February 27, 2004
Rabbi Daniel Lapin exposes the lie that "The Passion" is anti-Semitic
Rabbi Daniel Lapin on The Passion of the Christ on National Review Online
This is one of the most thoughtful reactions to the movie and its alleged anti-Semitism and from one who can comment on it with authority, being an Orthodox rabbi.
I read somewhere else that East Coast intellectual "elites" (Could this mean a cretin like Andy Rooney?) and their Left Coast compatriots in Hollywood (like Ed Asner) are so out of touch and disconnected with "Flyover Country" Americans like you and me, to whom things like belief in Jesus Christ and traditional marriage are important, that if they didn't talk about anti-Semitism and the supposed "overuse" of "violence" in the moving movie, they literally wouldn't have anything to say.
Rabbi Lapin predicted on opening day that the movie would make a lot of money and he was right:
the "Passion" brought in $26.6 million, a record on Ash Wednesday (mid-week in February no less!)
I'm not going to the theaters to see it, because as a life-long Christian, I've known for a long time that Jesus suffered terribly for our sins and I am so affected by visuals of violence that I'm not sure I could take watching it yet.
I plan to buy it on DVD and watch it at home in a few months, however.
My Better Half wants to go and I've encouraged him to do it.
From what I can tell, the film seems to follow the Bible almost completely and portrays the Truth of Christ Crucified (and Resurrected).
I am praying that many people will be brought to faith in Jesus that didn't know what He suffered and died for and that many others would have their Christian faith and walk renewed and restored.
To that end, you might want to visit Pray the Passion.
The Lord moves in mysterious ways; may God bless Mel Gibson for realizing that a 21st Century Hollywood movie could be a vehicle to spread the Good News vividly, directly and unforgettably!
