Is Mel Gibson insane?

This is a commentary by DAVID LIMBAUGH about Mel Gibson's very controversial movie regarding Christ's crucifixion. It is well worth reading. MEL GIBSON'S passion for "THE PASSION". How ironic that when a movie producer takes artistic license with historical events, he is lionized as artistic, creative and brilliant, but when another takes special care to be true to the real-life story, he is vilified.

Actor-producer Mel Gibson is discovering these truths the hard way as he is having difficulty finding a United States studio or distributor for his upcoming film, "The Passion," which depicts the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus Christ.

Gibson co-wrote the script and financed, directed and produced the movie. For the script, he and his co-author relied on the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, as well as the diaries of St. Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824) and Mary of Agreda's "The City of God."
Gibson doesn't want this to be like other sterilized religious epics. "I'm trying to access the story on a very personal level and trying to be very real about it." So committed to realistically portraying what many would consider the most important half-day in the history of the universe, Gibson even shot the film in the Aramaic language of the period. In response to objections that viewers will not be able to understand that language, Gibson said, "Hopefully, I'll be able to transcend the language barriers with my visual storytelling; if I fail, I fail, but at least it'll be a monumental failure."

To further insure the accuracy of the work, Gibson has enlisted the counsel of pastors and theologians, and has received rave reviews. Don Hodel, president of Focus on the Family, said, "I was very impressed. The movie is historically and theologically accurate." Ted Haggard, pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo., and president of the National Evangelical Association, glowed: "It conveys, more accurately than any other film, who Jesus was." During the filming, Gibson, a devout Catholic, attended Mass every morning because "we had to be squeaky clean just working on this." From Gibson's perspective, this movie is not about Mel Gibson. It's bigger than he is. "I'm not a preacher, and I'm not a pastor," he said. "But I really feel my career was leading me to make this. The Holy Ghost was working through me on this film, and I was just directing traffic. I hope the film has the power to evangelize."

Even before the release of the movie, scheduled for March 2004, Gibson is getting his wish. "Everyone who worked on this movie was changed. There were agnostics and Muslims on set converting to Christianity...[and] people being healed of diseases." Gibson wants people to understand through the movie, if they don't already, the incalculable influence Christ has had on the world. And he grasps that Christ is controversial precisely because of WHO HE IS - GOD incarnate. "And that's the point of my film really, to show all that turmoil around him politically and with religious leaders and the people, all because He is Who He is."

Gibson is beginning to experience first hand just how controversial Christ is. Critics have not only speciously challenged the movie's authenticity, but have charged that it is disparaging to Jews, which Gibson vehemently denies. "This is not a Christian vs. Jewish thing. '[Jesus] came into the world, and it knew him not.' Looking at Christ's crucifixion, I look first at my own culpability in that." Jesuit Father William J. Fulco, who translated the script into Aramaic and Latin, said he saw no hint of anti-Semitism in the movie. Fulco added, "I would be aghast at any suggestion that Mel Gibson is anti-Semitic."

Nevertheless, certain groups and some in the mainstream press have been very critical of Gibson's "Passion." The New York Post's Andrea Peyser chided him: "There is still time, Mel, to tell the truth." Boston Globe columnist James Carroll denounced Gibson's literal reading of the biblical accounts. "Even a faithful repetition of the Gospel stories of the death of Jesus can do damage exactly because those sacred texts themselves carry the virus of Jew hatred," wrote Carroll.

A group of Jewish and Christian academics has issued an 18-page report slamming all aspects of the film, including its undue emphasis on Christ's passion rather than "a broader vision." The report disapproves of the movie's treatment of Christ's passion as historical fact. The moral is that if you want the popular culture to laud your work on Christ, make sure it either depicts Him as a homosexual or as an everyday sinner with no particular redeeming value (literally). In our anti-Christian culture, the blasphemous "The Last Temptation of Christ" is celebrated and "The Passion" is condemned. But if this movie continues to affect people the way it is now, no amount of cultural opposition will suppress its force and its positive impact on lives everywhere. Mel Gibson is a model of faith and courage.

LINK

 

You really are off the wall Vaspers! Again, a canard no proof and no validity. Prove it.

Diane

 

He saw the film, and now speaks filthy language and gross perversity in sermons, like he got some witchcraft voodoo spell in him, maybe a bad demon

You expect us to take this remark seriously? What type Baptist church do you attend?

Diane

 

You really are off the wall Vaspers! Again, a canard no proof and no validity. Prove it.

Diane </font>[/QUOTE]I agree with Diane here, vaspers. Do you have any proof of pastors and deacons suffering "severe mental problems" as a result of seeing this movie? And having read a lot of the posts about this movie, I don't recall seeing anything about "filthy language".

And, no, I haven't seen the movie and am not sure I WILL see the movie. But you seem to be stretching it a bit here.

CJ

 

A bit??? Sounds like there is indeed mental problems going on, but not the type described earlier. Vaspers has been literally *obsessed* about this movie. It is consuming him, it is affecting his sleep. He's got himself so worked up over this that he's no longer being rational. He needs help and our prayers. I am going to avoid any further response to him, as it seems to only feed his paranoia.

 

u'd have done ur duty, brother. it's not just alert Christians who notice stuff abt the film, but even some unsaved ppl can see it also:

The Toronto Sun might agree w u that it's a "sick flick" http://pub1.ezboard.com/fbibleversiondiscussionboardfrm12.showMessage?topicID=590.topic&index=11

 

Diane, Thank you so much for your imput. It's nice to have one on the board here who has seen the movie itself and can give first hand knowledge and perspective. I also appreciate your thoughts on my 7 year old seeing it, however, I tend to not keep things from him. I do use discernment over many things he views and listens to, but when it comes to choices concerning his life and future (especially his eternal future) I let him see the realistic things and then we talk about it. I have spoken to him about Jesus and explained to him that Jesus was beaten and hung on a cross, knowing my son like I do, I believe he can handle this, if not, I can get up and walk out with him. I really do respect your thoughts on this though..thank you

Joan

 

Just curious to your response, does Nancy Fowler ring any bells?

 

You're welcome Joan. Do be prepared to leave the movie. I'd suggest you sit on the end of the row so you don't disturb other's if you have to leave.

I've never heard of Nancy Fowler.

I was just talking today with the other home school moms at swim class. One said that she has heard a lot of the Hollywood type media make negative remarks about The Passion of the Christ and believes it's because Hollywood doesn't want to produce 'good' or uplifting movies but the trash they've been feeding us for the last 20 years.

Diane

 

As Annabelle Roberts, reviewer for Crosswalk said: So what shall we say to those who criticize this film, missing its ponderous message? Quid est veritas? As Pilate’ wife responds, “If you will not hear the truth, no one can tell you.”

 

And, no doubt, if you disagreed with the Fox reviews, you'd be accusing them of liberal bias or some such nonsense.

Which movie is that? There's currently no other movie out right now that he's in.

You're pharasaicalness is showing. What does Mel GIbson have to do with any other project Jim Caviezel is working on? BTW, the only other movie he's in is a sci-fi thriller called "Final Cut", which is rated PG-13 (so much for the "porno" accusation), and that film hasn't even been released yet, so for you to make some kind of accusation without knowing anything about it is ridiculous, and extremely unchristian.

 

Exactly Johnv. Again, another half truth from vaspers.

Diane

 

All I have to say to Vaspers is AMEN,AMEN,AMEN and AMEN .I like someone who says it like it is !!!!!
Almost all my life i have watched Hollywood make fun of and belittle those who preach the gospel and are part of the gospel preaching church in THEIR movies.God has promised in His word to preserve His church and blood curdling movies such as this ,done by those who probably know nothing of His amazing grace, i think the church should avoid.
Movies done with a less expensive budget by Godly institutions are are looked at in the most part with ridicule by the big screen crowd.
I can't help but wonder why those,who have already believed the gospel,could get enjoyment watching their savior go through what terrible torture

 

Diane I'm really surprized at you for not knowing of Nancy Fowler, being you're on the opposite side of "Suicide Circle" from where the "Farm" is.

You strike me as some one informed on this kind of stuff, but my query was directed to Brother Adam.