Passion of the Christ...for kids

by Princess 15 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Princess

  So my favorite baptist church (in my backyard) was putting up an A-frame sign as I was walking the kids home from school yesterday. Just in time for last night's screaming kid festival, um...Awana, they were advertising The Passion of the Christ for Kids.

  My son only saw that they would be giving out free popcorn. I told him there was absolutely NO WAY I was going to let him be taught about Jesus by a church and especially not that church. He could stuff himself on popcorn at home.

  I am curious what they will be showing children though. I really strongly believe this is the parents responsibility to teach the kids, not the church's. It's absolutely ridiculous how many churches and individuals are trying to capitalize on Mel Gibson's movie. I've received at least three mailings from churches regarding the movie. "Saw the movie? Come learn more." or "Now experience the love" Oh please, enough already

  I must have been under the influence of something when I found myself watching a Jesus network show where this guy was promoting his book about the last hours of Jesus life as told by Jesus himself. Yes, the dude claimed Jesus wrote the book through him. This was a week before the general release of the movie. He said those who had seen the movie and read his book said his book was better. OMG! It was unbelievable.

  Anyway, I'm truly disgusted (well, more than normal) with our backyard church for now taking it to the kids. It makes me angry how they try to rope us in by luring my children to the church. They do. They invite my kids to their different activities. Next time they will get an earful because I have reached that point. You know the point where just one more teeny tiny thing is going to make me blow up?

  Leave the kids alone. They don't have to worry that they will go to hell for being bad. They just deserve to be kids for awhile. Go away.

  Rachel (sorry about the ranting, had to get it off my chest)
• 

  xjw_b12

  Rachel. They are doing the same thing here as well.

  There was an ad in today's paper, and I had to read it twice to realize that they were not showing the movie, "Come Expereince the Passion of the Christ" with us. Presentations April 9, 10 and 11, nightly at 7:30 pm.

  But you're right to target kids with popcorn is a new twist in marketing. But hey it is a business.
• 

  Mulan

  Princess, I totally agree with you. "LEAVE MY GRANDCHILDREN ALONE!!!"

  There was an interesting article in the newspaper yesterday about the hype and marketing of that movie. Here are a few of the choice comments.

  In the Northwest: What would Jesus think about all this, I wonder?

  JOEL CONNELLY
  SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER COLUMNIST

  In Tucson last month, en route to a Mariners-Diamondbacks exhibition game, this scribe pulled up behind a truck bearing a sticker: "Jesus ... Protect Us from the Actions of Some of Your Followers."

  This bit of bumper theology has become embedded in my brain. Why? Because, this year, Lent has seemingly morphed into a kind of Christian season of hype and self-promotion.

  Instead of the introspective, penitential calls immortalized in Psalm 51 -- "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" -- a new order for worship is being created: Buy stuff and see blood on the big screen.

  In my e-mail the other day came this missive from Icon Film Productions: "Celebrate The Most Holy Time Of The Year With The #1 Soundtrack In The Country."

  It invited me to plunk down $11.98 for the music score from "The Passion of the Christ" and, while they last, to get a free poster and "Bonus CD" with special music edits from the movie.

  The Gospel according to Mel Gibson is being told in print as well -- and being used as a conservative marketing tool.

  Punching up "The O'Reilly Factor" on the Fox News Web site, I came upon an ad offering Gibson's coffee table book "The Passion" ("a value of $30 with shipping") for free.

  All you have to do is subscribe or renew your subscription to the right-wing magazine NewsMax (sample cover articles "Hannity's Crusade," "Reagan and God," "Rush is Back"). As a bonus you get an exclusive NewsMax interview: "Mel's Passion."

  The crucifixion is being commercialized in graphic ways.

  A Web site -- SharethePassionoftheChrist.com -- advertises such products as a sterling silver nail-shaped pendant ("Presented in an elegant velvet jewelry box") for $50. Less expensive pewter versions, with leather straps, are available for $16.99 and $12.99.

  Gibson has even come up with a nail key ring, allowing you to remember Jesus' suffering while turning on and off the car and garage alarms.

  Or you can wear a "Passion" T-shirt, black or white, with images of a wounded heart and crown of thorns.

  Merchandising and cultivation of controversy go with a $300 million movie. As creator and director of "The Passion of the Christ," Gibson has played his most important role off-screen, that of persecuted believer and victim of "anti-Christian sentiment." He began bashing the movie's critics even before they became critics with an appearance on O'Reilly more than a year ago. (Gibson's production company had optioned O'Reilly's steamy novel "Those Who Trespass.")

  The director also courted Christian fundamentalists. He has succeeded in turning them into champions of a movie that is very much influenced by old-time, pre-Second Vatican Council Catholicism.
• 

  Mulan

  Here a few more I missed including:

  Still, we might ask a related question: What would Jesus think?

  What would he think of Mel Gibson questioning whether the Catholic Mass said in the vernacular (local language) is truly valid? The 287 parishes of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles use 38 languages for the church's basic worship. Is Latin the only valid language?

  What would Jesus think about hard-nosed bargaining at the White House in which conservative Christian groups -- e.g., the Traditional Values Coalition, Focus on Family -- put the arm on President Bush to endorse an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting gay marriage?

  Would Jesus be comfortable with the celebrityhood of the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire and the first openly gay bishop in the history of Christendom? Robinson recently took a crew from "60 Minutes" to the gay bar he frequents in New York.

  Would a Jesus mindful of the separate role of the state -- "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's" -- have approved a recent threat by the Archbishop of St. Louis that presidential candidate (and practicing Catholic) John Kerry would be denied communion in his diocese?

  Would Jesus be sensitive to how he is depicted on the big screen? Do his memories gibe with the Gibson gospel, with its rabid, stereotypical Jewish mobs and kindly, conflicted Roman governor Pontius Pilate?

  In dispensing interviews about "The Passion of the Christ," Mel Gibson has opted for the agreeing and adoring. The lion that is Bill O'Reilly has become a lamb in the presence of St. Mel.

  Someday, however, an interviewer might think to ask the guy: Would Jesus carry a nail key ring?
• 

  Faust

  I read about this "Passion of the Christ for Kids" stuff and I wouldn't want my younger kids seeing it either, sounds pretty traumatizing:

  http://www.nbc10.com/news/2983535/detail.html
• 

  Faust

  Here is another link to the Easter Bunny "show" or whatever, hopefully this isn't what they were going to show the children around your area Princess:

  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4693430

  To clarify my post above, I wouldn't take my younger children if I had any. Currently don't have any children, but I know I'd feel uncomfortable taking my youngest nephews/nieces and I know I'd not feel comfortable exposing any young child to something this graphic.
• 

  Princess

  The thing that gets me is these churches have nothing good to say about Catholicism but are more than willing to make a buck or grab some new converts by using the Passion as a marketing tool.

  Maybe the youth pastor will be around this afternoon and I can ask him what he thinks of Mel Gibson as a Catholic or the Opus Dei sect.

  Is it really appropriate for grade school age children to be exposed to the torture and crucifixion of Jesus? Isn't just knowing he died for our sins enough (not that I necessarily believe any of this, I'm just saying) without the gory details at this age?

  I had a six year old in my daughter's kindergarten class tell me that at church he learned bad people go to hell with the demons. Well, isn't that a nice thing for a little child to dream about? I have a friend who wants her children to believe in hell so they will stay on the straight and narrow through middle and high school. Her kids are three and six. I was nice about it but I could have pointed out that it didn't work for her. She was an alcoholic drug user into adulthood. She feels knowing she was going to hell is what helped to her clean up her life. It didn't keep her from trying everything in the first place though. A fact she likes to ignore.

  How much information is too much information?
• 

  ozziepost

  Reading through these examples, I too thought "Yuk!" - it would be seen as appalling downunder but I suspect it's a cultural thing as we're not getting the hype to this degree here. The USA has developed marketing strategies to the ultimate, whereas Europe etc tends to be quieter in its approach to things.

  From what I've gathered too, the USA is seeing a surge of a particular brand of self-styled 'christianity' that is not seen downunder - well, not yet anyway!!!!

  Cheers, Ozzie
• 

  LittleToe

  Like Ozzie, I can understand your response, given the quotes.

  However, regarding your comments on teaching religion at home (which is kind of a given, in my estimation), would you do the same with History, Geography, Maths, etc.?

  As a community we send children to school where people who allegedly "know the subjects" teach a number of little ones, hence freeing up the time of the community to go to work.
  I don't see church as much different, in that someone is paid to research bible stuff and present it to the "community" that desires to be "taught".

  I suspect that if the school was teaching your kids something that you disagreed with, you'd be in there like a shot to see what was being taught or to haul them out of the class. You make your own informed choice as to what you'd like your children taught - and rightly so.

  I also suspect these other parents are exercising their right, too, regardless of how obscene it seems to us to subject a child to seeing barbaric torture on a screen.

  Here, in Britain, the movie is limited to 18yr olds and over (though no doubt some younger will get in, as happens in bars).
  I'm in agreement with that limit, given that it's comparable with other violent movies, and no exception has been made for this one. I don't think our children need subjecting to an in-your-face level of barbarity, such as children of yesteryear (circa 33AD, and even up to the early part of the last century, in this country, with hangings) experienced in the public executions.
• 

  BeautifulGarbage

  I am extremely offended when people try to circumvent my parental authority by attempting to lure my children to their religious beliefs, and/or church. Yet, they do. I understand from their standpoint, they are out to save our souls. When such is one the line, their stance is "by any means necessary". Churches in this area, especially those that are "charismatic" are really attempting to take advantage of the film's popularity.

  When I am asked if I go to church, I answer with an unapologetic "no", and leave it at that. Though, my daughter has asked me why and I tell her that one does not need a church to live a good and ethical life and it is a fallacy perpetrated by religionists that one will surely fall into the depths of debauchery without it. She was asked regularly by one friend to go to church during the school week. I have always said "no" but, when they girl had her birthday party recently, I'm sure that is the primary reason my daughter, out of all of this girl's friends, was not invited.

  One of the things I have found odd, is that many parents I know of, though they don't go to church themselves, allow their children to go with other friends. That includes the AWANAs. I suppose they believe that their children will somehow gain a moral foundation even though they, themselves, don't exactly live a "christian" life, if you know what I mean.

  As far as children seeing the movie, Passion of the Christ, from what I have heard it's quite graphic and probably way too intense, and gory, for most young children. Though, because it's Jesus, that makes it ok. Though, I can remember seeing American Beauty and people bringing children to that one. I could hardly believe the idiocy of some parents.

  Now, I'll probably go to hell for writing this post.