The Passion of the Christ (Mel Gibson movie)

February 25th is my baptismal birthday - what a treat!

 

John Piper wrote a book that will be distributed all over Minneapolis around the time of the movie. It is called "The Passion of Jesus Christ". I just got it in the mail. The book gives about 50 reasons why Christ died (according to the Scriptures at least).

I hope catholics see this movie and get justified on account of what Christ did all by himself (without the help of the church, sacraments, and the antichrist, errrrgggg, satan's puppet, errrrgggg, the pope).

 

You left out "without the help of the Bible." If you leave out the Church you have to leave out the Bible that the Church gave us. But you knew that.

I notice that we Catholics have been subject to the slurs "papists", "antichrist" and "satan's puppet" just in the course of a single day. WWJD, people...

 

I'm with you, LaRae! I'm practically giddy with anticipation. Imagine the impact on the culture and on the world if this movie is as good and as powerful as it appears it will be.

Mel Gibson -- who would have thought?!

 

Hi Daniel,

You wrote, "I hope catholics see this movie and get justified on account of what Christ did all by himself"

Do you realize that The Passion is the creation of a Catholic who attended Mass every morning on site before filming? His name is Mel Gibson.

I hope misinformed and prejudiced Christians such as yourself see this movie and recognize that some Catholics may have a better perspective and appreciation of what Jesus Christ did on Calvary than you do.

 

This is a rather amusing thread, albeit in a sick way. Two denominations that both call themselves true but think the other is false snarling over a Hollywood movie done by neither.
I have a bad feeling that for the thousands of non-members reading this thread, it isn't exactly motivating them to jump into any serious thought about becoming a child of God. If it was a few years ago I would be able to hear myself laughing at the silly religious folk.
Gina

 

The Knights of Columbus at our parish (which I am part of) rented out two screens on the 24th, the day before it comes out, even with discount ticket prices! I just bought five tickets this morning, so close friends an myself will get to see it a day early!

 

Mel Gibson is indeed a Catholic, it is not known whether he is in schism or not with the Church, though most educated Catholics agree he most likely is.

Some things you should know is that the movie is not meant to be evanglistic in and of itself, and there is no resurection scene. It is after all, The Passion of the Christ.

If you haven't seen the stills avaliable from the movie, I urge you to take a look. These images from the movie moved me to tears.

 

Adam,

Mel is undoubtedly schismatic, the Passion is definitely meant to be evangelistic, and I heard somewhere that the movie ends with an empty tomb, but I could be wrong.

 

There's no resurrection scene but it does indeed end with an emtpy tomb scene clearly implying the resurrection (I haven't seen it but I heard from my pastor who has).

If you want to see it for yourself without it spoiled don't read the following description:


From what I've heard, the scene is from the inside of the tomb, the stone rolls away and the bright light shines into the tomb, also the grave clothes suddenly find themselves without a body and collapse.

 

Wow, I didn't know Gibson was using his own money to do this, but I started looking into it and that's what it looks like.
Sounds like he's one of the "good Catholics", the ones that hold to the earliest Catholic church beliefs...dunno, will have to look into that statement a bit more.
I had assumed it was just another Hollywood movie he was paid to make.
Gina

 

Hi Gina,

You wrote, "Sounds like he's one of the 'good Catholics', the ones that hold to the earliest Catholic church beliefs"

You are ignorant of Mel's religious persuasion. Mel rejects the Novus Ordo Mass due to Pope Pius V's Quo Primum among other reasons that have nothing to do with "the earliest Catholic church beliefs".

On a side note, I found a little blunder in a news article at

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/us_film_gibson

"Gibson will find out on February 25, when the film is released on Ash Wednesday, the holiday that marks two days before Christians believe Christ was crucified."

Oops.

 

You're right Carson, I am, that's why I said I'd have to look into that statement further.
Gina

 

Well he prays the Rosary and goes to confession if that is what you mean. I guess any time anyone rejects the Pope that makes them a good Christian among Protestants.

 

He's not only using his own money, he's risking his career, all to preach the gospel in the unique way it has been given him to do so. Definitely one of the good Catholics!

 

On the other hand Mike, as long as there's women and Gibson still has a breath left in him can anything he does really ruin his career?
(never been a fan myself, but hear enough women talk!)
Gina