Mel Gibson plans to tell the story of the Passion(the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ's life), with the characters only speaking in Latin and Aramaic. There will be no subtitles, instead trusting the power of visual storytelling to transcend language barriers. He wants to show the humanity of Jesus as well as the divine aspect.


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I saw an interview last night with Mel Gibson(they showed a early clip) about the new movie. Needless to say it's the most graphic reenactment of the crucifiction I've seen yet, even more than "The Last Temptation of Christ." With the entire movie in Latin and Aramaic and basically being the gruesome truth of what a crucifiction was really like, do you think that people will watch it? Or will they object to it. Even if you are a believer in the resurrection, will you go and see it?

I thought the reason it was controversial was it was anti-Semitic because it is based on the writing of Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich who thought that "the Jews" were to blame for Jesus' death. Jesus Movie Article

They were to blame. NOT modern day Jews, but of that time. Pilot gave them an option, to release Jesus or Barabus and they chose Barabus. Pilot, a Roman, knew that Jesus hadn't done nothing wrong, that's why he "Washed his hands of it", because he didn't want the blood of an innocent man on his hands. If modern day Jews are against this movie, it's for reasons I don't understand, because I, as a Christian don't hold them personally responsible. That's like saying a German kid our age is responsible for the holocaust. That's absurd!

This is the first that I have heard of this movie. So, Mel Gibson is playing Jesus, huh? That should be interesting. I think the concept of not having subtitles is a good one--relying on the subject to transcend the language barrier, but is it a practical one? Some people have a hard enough time following a movie when there are subtitles. I am not one for graphic violence at all, so I have mixed emotions about the crucifixion scenes. On the one heand, it is important for people to really grasp and understand the suffering that Jesus subjected himself to. But on the other hand, it may turn people off, and that is the last thing I would want to do in retelling the story of Jesus. I would probably see it, just because it is about the Passion, but again, I'm having a mixed reaction.

NONONONO!!!! He's NOT playing Jesus, he's DIRECTING!
I guess I didn't make that very clear...

I thought Mel Gibson was a religious guy, I know he is family oriented.

I think the foreign language thing will scare alot of people off. Don't they know that no one, anywhere Speaks Latin? Sure some (doctors, lawyers, private school students) can read it, but I would be willing to bet that most would not understand the spoken word. Aramaic is probably even worse as far as speaking members go. That will turn off an American audience, but it will probably lead to some awards for originality.

The source for this movie is anti-Semitic. No question about it. Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich thought that Jews killed Christian children and used their blood for devil worship. I haven't seen the movie so I don't know if it is anti-Semitic. I suspect it isn't. If it does imply that there is something evil in Jewish culture and character, like it's source does, it's just racist garbage.

I'm NOT talking about Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich. Read the New Testament. The Jewish Rabbi's TURNED Jesus over to the Roman authorities and then Pilot gave the citizens of Jeruselem the option of Jesus or Barabus. Jesus was considered a Blasphemer by his people for proclaiming to be God. He wasn't what the Jews wanted the Messiah to be like. He was a lamb and they wanted a Lion to lead them against the Romans. They dispised him because he preached love and they wanted revenge.

That's much different from saying Jews are naturally evil.

The Jews are the chosen people of God. They are the farthest thing from evil. Infact, IMO one of the reasons America is so great is because we support israel.

So, back to my question: Do you think this movie can be too graphic and turn people away, or can it be artistically done in such a manor to draw them in?

Here's an article on Gibson's particular form of Catholicism. Billy Jean, you may understand from this why his beliefs are being criticized as being antisemitic. You are correct, the Jews did crucify Jesus, but Christians do not tend to hold this against them - with some notable exceptions, Gibson's Catholic Traditionalism being one of them.

I'll probably be interested in seeing this film. No matter how it gets spun, the story of Jesus is truly a good story, and contains many dramatic elements, not the least of which is sacrifice and selflessness.

Plus, I am a native born speaker of Aramaic.

Edited to add: New York Times Magazine - Jesus wouldn't have needed a link, Jaime. He would have known.

Where?

It's fair enough, I think. If he wants to make the movie, it'll get made. I don't imagine it'll do great things at the box office, mostly because there won't be any explosions or car chases in it, although I'm sure it'll become a Sunday School standard and the Academy might be impressed (although I wonder if they would categorise it as a foreign film?).

And the anti-Semitic point is somewhat moot, as Jesus, his family, and all the disciples were all just as Jewish as the people who condemned him, at least until after the resurrection. (Just imagine that every word in the last sentence was capitalised, as they're probably all supposed to be.)

But the only people who should believe the Jews are God's chosen people are the Jews themselves. I thought the core of Christianity was that nobody's special unless they accept the truth of Jesus?

They are no worse than anyone else, for sure, but if "one of the reasons America is so great is because we support israel" and one of the reasons you support Israel is that you think they are God's chosen race, it explains a lot about why America always sides with Israel over everything, whether or not they are in the right.

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But the only people who should believe the Jews are God's chosen people are the Jews themselves. I thought the core of Christianity was that nobody's special unless they accept the truth of Jesus?
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God offered His Son to the Jews first and they rejected Him. Jesus is the Son of Man, His lineage goes back to King David, he in all actuality was the rightful heir of the Jewish people, accept they were under Roman occupation. Even in the New Testament, God refers to Israel as His chosen people. But Christians are the Bride of Christ, who when accepting salvation become children of God. The Jews are the disobedient children of God because they don't recognize Jesus as the Messiah, but God still reveres them because they honor the laws of Moses. The debate over the last 2,000 years now has been, though the Jews are God's chosen people, they reject Jesus, will they go to heaven? I say yes, but will not be considered apart of the Bride, since they're name isn't written in blood in the Lamb's Book of Life.

And to "nobody's special unless they accept the truth of Jesus?" comment, that's not true. Read John 3:16,

"For God so loved the WORLD..." That says to me that EVERYONE is special, regardless of whether they accept Jesus or not. God doesn't want us to be unhappy and empty, that's why he sent His son, to give us peace and serinity, to reject that is to reject a great gift. God even says(and I can't remember off the top of my head exactly) that HE knows every hair on our head and that if he provides the fowl of the earth with food and shelter, won't he do that and much more for us?

[/QUOTE]
They are no worse than anyone else, for sure, but if "one of the reasons America is so great is because we support israel" and one of the reasons you support Israel is that you think they are God's chosen race, it explains a lot about why America always sides with Israel over everything, whether or not they are in the right.
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Just because we support them doesn't mean we have to agree with everything they do. As far as the whole Palistine issue is concerned, I think they're BOTH at fault. Neither one is willing to SHARE because of deepseeded, ancient rivalries. It's sad. There is no easy solution to that problem. But as far as going along with everything they do blindly, that's wrong of us. God chastized his people when they were out of line. Look at Moses and the Jews, they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 yers because they built a false idol and worshiped it instead of God.