[Federalist#34]

"You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth..." Exodus 20:4

I HATE the idea that this movie is going to come out in the pop culture, and people are going to go to it and think they are seeing what Jesus is like, that they would take the most wonderful, awful and important event in human history and try to package it as entertainment.

[Pietro]

"...that they would take the most wonderful, awful and important event in human history and try to package it as entertainment"

I agree w/ you, I have a hard time believing any actor could do justice to the drama and the passion of our Lord's agony and sacrifice.

But who knows? After the many attempts to trivialize Christ in the recent past He remains unassailable. At worst this will be just another ham handed attempt at profundity, OTOH it could be moving.

[egarvue]

.that they would take the most wonderful, awful and important event in human history and try to package it as entertainment.

Seeing that Mel is going out of the way to present an accurate picture (consulting theologians, priests, etc.), I don't think that his motive is pure entertainment. Spreading the Gospel is more likely. Also, don't forget, for over a thousand years, people have been reenacting the Passion in the form of Passion Plays, etc., as a means of celebrating the Easter story and educating the masses. Our modern movie industry can trace its roots to theatre, which had its beginning in some of the earliest forms of drama in Europe in the Middle Ages. The subject of these earliest plays? Stories from the Bible, of course, to help teach the illiterate peasants Christianity. So what Mel is doing is nothing new.

[yendu bwam]

I HATE the idea that this movie is going to come out in the pop culture, and people are going to go to it and think they are seeing what Jesus is like, that they would take the most wonderful, awful and important event in human history and try to package it as entertainment.

Yeah, I understand what you're saying. But for those young men and women who see the movie, and are attuned to God's grace, they may be moved and deepened in their faith. In short, those who don't understand what they're seeing won't benefit. Others may come closer to God as a result.

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

So, people will be able to watch Gibson portraying Jesus and then, with the click of a button, watch his chunky little butt bobbing up and down in Lethal Weapon?

Is this progress?

[Dead Dog]

I agree with your sentiment, but film can go beyond entertainment. Blackhawk Down was a great film, but definitely not entertainment. Modern film is a great medium for communicating and even instilling a sense of urgency on very important subjects. It can also turn into cheap pop garbage.

[Delbert]

I disagree, if anyone can pull this off in a respectful manner, it is Gibson. Theres no telling how many seeds can be planted as a result of this film. I look forward to it.

[A2J]

I HATE the idea that this movie is going to come out in the pop culture, and people are going to go to it and think they are seeing what Jesus is like, that they would take the most wonderful, awful and important event in human history and try to package it as entertainment.

While I respect your opinion, I LOVE the idea of bringing a real depiction of Christ's suffering FOR the world TO the world.

If the producers' intentions are to market the agony of Christ and succeed in making a mint, so be it, but if the world is exposed to the love of God that brought such a traumatic and radical expression of it, then, I say, BRING IT ON, LORD!

Our view should be that of the apostle Paul, who said:

"Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice." (Philippians 1:15-18)

[billybudd]

What about the Bible? That was packaged entertainment for centuries.