Anti-Semitism and “The Passion of Christ”
There has been a tremendous amount of stir surrounding the opening of “The Passion of Christ.” The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and its allies have led the charge against Mel Gibson, who produced this film, stating that this film fosters anti-Semitic sentiments that will “fuel hatred” and “lead to violence against all Jews.” The ADL has tried to block the release of this film or at least have it stripped of all references to Jewish participation in the historical account of the crucifixion and death of Jesus of Nazareth.
Seeing as this film takes great pains to stick to the Gospel accounts of Christ’s crucifixion, so much so that the film is spoken in the language of the day and not in English, I would think the issue is not really with the movie, but the historical account of what took place 2000 some odd years ago.
Does the biblical account of the crucifixion portray Jewish participation in this event in history? Yes, but does it place blame on the Jewish people as being the reason for this crucifixion? No. The blame is placed on humanity and the individual . . . it places blame on me and you. Do you have to believe that? No. But that is the message that has been delivered through the accounts in the Gospels and in the doctrine of Christianity.
It is our separation from God that required a sacrifice to atone for our sins. Just as the Jews of that day brought a spotless lamb to the temple to be slaughtered in a ritual sacrifice to atone for a person’s sin or as the blood of a lamb was placed on the door of a Jewish family during the Passover as a recognition for how God had spared the Hebrews during the last plague against the Egyptian captors of the Hebrew people.
Why this was necessary is a matter of faith, not something that a liberal group of individuals should decide is their right to sensor, because someone may not get the true intended message. If you don’t like the message, or you don’t believe the message is true, is no reason to censure the message. No more than it is the right for someone to do the same to a movie written about Muhammad, Buddha, Gandhi, or Martin Luther King Jr. for that matter.
Obviously the ADL and its supporters do not understand the intended message of “The Passion of Christ.” They have closed their minds to understanding what someone else may believe, for what ever reason. I think that is sad, just as sad as I think it is that many Christians I have known have closed their minds to understanding what a Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist believes.
What does it take for humanity to have an open heart and
open mind to those around you or will we continue the same hatred that led to
the crucifixion of this one man from
Matthew P. McSheehy