-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Anyone seen "The Passion"
- Thread starter Rex
- Start date
Rex
Founder
Colin_Admin
Member
I have not seen it either but I usually wait for movies to come out on video. I prefer watching them on video incase I miss something I can rewind easily.
Green Gaia
Veteran Member
I haven't seen it and don't intend to, so perhaps I shouldn't reply to this, but I will anyway lol. The way I see it is, I know the story, I don't need or want to see it in gory detail. I understand the signifance for Christians in the death of Jesus, but for me, a non-Christian, I prefer to focus on his teachings and his life, instead of how he might have died.
Green Gaia
Veteran Member
Engyo, just my opinion here: But I would say they did that to make it more appealing to the Caucasian audiences of America and Europe. If someone looks like you, you're more apt to sympathize with them.
I was watching Peter Jennings special last night on Jesus and Paul, and they asked people what Jesus looked like, and most if not all of them said he was tall, with blue eyes and light hair. Now that could have been true, but looking at the people of that region, I would say that it is almost impossible for Jesus to look like the paintings and drawings he have always seen depicting him as fair skinned, with light brown or blonde hair, blue eyes, etc.
Does it really matter what he looked like? Not really, not to me anyway, although it is interesting historically speaking. But it does make me question the intentions of the moviemakers who said they were concerned about the accuracy of the movie.
I was watching Peter Jennings special last night on Jesus and Paul, and they asked people what Jesus looked like, and most if not all of them said he was tall, with blue eyes and light hair. Now that could have been true, but looking at the people of that region, I would say that it is almost impossible for Jesus to look like the paintings and drawings he have always seen depicting him as fair skinned, with light brown or blonde hair, blue eyes, etc.
Does it really matter what he looked like? Not really, not to me anyway, although it is interesting historically speaking. But it does make me question the intentions of the moviemakers who said they were concerned about the accuracy of the movie.
"Caucasian" may be a convenient label, but if somebody called me that, I would point out very clearly that I do not live in the mountains between the Middle East and Europe.
Anders
‎"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." - Groucho Marx
Anders
‎"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." - Groucho Marx
Engyo
Prince of Dorkness!
Anders -
Ok, then, I'll rephrase. Why was a Euro-American cast in the role instead of an authentically ethnic-appearing Jew, if the goal was historical accuracy?
Of course the same question applies to the casting of Keanu Reeves in Little Buddha, but at least the filmmakers didn't claim to be aiming at historical accuracy.
Ok, then, I'll rephrase. Why was a Euro-American cast in the role instead of an authentically ethnic-appearing Jew, if the goal was historical accuracy?
Of course the same question applies to the casting of Keanu Reeves in Little Buddha, but at least the filmmakers didn't claim to be aiming at historical accuracy.
Runt
Well-Known Member
I'm seeing The Passion tomorrow... my family is going as an early Easter family activity... which is interesting, because we are NOT a Christian family by any means, but we DO regard the story of Jesus Christ as one teaching a valuable lesson in self sacrifice and suffering.
I've watched it twice at the cinema now. The film moved me, an atheisit, to tears. Each time. It's just the knowledge that this was practised (scourging, crucifiction) upon human beings I think- on top of the fact the story is pretty powerful.
I don't think it is anti-semetic... I didn't even think of the jew's as I left the cinema.. I was just speechless.
I don't think it is anti-semetic... I didn't even think of the jew's as I left the cinema.. I was just speechless.
Runt
Well-Known Member
Having seen it, I will admit that it did impress upon me the horror of how terribly we humans treat one another (even now) and remind me of the kind of self-sacrificing love Jesus felt for mankind and we should feel for one another.
However I do not feel that my life has been greatly enriched by this movie. I have heard the story of Christ before, and I find merit in his teachings, but there has been no renewal of my respect for Christ and his teachings after seeing that movie. I have heard how he died AND seen it on video before and feel horrified at how cruelly he was killed and awe at how much he must have loved us to willingly go through such a thing, but I feel no renewal or growth in these feelings. It was, in my opinion, far too graphic while not really presenting any fresh ideas.
It is, to me, like learning about the Holocaust through stories and movies. I can be told about it, or I can watch a more "realistic" portrayal on tv... but neither of these forms can expose me to the true REALITY of what Holocaust victims went through, and to try is futile. I would have to LIVE it to truly understand.
However, there WAS merit to this movie: I liked how it was done in Hebrew and Latin. I found the portrayal of Satan to be creepy (but kinda cool) and the portrayal of the demons just plain creepy. I found the symbolism of some parts, while generally way beyond my understanding, to be interesting and significant when I DID understand it. I found it interesting that throughout the movie it was only the women and ONE of Jesus's followers who stayed with him throughout without betraying or denying him.
A few questions for people who know about the Christian faith:
Isn't that Peter guy the one who started the Catholic Church?
Was that baby the Antichrist or was I just confused?
What is the significance of Mary's left hand?
However I do not feel that my life has been greatly enriched by this movie. I have heard the story of Christ before, and I find merit in his teachings, but there has been no renewal of my respect for Christ and his teachings after seeing that movie. I have heard how he died AND seen it on video before and feel horrified at how cruelly he was killed and awe at how much he must have loved us to willingly go through such a thing, but I feel no renewal or growth in these feelings. It was, in my opinion, far too graphic while not really presenting any fresh ideas.
It is, to me, like learning about the Holocaust through stories and movies. I can be told about it, or I can watch a more "realistic" portrayal on tv... but neither of these forms can expose me to the true REALITY of what Holocaust victims went through, and to try is futile. I would have to LIVE it to truly understand.
However, there WAS merit to this movie: I liked how it was done in Hebrew and Latin. I found the portrayal of Satan to be creepy (but kinda cool) and the portrayal of the demons just plain creepy. I found the symbolism of some parts, while generally way beyond my understanding, to be interesting and significant when I DID understand it. I found it interesting that throughout the movie it was only the women and ONE of Jesus's followers who stayed with him throughout without betraying or denying him.
A few questions for people who know about the Christian faith:
Isn't that Peter guy the one who started the Catholic Church?
Was that baby the Antichrist or was I just confused?
What is the significance of Mary's left hand?
mattinottawa
New Member
Jesus' twelve disciples were sent to spread the Gosple to all corners of the world, and they did. St. Thomas went to India and St. Peter ended up in Rome (as the bishop of Rome). Jesus declared that Peter was his rock, and upon that rock he would build his church. Peter did indeed head the beginning of the Catholic Church, the whole church in fact.
As far as the baby in the movie (the rather disturbing image of 'satan' carrying the pale, harry baby through the crowd) this image is shown right at the moment where Jesus is turned over to be flogged on his front. Mel Gibson has said that throughout the movie, Satan is shown to reflect the way that Satan works. He takes moments of beauty moments whre we are vulnerable and twists them to draw us away from God. This is also metaphored through the use of the actors perfect semircal face, contrasted with his pale skin, cutting eyes etc. A similar affect was sought at the beginning with the maggot crawling through his nose.
As for the third I have no idea.
Matt
As far as the baby in the movie (the rather disturbing image of 'satan' carrying the pale, harry baby through the crowd) this image is shown right at the moment where Jesus is turned over to be flogged on his front. Mel Gibson has said that throughout the movie, Satan is shown to reflect the way that Satan works. He takes moments of beauty moments whre we are vulnerable and twists them to draw us away from God. This is also metaphored through the use of the actors perfect semircal face, contrasted with his pale skin, cutting eyes etc. A similar affect was sought at the beginning with the maggot crawling through his nose.
As for the third I have no idea.
Matt
It was such a powerful and overwhelming portrait of human suffering. Some of the symbolism I found a bit obscure, such as the little kids chasing after Judas when he ran away to kill himself. But I must wonder, are the consequences of sin and evil in this world so terrible that the Christ had to endure this level of unimaginable torture and humiliation to convince us of the need to take His message seriously? If we really regard Him as our leader, surely we should all be willing to follow in His footsteps and always turn the other cheek to all our enemies rather than retaliate with hate or violence.