[GCFL-discuss] Mel Gibson's Movie

[gcfl-discuss at gcfl.net]

I got this from a friend of a friend.  I haven't seen the
movie, but I plan to.  Just thought you all might be
interested.

- John

----------------
Received from Jody Dean, one of the CBS news anchors in
Dallas.

**********************************************

All... 

There've been a ton of emails and forwards floating around
recently from those who've had the privilege of seeing Mel
Gibson's "The Passion Of The Christ" prior to its actual
release. I thought I'd give you my reaction after seeing
it last night. 

The screening was on the first night of "Elevate!", a
weekend-long seminar for young people at Prestonwood
Baptist Church in Plano. There were about 2,000 people
there, and the movie was shown after several speakers had
taken the podium. It started around 9 and finished around
11...so I reckon the film is about two hours in length.
Frankly, I lost complete track of time - so I can't be
sure. 

I want you to know that I started in broadcasting when I
was 13-years-old. I've been in the business of writing,
performing, production, and broadcasting for a long time.
I've been a part of movies, radio, television, stage and
other productions - so I know how things are done. I know
about soundtracks and special effects and make-up and
screenplays. I think I've seen just about every kind of
movie or TV show ever made - from extremely inspirational
to extremely gory. I read a lot, too - and have covered
stories and scenes that still make me wince. I also have a
vivid imagination, and have the ability to picture things
as they must have happened - or to anticipate things as
they will be portrayed. I've also seen an enormous amount
of footage from Gibson's film, so I thought I knew what
was coming. But there is nothing in my existence - nothing
I could have read, seen, heard, thought, or known - that
could have prepared me for what I saw on screen last
night. 

This is not a movie that anyone will "like". I don't think
it's a movie anyone will "love". It certainly doesn't
"entertain". There isn't even the sense that one has just
watched a movie. What it is, is an experience - on a level
of primary emotion that is scarcely comprehensible. Every
shred of human preconception or predisposition is utterly
stripped away. No one will eat popcorn during this film.
Some may not eat for days after they've seen it. Quite
honestly, I wanted to vomit. It hits that hard. 

I can see why some people are worried about how the film
portrays the Jews. They should be worried. No, it's not
anti-Semitic. What it is, is entirely shattering. There
are no "winners". No one comes off looking "good" - except
Jesus. Even His own mother hesitates. As depicted, the
Jewish leaders of Jesus' day merely do what any of us
would have done -and still do. They protected their
perceived "place" - their sense of safety and security,
and the satisfaction of their own "rightness". But
everyone falters. Caiphus judges. Peter denies. Judas
betrays. Simon the Cyrene balks. Mark runs away. Pilate
equivocates. The crowd mocks. The soldiers laugh. Longinus
still stabs with his pilus. The centurion still carries
out his orders. And as Jesus fixes them all with a glance,
they still turn away. The Jews, the Romans, Jesus' friends
- they all fall. Everyone, except the Principal Figure.
Heaven sheds a single, mighty tear - and as blood and
water spew from His side, the complacency of all creation
is eternally shattered.


The film grabs you in the first five seconds, and never
lets go. The brutality, humiliation, and gore is almost
inconceivable - and still probably doesn't go far enough.
The scourging alone seems to never end, and you cringe at
the sound and splatter of every blow - no matter how
steely your nerves. Even those who have known combat or
prison will have trouble, no matter their experience -
because this Man was not conscripted. He went willingly,
laying down His entirety for all. It is one thing for a
soldier to die for his countrymen. It's something else
entirely to think of even a common man dying for those who
hate and wish to kill him. But this is no common man. This
is the King of the Universe. The idea that anyone could or
would have gone through such punishment is unthinkable -
but this Man was completely innocent, completely holy -
and paying the price for others. He screams as He is laid
upon the cross, "Father, they don't know. They don't
know..." 

What Gibson has done is to use all of his considerable
skill to portray the most dramatic moment of the most
dramatic events since the dawn of time. There is no
escape. It's a punch to the gut that puts you on the
canvas, and you don't get up. You are simply confronted by
the horror of what was done - what had to be done - and
why. Throughout the entire film, I found myself
apologizing. 

What you've heard about how audiences have reacted is
true. There wasno sound after the film's conclusion. No
noise at all. No one got up. No one moved. The only sound
one could hear was sobbing. In all my years of public
life, I have never heard anything like that. 

I told many of you that Gibson had reportedly re-shot the
ending to include more "hope" through the Resurrection?
That's not true. The Resurrection scene is perhaps the
shortest in the entire movie - and yet it packs a punch
that can't be quantified. It is perfect. There is no way
to negotiate the meaning out of it. It simply asks, "Now,
what will you do?" 

I'll leave the details to you, in the hope that you will
see the film - but one thing above all stands out, and I
have to tell you about it. It comes from the end of Jesus'
temptations in the wilderness - where the Bible says Satan
left him "until a more opportune time". I imagine Satan
never quit tempting Christ, but this film captures beyond
words the most opportune time. At every step of the way,
Satan is there at Jesus' side - imploring Him to quit,
reasoning with Him to give up and seducing Him to
surrender. For the first time, one gets an heart-stopping
idea of the sense of madness that must have enveloped
Jesus - a sense of the evil that was at His very elbow.
The physical punishment is relentless - but it's the sense
of psychological torture that is most overwhelming. He
should have quit. He should have opened His mouth. He
should have called 10,000 angels. No one would have blamed
Him. What we deserve is obvious. 

But He couldn't do that. He wouldn't do that. He didn't do
that. He doesn't do that. It was not and is not His
character. He was obedient, all the way to the cross - and
you feel the real meaning of that phrase in a place the
human heart usually doesn't dare to go. You understand
that we are called to that same level of obedience. With
Jesus' humanity so irresistibly on display, you understand
that we have no excuse. There is no place to hide. 

The truth is this: Is it just a "movie"? In a way, yes.
But it goes far beyond that, in a fashion I've never felt
- in any forum. We may think we "know". We know nothing.
We've gone 2,000 years - used to the idea of a pleasant
story, and a sanitized Christ. We expect the ending,
because we've heard it so many times. God forgive us. This
film tears that all away. It's is as close as any of us
will ever get to knowing, until we fully know. Paul
understood. "Be urgent, in and out of season." 

Luke wrote that Jesus reveals Himself in the breaking of
the bread. Exactly. "The Passion Of The Christ" shows that
Bread being broken. 

Go see this movie. 

His, and His alone. 

jody 

-- 
May those that love us, love us; and those that don't love
us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn
their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we'll know them
by their limping. -- Old Irish Toast

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