I saw "The Passion of the Christ" today (well, its yesterday, now). It was a very brutal movie. I had to get up and go outside to the lobby for @15 minutes because I could not stand it- I was nauseated and sickened by what I was seeing. Until today I was never able to visualize what I read in the Bible about scourging.I am a very UNimaginative person and the words in the Bible never really meant anything to me because I was unable to visualize those kinds of thing in my mind. Today that changed for me forever. The images of a scourged Christ are FOREVER burned into my memory. I cannot get those images out of my brain. There was audible weeping (including me and my friends) thruout the theater during the movie. It was and is the most accurate attempt to portray Biblical events by anyone in Hollywood, ever, IMHO. And that is why this movie is so hated. Is it 100% biblically accurated? No. Some words and scenes were added that were not in the Bible but I do not think that these additions detracted from the movie. Some things were necessary in an attempt to meld the 4 Gospels. Was the film anti-semitic? I don't think so but then I'm not Jewish so I don't know how Jews will view it. Caiphas was a bad guy in this movie. But I see a LOT of present day religious leader who act just like him- Muslim Imams, race hating "Christian" sects and the GB of the WTBTS to mind. The Roman soldiers came across as brutal mindless sub human Neanderthals. Herod was portrayed as a weird deranged person and Pontius Pilate as a semi-sympathetic ruler caught in a situation he wanted no part of. The Jewish crowds were like frenzied crowds seen during every time period and every age- "packs" of people driven by a mob mentality by manupilating religious (or political)leaders. I didn't see Mary portrayed as some sort of co-redeemer. I saw her as a mother forced to confront what was happening to her son at the time it was happening. Just as ANY mother would. What Jesus endured for us , what He went thru for us will be forever burned into anyone's memory who sees this movie. I do not think that I exaggerate when I say that this movie will forever change how you view Jesus willingly offering Himself for us. It is no wonder He sweated blood in the garden before Judas betrayed Him. This is a great movie and will become one of Hollywood's best movies of all time.
The Passion of the Christ (Movie)
by Golf 34 Replies latest jw friends
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Abaddon
As others have commented, one thing I don't get is the people who go one about what 'He' did for us.
People have died horribly for others throughout history. What's the big deal about Jesus dying for us? Unlike the other people who have died horribly for others, he was supposedly able to have absolute confidence in what would happen afterwards. This would mean his actions were less 'brave' than others who did not have this assurance.
Also, people are so sick that crucifiction isn't the be-all-and-end-all of nasty ways to go.
The death of a thousand cuts, for example involved a wire-mesh jacket and (sometimes) 'leggings'. Once on it was tightedtened Imagine having a chicken-wire cat suit so tight your flesh bulges out of each mesh square...
Once in this, each day or so a lump of flesh sticking out of the mesh would be cut. The tightness of the mesh stopped the person bleeding to death. It allowed the torturer to keep someone alive for months and reduce them to a piece of very-much alive tenderised steak. In cases a prisoner would have his limbs amputated, his tongue removed, his lips, nose and ears cut of, have his penis and balls removed, and be blinded, then have his torso put into the wire jacket to be kept alive as a dumb, blind and helpless stub of human flesh that could be kept alive as long as the torturers 'art' allowed.
So, Jesus, if he existed, said wise things... but his death? His manner of death was an experience many have experienced the equivalent or worse of, and he was supposedly 'the son of god', so it should have been far less of a big deal.
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Black Sheep
After much deliberation, my JW wife and I have decided to go to see a visiting African musician in a local restaurant instead.
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Hunyadi
People have died horribly for others throughout history. What's the big deal about Jesus dying for us? Unlike the other people who have died horribly for others, he was supposedly able to have absolute confidence in what would happen afterwards. This would mean his actions were less 'brave' than others who did not have this assurance.
Well, it is recorded that Jesus did suffer terrible and excrutiating beatings and was then NAILED through the hands and feet to a hunk of wood to let hang for hours to die a slow and painful death. Hey, try it sometime and lemme know what you think . . .
Less brave? I do believe that the JW's have it right when they offer that Jesus was a perfect man. He committed no sin. He did not have to die, however, it would take the death of a perfect man, sinless, to balance the scales of the sin and death spread to all of us through the once perfect man, Adam. Although perfect, he was still just a man, and it took alot of faith and strength for him to trust God's promises. It took alot of courage to own up to the fact, or at least, the idea, that he was God's son and the only one to fullfill the prophecies regarding him as the messiah. The "big deal" is that he could have decided not to submit to his father's will without fear of reprisal from Him, yet, willingly submitted anyway. He could have looked around at how f-d up and faithless and cynical and corrupt mankind was in general and determined for himself that we really were not worth it. He could have said, "these people suck, so what's the big deal that I should do this for them . . . ?" The death of any other human being could not have meant as much because all mankind since Adam was imperfect and seperate or detached from God. Death was the sentence passed by God for disobedience, therefore, we were all destined to die since the day Adam revolted against God. When God sent his son, he was showing us how much he loved us eventhough we were not worthy of such a gift or sacrefice.
Because of the gift of free will, Jesus could have chosen otherwise, therefore, it wasn't exactly like God forced or manipulated the outcome before it was all over . . . it was his will, but because of freedom of choice, we are not forced or required to submit to His will for the short pathetic time we get to live on this earth. God did not make it happen, he just put all his money and his name on the hope that it would go as planned.
The gift of Jesus' ransom sacrefice was for those who willingly submit to God's will, not those who think they see a trick up His sleeve.
Kind Regards,
Hunyadi
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berten
>Well, it is recorded that Jesus did suffer terrible and excrutiating beatings and was then NAILED through the hands and feet to a hunk of wood >to let hang for hours to die a slow and painful death. Hey, try it sometime and lemme know what you think . . .
So What?
During the dark middle ages millions of people suffered *much* more and *longer* because they where accused
of witchcraft and other "crimes" that Jesus' *fanclub* did not like.
Just because it's some guy on a cross two thousand years ago we should be impressed and in awe?
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Yerusalyim
I saw the movie, I liked the movie.
Yet, somehow, many Christians seem to think Jesus' suffering was the worst of any human being who ever lived. (I suppose because of the seperation from God thing).
It's not only that, but, as was brought out in the movie, it was the whole carrying the guilt of all sin ever to be committed...and the fact that he stayed there and took it even though he had the power to extracate himself.
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DanTheMan
I will never look at chicken wire the same way again. Thanks a lot Abaddon!
I wonder what sort of stuff is being done to the Al-Quaeda dudes that have been caught. Can't be very pretty...
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Yerusalyim
I wonder what sort of stuff is being done to the Al-Quaeda dudes that have been caught. Can't be very pretty...
That is an absolutely ridiculous comment.
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DanTheMan
why's that?
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talesin
as was brought out in the movie, it was the whole carrying the guilt of all sin ever to be committed...and the fact that he stayed there and took it even though he had the power to extracate himself.
I think Yeru has the point here ...
One must believe in the sacrifice of Christ for all 'man'kind to get this point of the movie - it's not that Jesus suffered a MORE torturous death (physically) than many others. It's all about his making a choice to do it - and in his moment of truth crying out to his 'Father' for succor (vis-a-vis the Matthew quote "My god, why have you forsaken me?").
The absolute torment he took upon himself spiritually and emotionally.
That having been said, I don't believe a word of it myself, I just understand the reasoning behind it for those of faith in the Christian belief system.
So, one must view the movie while taking into consideration the religious context, not just the human context.
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