One African-American's view of The Passion of the Christ

enter stage right.com ^ | March 22, 04 | Charity Dell

[hatfieldmccoy]

Yo Charity, what do you do in your spare time when your not being beaten and whipped by your white masters. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the fact that the black man was brought to this country has not served either race well.

[elhombrelibre]

Her opinion is an interesting perspective. I'd initially thought why does it matter what color a viewer is since we're all human, yet she's right that the whip was a weapon of punishment in slavery. And today, the critics of the movie act as if scourging was never used in history. They seem ignorant too of how much torture happens today in the world or how much has happened in the history of the world. Those of us who believe in Jesus as God believe the account in Gibson's movie is as close as we've ever seen to reality, and yet still only a movie.

[hatfieldmccoy]

Oh Pleeez, interesting perspective?!?! What tripe. This is just more race mongering.

[Hank Rearden]

So what do we call a white guy from Johannesburg living in the Bronx?

[bluefish]

I don't think that you bothered to read the article. There is no race-mongering here. I don't see anything bordering on reverse-racism either.

What I do see is someone (yourself) being hypersensitive, seeing race-mongering where you want to see it, and reacting with wholly inappropriate and offenisve statements that expose your own preconceived views of what the author wrote, simply because she is black and speaks from the perspective of a black person.

Cool your jets and turn your hatred to the more deserving race-pimps like Jesse Jackson. Sheesh!

[SedVictaCatoni]

Yo Charity, what do you do in your spare time when your not being beaten and whipped by your white masters. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the fact that the black man was brought to this country has not served either race well.

What a pointless comment. Does this have anything to do with the author's subject, which is that different people have different cultural perspectives on the Passion? I'd be interested to hear how Korea's growing Christian community sees the matter as well.

[elhombrelibre]

Yes, and Christianity is growing China in ways that may change the world. Each culture does bring a different perspective and if Conservatives can remember the roots of their party they'll be a lot more likely to get black Americans, especially Christian black Americans, into our fold. If we mock them because their history isn't the same as the that of white Americans, we lose the chance to form a united front for freedom.

[gonzo]

Thanks for posting this, buff.............FRegards

[staytrue]

I read the article and I do think there is race mongering. There has not been systemic whipping of blacks in over 100 years. I just don't see the relevance of saying "blacks relate to this movie because Jesus was whipped like the blacks were".

[Siobhan]

Well said. Bump

[elhombrelibre]

Had Jesus been starved I bet the Irish would relate it to the potato famine. That was in the 1840s. I am not sure why this point that affects some black Chrisitians should rub some the wrong way.

[donmeaker]

This must be seen. Roman cruelty was more than a tool of Government. It was also a religious form of Human Sacrifice. Gladiators were also human sacrifices. The Roman prayer was a contractual thing.

"I give that you, my G-d may give me, but if you can not give me, then I give that you will at least not stand against me."

The Romans would sacrifice to the G-ds of their enemies, in an attempt to buy neutrality, at the least. This sacrifice was not a one time thing, but the sacrificial implements and rituals would be brought to Rome, and continued. So the Roman Pantheon continually grew, as they conquered greater and greater lands, the "Family of the G-ds" would also increase.

[SedVictaCatoni]

I think that it's a serious exaggeration to state that the Romans in any way practiced human sacrifice. Roman physical cruelty, when it was practiced, was an instrument of government, not of religion. Note that for instance one of the privileges of being a Roman citizen was that you could not be scourged or executed without trial.

[Dianna]

Had Jesus been starved I bet the Irish would relate it to the potato famine.

What utter nonsense! Little African children are starving. I've never seen any Irish person connect the two. Ever.

I'm just tired of everything needing to be analyzed through the lense of skin color. It's the "you can't understand my point of view because we're so different!" Look, we just aren't THAT different.

[LWalk18]

I don't see what the big deal is- it is clear that blacks and whites have different perspectives on worship- one of the most segregated times of the week is Sunday morning.

[giotto]

A reviewer pours his heart out and, rather than consider the validity of his unique perspective, you dismiss it out of hand. Compassion?

[texasflower]

I'm just tired of everything needing to be analyzed through the lense of skin color.

I agree.

[sonserae]

You obviously didn't live in the South during the Civil Rights movement with the lynchings and beatings. That wasn't 100 years ago...that was in the 50s and 60s and many of those poor souls who were punished for just having a different color of skin surely would relate to Jesus' beatings more than a Beverly Hills white chick from wealthy parents.

[sonserae]

Your response about the potato farmers made me laugh so hard my eyes watered.