LifeSite, February 24, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – With the opening of The Passion of The Christ this week, the predictable onslaught of media-carried hatred towards what is considered by many to be the greatest of all movies on the passion of Jesus Christ has begun. Critics in influential positions, with particular agendas, bias or self-interests, are making it very plain that they do not want the public to see and be influenced by this movie. “After all, isn’t this the type of opposition encountered by Jesus in his time”, said one person who was deeply moved by the film. Christ’s unjust and extreme suffering and death, over which he sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane in anticipation of the horror, was at that time greeted with jeers and intense hatred. It is to be expected therefore, that a movie that comes close to conveying the reality of the Passion will also be subject to the same venomous responses – from some quarters – Christian, non-Christian and atheistic.
Christ was betrayed by Judas and likewise today even some of his supposed followers don’t want others to see the real, suffering, redeeming Jesus in this movie. It perhaps upsets their liberal or other self-serving interests or disturbs their troubled consciences. But then not all critics are to be viewed in this way. The movie is after all fair game for objective criticism by those with no ax to grind. It is no sin to dislike the movie or some aspects of it. To help our readers to counter the media fear-mongering and trashing of the movie, LifeSite lists in this report numerous positive reviews or stories on The Passion. Many of these are by distinguished individuals of various faiths and some are secular reviewers who have been amazed by the depth and quality of The Passion. Bear in mind that the critics who are ruthlessly slamming the movie, are by extension also slamming these reviewers.
Who to believe? We suggest that those who write with charity and faith or at least impassioned objectivity and have a consistent track record of acting as such are more to be relied upon than the angry critics. Especially be wary of abortion and homosexuality supporters and other social liberals, dissenting Catholics, anti-Christian and anti-Catholic bigots and anyone implicated in today’s corrupt culture. They see this movie as a threat to them. There are numerous, far more violent and disgusting movies, with no redeeming qualities, regularly pumped out by Hollywood. They have received nothing like the intense howling directed at The Passion by the media establishment. That should tell the public something – to go and see the movie and bring others.
Yes, it is brutal, but it is not at all like Hollywood violence. There is a redeeming, uplifting quality to this portrayed suffering of Christ and its beautiful flashbacks. One viewer specifically contacted LifeSiteNews.com to say that, although The Passion was tough viewing, she was elated walking home after the movie.
When viewed with an open, unprejudiced mind, by the end of the movie, the film has been gifting most viewers with a far better understanding of Christ’s gift to mankind and the mysterious power and grace of embracing the cross. * See the rest of this LifeSite Special report* at https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/feb/040225a.html