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Posted on 01/28/2004 8:11:29 PM PST by Land of the Irish
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The following quotes represent some of the most unfair statements on Mel Gibson and his film, "The Passion of the Christ." The selections in each category are in reverse chronological order.
Ad Hoc Committee of Catholic and Jewish Scholars *
The Jewish Week (NY), December 26, 2003; Father John T. Pawlikowski:
[Fr. Pawlikowski, who has continuously responded to prelates' endorsements of the film by demanding nothing short of papal approval, now comments on the pope's approval of the film.] "...It is important to understand that this is hardly a magisterial pronouncement from the Pope that is above critique. I remain, as do others, very skeptical as to whether this ailing Pope was fully briefed about the concerns we and others have expressed" [emphasis added].
The Jewish Week (NY), December 26, 2003; Michael Cook:
"The issue, I submit, is not Mel Gibson's movie at all but the future of Catholic-Jewish trust. Either the Vatican and/or the bishops are not tuned into this reality, or they don't care, or they do care but Jews are simply not as high on the priority list as Jews had hoped.
"...The question to be posed to the Bishops and the Vatican and the Pope is not, 'Say, is the movie great, or what?' but rather, 'If this film poses the threat of unraveling five decades of advances in Christian-Jewish relations, then what shall we say about it in that light?'
"...In their own sense of abandonment, Jews may very well abandon the venture of Catholic-Jewish understanding [and turn toward Evangelicals] ...a move I predict has already begun to spread nationwide.
"...As many have said to me, 'You know, it's just like what happened to us in the Six-Day War. Evangelicals may want to end us by converting us, but at least they won't abandon us.'"
Cybercast News Service, November 7, 2003; Sister Mary C. Boys:
"Boys noted that the movie is already 'dividing evangelicals and Catholics—Catholics and Catholics, and Christians and Jews.
"'I don't believe that [given the divisive] result that he [Mel Gibson] could claim that the Holy Spirit is behind this. ...
"'Our concern is what happens after people see the film? Will anti-Semitic actions happen or will attitudes against the Jews be exacerbated by this film?'"
Cybercast News Service, November 7, 2003; Paula Fredriksen:
"Paula Fredriksen ... believes Gibson's production will prove to be "an inflammatory movie.' ...
"Fredriksen said the movie continues the 'toxic tradition of blaming the Jews for the death of Jesus.
"'A movie like this could very possibly elicit violence against Jews.'"
National Catholic Register, October 5, 2003; "The Passion: Still a Sign of Contradiction," by Barbara R. Nicolosi:
"One of the scholars who started all the controversy by publicly lambasting an early version of the screenplay told me emphatically, 'The New Testament is undeniably anti-Semitic.'"
The New Republic, September 29, 2003; Correspondence by Paula Fredriksen:
"...Gibson has 'every right to decide for himself' how to present his movie. But does he have a 'right' to misrepresent what his movie is? Gibson has repeatedly claimed that 'The Passion' is both scripturally faithful (an 'accurate' rendering of the gospel material) and historically accurate (true to a plausible reconstruction of early first-century Jerusalem). In fact, it is neither. That is the problem. ...
"Finally, as the chronology in my article argued and as the four-minute trailer for the movie and subsequent reports from viewers have confirmed, the script that we saw was the script that Gibson shot from. That is how I know what the movie is about--though I am sure that the grisly makeup and Gibsonian gore make the visual experience even more lurid than was the script itself. ..."I am still counting on the people in the pew who, when they view Gibson's movie, will not recognize any gospel known to them."
The Jewish Week, September 19, 2003; Sister Mary C. Boys:
"'One of the problems is people are going to see this film and are going to conclude that's the way it is because they don't know anything different, it's part of the religious illiteracy in our country,' Sister Boys said. 'We really have to find ways to educate them about interpreting Scripture more thoughtfully.'"
The Times Union (NY), September 19, 2003; Sister Mary C. Boys:
"'It's not understanding,' she said of Gibson's script. 'He wouldn't know a scholar if he ran into one.'"
The New Yorker, September 15, 2003; Paula Fredriksen:
"He [Mel Gibson] doesn't even have a Ph.D. on his staff."
The Evangelist (Diocese of Albany, NY), September 11, 2003; Sister Mary C. Boys:
"The average Christian goes to see this film, which is going to be incredibly graphic, and [thinks] the people that do this to Jesus are the Jews. This does not do well for Christian-Jewish relations."
National Public Radio, "All Things Considered," September 3, 2003; Sister Mary C. Boys:
"Will this film exacerbate divisions between Christians and Jews? Will this film exacerbate differences between traditionalist Catholics and those who see themselves more in the mainstream? Will this film exacerbate divisions between, say, Catholics and evangelicals? And I think if it does any of those, then I find it difficult to believe that the Holy Spirit is at work."
Philadelphia Inquirer, August 21, 2003; Paula Fredriksen:
"There is no plot, no character development, no subtlety. The bad guys are way bad, the good guys are way good."
Associated Press, August 9, 2003; Sister Mary C. Boys:
"For too many years, Christians have accused Jews of being Christ-killers and used that charge to rationalize violence.... This is our fear."
Kansas City Star, August 9, 2003; Sister Mary C. Boys:
"Our fear is that if the film is based on the script we read—which is possible but not necessarily the case—it could promote anti-Semitic sentiments."
Beliefnet.com, August 7, 2003; Amy-Jill Levine:
"I don't know if the film is ant-Semitic—I have only seen a version of the script—but the reaction to the scholars' objections could be interpreted as anti-Semitic. ...
"Alas, fidelity, accuracy, and sensitivity were all lacking in the script I saw for Mr. Gibson's production."
ABC, "Good Morning America," August 5, 2003; Paula Fredriksen:
"I don't plan to pay money to see it. He's gotten enough of my time for free already."
Fox News Network, "The O'Reilly Factor," August 5, 2003; Paula Fredriksen:
"...I saw a later script, not an early script. So I do have a sense of what the film is about. The point is how you take that. We were just talking about the Jewish temple guard assisting Roman soldiers in arresting Jesus.
"And if you then say that the entire incentive for the action is at the motivation of the chief priest, and that the chief priest is leaning on Pilate, so that Pilate is very anxious, of course, to keep his Jewish subjects happy—I mean, it's a colonial power. Pilot doesn't have to run his office on popularity.
"Then you can foreground and overemphasizing you can foreground and overemphasize and distort [sic], and end up having all the heavy lifting done by the Jewish high priest and having it, it ends up being a fight between Judaism and Christianity."MSNBC, "Buchanan & Press," August 4, 2003; Paula Fredriksen:
"I think it's inflammatory."
The New York Times, August 2, 2003; Sister Mary C. Boys:
"When we read the screenplay, our sense was this wasn't really something you could fix. All the way through, the Jews are portrayed as bloodthirsty. We're really concerned that this could be one of the great crises in Christian-Jewish relations."
The New York Times, August 2, 2003; Father John T. Pawlikowski:
"This was one of the worst things we had seen in describing responsibility for the death of Christ in many many years."
The New Republic, July 28, 2003 - August 4, 2003, "Mad Mel," by Paula Fredriksen:
"We knew that we were working against his [Mel Gibson's] enthusiasm, his utter lack of knowledge....
"Jews are the objects of anti-Semitism, but Catholics and other Christians, inspired by Gibson's movie, could well become its agents. (Indeed, on the evidence of the anti-Semitic hate mail that we have all received since being named as critics of Gibson's screenplay, this response is already in play.) ...
"When violence breaks out, Mel Gibson will have a much higher authority than professors and bishops to answer to." [emphasis added]
Dramatizing the Death of Jesus: Issues that Have Surfaced in Media Reports about the Upcoming Film, The Passion; by Mary C. Boys, Philip A. Cunningham, Lawrence E. Frizzell, John T. Pawlikowski, June 17, 2003:
"We understood from the outset of our review of the script that our report did not represent an official statement of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops….
"Anyone who composes a script for a dramatic presentation of the death of Jesus must draw upon four distinct passion narratives in the four gospels in the New Testament. One cannot assume that by simply conforming to the New Testament that antisemitism [sic] will not be promoted."
New York Post, June 13, 2003; Mel Doesn't Stick to the Scripture in Crime of 'Passion' by Andrea Peyser:
"Dr. Paula Fredriksen of Boston University said: 'Jesus was Jewish. But with this story, it's easy to forget.'
"Gibson has said his film was to tell the true story of Jesus' death.
"There is still time, Mel, to tell the truth."The Jewish Week, March 28, 2003; Sister Mary Boys:
"As a member of the Catholic Church, I regard his thinking as bizarre and dangerous, and suggest that Jews judge them similarly. ...
"We seem to have at best fringe Catholics if not heretical with ... a tragically twisted understanding of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. It is compounded by the arrogance great wealth makes possible in producing a film that will reopen wounds of history."
The Jewish Week, March 28, 2003; Michael Cook:
"Dr. Michael Cook, a professor of Judaeo-Christian Studies at Hebrew Union College, said, 'Gibson's film may reverse progress the Christian community has made' in reinterpreting anti-Jewish New Testament passages. ...
"'Were Jesus today to witness the hatred exuded and directed against fellow Jews by this film, might Jesus not construe the theaters showing it as modern 'temples' most in need of his cleansing?'"
The Jewish Week, March 28, 2003; Rev. John Pawlikowski:
"Father John Pawlikowski ... said he is 'naturally quite upset at the prospect of this film. ... Those who might see the film without much or any background in recent biblical interpretation will be terribly misled.'"
The Associated Press, January 22, 2004; Rabbi David Elcott, director of interreligious affairs:
"'The movie undermines the sense of community that has existed between Jews and Christians for decades,' Elcott said. 'This film makes it more important than ever for like-minded Christians and Jews to reassert their dedication to promoting interfaith harmony.'"
Forward, September 26, 2003; Rabbi David Rosen, director of interreligious affairs:
"This is distressing because there is a battle between the more traditional and the more liberal wings within the Catholic Church, and the relationship with the Jewish community has become a football in this fight."
The Jewish Week (NY), August 15, 2003; Rabbi James Rudin, senior interreligious adviser:
"I came away very troubled because this movie as it stands has the potential to harm Christian-Jewish relations in many parts of the world."
Christian Science Monitor (MA), July 10, 2003; Rabbi James Rudin, senior interreligious adviser:
"Given that this is radioactive material - that's the only way I can describe it—I'm urging Mr. Gibson to follow what others have done and consult prior to release."
Daily News (NY), January 26, 2004; Abraham Foxman, National Director:
"He [Mel Gibson] didn't miss any chance to malign the Jews."
Palm Beach Post, January 25, 2004; Abraham Foxman and and Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor:
"Mr. Gibson has produced his film with willful disregard for the opinions and outreach efforts of mainstream Jewish organizations and many Catholic and Jewish scholars. These mainstream religious leaders have continued to express concern about the impact of the film and its potential to turn back the clock on decades of positive interfaith dialogue and the Vatican II Council reforms of the Catholic Church. ...
"Love and compassion are demonstrated by the Romans—only a few sadistic Romans harm Jesus and only because the Jews made Pilate punish him. ...
"Our concern is that The Passion of The Christ could fuel the latent anti-Semitism that exists in the hearts of those people who hold Jews responsible for the death of Jesus, which always has been the source of Western anti-Semitism."
Los Angeles Times, January 24, 2004; Abraham Foxman:
"Forty years ago, we in the ADL helped the bishops to write those guidelines that permit artists to be honest about their faith without being hateful in their work. What Mel Gibson is doing is as much an attack on the Catholic Church and the Second Vatican Council as it is anything else."
Los Angeles Times, January 23, 2004; Abraham Foxman:
"In an interview about the film, Foxman added, '[Gibson is] hawking it on a commercial crusade to the churches of this country. That's what makes it dangerous.'" **
New York Times, January 23, 2004; Abraham Foxman:
"He [Foxman] said he had initially felt bad about sneaking into the showing, but later changed his mind. 'I decided yesterday, 'Why am I uncomfortable? Let him be uncomfortable,' ' he said, referring to Mr. Gibson. "For him to say, 'You can only see it if you love it?' I felt it was my moral duty to see it.'"
Orlando Sentinel, January 23, 2004; Abraham Foxman:
[On Foxman's participating in a viewing of "The Passion of the Christ" in Orlando under false pretenses on January 21, 2004] "Foxman flew into Orlando with Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor, the ADL's interfaith consultant, Wednesday evening. Foxman said the confidentiality agreement was part of Gibson's 'commercial Christian crusade' of screening the film, which opens Feb. 25, to conservative evangelical groups and making certain that only favorable comments resulted. 'This is marketing; they're hawking it.'
"Foxman and his colleague said they did not sign the agreement.
"'We consulted our counsel and were told that it's not worth the paper it's printed on,' Foxman said.
"Although he and Bretton-Granatoor bought tickets to the conference in their own names, Foxman acknowledged that they used unconventional tactics to get inside the sanctuary.
"For example, both men registered for the conference as representatives of 'The Church of Truth,' in Brooklyn, N.Y., rather than of the Anti-Defamation League, according to Michael O'Sullivan, a registration official with the conference.
"'I am sorry we had to engage in stealth tactics, but only because he forced us to,' Foxman said."Palm Beach Post, January 23, 2004; Abraham Foxman, National Director:
"'Gibson is challenging the church's teaching. We must reach out and ask the Vatican and other denominations to restate their teaching on the Passion,' Foxman said."
United Press International, January 23, 2004; Abraham Foxman:
"'Do I think it will trigger pogroms? I don't think it will,' Foxman said. 'But will it strengthen and legitimize anti-Semitic feelings? Yes, it will.'"
Anti-Defamation League Press Release, January 22, 2004; Abraham Foxman:
"We were saddened and pained to find that 'The Passion of the Christ' continues its unambiguous portrayal of Jews as being responsible for the death of Jesus. There is no question in this film about who is responsible. At every single opportunity, Gibson's film reinforces the notion that the Jewish authorities and the Jewish mob are the ones ultimately responsible for the Crucifixion. ...
"Will the film trigger pogroms against Jews? Our answer is probably not [emphasis added]. Our concern is that 'The Passion of The Christ' could fuel latent anti-Semitism that exists in the hearts of those people who hold Jews responsible for the death of Jesus, which has always been the source of Western anti-Semitism. Its portrayal of Jews is painful to watch."
Cox News Service, January 22, 2004; Abraham Foxman:
"'We respect Christians who come to see it,' said Abraham Foxman, national director of the ADL. 'They were moved to tears, and some were deeply pained.
"'I don't know how many sorted out the underlying issues as they watched the film,' Foxman continued, "but time and again it kept coming back to the bloodthirsty Jews.'"Cybercast News Service, November 7, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"'I think he's infected—seriously infected—with some very, very serious anti-Semitic views. ...
"'[Gibson's] got classical anti-Semitic views.' ...
"Foxman claimed that 'hate crimes [against Jews] go up Easter week worldwide' because in many Christian churches, 'the sermon is given about the passion.'"
Associated Press, September 19, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"Foxman said the actor 'entertains views that can only be described as anti-Semitic.'"
Daily News (NY), September 19, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"...Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League said signs already are ominous.
"'We've been getting mail - ugly, ugly mail,' he said. 'If the debate has evoked such hate, what will that film do?'
"Foxman said Gibson's recent statements—portraying himself as the target of shadowy conspiracies and "anti-Christian" newspapers—highlighted his concerns.
"'He's painting a portrait of an anti-Semite,' he said. 'This is anti-Semitic stereotyping.'"
Daily Variety, September 19, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"Foxman, who has requested to see but not yet screened the film, said of the cardinal's comments: 'It makes the film worse, more damaging, more threatening because what we thought we had eliminated with Vatican II is coming back in a film.'
"Foxman also charged that Castrillon Hoyos was attempting to appease traditionalist Catholics. 'It seems to be a conscious policy to bring them closer at our expense,' he said.
"Foxman emphasized that the ADL has had a very good relationship with American Catholic officials, collaborating on interfaith initiatives designed to combat anti-Semitism.
"'I guess we should now take this up with Rome,' Foxman said."The Jewish Week, September 19, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"'When you put those things together [Mel Gibson's statements],' said Foxman, 'that is a portrait of an anti-Semite. To me this is classic anti-Semitism.'"
Minnesota Public Radio, "Marketplace," September 9, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"Can you imagine, if this film is not changed and it begins to play around the world, what—what it may possibly trigger?"
Daily News (NY), September 7, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"Foxman, who survived the Holocaust because Catholic clergy baptized him to shield him from the Nazis, added, 'I think [Gibson] is on the fringes of anti-Semitism.'"
National Public Radio, "All Things Considered," September 3, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"He said such things as he now understands what Jesus Christ felt like; he understands what it means to be persecuted. Well, finish that sentence. By whom? Or he says this will probably be the last film he's permitted to make. Well, who's going to stop him? It's unstated. Or he made this film and at a tremendous cost, but for some this is a great opportunity to make money. And again, he's talking about Jews, Jewish organizations."
Houston Chronicle, August 18, 2003; letter by Mark S. Finkelstein, chair, Anti-Defamation League, Southwest Region, Houston:
"It [the film] threatens to set back the decades of progress that has been made in inter-faith relations between Christians and Jews since the Holocaust."
Philadelphia Inquirer, August 13, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"Abraham Foxman, the [Anti-Defamation League's] national director, had expressed concerns that if Gibson's 'message was tainted, [the movie] is dangerous. He is an icon. People will see this film without a guide, without their priest.'"
Anti-Defamation League Press Release, August 11, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"We are deeply concerned that the film, if released in its present form, will fuel the hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism that many responsible churches have worked hard to repudiate....
"'We hope that Mr. Gibson and Icon Productions will consider modifying 'The Passion,' so that the film will be one that is historically accurate, theologically sound and free of any anti-Semitic message."Anti-Defamation League Press Release, August 11, 2003; Rabbi Eugene Korn, ADL Director of Interfaith Affairs:
“Many theologically informed Catholics and Protestants have expressed the same concerns regarding anti-Semitism, and that this film may undermine Christian-Jewish dialogue and could turn back the clock on decades of positive progress in interfaith relations."
The Sun (NY), August 4, 2003; Op-Ed, by Abraham Foxman:
"In a world when anti-Semitism has undergone a frightening resurgence, one of the hopeful perspectives is the fact that the Church has changed so dramatically. We urge the makers of 'The Passion' to continue this important progress that has benefited Christians and Jews."
The Washington Post, July 22, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"'I find this sad,' said ADL National Director Abraham Foxman, who hasn't been permitted to see the movie. 'Here's a man who appeals to the mass audience, but he feels he has to surround himself with a cordon sanitaire of people who back him theologically and maybe ideologically and will stand up and be supportive when the time comes.'"
Christian Science Monitor (MA), July 10, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"We don't have the arrogance to say, 'You should make these changes,' or to censor it.... We'd just like an opportunity to sensitize him [Mel Gibson] about what history has taught us."
New York Post, June 21, 2003; Letter, Ken Jacobson, Assoc. National Director:
"We have good reason to be seriously concerned about Gibson's plans to retell the Passion. Historically, the Passion—the story of the killing of Jesus—has resulted in the death of Jews."
Daily News (NY), June 14, 2003; Myrna Shinbaum, spokeswoman:
"'Historically, treatment of the death of Jesus and the passion has led to the death of Jews,' ADL spokeswoman Myrna Shinbaum said. 'Since Vatican II in the 1960s, Catholics and Jews have worked very hard to move away from a literal interpretation [of the New Testament]. We would hope this film wouldn't set us back.'"
The Jewish Week, March 28, 2003; Abraham Foxman:
"'It's very serious,' warns Abraham Foxman, national director of Anti-Defamation League. 'The 'truth' he [Mel Gibson] is talking about has been used for 2,000 years to buttress anti-Semitism and to give a rationale for persecuting Jews.'"
Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, August 24, 2003; Rabbi Marvin Hier, Dean:
"It's a headache we don't need. ...
"Now since the Romans are not here anymore, if you're upset with how Jesus died, there's only one people left to blame—and that's the Jews."
CNN, "CNN Live Sunday," August 10, 2003; Rabbi Marvin Hier:
"Jews have a right to be concerned. We're the ones that paid the bill in the last 20 centuries for the false charge of deicide causing millions of deaths."
Forward, August 8, 2003, Letter by Harold Brackman, Consultant:
"It is Christians who bear the responsibility, after 2,000 years of religious-inspired anti-Semitism, to inhibit rather than inflame the excesses of their own haters. When filmmakers with a Christological agenda fail to accept this responsibility, the blood that may result is indeed on their hands."
Newsday (NY), July 22, 2003; Rabbi Marvin Hier:
"This is a story for which millions of people throughout history paid with their lives. They were burned at the stake, killed in pogroms and the Inquisition, and it was also these ideas that served as the foundation of the Holocaust."
CNN, "Live From the Headlines," June 30, 2003; Rabbi Marvin Hier:
"What I am saying is that four Catholic scholars representing the Catholic bishops, joined five Jewish scholars, unanimously felt there was a great deal of anti-Semitism in the script."
Los Angeles Times, June 22, 2003; "Mel's Passion; Gibson's making a film on Jesus worries some Jews," by Rabbi Marvin Hier and Harold Brackman:
"Any film about such a sensitive subject would set off alarm bells. But a film by Gibson is particularly alarming. ...
"At this tinderbox moment in our new century, we need to be especially careful about a movie that has the potential to further ignite ancient hatreds."
MSNBC, Scarborough Country, June 11, 2003; Rabbi Marvin Hier:
Joe Scarborough, host: "Rabbi, if you read the four gospels - what do the four gospels in the New Testament say about the crucifixion of Jesus?"
Rabbi Marvin Hier: "Well, first, let me go right to the point. That's a lot of nonsense. Let me say..."
Scarborough: "What's a lot of nonsense?"
Heir: "That the Jews—first of all, crucifixion is illegal according to Jewish law. According to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) law..."
Scarborough: "What's a lot of nonsense, though?"
Heir: "To blame the—Christ was crucified. Crucifixion is not a Jewish method of punishment. Secondly, the event occurred on Passover night. If you could get one Rabbi to leave his Seder to participate in a judgment on Passover night, it would be like getting the Supreme Court to convene in the United States for a night trial. It is simply impossible."
Rabbinical Alliance of America
Jerusalem Post, September 12, 2003; Letter by Rabbi Abraham B. Hecht and Rabbi Joshua S. Hecht, Rabbinical Alliance of America:
"The Rabbinical Alliance of America, representing the united voice of 500 Orthodox rabbis serving Jewish communities throughout North America, strongly opposes The Passion, produced by actor and director Mel Gibson.
"The message of this movie—as widely reported by the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles and by others who have reviewed the film—is highly problematic for its historical inaccuracy and its message of intolerance and overt anti-Semitic overtones."
The State (SC), November 20, 2003; "Pass on Gibson's Passion," by Rabbi Marc Howard Wilson:
"...The wacky perspective of a wacko Catholic will certainly not change their [Jewish] minds."
Village Voice (NY), November 7, 2003; "Mel Gibson's Jesus Christ Pose," by Jessica Winter:
"It may instigate violence..."
Palm Beach Post, October 24, 2003; "Gibson's film all about his own agenda," by Steve Gushee:
"Sure, Mel Gibson's film, The Passion, is probably anti-Semitic. The less obvious but more dangerous problem is that the movie about the death of Jesus is probably not Christian. ...
"Any version of the Crucifixion that blatantly ignores the teaching of the church is both devious and probably servant to another agenda.
"Gibson says The Passion reflects his faith.
"That may well be, but it's not Christianity."
Philadelphia Daily News, September 24, 2003; "Jews Probably Did Do It—But So What?" by Steven Waldman:
"Christians who don't understand Jews' sensitivity to the misuse of Passion narratives are a bit dense. On the other hand, some of the comments from Gibson supporters smell rotten."
Newsday (NY), September 23, 2003; "The Power and Clash of Symbols," by Katti Gray:
"Whether Hollywood will release 'The Passion,' filmed with another all-white cast and traversing the last 12 hours of Jesus' stormy life, is the lingering, unanswered $25 million question of the moment."
New York Times, September 21, 2003; "The Greatest Story Ever Sold," by Frank Rich:
"Clearly he [Mel Gibson] was looking for a brawl, and he hasn't let up since. ...
"What makes the unfolding saga of "The Passion" hard to ignore is not so much Mr. Gibson's playacting fisticuffs but the extent to which his combative marketing taps into larger angers. The "Passion" fracas is happening not in a vacuum but in an increasingly divided America fighting a war that many on both sides see as a religious struggle."
Entertainment Weekly, September 5, 2003; "Heaven and Mel," by Jeff Jensen and Allison Hope Weiner:
"History is populated with people who've gone to extremes in the name of Jesus Christ. Some have died for him. Some have killed for him. And some have made $ 25 million films about his trial and crucifixion in Aramaic, Latin, and Hebrew without even the benefit of subtitles."
Boston Globe, August 18, 2003; "Gibson's Contentious 'Passion,'" by Cathy Young:
"But in its own way, the attitude of some champions of 'The Passion' is troubling.... The biblical account of Jesus' life and death should not be sacrificed to political correctness. But the cry of 'political correctness' can also become a cover for very real bigotry."
Salon.com, August 14, 2003; "Mel Gibson vs. 'The Jews,'" by Christopher Orlet:
"'The Passion' will most likely offer up the familiar puerile, stereotypical view of the evil Jew calling for Jesus' blood and the clueless Pilate begging him to reconsider. It is a view guaranteed to stir anew the passions of the rabid Christian, and one that will send the Jews scurrying back to the dark corners of history."
Daily News (NY), August 8, 2003; "Mel Must Act to Stem Rise of Anti-Semitism," by Richard Chesnoff:
"We've come a long way in Christian-Jewish relations. But now Hollywood's Mel Gibson threatens to set it all back—maybe 2,000 years. ...
"Mostly, Gibson, an enormously popular figure, must decide whether he wants to be responsible for reviving the kind of hate-filled passions that will send other 7-year-olds running home from school, taunted by gangs calling them 'Christ killers.'"
Los Angeles Times, August 6, 2003; "'Passion' shaping up as Gibson's lethal weapon," by Tim Rutten:
"And as the growing controversy over Gibson's 'The Passion' spills more widely onto the nation's op-ed pages, into political magazines and even into the halls of Congress, more than rhetorical bruises are likely to be suffered.
"Even in steady hands, the Passion narrative is as combustible as material can be."The New York Times, August 3, 2003; "Mel Gibson's Martyrdom Complex," by Frank Rich:
"These days American Jews don't have to fret too much about the charge of deicide—or didn't, until Mel Gibson started directing a privately financed movie called 'The Passion,' about Jesus' final 12 hours. ...
"...damage has been done: Jews have already been libeled by Mr. Gibson's politicized rollout of his film. His game from the start has been to foment the old-as-Hollywood canard that the 'entertainment elite' (which just happens to be Jewish) is gunning for his Christian movie. ...
"But the real question here is why Mr. Gibson and his minions would go out of their way to bait Jews and sow religious conflict, especially at this fragile historical moment."
The Boston Globe, July 22, 2003; "Is Mel Gibson's Film Passion for Jesus Misplaced?," by Alex Beam:
"Whatever Gibson's intentions, the film will be perceived as anti-Semitic, because the Christian Bible holds that Jesus was a Jewish prophet rejected and betrayed by his own people."
New York Post, June 19, 2003; "Mel's Cross to Bear," by Eric Fettmann:
"Gibson's insistence that the film 'conforms to the narratives of Christ's passion and death found in the four Gospels of the New Testament' is hardly reassuring. Because, to be sure, the gospels, for various historical reasons, do paint Jews in the worst light."
New York Post, June 13, 2003; "Mel Doesn't Stick to the Scripture in Crime of 'Passion,'" by Andrea Peyser:
"Dr. Paula Fredriksen of Boston University said: 'Jesus was Jewish. But with this story, it's easy to forget.'
"Gibson has said his film was to tell the true story of Jesus' death.
" There is still time, Mel, to tell the truth."The Boston Globe, April 15, 2003; "The True Horror in the Death of Jesus," by James Carroll:
"He [Gibson] was referring to the graphic violence with which the film renders the crucifixion, but no matter how grotesque the murder of Jesus was, its 'true horror' lies in the way this event became the source of hatred and murder aimed at the Jewish people. ...
"Even a faithful repetition of the Gospel stories of the death of Jesus can do damage exactly because those sacred texts themselves carry the virus of Jew hatred. ...
"The religious anti-Judaism of the Gospels provided soil out of which grew the racial anti-Semitism of the Holocaust. Once Christians know where the falsely anti-Jewish Passion story led, it is criminal for them to repeat it naively—whether from a pulpit or on a movie screen."
CNN, "CNN Live Sunday," August 31, 2003; Paul Clinton, CNN Correspondent:
"He [Mel Gibson] is a very conservative man. He is very, very religious and it's this splinter group, this traditionalist sect of Catholicism that has everybody worried."
CNBC, "Capital Report," July 22, 2003; Gloria Borger, Co-host:
"Everyone at the super-secret screening was forced to sign a confidentiality agreement, but—and no surprise here—the details soon leaked out. And again no surprise, the handpicked crowd liked what it saw."
New York Post, November 5, 2003; Letter by NY State Assemblyman Dov Hikind:
"Though spoken in Aramaic and Latin, Gibson's film doesn't need subtitles; it screams 'The Jews killed Christ' in every scene."
New York Times, October 5, 2003; Letter:
"Mel Gibson's ability to pervert and invert scriptural teaching while claiming to uphold it leads me to think his next movie will be a stirring account of Pope Pius XII's life."
Palm Beach Post, October 1, 2003; Letter:
"Cardinal Hoyos' position goes beyond mere insensitivity. When the Cardinal supports Mr. Gibson, he assures the fact that anti-Semitism will continue to thrive and flourish."
People, September 22, 2003; Letter:
"After the murder of 6 million Jews, the Jewish community in the United States and worldwide should be concerned about the message being sent by Mel Gibson's film.... This dangerous revision is an insult to the memory of the Holocaust and the good Christians who have tried to make amends for the ultimate crime of anti-Semitism."
Newsday (NY), September 18, 2003; Letter:
"Gibson's 'The Passion' is 'just' a movie in the same way 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion' is 'just' a book."
Journal News (NY), September 9, 2003; Letter:
"The movie 'Passion' will foster intolerance toward individuals who had nothing to do with the death of Christ. ... Mel Gibson reminds me of Jane Fonda's actions during Vietnam: irresponsibility from individuals who either do not care what events result from their actions or are just too stupid to understand."
*NEW* CBS, "The Early Show," January 26, 2004; Rene Syler (anchor):
"Some critics say it’s anti-Semitic because it blames Jews for the Crucifixion. In a TV interview Gibson does not deny it."
[To the extent that viewers accept Syler's conclusion, they might think Gibson is a bigot; the comments she refers to are the following:
Gibson: “The film collectively blames humanity for the death of Jesus. Now there are no exemptions there. All right? I’m the first on the line for culpability—I did it. Christ died for all men, for all times.”
Arroyo: “Including the Jewish people?”
Gibson: “Yeah. They’re part of the human race….”]
Orlando Sentinel, January 23, 2004; Rabbi Aaron Rubinger, Congregation Ohev Shalom:
"Rabbi Aaron Rubinger of Congregation Ohev Shalom said 'The Passion of The Christ' was 'cinematically very powerful,' but it had the potential to become an 'ecumenical suicide bomb.' ...
"'[S]ome people will come away from this film with very powerfully negative feelings about Jews.'"The Jewish Week, December 26, 2003; Michael Signer, Professor of Jewish Thought, Notre Dame University:
"It is time to admit that Catholic-Jewish relations in the United States have reached an all-time low in terms of the energy both sides are giving to the area. ...
"We need to see how deep the miasma is—and Gibson's film is just the symptom—not the cause. ... By the time we get to 2005 and the 40th anniversary of Nostra Aetate...there may be nothing much to celebrate."
New York Post, November 17, 2003; Elizabeth Castelli, Assistant Professor of Religion, Barnard College, NY:
"Jews are not fairly portrayed, especially the Jewish leadership. Their portrayal is unhistorical and drew upon Medieval stereotypes—stereotypes that have a history of inspiring violence against Jews.
"'I hope those images won't inspire it today."
New York Post, November 17, 2003; The Rev. Mark Hallinan, S.J., St. Ignatius Loyola Church, NY:
"'It doesn't touch on the values that [Jesus] represented and that continue to be a positive force in the world today. ...
"'Unsophisticated people viewing the film will see Jews as cold, heartless people. ...
"'It's contrary to the Gospels. ... Jesus taught us not to persecute our enemies. ...
"Recommendation: 'Don't go to see it.'"
New York Post, November 17, 2003; Rabbi Robert Levine, Vice President, New York Board of Rabbis:
"Rabbi Robert Levine 'would have walked out halfway through' Mel Gibson's 'The Passion of Christ'....
"'I was not prepared for this kind of movie. ... Not knowing what Mel Gibson's motives are, my visceral reaction was that this is a hateful treatment of Jews.
"'It hurt me as a Jew to watch it. ... It was the most appalling depiction of Jews in a film in my recollection. It was painful and inaccurate. ...
"'I don't think any person of faith should put a dime in Gibson's coffers. ... This film could reopen wounds that have healed beautifully between Christian and Jews since Vatican II. ...
"Recommendation: 'I hope no one goes to see it.'"
New York Post, November 17, 2003; Lou Lumenick, New York Post film critic:
"...By literally depicting Jews as 'Christ Killers,' [Mel Gibson] is going down a dangerous road that most Christian leaders abandoned decades ago. Unless Gibson provides some sort of historical context, he could—as his detractors charge—be fueling anti-Semitic feelings among less sophisticated Christian audience members."
Daily Press (VA), October 25, 2003; Roy Anker, Professor of English, Calvin College:
"Roy Anker, a professor of English at Calvin College who's written about Jesus films for Christianity Today, hasn't seen 'The Passion of Christ.' That is a problem, Anker said. ...
"'I don't think Gibson is anti-Semitic, but he's acting like it,' Anker said, 'judging from how dumb he's being about this.'"
Scripps Howard News Service, October 1, 2003:
"'The film is dangerous for Jews all over the world,' said Dov Hikind, a New York state assemblyman and Jewish activist. 'I am concerned that it will lead to violence against Jews.'"
August 29, 2003, Washington Times; Jewish leaders condemn film, by Liz Trotta:
"'This film can potentially lead to violence directed against the Jewish community,' said Assemblyman Dov Hikind, an Orthodox Jew and Democrat from Brooklyn.
"'It will result in anti-Semitism and bigotry. It really takes us back to the Dark Ages ... the Inquisition, the Crusades, all for the so-called sin of the Crucifixion of Jesus.' ..."City Councilman Simcha Felder, a Brooklyn Democrat, said it appeared that Mr. Gibson had a passion for inciting hatred and bigotry, and that his movie should go straight to the video stores instead of theaters.
"Malka Moskowitz, an elderly woman from Brooklyn wearing a straw hat, said she was a Holocaust survivor and compared the atmosphere of dispute surrounding the movie with the bloody reign of the Third Reich. 'This is the way it started,' she said, her voice breaking.
"A rabbi from Brooklyn called the film pornography. He told Mr. Donohue that he would be responsible if violence broke out."
"Imus in the Morning," September 24, 2003; Comedian Bill Maher:
“I do think Mel Gibson is anti-Semitic.”
August 28, 2003; sign at protest urging News Corp. not to distribute "The Passion," New York:
"THE PASSION IS A LETHAL WEAPON AGAINST JEWS."
More Catholic League material on "The Passion":
Note on the Ad Hoc Committee:
* "Neither the Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, nor any other committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, established this group, or authorized, reviewed or approved the report written by its members" (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Office of Communications: Ecumenical and Interreligious Committee Responds To News Report, June 11, 2003).
"We regret that this situation has occurred, and offer our apologies. I have further advised the scholars group that this draft screenplay is not considered representative of the film and should not be the subject of further public comment. When the film is released, the USCCB will review it at that time" (Mark Chopko, general counsel for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).
"The [ad hoc committe members] do not represent either individually, or together, an official film review committee of the USCCB" (Letter from Rev. Arthur L. Kennedy, Executive Director, Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).
The members of the Ad Hoc Committee are as follows:
Sr. Mary C. Boys, Union Theological Seminary
Michael J. Cook, Hebrew Union College
Philip A. Cunningham, Boston College
Eugene J. Fisher, Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Paula Fredriksen, Boston University
Fr. Lawrence E. Frizzell, Seton Hall University
Eugene Korn, Anti-Defamation League
Amy-Jill Levine, Vanderbilt University
Fr. John T. Pawlikowski, Catholic Theological Union
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** This comment prompted the Catholic League to issue a news release on January 26, 2004, available here.
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I appeal to my fellow trads to get ready, we're going to have a rare opportunity to have our Lord help us build the flock and spread our influence, as Gibson is ONE OF US. :)
I already bought the domain name for my chapel this evening and plan on hitting the pavement very hard. All of the NOs howling "schism" at us has only served to deepen my resolve. Every time they mention the "s" word it's like godzilla hitting the power lines, just makes me more determined.
Is it possible we can get a master list of trads and those who are sympathetic to what we're trying to do?
I have the following:
ultima ratio
Land of the Irish
sydney smith
Canticle_of_Deborah
Fifthmark
Aestus Veritatis
dsc
Note: If any of you feel you are being spammed at any time, please let me know just or shoot me. I hate spammers!
I see lots of opportunity here and providence is on our side.
My favorite, though, is this one
"What makes the unfolding saga of "The Passion" hard to ignore is not so much Mr. Gibson's playacting fisticuffs but the extent to which his combative marketing taps into larger angers. The "Passion" fracas is happening not in a vacuum but in an increasingly divided America fighting a war that many on both sides see as a religious struggle."
Yes, Mel is firing one hell of a shot across the bow in the culture war.
The scholars are pissed off that Mel is about to break the sovereignty of skeptical exegesis over the popular mind, and restore our thinking to the Gospel according the Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, as opposed to the Gospel according to the academic, exegetical establishment, the Gospel according to Sr. Mary Boys.
It's called "manic depression."
All I'm trying to do is build our flock. Is that OK?
Since I've been ignoring him he's been messaging me obsessively. Now I see he's down to people I'm conversing with to get my attention. I would get a restraining order but I've grown quite fond of him, although he probably thinks otherwise.
I hope I didn't embarass you, as you've actually been quite decent and measured.
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