I DETEST THIS FILM ..WITH A PASSION [Christopher Hitchens on the Passion of the Christ]

The Mirror ^ | February 27, 2004 | Christopher Hitchens

[sauropod]

I saw Katya's post. I do not necessarily agree.

There are parts to Mel Gibson that are not admirable (his crack on going to find some peace and quiet wherever the wmds are being among them) and I don't see him as a "prophet."

I have been reading Hitchens for a long time and agree with some of what he writes/ disagree with other things. Pretty much the same w/ any writer. Even somebody like Thomas Sowell or Walter Williams.

Nonetheless, I will see the film.

[Cronos]

was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate,

This has been the official Catholic take on the issue since 381.

If it was from 381, it's not the official "Catholic" take, it's the official Christian take on the issue.

[Ann Archy]

His parent or parents committed suicide? How awful....no wonder he is warped....but his brother isn't.

[sauropod]

I agree that it was stupid. Not well-thought out. It was also done by a fundie rafter-hanger church.

They tend not to think like the rest of us do.

[Lee'sGhost]

Lord, forgive them. They know not what they say. They know not what they do.

Perfect response. Bore repeating.

[Cronos]

The Apostle Paul warned the early church never to separate themselves from their Jewish roots. When the Church did this...(

What separation? You mean not circumcising, eating pork?

BEyond these, there was no separation. What are you talking about?

[sauropod]

"When you're driving by you'll probably miss or forget the chapter & verse number, and just remember the words of text. I can't remember numbers to save my life."

Most times, if a church billboard catches my attention to that degree, i pull over to the side of the road and write the verse down or i make sure to drive by the sign a few more times until i have it written down.

I suspect most thinking people would do the same thing.

[Qwinn]

"Oh, you mean like the Crusaders who were defending Christendom against evil?"

Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not. The first Crusades most definetly -were- defensive wars, yes, and the Muslims were absolutely, positively the initial aggressors. And that history has undergone complete and utter revisionism in order to disparage the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, a great deal of the initial source for -that- propaganda has come from -other- Christians, namely Protestants. Leftist secularists were only too happy to continue that work in later centuries. Ironically, that propaganda that was spread by Protestants is now used as a blanket indictment against Christians in general, so that they are now suffering from the effects of revisionist history that they themselves created.

Qwinn

[hopespringseternal]

To those Christians who seriously believe "the Jews killed Christ":

Don't even go there. The number of people who would dwell on this sort of thing are vanishingly small in the United States, and the film is not about that, in spite of the protests of Hitchens and his ilk.

They are merely trying to divert attention from the real point of the film to a manufactured side issue.

[hellinahandcart]

It was also done by a fundie rafter-hanger church.

Well, it was the congregation that took the sign down the following day, so I'd say they have a better grasp on "fundamentals" than the pastor. :D

[Americathy]

This is not a good representation

Right there, this one is awful. However I have read much of his writing (I read almost all the time) and I don't think he's a very clear thinker or good stylistically. With that said I have to say maybe I'm not being fair, because I don't like most modern writers. They generally lack originality and flair and creativity. Maybe it's just me. I also read a lot of modern poetry and literature, and most of it is very lackluster stuff. I personally believe the fault of that is liberalism, which does it's best to separate intelligence from creativity.

[sauropod]

News report that i read said it was "bystanders".

If it was the congregation, then good on them. Maybe they need to find a new pastor.

[Cronos]

Sorry, I was being Sarcastic about the Crusader bit -- most Slamics say the Crusaders were out to destroy Slammiedom, convenitently forgetting that Slamic lands were Christian lands where Christianity was obliterated under jaziya, forced conversion etc. places like Egypt, Syria, Turkey were near 100% christian at the time before being overrun by the hordes of Mad Mo.

[Cronos]

Unfortunately, a great deal of the initial source for -that- propaganda has come from -other- Christians, namely Protestants. Leftist secularists were only too happy to continue that work in later centuries. Ironically, that propaganda that was spread by Protestants is now used as a blanket indictment against Christians in general, so that they are now suffering from the effects of revisionist history that they themselves created

Quite correct, most of the lies spread by Protestant preachers have been used by the slammmies against ALL of Christendom.

[Matchett-PI]

"Hitchens is very anti-religion"

He's in good company. So is the sovereign triune God of Abraham.

Hitchens knows that if he was drunk and lying in the road needing help, the very last person who would stop to render meaningful help to a low-life sinner like him, would be the very, very religious. [The Saturday Night Live "Church Lady" is a good portrayal of the mentality.]

Or .... maybe the point of why God included the "Good Samaritan" story in Scripture is lost to some. Ya think?

[Quix]

I have my guesses but your message is not overly clear of it's target!

[Quix]

ping

[hellinahandcart]

Most times, if a church billboard catches my attention to that degree, i pull over to the side of the road and write the verse down or i make sure to drive by the sign a few more times until i have it written down. I suspect most thinking people would do the same thing.

Unless you're REPULSED...if I get an email advertising "Hot Young Farm Girls" I don't think I need to click the link in order to confirm my suspicions of how offensive I'll find it.

Got to get to work now...

[carton253]

Yes, there was a separation...

Some scholars say that it happened during the 1st century...but history shows it occured more in the 300-400 AD range, when the Church began a systematic purging of the Jewish roots of Christianity.

How else do you think the Church could arrive to some of the doctrine that they arrived at and do the things they did (especially during 1100-1300 AD)...