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The Passion of the Christ
The American Enterprise online has published an interesting review by Tara Ross.
This is what everyone is curious about:
"One of the most notable features of the movie is that any differentiation between Jews and Gentiles is only secondary, despite heavily-publicized claims to the contrary. Instead, this movie distinguishes between supporters of Christ and opponents of Christ. Those opposed to Jesus included Gentile (Roman) soliders, Jewish Pharisees, and a leering crowd. Jesus' support was also diverse. A Jewish man helped Jesus as he lugged his cross out of the city. Pontius Pilate's Gentile wife comforted Jesus' Jewish mother. The Jewish family and friends of Jesus wept as they watched the Gentiles whip him with steel spikes. I suspect that those who did not grow up hearing the biblical story would not even know, in many scenes, which characters are Jewish and which are Gentile. They would know only that some people were for Jesus and some were against him."
And this is what I might find myself objecting to:
"The torture scenes seem to continue forever, as does his walk through Jerusalem, lugging the cross on his back. Before these scenes were even halfway over, I was squirming in my seat. Internally, I was thinking, "Please. Just stop torturing him already. Isn't this enough?" My internal emotions were reflected in the eyes of Jesus' on-screen mother. She agonizes as her son is whipped with steel spikes again and again and again...and again."
But click here to get the whole thing.
This is what everyone is curious about:
"One of the most notable features of the movie is that any differentiation between Jews and Gentiles is only secondary, despite heavily-publicized claims to the contrary. Instead, this movie distinguishes between supporters of Christ and opponents of Christ. Those opposed to Jesus included Gentile (Roman) soliders, Jewish Pharisees, and a leering crowd. Jesus' support was also diverse. A Jewish man helped Jesus as he lugged his cross out of the city. Pontius Pilate's Gentile wife comforted Jesus' Jewish mother. The Jewish family and friends of Jesus wept as they watched the Gentiles whip him with steel spikes. I suspect that those who did not grow up hearing the biblical story would not even know, in many scenes, which characters are Jewish and which are Gentile. They would know only that some people were for Jesus and some were against him."
And this is what I might find myself objecting to:
"The torture scenes seem to continue forever, as does his walk through Jerusalem, lugging the cross on his back. Before these scenes were even halfway over, I was squirming in my seat. Internally, I was thinking, "Please. Just stop torturing him already. Isn't this enough?" My internal emotions were reflected in the eyes of Jesus' on-screen mother. She agonizes as her son is whipped with steel spikes again and again and again...and again."
But click here to get the whole thing.
no subject
Ihave studied Buddhism for years. They are right: human life is suffering. I can accept a god who endures our suffering, but not one who inflicts it.
The whole other story is wrong, wrong, wrong. Blame old Baldy (what Calvin means in Latin). And one Anselm of Canterbury (Cur Deus Homo) before him. And maybe Augustine to a certain extent. Though there is another, mystical dimension to Augustine, and even to Anselm.
Eastern Christianity never had that whole complex. Which is why I left the Roman Catholic Church. (Granted, I didn't story out or get kicked out. I petitioned for and received a formal transfer.)
no subject
"If you do that, you'll make Jesus sad and his suffering was for naught."
"If you do that, you'll go to hell and suffer forever."
I have a friend who describes Christianity in general as a slave religion, i.e., that it was created for people in slave-like conditions. Basically, you won't get any reward on earth, so let's pretend that if you suffer and do all these things here, you'll get to heaven. And if you don't obey those in charge and do as we say, you'll never get "paid."
I don't necessarily agree with everything he says on that subject, but I certainly understand his point of view. It's like pie in the sky, basically. Let's pretend that there's great things awaiting us after death, so that we don't have to think about or address the misery and suffering on earth.
I mean, if that's the case, why bother with life at all? Let's just all die now, go straight to heaven and be done with it. I just find it inconceivable that we're not supposed to enjoy life on earth and try to make it pleasant. Apparently, if we're having fun, we're doing something wrong. Sinning, or something.
My parents are fundamentalists of the strictest sort. Pretty much anything that's pleasant or pleasurable is off limits. Their whole lives revolve around the church. It's their mother, father, brother, companion, friend, and life. Anything that takes away from your devotion or time at church is considered suspect.
That can't be healthy, you know?
I often wonder if Calvin wasn't a masochist.