A 'different' controversy surrounding The Passion

[Pipanella]

Can we stand yet another thread about Mel's movie, "The Passion?"

Has anyone heard any of the discussion about the movie being 'Catholic' more than it is biblical? (Mel himself said he used the book, "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ," by Anne Emmerich (an Augustinian nun, and Mystic, Stigmatist, Visionary, and Prophet), in addition to the Bible, to come up with the scenes in the film. [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]

I wasn't aware of this until the last couple of days, and there is a LOT of discussion going on about this. Just wondered if anyone had heard any of this and what your thoughts are on it.

There are a lot of websites that have comments about this. Just one is [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now], with many other supporting links at the end of the lengthy article. I haven't read all of this article, let alone the links, so I have no comment on it right now. I just was rather surprised at the number of evangelicals that apparently are opposed to the film for the reason that they don't believe it's truly biblical.

There may or may not be validity to some of what they say, but I do think that as believers, we have an obligation to take a good look at this movie from a biblical standpoint and measure it for ourselves against God's word.

Some of what I HAVE read, though, looks to me like Catholic-bashing. I'm not Catholic, though I was married in the Catholic church. My husband used to be Catholic (he used to be REALLY Catholic...LOL), but has been Protestant since 1977.

Since this discussion has 'caught our eye,' we are going to take a deeper look at it and talk about things. Should be interesting!

[stking]

Whew! I clicked on that one link you provided. Talk about anti-Catholic! YIKES!

I'm not very good with words so I won't try to weigh-in on this too much. Let me just say that I cannot stand "Fundamentalist"-type Christians who can quote the bible and find something to support their way of thinking in the smallest bible quote while sometimes totally taking it out of the context of which it is written!!! Does this person on this website realize that Catholics believe in that same bible? blech!! I feel like I need to take a shower now after reading the way this person was speaking. Everyone has a right to their own opinion I guess.

[Pipanella]

That's why I said I was so surprised when I read it. I had no idea that this was an issue about this movie. And that's why I said I felt like there was some Catholic-bashing going on, and that as believers (not Catholics, Protestants, or otherwise), we ALL should examine the movie for ourselves as to whether it's biblical or not.

The Catholic Bible isn't exactly like the Protestant one (the Catholic Bible contains the Apocrypha, and the Protestant one does not), but I do believe they have the same core belief in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Redeemer.

[Shainie]

Hmmm, kind of interesting.

You know what really gets me? The person you linked to speaks as if he was actually there when Jesus was crucified. He argued that Jesus has short hair, not long. And a long haired Jesus is a Catholic image. How can a person know what length Jesus' hair is???

It does make you think. I never thought of having "pictures" of Jesus around the house as having a false idol . . . but I guess that does makes sense.

More things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmm

[Pipanella]

I noticed that, too, Shainie. Again, this is just one person's view, but apparently there are many who share his view. And one of my own thoughts is, do details such as his hair length really MATTER? As I said before, I really believe some of this is just Satan trying to divert attention from the message of Christ.

One thing for sure, Mel sure has 'em talking!

[doglover22]

In my opinion, this guy is very ingnorant. He needs to do some research on the Catholic church because what he says in his article is not correct on numerous occasions.

[telos2000]

We all knew it was going to be a Catholic movie about Christ. Would a Catholic make Jesus a Methodist, Baptist, Luteran, or whatever? If you are founded in your beliefs about Christ, you will look beyond the Catholic twists. Yes, there is much extra-biblical material in the movie. Some of it is artistic license and some of it Catholicism. You probably will recoginize those as such when you see the movie. Depends on how knowledgeable you are on the gospels.

To be so picky about the hair (he is probably right according to the culture at the time) and other such details, discredits any valid arguements he might present.

I don't think I am going to **** for seeing the movie. I did not become a Catholic after watching the movie. I am still a Baptist minister, but more than that I am still a Christian. As a thinking Christian I am able to understand what I do and do not believe about the SAME Christ we all believe in.

You know what is really funny. When we all get to heaven, we will probably all be surprised by the Jesus we meet there. I will go even farther and say, "I know we will all be surprised by the Jesus who meets us there!" We look through a mirror dimly, but then we will see clearly. At death, our theology will be straightened out.

[Pipanella]

Actually, telos, I never gave it a thought that it would be a 'Catholic' movie, even though I know Mel is a Catholic. It doesn't matter to me that Mel is a Catholic. And though I saw many things that I'd never heard of before, they didn't detract from the basic message of salvation for me.

[telos2000]

Originally Posted by Pipanella

Actually, telos, I never gave it a thought that it would be a 'Catholic' movie, even though I know Mel is a Catholic. It doesn't matter to me that Mel is a Catholic. And though I saw many things that I'd never heard of before, they didn't detract from the basic message of salvation for me.

I thought for sure you were on the other posts where this was discussed. I thought you even responded to my comment on the Latin portion of the film and how it related to Mel's Mass. I guess I was mistaken. Pardon me for my assumption.

[Pipanella]

Yes, I was part of the conversation about the languages. I was the one that said it was in Latin and Aramaic, the languages of the time. Then you explained that Greek was spoken more than Latin in that area at that time. And I always knew that Mel was Catholic, I just never had thought of the movie as being particularly a 'Catholic' movie, either before or after I saw it.

No need for pardon, telos!

[bwsmom]

Originally Posted by Pipanella

As I said before, I really believe some of this is just Satan trying to divert attention from the message of Christ.

Methinks you are correct!

[mayfly]

I agree completely bwsmom.

[Nightowl69]

what Pipanella said

[FUNdamental]

To clairify, Mel is a Catholic who does not recognize Vatican II.

Also, as for what Jesus looked like, I get a real chuckle when I see artists' renderings of Jesus as a pick cheeked, blue eyed person of European dissent. He was not; his family was from North Africa.

The answer to what Jesus looked like lies in the scripture

"do not create a graven image of him, because it will divide and cause confusion."

[Taxman]

Originally Posted by FUNdamental

To clairify, Mel is a Catholic who does not recognize Vatican II.

Are you sure about that? I'm not so much disbelieving you as I am not sure that's what you mean. If it's just that he celebrates the Mass in Latin, then that doesn't mean that he doesn't recognize Vatican II. Bishops are given the option to either endorse or not the practice as long as the Mass is performed correctly. From the interviews that I've heard, he's a traditionalist in that he chooses to belong to a congregation that hasn't embraced the "touchy-feely" trappings of American Catholicism that started in the 70's.