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Focus on the Family Praises Gibson's Film
NewsMax.com ^ | 6/30/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

Posted on 06/30/2003 12:23:50 AM PDT by kattracks

Under attack for making his film about the passion and death of Jesus, Mel Gibson got some welcome support from religious leaders meeting at Focus on the Family's Colorado Springs Visitors Center.

Gibson brought the film "The Passion" to a gathering of the group's leadership and hundreds of other church leaders in an effort to determine whether the movie was acceptable to them. Among those present was Ted Haggard, New Life’s pastor and president of the National Evangelical Association.

After being viewed by a small audience, with subtitles Gibson said will not be used when the film is released next March, the film received solid approval. The film's dialogue is entirely in Aramaic and Latin, and those who viewed the film urged Gibson to include subtitles when the film is released.

"It conveys, more accurately than any other film, who Jesus was," Haggard told the Colorado Springs Gazette based on clips he viewed at the conference. "You can’t help but be upset when you realize the gravity of what Jesus went through."

Added Don Hodel, President of Focus on the Family, "I was very impressed. It’s certainly the most powerful portrayal of the passion I’ve ever seen or heard about. The movie is historically and theologically accurate."

"I’m not a preacher and I’m not a pastor," Gibson said. "But I really feel my career was leading me to make this. The Holy Ghost was working through me on this film, and I was just directing traffic. I hope the film has the power to evangelize."

After Gibson spoke to the gathering, Haggard said, "I’ve been pastor at New Life Church for 18 years, and I don’t remember anyone displaying a fear of God on our platform the way Mel did today."

Gibson, who financed the $25 million film out of his own pocket, told 800 religious leaders about the effect making the film and co-authoring the script had on him.

He said he attended Mass every morning during shooting because "we had to be squeaky clean just working on this."

"It was a strange mixture of the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, along with this incredible ease," Gibson said. "Everyone who worked on this movie was changed. There were agnostics and Muslims on set converting to Christianity."

According to the Gazette, when Haggard thanked Gibson for making the film, Gibson said, "I was afraid not to."


Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Mel Gibson's Passion



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 06/30/2003 12:23:51 AM PDT by kattracks
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To: kattracks
They'll trash this movie the way they trashed The Patriot, because he portrayed a religious married man with seven children and being unrealistic because the character didn't own any slaves.
2 posted on 06/30/2003 12:38:53 AM PDT by cyborg (I'm a mutt-american)
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To: kattracks; JohnHuang2; MeeknMing
God bless Mel Gibson.

[I guess all that time in Australia put the fear of God into him]

Bump/Ping
3 posted on 06/30/2003 12:39:22 AM PDT by Brian Allen ( Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God - Thomas Jefferson)
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To: kattracks
I can't wait to see this film.
4 posted on 06/30/2003 12:57:15 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (This tagline has been suspended or banned.)
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To: Brad's Gramma; homeschool mama; Cordova Belle
Ping (a ding ding)
5 posted on 06/30/2003 2:19:19 AM PDT by Fawnn (I think therefore I'm halfway there....)
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To: fortheDeclaration; Commander8; editor-surveyor; ksen; Alamo-Girl; Gal.5:1; RnMomof7
FTI......ping!

Focus on the Family Praises Gibson's Film...???????

After being viewed by a small audience, with subtitles Gibson said will not be used when the film is released next March, the film received solid approval. The film's dialogue is entirely in Aramaic and Latin, and those who viewed the film urged Gibson to include subtitles when the film is released.

This is NONSENSE.......approving that which you know not!!

Don't even begin to think that Martin Luther would even consider such foolishness!!

(The game of evil lies in term switching and confusion.....!!)

This surely is an ACLU production!

/sarcasm

6 posted on 06/30/2003 3:11:26 AM PDT by maestro
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To: maestro
After being viewed by a small audience, with subtitles Gibson said will not be used when the film is released next March, the film received solid approval. The film's dialogue is entirely in Aramaic and Latin, and those who viewed the film urged Gibson to include subtitles when the film is released.

Aramic and Latin?

The NT was written in Greek!

Ofcourse, the RCC has wanted to claim that Matthew wrote in Aramic so they could claim that Matt.16:18 'rock' is referring to Peter, and not to Christ Himself.

They cannot do it with either Greek or Latin.

7 posted on 06/30/2003 3:24:27 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration
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To: fortheDeclaration
I believe the language of the people of the day was Aramaic and Greek. Besides, it's doesn't matter what language it's in, the "message" will be universally understood. Personally, I won't see it. I know what His death on the cross meant for me....a substitutionary death of the sinless Son of God providing for those who believe, eternal forgiveness and salvation. I'm glad I wasn't there to witness the actual event and I don't want to see it portrayed in all it's graphic depiction. I'm not into blood and cruelity and betrayal; it will all be there.

With all the publicity the film is receiving, I'm confident Mel will get the backing he needs.
8 posted on 06/30/2003 4:27:20 AM PDT by jatfla
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To: cyborg
LOL. Most southerners pre-civil war did not own slaves...
9 posted on 06/30/2003 6:38:32 AM PDT by Guillermo (Proud Infidel)
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To: fortheDeclaration
"The NT was written in Greek!"

I don't think there can be much doubt that the Romans of the time spoke Latin, and the people in Israel probably soke Aramaic, regardless of how the New Testament recorded their words and actions.

10 posted on 06/30/2003 7:53:34 AM PDT by Redbob
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To: kattracks
Yeah for Focus On The Family !!! Dr. Dobson and his organization are one of the few who will stand up against the tide of corruption that is flooding our country today. GOD BLESS THEIR MINISTRY!!!!
11 posted on 06/30/2003 7:56:53 AM PDT by pollywog
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To: Brian Allen
When I think of Mel Gibson, this is the one I think of:

Great movie, imho !!


12 posted on 06/30/2003 7:59:17 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Bu-bye Dixie Chimps! / Check out my Freeper site !: http://home.attbi.com/~freeper/wsb/index.html)
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To: fortheDeclaration
what ever language it is in -- What? you don't know the story???

Thanks for the gratuitous RCC slam. I'm sure what ever church you belong to has an unbroken line going back to Peter.


Regards,

Lurking'
13 posted on 06/30/2003 8:04:59 AM PDT by LurkingSince'98
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To: MeeknMing
June 26, 2003
'I Saw the Passion'

I SAW THE PASSION
By Barbara Nicolosi

I was at a private screening at Icon Productions yesterday, and got to see a rough cut of The Passion. There were about twelve people in the room, including Mel Gibson, his producing partner Steve and four or five other Icon staffers. After the screening, we talked to Mel and friends for about an hour. (As cool as that was, the quality of the film was such that the celebrity stuff was completely gone from the moment. I can't explain it really, except that it would be like standing in the Sistine Chapel next to, well, someone like Mel Gibson. Great art is a great leveler....) The rough cut we saw obviously didn't have the final score or special effects, and there were many more sub-titles than they will have in the finished film.

So, here's my take...

The Passion is a stunning work of art. It is a devout, act of worship from Mel and his collaborators - in the way that Handel's Messiah and Notre Dame were artistic acts of worship in previous times. Let's get the controversy out of the way right at the top. The film is faithful to the Gospel, particularly St. John. It is no more anti-Semitic than is the Gospel.

Having seen the film now, I can only marvel that the attacks are pretty much demonic. Hopefully, the Devil will end up spitefully biting his own tail on this one-- as he does in The Passion by inciting on the executioners of Christ, and thus being complicit in his own ultimate defeat. The Passion is high art. It is the greatest movie about Jesus ever made. In the discussion following the film, Mel and co. were asking us how mainstream theater audiences would react to the film. I told them, "Who cares? What you have here is so much more than just a product to sell. It will live forever, regardless of whether it is a commercial success for you or not."

For those of us who love Jesus, The Passion is devastating to watch. It is so good, I almost couldn't stand it. There is one moment on the way of the cross sequence, in which the whole tragedy unfolding devolves into a vicious riot of hatred between Romans and Jews with the Savior on the ground in the middle of it getting it from both sides. It was so frenzied and terrible, I wanted to run from the room. But then, the film again finds Mary, Jesus's Mother on the sidelines, and her presence gets us through it. Kind of like how Mary's presence helped Jesus get through it, it seemed to me.

The film is lovingly Marian. Mary is perfectly portrayed here. She is contrasted repeatedly with the really super creepy Satan character, who is also a woman (something for the feminist theologians here? ).

The film is strongly Eucharistic. There is a beautiful juxtaposition of images that cuts from the stripping on Calvary to the unwrapping of the bread to be used at the last Supper. Fabulous stuff.

Every Christian needs to see this film at least once. Just to remember, in our current comfort zones while evil is closing in, the price that was paid for us. On my way home from the screening, I found myself praying in the car, "Jesus, I'm so sorry, I forgot..." How many films have led you to compunction lately? The Passion is a miracle.

14 posted on 06/30/2003 8:09:07 AM PDT by Texas Mom
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To: kattracks
I'm disappointed that Mel won't be in the film. I enjoy all his movies. I wonder why he declined playing the part of Christ? I hope his being absent from the movie doesn't hurt it's box office draw.

I wish him success in finding distributors as I would love to see it anyway.
15 posted on 06/30/2003 8:12:23 AM PDT by MissAmericanPie
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To: kattracks
This is all well and good, but it would be interesting to know what the viewers thought of the movie without subtitles, as everyone ELSE will get to see it. The subtitles probably make it more intelligible, but the rest of us will see it with the actors speaking in tongues. The reviews aren't worth much if the reviewers get to see an 'insiders' version. I want to know what they think of seeing it like the rest of us will have to. I can't imagine listening to unintelligible dialogue for 2 hours, although I'll probably see it on DVD.
16 posted on 06/30/2003 8:25:44 AM PDT by bluejean
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To: fortheDeclaration; Commander8; editor-surveyor; ksen; Alamo-Girl; Gal.5:1; RnMomof7
FYI.....ping

Focus on the Family Praises Gibson's Film....?

:-(

Bottom Line:

____________"Evangelicals and Catholics Together"___________.....!!!

True RC Church Propaganda?

(2nd Timothy 2:8-9)

Maranatha!!

ROMANS 10:17.........not to forget,.......ROMANS 5:1

:-)

17 posted on 06/30/2003 8:31:25 AM PDT by maestro
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To: maestro
Thanks for the heads up!
18 posted on 06/30/2003 9:06:05 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: Texas Mom
Thanks. bttt
19 posted on 06/30/2003 9:15:11 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Bu-bye Dixie Chimps! / Check out my Freeper site !: http://home.attbi.com/~freeper/wsb/index.html)
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To: Fawnn
Mel Gibson, by the moving of the Holy Spirit of God, is fulfilling a greater purpose in the production of this film. There will be *many* that will attempt to trash or ban the movie..but OUR LORD REIGNS!
20 posted on 06/30/2003 9:20:53 AM PDT by homeschool mama
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