When people talk about the Passion of the Christ as being Anti-Semitic, I do not think that they understand that this movie isn't based off of Mel Gibson's opinions about Jewish people, it is about the context around the crucifixion. Caiaphas, the high priest at that time was not someone that was kind in the least to Jesus. The council paid off many citizens to bring false testimonies before Christ. This is not Anti-Semitic, it is a fact. The Sanhedrin paid Judas thirty pieces of silver to disown and bring Jesus to them, to be executed. This is also not Anti-Semitic, it is a fact. The In the crucifixion, the Jews would mock Jesus, the religious leaders, general population, and even the criminal on the cross all partook in this mocking. This does not mean that it was racist or Anti-Semitic, it means that it simply happened. All these instances point to a deeper underlying theme that the Gospels pick up on. The people who are in charge religiously, are the same ones who are condemning the Song of Man, in belief that he is a blasphemer. The principles that Jesus taught were not something that the religious leaders of the time were willing to do to bring the Kingdom of God to them. So, the movie is not Anti-Semitic. To prove this point, if someone made a movie about the holocaust, it would not be an Anti-Semitic movie, it would be a historic record of what actually happened in the Third Reich. This is also true for movies about Harriet Tubman. The events that is depicted don't make the director a racist, he or she is merely showing the viewer what life would be like back in the context of the time period.
When referring to the violence in The Passion of the Christ, one cannot complain that it is too gruesome. The violence in this movie was toned down, as not to be even more violent, and outright criminal. But this happened in real life, and it is a biblical event that actually happened, even it is terrible to watch and makes you writhe at every whip lash and cringe at the nails. That was the whole idea, to make the viewer see what happened, not only by reading it in the accounts of the gospels. This was the experience that Mary, the mother of Jesus, and John the disciple faced when they watched Jesus be hung on that old rugged cross. The viewer witnessed a watered down version of the violence that actually occurred, and it is enough to make you even more grateful that Jesus would do this again an infinite number of times, if it meant to save the world. Watching the pain that Jesus went through is a beautiful reminder that he would leave the ninety-nine sheep to save the one, or the viewer, and that the viewer's life is more important to Jesus than living a life without them.
In conclusion, The Passion of the Christ is not Anti-Semetic, and it is not too violent, however discretion is needed to whom the movie is shown to. It is a must watch in order to actually visualize the pain and suffering that was carried for you and for the rest of humanity.
When people talk about the Passion of the Christ as being Anti-Semitic, I do not think that they understand that this movie isn't based off of Mel Gibson's opinions about Jewish people, it is about the context around the crucifixion. Caiaphas, the high priest at that time was not someone that was kind in the least to Jesus. The council paid off many citizens to bring false testimonies before Christ. This is not Anti-Semitic, it is a fact. The Sanhedrin paid Judas thirty pieces of silver to disown and bring Jesus to them, to be executed. This is also not Anti-Semitic, it is a fact. The In the crucifixion, the Jews would mock Jesus, the religious leaders, general population, and even the criminal on the cross all partook in this mocking. This does not mean that it was racist or Anti-Semitic, it means that it simply happened. All these instances point to a deeper underlying theme that the Gospels pick up on. The people who are in charge religiously, are the same ones who are condemning the Song of Man, in belief that he is a blasphemer. The principles that Jesus taught were not something that the religious leaders of the time were willing to do to bring the Kingdom of God to them. So, the movie is not Anti-Semitic. To prove this point, if someone made a movie about the holocaust, it would not be an Anti-Semitic movie, it would be a historic record of what actually happened in the Third Reich. This is also true for movies about Harriet Tubman. The events that is depicted don't make the director a racist, he or she is merely showing the viewer what life would be like back in the context of the time period.
When referring to the violence in The Passion of the Christ, one cannot complain that it is too gruesome. The violence in this movie was toned down, as not to be even more violent, and outright criminal. But this happened in real life, and it is a biblical event that actually happened, even it is terrible to watch and makes you writhe at every whip lash and cringe at the nails. That was the whole idea, to make the viewer see what happened, not only by reading it in the accounts of the gospels. This was the experience that Mary, the mother of Jesus, and John the disciple faced when they watched Jesus be hung on that old rugged cross. The viewer witnessed a watered down version of the violence that actually occurred, and it is enough to make you even more grateful that Jesus would do this again an infinite number of times, if it meant to save the world. Watching the pain that Jesus went through is a beautiful reminder that he would leave the ninety-nine sheep to save the one, or the viewer, and that the viewer's life is more important to Jesus than living a life without them.
In conclusion, The Passion of the Christ is not Anti-Semetic, and it is not too violent, however discretion is needed to whom the movie is shown to. It is a must watch in order to actually visualize the pain and suffering that was carried for you and for the rest of humanity.