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Bible's language on women
re-examined
Passions
run high
over movie |
Local pastors herald Mel Gibson's work
in the `Passion of the Christ' |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
|
 Like many movies that depict religion or people named in the Bible, the
“Passion of the Christ” has garnered some controversy.
Claims have been made that the movie is anti-Semetic and brutal in its
portrayal of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; the film is causing
a buzz locally, as well.
Ron Thomason, pastor at GodSong Community Church in Newberg, has only
seen the trailer of the movie and although it’s not due for release until Feb. 25, he
is already excited about its message.
“I thought it was exceptionally well done,” Thomason said, adding
he hopes actor-producer-director Mel Gibson’s name alone will attract people to
theaters.
Thomason is hoping the movie attracts those who are not acquainted with the
story and message of God or Jesus and make them sufficiently curious to want to visit a
church to learn more.
He is so excited about the film that he, along with a few other pastors in
town, have gone to Cameo Theater owner Brian Francis to ask if he plans to bring the movie
to Newberg.
Francis said he would like to run the movie at some point.
Thomason hopes people who view the film will want to ask questions about what
they see and he feels that “as a church our obligation is to be ready to answer those
questions. I think it’s an opportunity to get into the mainstream.
Movies that come from the church are not always given a venue.”
Pastor Thayne Thompson of the 2nd Street Community Church has seen the movie
and said it was quite an experience.
“Our worship guide and myself went to see it at a screening in
Chicago,” Thompson said, adding 4,500 church leaders attended the screening by
special invitation in preparation for its release. “It’s an excellent movie,
very accurate biblically and very well done.”
Thompson said Gibson spent 12 years interviewing more than 1,000 scholars,
historians and pastors in preparation for the film. “He’s done a masterful job
of recreating the events,” he said.
Thompson said although he basically grew up in the church, he’s never
seen the story so vividly and emotionally portrayed as in the film.
Although Thompson has heard of some of the controversy surrounding the film,
he said he feels most of the controversy was created in the media.
One issue is the graphic nature of the film, which Thompson said is
acceptable. He said the movie, which is rated R for its realism, is not appropriate to
bring a child younger than 13 to see.
“You can’t depict what Christ went through without being
realistic,” he said. “You can’t water down what happened.”
In addition, even though there have been claims in the media of Jewish
groups decrying the movie as anti-Semetic, Thompson feels the Jews have not been portrayed
in a bad light. His perception is there is no trace of anti-Semitism in the film and
points out that Jesus was a Jew and all his disciples were Jews.
The film begins in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before Jesus is arrested. It
follows the “passion” or the crucifixion of Christ all the way to the discovery
of his empty tomb and his resurrection.
One scene, Thompson said, shows Mary as she walks toward an adult Jesus as be
begins to fall under the weight of the cross. Mary remembers a time in Jesus’
childhood in which she tried to keep him from falling, then comforts him. The film cuts
back to Mary looking into the face of Jesus and taking comfort from him.
The film supplies “a greater understanding of the extent God went to to
communicate his love to us. It gave me a more realistic understanding of the suffering
Jesus went through,” Thompson said.
Thompson said reading the story in the Bible may make readers immune to
Jesus’ pain during the crucifixion. He feels often, the more a story is read, the
more callous people become to the story itself.
“You see this and it grabs you emotionally; at the end of it you kinda
sit there,” he said. “You could have heard a pin drop after it was over. What
you see is very thought provoking.” |
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From Jan. 28,
2004, Newberg Graphic
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