My pastor talked about The Passion this morning, and I was surprised.

[southerngirlwriter]

VERY pleasantly surprised. A lot of the parisioners in my church had been getting frighteningly gung-ho about the movie. The pastor refused to comment on it at all until he saw it, and this morning, he talked about it.

He said that he enjoyed it, and it made him cry, and it was a powerful piece of art. However, he said, it's just a movie. It's one man's take on things, and that man is "part of a renegade faction of Catholicism" and, based on interviews he (my pastor) has read with Mel Gibson, he has not had a relationship with God for very long. His theology is not well-developed, and his motives are, frankly, suspect. He went on in this vein for a while, giving several examples of things in the movie that differ sharply from the Biblical account. He also said "I know that many of you feel that today's entertainment is far too violent and de-sensitizes our children to human suffering. I agree with you, and I think that this movie is an extreme example of gratuitous violence in a film. Please remember that if you see it you are voting with your dollars for violent entertainment."

He went on to say that point of Jesus's life was the example he set for us before He died and His resurrection, not His death, and that this movie glossed over those points "almost shamefully."

He ended by saying that it was his opinion that no one under the age of 16 should see it, period, and he almost begged parents with kids younger than that who want to go to see it first and then decide whether their children should see it. He also said that no one over the age of 16 should see it if they are sensitive to very powerful images of evil, if they have a hard time shaking off extremely painful emotions, or if they have problems with nightmares or flashbacks to negative experiences. He strongly recommended that anyone with any hesitation at all stay home.

I was VERY pleasantly surprised.

edited to remove an identifying detail. I don't want to be THAT easy to find in real life. Sigh.

[lcordero]

1. uh

It was a GREAT movie...but I can definitely say that I did NOT enjoy it. I had to look away from the screen a lot.

on edit: My mom and I saw it today. The people that we talked to while in line came to see it because of the huge fuss in the newspapers and on the news networks.

[neoteric lefty]

2. sounds great

glad to see a religious leader who is not been hyped up. I am sure there are more like him but they are quieted by the fanatics. I am still wondering whether or not to see the movie. I get free tickets for a specific theater chain so mel isn't getting a cent from me.

[murielm99]

3. Would you be willing to identify your denomination?

[southerngirlwriter]

5. Sure.

I'm a Methodist.

NOTE: anyone who starts flaming, harassing, and/or interrogating me for/about/on the various Methodist associations' positions on various political issues including but not limited to abortion and homosexuality will be ignored. I don't have to like everything my church does anymore than you have to like everything our nominee does in order to vote for him. Thank you! :)

[ngGale]

9. A Methodist the one cool head...

on all the T.V. hype shows I saw. Kudos!

[murielm99]

10. I am a Methodist, too.

I don't care for their positions on homosexuality and abortion, either. I agree with your post. Thanks!

[theorist]

4. Wait a minute!

The movie doesn't show the resurrection? Does it even mention it? I know that the term "passion" deals directly with the crucifixion, but come on. All of the violence is supposed to lead to the first man ascending to heaven, right?

What exactly is the timeline of the events in the film? (I suppose you could give the chapters of Matthew that the film covers.)

[southerngirlwriter]

7. I haven't seen it, so I don't know.

And, in part because of what he said, I'm not GOING to see it.

He said it "glossed over" the resurrection. That's all I know. There are a million people here who have seen it. Maybe one of them can tell you. :shrug:

[Mick Knox]

8. 1 min worth of resurrection..

I agree.. lacking the teachings of christ and his ressurction were the most disappointng part of this file. It never showed him with Mary Mag and desciples after words... I was disappointed in that as well.. It never showed the angel saying he is risen.. etc. Less beatings and more of that = 5 stars from me.

[aquart]

6. Your pastor sounds like someone who is genuinely religious.

He understands what really matters.

You're very fortunate.

[24HRrnr]

11. It probably doesn't belong in this forum

but I disagree with your pastor on one point. Jesus died upon the cross to atone for our sins and open the kingdom of heaven to us. Without that act, his life, while noble, is merely human.

[Shakespeare]

12. But it was his resurrection that set his death apart.

Many people died on the cross--it's the resurrection that makes his life more than human. If that was glossed over, then I think that's a shame. I've always wondered why catholics seem to focus more on the crucifixion than on the resurrection.

[southerngirlwriter]

13. Agreed.

Anyone can die a martyr's death.

Is there no person or no principle, ideal, cause, etc., that you would die for?

It's the life He lived knowing He would die a martyr's death, and the resurrection, that set Him apart to me.

[24HRrnr]

14. I'm not catholic

so if someone out there wants to correct me, chime in. I think they focus on the crucifixion because his death was God's gift to the world. The difference between his crucifixion and that of others is that he alone lived a sin-free life. The only truly innocent man ever sacrifice his life for us.

The resurrection is the proof that he was the Son of God. Important yes, but the message of salvation was borne on the cross.

[burrowowl]

15. I know lots of priests and nuns and

Catholics (I'm lapsed) who are of your pastor's opinion.
And who would also add, that Jesus was about love: loving God and loving your neighbor. St. John's Gospel gives a very compeling account of this, especially, when Jesus knew he was going to get it.