real threats spiral out of control.

Why is it that the vast majority (90%+)of your comments in the last 8 weeks on FR have been an attack on Christianity and TPOTC, a movie detailing the events behind the Christian faith?

We've had terrorists attacks, there have been many threads about the real anti-Semites who blow up Jews, but you seem obsessed with a movie about the Christian faith, who seem to be the only friends the Jews have these days. Makes me wonder if you're even a real Jew.

The very fact that the notoriously anti-Semitic and anti-Israel New York Times took the lead a year ago in condemning Gibson's film and family should be telling.

Comments? Or, maybe you're OK with the Times since you seem to agree with their venom filled reviews. Anything that attacks TPOTC?

The elites and their media are using Mel to wash their hands of the Jewish blood they accumulated when their sympathies enabled the violence to escalate from brick-throwing at Israeli soldiers to the first suicide bombing against Israeli civilians in 1994 and all the bombings since.

Why doesn't that make you mad? Why spew your venom against the Christians? What have we ever done to you?

By going after The Passion of the Christ the media are using Jews to attack Christianity, the ultimate target of extermination by the Left and its Islamic friends.

You're fine with the media when it attacks Christians, aren't you? If we weren't around, I doubt Israel would last very long. If Christians don't turn out in droves in the next Presidential elections, the Jews might get the man they vote for (J fing Kerry) and I wonder just what pro-Israeli policies he'll pursue? I wouldn't hold my breath.

Ironic, isn't it? You've got to count on Christians to put a pro-Israeli man in the WH? If it was up to the Jews, they put in a pro Palestinian...

The feigned indignation over whether Mel Gibson is calling Jews Christ killers is transparent, not to mention ironic. Jesus was a Jew, so calling someone a "Christ killer" is essentially calling him or her a Jew killer.

And the last time I checked, the secular world doesn't have a problem with those.

The Christian world does, though. Yet that's who you attack...

Go ahead and blindly continue to support those who hate your guts and attack Christians who are the only defenders of Israel left. Kind of stupid if you ask me. There's a reason the controversy got as big as it did.

By the way, I never did thank you for continuing to stir the pot, along with foxman and the ADL. Without hatred against Christians being given voice, this movie would never have had the impact that it has had and will have.

I don't have to give you the numbers, but it will be one of the most watched movies, if not the most watched movie ever made. We owe you thanks for that.

You showing up today makes me want to go watch it a couple of more times. Wonder who else you have that effect on.

Go ahead and continue to post your anti-Christian thoughts and feelings. We thank you for it.

[doc]

Those that call Mel Gibson's movie antisemitic remind me of the Israeli army shooting at news photographers in the middle east conflict. There will be no bad press, right or wrong.

[Texas2step]

His parents, two brothers and sister will not speak to him to this day and he's been married 12 years now.

Sounds like something a Muslim would do.

[American_Centurion]

So, any story that shows Jews in an unflattering manner is automatically antisemitic.

Fine, have your pity party. I for one will not waste my time trying to convince you because you have decided to become a victim of "hurtful images".

I see no virtue in playing the victim, and refuse to give sympathy to those who do.

Have a nice life. And watch out for the boogyman.

[Texas2step]

Now just perhaps God allows this little technicality to absolve those involved?

No, those involved are absolved by Christ, Himself: "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

[Texas2step]

Unless you are prepared to quote EXACTLY what I said about Jesus, do not make inflammatory statements like that.

Calling her a liar are you? I see that later she called your bluff. But excuse us if we don't think of you as the one making the inflammatory statements.

Inyo, you have no respect for us. You give us no respect. Are there any Christians who you respect? Are there any Christians that you do not hate? If you truly respected any Christians then you would respect our faith.

We have shown no disrepect for your faith. We've not tried to "convert" any Jews on this board. We've not spewed hatred or venom toward the Jews. We've not blamed the Jews for the death of The Christ.

You are anti-Christian much more than any of us are anti-Semitic, and that included Mel Gibson.

But, again, we thank you for it. ;-) Keep it up. Keep the flames burning. The movie's still in the theaters and there's still time for us to see it, over and over again.

I feel that I owe Mel that much.

[Inyokern]

As we have learned from the media hysteria over George W. Bush daring to mention 11 September in a campaign ad, it does not take very much for the Left to be "insulted".

What does that have to do with me or anything I said? I am not a member of the Left. I have voted Republican for president in every election since 1976. I supported the Iraq war while Mel Gibson ridicules it. I daresay I am probably more of a conservative than he is.

Are Jews equivalent to "Left"?

No.

Left-wing Democrat Jews have no more problem in throwing out the "I Am Insulted Card" than Al Sharpton does.

And conservative Christians are insulted by a lot of things too, such as "The Last Temptation of Christ," a movie made by a Catholic that I never bothered to go to see.

I learned my religion at elementary Sunday School and later at a Jesuit high school, not from my father. I have no idea what Gibson's father taught him that has stuck and neither do you.

Gibson's father is an anti-Vatican II Catholic activist and so is Mel. Mel is following the religion of his father. That fact wouldn't necessarily bother me except that the father is an outspoken bigot.

The question is, when Mel Gibson makes these accusations against the Jews, where is he coming from? What are his motives for doing this? Is he trying to impress his father?

[Inyokern]

Mel Gibson is not an evangelical Christian.

Yep, blame it all on the Catholics.

Where on earth did I say that? I merely made the true statement that Mel Gibson is not an evangelical Christian.

By the way, I do not think an evangelical Christian would make a movie like this.

[Inyokern]

So, any story that shows Jews in an unflattering manner is automatically antisemitic.

As I have stated many times before, if you are going to make these accusations, you should be prepared to back them up with real evidence that these events actually happened and you cannot. There is no definitive evidence outside the Gospels that there was ever a trial of Jesus.

Fine, have your pity party. I for one will not waste my time trying to convince you because you have decided to become a victim of "hurtful images".

No, you have it 180 degrees wrong. Whenever a Jew objects to the lies and slander told about the Jews in the Gospels, Christians claim victimhood.

I fail to see how demanding that Christians prove the accusations they make against the Jews is somehow an offense against Christianity.

[Inyokern]

Unless you are prepared to quote EXACTLY what I said about Jesus, do not make inflammatory statements like that.

Calling her a liar are you?

No, I merely asked that she provide specific quotes of what I said, so that I could respond to them, rather than make the blanket accusation that had made "hateful statements about Jesus."

We have shown no disrepect for your faith. We've not tried to "convert" any Jews on this board.

That is not true. Missyme has made repeated attempts to convert Jews on this board.

[sfRummygirl]

Guess again.

[truthandjustice1]

"What gives Mel Gibson the right to tell slanderous stories about my fathers?"

It's in the Bible. Deal with it.

[sfRummygirl]

God, you're still at this?
**yawn**

[sfRummygirl]

yawn

Who cares.

[sfRummygirl]

tex, as soon as you get to a part that makes him think, or when someone tries to talk to him on a compasionate level, he ignores the posts.
I really suggest we just leave him alone. This has been going on for months with this man.