I've been following the coverage of Mel Gibson's upcoming film, "The Passion of Christ", with great anticipation. Unfortunately, Mel is being castigated by some people for being anti-semitic in his portrayel of the Jews in the film. I find it amazing that the same people who have been subject to people attempting to rewrite history (as far as the holocaust is concerned) are now attempting to rewrite history as to an accurate account of the Jew's involvement in the crucifixion of Christ. It's truly an amazing thing.
Fact #1 - The Holocaust happened.
Fact #2 - The Jewish people of Jesus' day were partially responsible for His death.
I love what Mel Gibson said in an interview that took place with Peggy Noonan just yesterday...
January 30, 2004 -- 'YOU'RE GOING to have to go on record. The Holocaust happened, right?" Peggy Noonan asks of Mel Gibson in the Reader's Digest for March.Gibson: "I have friends and parents of friends who have numbers on their arms. The guy who taught me Spanish was a Holocaust survivor. He worked in a concentration camp in France. Yes, of course. Atrocities happened. War is horrible. The Second World War killed tens of millions of people. Some of them were Jews in concentration camps. Many people lost their lives. In the Ukraine, several million starved to death between 1932 and 1933. During the last century, 20 million people died in the Soviet Union."
Gibson sat down with conservative Catholic writer Noonan to speak of his controversial film, "The Passion of the Christ," to explain his faith - which he says became a strong force in his life after years of being "a monster," having become "spiritually bankrupt" in the thrall of success. And Gibson admits his spiritual life is "nowhere complete yet. I'm still so full of flaws." Noonan pushed him about the Holocaust because of accusations that the actor's father questions the attempted extermination of all Jews by Hitler. Of his dad, Gibson says, "My dad taught me my faith, and I believe what he taught me. The man never lied to me in his life."
Gibson talks eloquently about his passion for "The Passion," the gospel and what he wants to do next - "something light and funny and nobody'll be angry at me!"
Noonan: "Give me the headline you want to see on the biggest paper in America the day after 'The Passion' opens."
Gibson: "War Ends."
I can't wait to see The Passion of Christ. I think it may be the most accurate portrayal of Christ's last day that has ever been filmed. February 25th is the day. I am going to make a prediction. This film will be a huge hit, beyond anyone's expectations.
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
January 30, 2004 07:26 PM
I believe the Pope's comment when asked about Gibson's film was "It is as it was." Rather succinct but sounds like an endorsement to me! I kind of like a statement I culled from another website, it goes "Why is it that anyone thinks they're entitled to go through life without ever being offended?" Seems like these days you can't breathe without offending someone.
January 30, 2004 07:35 PM
"Some" Jewish people were partially responsible for Christ's crucifixion, not "the" Jewish people. And, of course, one of Christ's own followers had that "little role."
The larger point, though, is that all sinners are responsible for Christ's death, because he gave his life for us. Similarly, if a fireman comes into our house and is killed trying to save us because we fell asleep while smoking, then we are partially responsible for that death.
It is an unfortunate coincidence that Gibson's father is anti-Semitic. However, we don't get to pick our parents.
I look forward to seeing the film, and I'm glad that Gibson made it. I expect that it is an excellent flick.
By the way Joel, it doens't look like Dean's going to get the nomination; how many states will Kerry carry?
January 31, 2004 09:17 AM
Seems to me like the studios passed up on a HUGE money maker! Just think of the already installed base! The DVD sales alone should be a GLOBAL smash.
February 23, 2004 03:00 AM
Great post.
I liked Mel's comment:
In the end - we all killed Jesus. We should not be surprised at the critics - Jesus had them too.
Peace
In the Son
February 26, 2004 12:51 AM
Shame on you for praising Mel Gibson on his response to being questioned about the holocaust. "SOME of them were Jews." "The man never lied to me in his life." Disgusting how these people can call themselves Christians - just like how Hitler killed in the name of Christ.
February 26, 2004 10:48 AM
But only a fool would actually believe that Hitler was a Christian. It is well documented that his practices with the occult were far more akin to satanism.
As for the Holocaust, it is his wacko father that denies that there were 6 million jews. Mel does not deny it.
However, it is a fact that people OTHER than Jews did die in the Holocaust. In fact, CHRISTIANS were killed also, many of them standing up for the Jews!
Get your facts straight so you can see clearly without bias, please. Otherwise you will continue to think through the eyes of bigotry.
March 11, 2004 06:47 PM
Thanks, Joel.
Good points made. Is being Jewish a race
of people, or is it a religion that some don't
practice? Would it be considered ethnic
or blood DNA connected? I kind of figured that
Abraham came from the land of Ur. So he
didn't start out being a Jew. He took some
orders first from God. In any case he followed
God. So he became the father of Isaac and
(the name escapes me). What's the deal,
Joel? Please explain. There's still unrest there.
Michele P.
March 11, 2004 10:37 PM
It is true that people define Jewish differently. Is it a nationality? A religion? A state of mind? A social club?
There are those who say if the mother is Jewish, the child is Jewish. There are others who say both parents much be Jewish. Many orthodox Jews believe you must adhere to the letter of the law to be considered a true Jew. Some show great disdain for the typical American Jew that has been largely secularized.
Many Jews think the pride of being a Jew is because of the great persecution and suffering of the Jewish people, not recognizing that God has allowed the persecution and suffering due to their disobedience to Him! Nothing to brag about, as far as I can tell.
The ONLY thing we Jews can brag about is our God, and Him alone. Nothing more. But isn't that enough?
Abram was not a Jew until God called him out from Ur and started the nationality with him. He is the father of the Jewish people. He is ALSO the father of the Moslem people. His sons, Isaac and Ishmael are the children of the promise. ALL the troubles in the middle east can be traced back to these two rival brothers, the child of God's promise and the bastard son.
What is a Jew? From a scientific perspective, it is one who is of Jewish lineage. Even though I have accepted Christ as the Messiah, who was the foretold Jewish messiah TO the Jewish people, I am no less a Jew today. In fact, I consider myself a COMPLETED Jew, finding the fullness of the faith of my ancestors in the Messiah!
March 24, 2004 12:40 PM
Hi Joel,
That's a fantastic take. Love it. I hope that a lot
of people read your explanation. I'm impressed with your explanation regarding
the persecution and suffering aspect. It's an
interior outlook. Seems like everything that happens to us is a great fire, a crucible, if
you will. You can emerge much better than
you were and with more wisdom.
Anyway, Joel, good stuff.
Peace in Christ,
Michele P.
December 26, 2004 09:37 AM
Enough about challenging whether or not the Holocaust happened and whether or not Hitler Killed not only 6 million jews but 12 million people, 6 million who helped the Jewish people during WWII.
Meanwhile, will everybody wake up PLEASE? The same ethnic cleansing has been going on in Darfur, in the Sudan, since February 2003. These posts here are from early 2004.
Doesn't ANYBODY CARE ABOUT ETHNIC CLEANSING IN THE 21ST CENTURY? The black people in Darfur have been run off their land, their husbands and sons killed, their daughters raped by ARAB MILITANTS (NOT AL QUEDA). I am appalled that the JEWISH COMMUNITY ALL OVER THE WORLD has said nothing regarding this. And yes, I am Jewish and am appalled by the lack of ANYBODY CARING ABOUT THE WOMEN AND KIDS IN DARFUR!!!!!!!!
GET OFF YOUR DUFFS AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT INSTEAD OF CHATTING ON BULLETIN BOARDS AND IN CHAT ROOMS ONLINE about past history. The Darfur situation has been ongoing for nearly two years.
And I believe MY people, the JEWISH people, should be standing up and SCREAMING AGAINST THIS BLACK ETHNIC CLEANSING GOING ON IN THE SUDAN.
And for the morons who know nothing about the Sudan - we are TALKING ABOUT AFRICA!!!
Signed by Someone who cares maybe too much about the condition of the WORLD!!!
February 11, 2005 09:04 AM
hi , i would like to take melgibson email,
I just want his help , i have a story and i need an actor for this story.
it is so interesting for me, really,
best regards
Diana haddad
April 20, 2005 11:47 PM
hay dude how are you giong?
April 20, 2005 11:47 PM
hay dude how are you giong?
December 5, 2005 03:37 PM
You asked the definition of a Jew. Jews for Jesus are Christians not Jews. This is the most basic fact. It would be like a Christian not believing in Christ or a Buddhist not believing in Buddha.
In the future, don't ask a Christian to define a Jew; as you wouldn't ask a Caucasian to define what being African-American is. It would be irresponsible for Joel to make comments about a religion he is not practicing.
One difference between a Jew and a Christian as I observed from growing up in Mississippi is Christians are terrified of different beliefs, Jews are not. Another difference is Christians are obsessed with converting people, Jews are not.
Jews also take responsibility for their crimes instead of blaming it on Satan or an ethnic group.
A Jewish man, wearing a yarmulke, was reading a history book and a Christian man was reading the Bible on facing park benches. They both looked up at each other and shouted, "Murderer!" If we focus on the past, whether truth or fiction, instead of expressing remorse and admiration for the contributions to American society that Jews and Christians have made, then the future is bound to repeat the past.
It is not "whining" to speak up when the first waves of anti-Semitism are felt. Can you think back to a time when anti-Semitism was not followed by a Temple burning, pogrom, or exile? History has shown little mercy when the majority of a population tolerates anti-Semitism or racism. Silence is a crime that leads to crime.