In case you hadn't noticed, Mel Gibson's soon-to-be-released movie, "The Passion," has its very own "unofficial" website. Please check it out, but remember that in spite of the fact that the site is (appropriately) one big long promotional propaganda piece on behalf of the film as well as (no comment) a blatant solicitation for financial support, Mr. Gibson bears no responsibility for and hasn't endorsed any statement made on the site. How convenient.
Unlike Meryl, I'm probably not going to see this flim. Why? First of all, because I generally don't patronize movies that contain "scenes of graphic violence," whether or not the promoters believe that the violence "serves a purpose." Second, the sleazy promotional campaign itself has turned me off more than I can say and, well, lacking other recourse, I'll vote with my wallet. And third, to be totally honest, I'm just really not all that interested in viewing yet another interpretation of this particular subject matter. I realize it's of crucial importance to many millions of people and I respect that. I'm just not one of them.
So shouldn't I just shut up about it? No, because while I'm not that interested in the film itself, I am interested in the message it's likely to send and the potential for harm it's likely to do. I don't need to see the film to get a handle on that. I can just watch the headlines. Hopefully, there won't be any. But I can be forgiven, perhaps, for being concerned when the (unofficial) website explains that the movie is in no way antisemitic, while managing to include this material in its very brief summary of "the story:"
However, Jesus also had many enemies in Jerusalem. The Sanhedrin, a governing senate composed of the leading Jewish priests and Pharisees, conspired to put Jesus to death.
With the aid of Judas Iscariot, a member of Jesus' own inner circle, the Sanhedrin succeeded in arresting Jesus, handing him over to the Roman secular authorities on unsubstantiated charges of treason against Rome.
Yes, I know. "The views and opinions expressed on this website do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Icon Productions or Mel Gibson." It's just the fans. And, anyway, as the Pope didn't say, "It is as it was."
Like I said, check it out for yourself. You may come away with an entirely different impression. But be sure not to miss the FAQ link to a live interview where Gibson, himself, expressly credits his primary inspiration for the movie to this book. That makes it kind of hard to argue that the antisemitic ravings of Anne Catherine Emmerich were only incidental to the film's message.
Now, I know that some claim "there is absolutely nothing anti-Semitic in the visions set forth in [Emmerich's] book." I not-so-respectfully beg to differ. Luckily, the text is on the web. Here are a very few excerpts:
I saw the empire of Hell divided against itself; Satan desired the crime of the Jews, and earnestly longed for the death of Jesus, the Converter of souls, the holy Teacher, the Just Man, who was so abhorrent to him; . . .
[ . . . ]
The Blessed Virgin left the court, and went up to the fireplace in the vestibule, where a certain number of persons were still standing. When she reached the spot where Jesus had said that he was the Son of God, and the wicked Jews cried out, ‘He is guilty of death,’ she again fainted, and John and the holy women carried her away, in appearance more like a corpse than a living person.
[ . . . ]
THE Jews, having quite exhausted their barbarity, shut Jesus up in a little vaulted prison, the remains of which subsist to this day.
[ . . . ]
. . . but the sight of his sufferings, far from exciting a feeling of compassion in the hard hearted Jews, simply filled them with disgust, and increased their rage. Pity was, indeed, a feeling unknown in their cruel breasts.
[ . . . ]
Satan was by his side in a hideous form, whispering in his ear, to endeavour to drive him to despair, all the curses which the prophets had hurled upon this valley, where the Jews formerly sacrificed their children to idols.
And there's more. Lots more. But there's "absolutely nothing antisemitic" there? It's that kind of denial and hypocrisy that has characterized far too much of the "Passion" defenders' discourse in recent months. For another example, I refer you to this harangue, wherein the author claims:
It seems that a group of nascent detractors, who were posing as scholars, hobnobbed on the Internet and reviewed a confidential script of Mel Gibson’s film “The Passion.â€
Press reports then appeared that were critical of the unfinished and unseen movie. News stories that emerged also gave the impression that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was somehow involved in the mess. Was the whole thing true?
No, says a statement by the USCCB. The group had to apologize, clarify and distance itself from the gang of cynics.
For the real story, which puts the lie to almost every word of the above (and then some), see this article by Paula Fredriksen, one of the respected biblical scholars who participated in the group against which those accusations were directed.
I just hope that any rancor aroused by the film itself will pale beside what's been flung around already. Otherwise, we're in for a bumpy ride.
