The Passion Of The Christ, February 25

Paul Harvey Comments on "The Passion" by Mel Gibson

Paul Harvey's words:
I really did not know what to expect. I was
thrilled to have been invited to a private viewing
of Mel Gibson's film "The Passion," but I had also
read all the cautious articles and spin. I
grew up in a Jewish town and owe much of my own
faith journey to the inFunnyence. I have a life
long, deeply held aversion to anything that might
even indirectly encourage any form of

I arrived at the private viewing for "The
Passion," held in Washington, DCand greeted some
familiar faces. The environment was typically
Washingtonian, with people greeting you with a
smile but seeming to look beyond you, having an
agenda beyond the words. The film was very
briefly introduced, without fanfare, and then the
room darkened. From the gripping opening scene
in the Gardenof Gethsemane, to the very human and
tender portrayal of the earthly ministry of
Jesus, through the betrayal, the arrest, the
scourging, the way of the cross, the encounter with
the thieves, the surrender on the Cross, until the
final scene in the empty tomb, this was not
simply a movie; it was an encounter, unlike
anything I have ever experienced.

In addition to being a masterpiece of
film-making and an artistic triumph, "The Passion"
evoked more deep reflection, sorrow and emotional
reaction within me than anything since my
wedding, my ordination or the birth of my
children. Frankly, I will never be the same. When
the film concluded, this "invitation only" gathering
of "movers and shakers" in Washington, DCwere
shaking indeed, but this time from sobbing. I am
not sure there was a dry eye in the place. The>
crowd that had been glad-handing before the film
was now eerily silent. No one could speak
because words were woefully inadequate. We had
experienced a kind of art that is a rarity in
life, the kind that makes heaven touch earth.

One scene in the film has now been forever
etched in my mind. A brutalized, wounded Jesus was
soon to fall again under the weight of the cross.
His mother had made her way along the Via
Della Rosa. As she ran to him, she flashed back to
a memory of Jesus as a child, falling in the
dirt road outside of their home. Just as she
reached to protect him from the fall, she was now
reaching to touch his wounded adult face. Jesus
looked at her with intensely probing and
passionately loving eyes (and at all of us through
the screen) and said "Behold I make all
things new." These are words taken from the last
Book of the New Testament, the Book of
Revelations. Suddenly, the purpose of the pain was
so clear and the wounds, that earlier in the
film had been so difficult to see in His face, His
back, indeed all over His body, became
intensely beautiful. They had been borne
voluntarily for love.

At the end of the film, after we had all had a
ensued. The unanimous praise for the film, from a
rather diverse crowd, was as astounding as the
compliments were effusive. The questions included
the one question that seems to follow this
film, even though it has not yet even been
released. "Why is this film considered by some to be
'anti-Semitic?" Frankly, having now experienced
(you do not "view" this film) "the Passion" it
is a question that is impossible to answer. A law
professor whom I admire sat in front of me. He
raised his hand and responded "After watching this
film, I do not understand how anyone can
insinuate that it even remotely presents that the
Jews killed Jesus. It doesn't." He continued
"It made me realize that my sins killed Jesus" I
agree. There is not a scintilla of
anti-Semitism to be found anywhere in this
powerful film. If there were, I would be among the
first to decry it. It faithfully tells the Gospel
story in a dramatically beautiful, sensitive
and profoundly engaging way. Those who are
alleging otherwise have either not seen the film or
have another agenda behind their protestations.
This is not a "Christian" film, in the sense
that it will appeal only to those who identify
themselves as followers of Jesus Christ. It is a
deeply human, beautiful story that will deeply
touch all men and women. It is a profound work of
art. Yes, its producer is a Catholic Christian and
thankfully has remained faithful to the
Gospel text; if that is no longer acceptable
behavior than we are all in trouble. History
demands that we remain faithful to the story and
Christians have a right to tell it. After all,
we believe that it is the greatest story ever told
and that its message is for all men and
women. The greatest right is the right to hear the
truth.

We would all be well advised to remember that
the Gospel narratives to which "The Passion" is
so faithful were written by Jewish men who
followed a Jewish Rabbi whose life and teaching have>
forever changed the history of the world. The
problem is not the message but those who have
distorted it and used it for hate rather than
love. The solution is not to censor the message,
but rather to promote the kind of gift of love
that is Mel Gibson's filmmaking masterpiece, "The
Passion." It should be seen by as many people as
possible. I intend to do everything I can to
make sure that is the case. I am passionate about
"The Passion."

P.S.  From Julie:  My daughter, Kristin, tells
me they learned at her church Youth Group that
Mel Gilbson stated he did not appear in his own
movie, by his choice, with one exception: It is
Gibson said he wanted to do that because it was
indeed his own hands that nailed Jesus to the
cross (along with all of ours.)

i saw the news last night..they had some people talking about it and some people were crying and saying that it is a really good movie..

Some lady fainted watching it and she later passed away at the hospital. Hmm

Houston Chronicle

Feb. 26, 2004, 9:37AM

Woman dies watching 'Passion' crucifixion scene

Reuters News Service

CHICAGO -- A middle-aged woman died of an apparent heart attack Wednesday while watching the climactic crucifixion scene in The Passion of the Christ at a morning showing in Wichita, Kansas, a television station reported.

The film was stopped and a nurse in attendance went to the unidentified woman's side, a spokeswoman for KAKE-TV in Wichita said.

"It was the highest emotional part of the movie," she said. A crew from the TV station was at the special showing, which was sponsored by a radio station.

The woman, who was in her 50s, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, where a spokesman would only say she had been attending a movie. The county coroner's office said an autopsy would be performed.

that's scary

WHOA....oh my lord. dats some freaky stuff!

all of the people i talked to that saw it, have cried


i wanna see it so bad, its gonna be intense

Oh hell yea man!! This movie was ultra good...it was SOOOO depressing. Its weird how u think the SADDEST movies are the BEST. I literally cried through the whole movie. There were no boring parts or nothin...the whole movie was great. But umm, i was thinkin Mel was gonna be in it??? WEll...either way, it was GREAT. Go see it guys...really, it IS good. It shows you everything...it's soo..."raw." This has been automatically added to my list of fav. movies of all time.

i just got back.. that movies was BEAUTIFUL.. man beautiful doesnt even describe it.. i left weak kneed.. i clapped @ the end.. soo good.. i cried through it too, and twitched some. man you guys just go c it... it will touch you, i was soo happy @ the end... man GO WATCH IT..... i have like the speechless feeling in my chest right now... somewhere between wanting to scream, cry and throw a party.


GO SEE IT... U HAVE TO C IT TO KNO HOW GOOD IT IS.. REVIEWS AND WORD OF MOUTH DOESNT CUT IT.. GO C IT!!!

damn tha't scome scarry kaka....hell now i REALLLLYYYY!! wanna go see that movie...

Everyone that I've talked to that has seen it has told me it's good and that they cried. I want to go see it myself hopefully I get to this wkend!

I'm going tomorrow (Friday)!

ppl. these days.... my friend brandy goes in lunch "hey guess what i just bought?".... im like what.. and she takes a dvd out of her backpack and it says THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST!.. im like wat the heck?.. and shes like yea i just bought it for $7 dollars from my homeboy joseph.. whos a kid in our schoool

unfreakinbelievable.

and i was talking to j.d. right now.. and he told me that joseph told him that he had already made $150 from selling bootlegged copies of the movie just in 2 days....

i mean.. i dwld. stuff but i never try and sell it..i use it for my own entertainment here @ home like my music and stuff.. but a movie about Christ?!.... and j.d. told me that apparently its the passion is on kazaa lite cause he already dwld. it so that he could see it over.. and when it would come out on sale he would buy it.. but that he dwld. it for now...

^^What a coincidence, 2 people i know have been telling me about that and how they're gong to sell them and how they can send it to me for free and I'm like well it's crazy but really it's all the same - stealing is stealing and so what are you gonna do. LOL.

I think its a bit disrepectful to bootleg a movie about Christ