Mel Gibson's soon-to-be released movie, "The Passion of the Christ," has already aroused many emotions of people with all kinds of perspectives on the intent of the film. Particularly glaring among these perspectives are the responses that the project has received from various members of the Jewish community. An article in the New York Times on January 23, 2004, described how two of the nation's most prominent Jewish leaders - Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, and Abraham H. Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League in New York - who recently viewed the film at two separate screenings found it to be "anti-Semitic and incendiary in the way it depicted the role of the Jews in Jesus's death." According to Mr. Foxman, at the screening that he attended, audience members were asked to sign an agreement to keep confidential their "exposure, knowledge and opinions of the film" and of a question-and-answer session with Mr. Gibson. But the agreement, as read by Mr. Foxman, added that "pastors and church leaders are free to speak out in support of the movie and your opinions resulting from today's exposure to this project and its producer."
Hmm...does there seem to be a sense of disparity between who is being allowed to say what on this matter? I would certainly think so. And I would also be so bold as to suggest that somebody who doesn't want other people to have an opportunity to show dissent or criticism either has something to hide, or...has something really embarrasing or "socially unacceptable" to hide. Mr. Foxman, needless to say, did not sign this agreement, but he did say that he felt that it was his "moral duty to see it [the film]." Now, this really got me thinking. A good number of Jews that I have talked to have absolutely no desire to see this movie, while a certain number have said that they want to see for themselves just how Mel Gibson portrays the role of the Jews in the death of Jesus. I would probably fall into the latter category. After all, aren't we all members of an institution of higher learning which promotes factual analysis and examination of presented data? "Well yes," some might say, "but I wouldn't want to put forth the message that I am a Jew supporting the showing of Mel Gibson's racist film, let alone put money in his pocket." I suppose the question we should ask ourselves is "What difference will it make whether I see the movie or not?" and then act accordingly.
One last thing.
If Mel Gibson is in fact a believer that the Jews killed Jesus, then shouldn't he be thanking us [the Jews] for establishing the basis of his faith? Just a thought. I'm going to go view images of Mel Gibson in the "Lethal Weapon" movies now. It seems like he was so harmless and innocent then. What ever happened?