went to see Passion of the Christ last night

Discussion in 'Help From Above' started by bignastyGS, Mar 7, 2004.

  1. bignastyGS

    bignastyGS Maggot pilot

    Last night,I went with my wife Deanna,daughter Sarah,Step-son Dustin and his girlfriend to see the movie Passion of the Christ.I am not here to start a big debate or name calling,but thought that it is a great film for believers to see.I was really disturbed at some of the things in this movie but I could not look away from it.I have heard the stories of Christ and guess that I have never really put him in the perspective that I really should have (for myself).After the movie,I have really found the true meaning of Christ for me.I will not go around preaching to others as if I know all there is to know about the Bible.But,in my heart,I know that I truly believe in Jesus and that he indeed suffered and died for my sins.This was such a cultural shock and I highly recommend all people to see this film.When we got home it took a long time until I could fall asleep because I had time to reflect on the movie and its meaning.I realize that there are alot of non believers and people who don't agree with the truth of this movie.I say to them that this is your choice and I will not try to persuade you to change your opinion.I believe in Christ and that from now on,I will look at things with an open mind and open heart.I strongly suggest this movie to everyone.In my opinion,Mel Gibson di a wonderful job.
    Pat:TU:
     
  2. nailheadina67

    nailheadina67 Official Nailheader

    I have decided to avoid politically charged topics for a while. But I will say that this movie has the potential to shock people into reality.:bglasses:
     
  3. GSMAG

    GSMAG Well-Known Member

    Pat, I saw the movie over a week ago and I must see it again. The truth that I learned and believed from Reading the Bible did little to really make me understandf the physical abuse He took for us. I believe my life will be changed forever by watching that film, and I'm an "active in my church" believer. The perspective was staggering. The fact that he rose agin on the third day is what makes it all possible. He took it all on Himself and was triumphant.
     
  4. 70 gsconvt

    70 gsconvt Silver Level contributor

    I saw the movie too.

    All I have to say it that I'm sure Jesus suffered a horrible torture at the hands of the Romans and Jews. But I am taking with a grain of salt the amount of violence and graphic nature of the film. Consider who made it, Mel Gibson, and what many of his films looks like. Movies like Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 1,2,3, and others of his. His movies always seem to have a lot of very graphic violence.

    I am a Christian. I could not see how this movie is an insult to the Jewish people or the Romans. I think it was because of the actions of the Jewish leaders that lead up to and caused his torture and crusifiction. I do not blame the Jews as a race for what happened.

    I think the movie did go overboard in showing how the Romans who were beating Jesus were enjoying themselves so much.

    It is a movie that will make people question and hopefully strengthen their religious beliefs. It is a movie that tells a story that everyone knows. It has just never been shown in this manner.

    I don't know that we'll ever know what truly happened to Jesus, but I hope it wasn't that horrible. And I thank God what he did for us all.
     
  5. 2manybuicks

    2manybuicks Founders Club Member

    I just cannot believe that people actually relate to the movie like it it is a factual representation of what happened -- like Saint Mel had a hidden camera that the Romans didn't know about.

    My boss: "Wow, the beating he took -- i never knew it was that bad."

    Come on you simpletons -- it's a friggin movie. The bible doesn't say "so they beateth the living **** out of him, that he may bleed, and busteth him up so bad that he spitteth out his teeth and his face hast swollened up like a grapefruit. And they had much merriment and mirth, and chucked backed a few tall boys while he suffered."

    JC may have suffered, but the Bible doesn't play out like the movie. At least 70GSconvt saw that much.

    -- Steve
     
  6. Floydsbuick

    Floydsbuick Well-Known Member

    Steve,

    There are many historical records that are not the bible. Since the Roman empire was very large back then, there are many accounts of their culture and their ways in general. I remember reading that much research was done on what a flogging would have been like at the hands of the Romans. Of course without being there, we could never say the depiction is accurate. But research into the times, both in and out of the bible, can give us a good idea. Keep in mind, most of the torment he suffered was in his head as he took all sin to the cross with him.
     
  7. 2manybuicks

    2manybuicks Founders Club Member

    Hey, I aint knocking the religious aspect of it -- I'm a good Catholic boy myself. Just some people assuming that a Holywood version of events is actually accurate kinda irks me. If it was any other subject, everybody would be saying "man, that is so unrealistic" or "that is so over the top -- is all this gore necessary?" or "Hey, did you see where he was wearing Tevas in one scene and Bass Weejuns in the next?"

    Admittedly, I'm not seriously, devoutly religious -- but i hit mass most Sundays, and -- get this -- I gave up E-Bay for Lent! Yeah, it's a stirring movie , but people shouldn't picture it as fact. That's all I'm getting at. And when my boss said "I never knew he took such a beating", I felt like saying "Yeah, neither did he."

    -- Steve

    P.S. Oh Yeah -- C'mon, Easter!
     
  8. chryco63

    chryco63 14's or bust!

    Just to chime in here, yes, research does indicate that the Romans used some indescribable torture back in those days. We were given a visual image of some of this as it was described for us last Easter worship service. I, for one, believe that the movie, although we can't take it as gospel, is quite true to the word.

    For example, the 39 lashes, or flogging (Matt. 27:26, John 19:1), was a form of Roman punishment. The reason that they gave 39 lashes for *punishment* was because they believed that 40 lashes would kill a person, so they backed off to 39 for the ultimate form of reprimand. Also, as I read it in the Bible, I do believe that the Roman guards were quite enjoying themselves as they mocked Jesus. Kneeling before Him as if He was their King (Matt. 27:27-31), and the beatings from the chief priests and Sanhedrin in Matt. 26:67, Mark 14:65... From my own studying, it seems like they were having a riot. The beatings and mocking that are depicted in the movie don't seem to be far from what the Bible reads.

    Unfortunately, the movie did not portray the crucifiction to be as brutal as it really is in real life. In crucifiction, you *struggle* for each breath... the position that your lungs are in do not allow you to breathe normally. So, to catch a breath, you must push up to allow air into your lungs. A gruelling process for each breath, indeed.

    No, you can't take all of what happened in the movie for fact, but I think Mel's interpretation is pretty close to the Bible and research. But as Dan mentioned, the physical abuse was only part of what Jesus took for us.
     
  9. GSXMEN

    GSXMEN Got Jesus?

    I've been holding off commenting on this movie until I actually saw it. I had seen quite a bit of the behind the scene stuff, so I knew a fair amount of what was going to happen. Nothing like actually seeing the movie in it's entirety though!!!

    I would pretty much echo what Glen posted above.

    The Romans were absolutely brutal in the methods and amounts of torture & punishment they dished out!!!:eek2: You can be sure they mocked the prisoners as they beat them senseless.

    Based on actual depictions in the Bible, I'd say Mel had the characters portrayed as accurately as possible - with only a couple of deviations. I don't ever recall anything about the soldiers pushing Jesus off the side of the wall - after they had just captured him in the Garden. Same for the raven/crow on the cross of the unrepentent sinner....there was no mention of that.

    The Book of Isaiah foretold of the beating He would take on our behalf.

    Isaiah 53

    4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
    5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

    As gruesome as the flogging/whipping scene was....there's no reason to think that if wasn't 'at least' that bad. Can you imagine the carnage of being whipped 39 times with a 'cat of nine tails'?? Nobody should try to diminish the physical and emotional agony Jesus went thru on our behalf!!

    Then the mockery and more pain of the 'Crown of Thorns'.....and Jesus having to carry our Cross all the way up the hill - to Golgotha...or Calvary.

    By the time Christ got to the top, as was pictured in the movie by James Caviezel - He was physically spent....running on sheer 'will' power....the Will of the Father.

    Then lastly, to go thru the excrutiating pain of being nailed to the Cross and being Crucified.....for OUR SINS!!! And, the mental anguish Jesus went thru as God HAD to turn his back on Him, because of the Sin of the entire world that was placed on Jesus.

    With His final words, "It is Finished" - Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit (John 19:30).

    I do wish Mel had taken a little more time showing the Resurrection. We only got just a glimpse. Without the Resurrection, His death would have meant nothing!! THIS is where Jesus conquered Death and Sin itself!!!

    For those that may be wondering, the Death, Burial, & Resurrection is what Jesus was referring to, when He told the 'leaders' about tearing down the temple and rebuilding it in 3 days. He was referring to His own body.

    I'm still processing all that went on in this movie. And I already knew what was going to happen. :)

    I can't recommend this movie enough!!! Is it a 'perfect' account of the way the Bible & history tells us things happened - NO. Is it close enough to be considered a fairly accurate depiction? DEFINITELY!!!

    It's kind of ironic, with the critics going on and on about the violence and hate by the Jews. What we should be doing, is looking past that, and seeing the LOVE that was shown by God, thru His Son Jesus!!! Jesus went thru all that horrible pain and suffering - FOR US!!!

    This is God's Gift of Salvation to us. Best of all....it's FREE and so simple!! All anyone has to do is admit they are a sinner, accept that Jesus died and rose again in our place, and ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior!!!


    That's all it takes to be sure that you will spend Eternity in Heaven!!!:Smarty: :TU:

    John 14:6 says, Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me".

    **You need to ask yourselves, if you were to die today - where would you spend Eternity??
     
  10. Ergot

    Ergot Fast with cash.

    I bet the title would be " Passion of Muhammad " if Gibson was born in the middle east.

    Or " Passion of Buddha " if he were born in Japan or China.

    Etc , etc.

    Im surprised he didn't produce, direct and star. Maybe that would have been just a little to wierd watching the former road warrior as Jesus.

    'Just walk away..."

    hehe
     
  11. chryco63

    chryco63 14's or bust!

    Jason,

    I'm not a world religions expert, but I don't know of another comparable world faith where someone made such a sacrifice for their people as Christ did for us. Teaching a message of total Love and Self-Sacrifice, and then taking the physical beatings *and* emotional and spiritual abuse that He did is incredible!

    Jesus isn't just limited to North America, either. Christ and His message are everywhere, we just don't hear about it because some countries aren't predominantly Christian like North America is. Two of my friends are with a 5-year missions trip in Sendai, Japan where they are doing an incredible work with Christ. In 2001 I went with a missions trip to El Salvador where we helped the church down there for a week. There is proof of Christ's work everywhere, and this movie is just an example of how Christ affected Mel Gibson's life.
     

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