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| EDITOR'S NOTE: February 22, 2004 If you wonder why one could be struck by lightning while making a Jesus film, the answer might be found here. Draw your own conclusions. There is much talk about the so called "Jesus" movie that will premier soon in February. We, at Cobblestone Road, have no desire to see this film which was produced by a reported traditonalist catholic. Some reports have suggested that this sect of Catholicism might even believe that all who aren't a part of the Catholic church are heretics. They say that this sect holds true to their belief that mass must be said in Latin. They cannot eat meat on Fridays. They reportedly believe that apart from the church, there is no salvation, even if one loves and believes in Jesus Christ. This very well could be the "spirit" behind this current "Jesus" film. From MSNBC: Gibson was interviewed by the Herald Sun in Australia, and the reporter asked the star if Protestants are denied eternal salvation. “There is no salvation for those outside the Church,” Gibson replied. “I believe it.” More from the interview on another website: He explained, "Put it this way. My wife is a saint. She's a much better person than I am. Honestly. She's, like, Episcopalian, Church of England. She prays, she believes in God, she knows Jesus, she believes in that stuff. And it's just not fair if she doesn't make it, she's better than I am. But that is a pronouncement from the chair. I go with it." The following are quotes from interviews with Caviezel (plays "jesus" in the passion film): Q: Is it true you say the rosary every day? Caviezel: "Mary has always been there for me. Mary is there to grab her Son’s hand and our hand and put them together. People don’t understand the power of the rosary. There is a different kind of sight, a spiritual sight. When you pray the rosary, whatever is covering your eyes is taken away. There is a reason why our Blessed Mother in all her apparitions on earth keeps insisting that we pray." Source: http://www.stgall.org/vm/index.asp?art_id=13091 "I believe there are no coincidences. The fact Mel came to me when I was still 33 years of age [the same age Christ died], there was a reason. I believe that Our Lord meant it. I believe He has a great hand in this film. That's why I'm continually asking Mary for help, to show me the perfect way to be her son." Source: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/813004/posts Jim Caviezel: "Through one’s own life. It is not what we say but what we do. I dedicate my work to Her Son, I dedicate all that I do to Her Son. I ask Mary to guide me and my career. You can convert people only by living your life. This film is something that I believe was made by Mary for her Son. Because it was made by her, it will be attacked by the enemy. In the USA, this film is under major scrutiny because of the truth that it brings. By living the truth, you will also be persecuted, the enemy will attack you, but have no fear, Our Lord will send his help and give you strength. And you will inherit heaven." Source: http://www.medjugorje.hr/int%20Caviezel%20ENG.htm Caviezel: I just want people to see the truth of what our faith is and then they can do whatever they want. It's their decision. But the mother-son love story still exists and it's still the greatest love story ever told. Source: http://u.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,211~23515~1970957,00.html Cobblestone Road Viewpoint: We realize many are endorsing this film and hailing it as a great evangelistic tool but we will not jump off a bridge just because everyone else is jumping. The bottom line is that if one is not born again, they are in darkness and have no light. To add to the words of the Holy Bible is a sin. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. From just the few clips we have viewed, dialogue has been added in the film that is not in the Bible. A relationship between Jesus and his mother that is depicted in this film is NOT recorded in Scripture. God will not share His glory with another. Mary was a sinner. She called God her Savior in Luke 1:47. The Scripture declares that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." To depict dialogue between Jesus and his mother and to depict scenes of them not recorded in Scripture is adding to Scripture. This may very well be the tool used to bring about ecumenical apostasy in these last days. Our protestant forefathers would turn over in their graves if they were to see Evangelical Christians embracing a film whose end result may very well end up being the adoration of Mary and the return back to the mother church; while they gave their lives defending the Holy Bible and opposing the man made dogmas of the church. They gave their lives to translate and preserve the whole word of God in its entirety... without the adding to Scripture. They died at the stake opposing man-made dogmas. Many have said that this movie portrays Jesus as a victim. From Scripture, we know that Jesus was not a victim who was forced to do something against His will. We know Jesus willingly went to the cross to die for our sins and to do the Father's will. No man took His life from Him. Jesus willingly laid down His life for His friends. He gave up the ghost Himself after He cried "It is Finished." John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. When Peter cut off the ear of the High priest's servant, Jesus was a NOT a victim when He said to Peter; Matthew 26:52-54 " Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" Jesus' love kept Him at the cross. The nails did not hold Him there. His love for us kept Him there. Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. We, who KNOW Jesus personally and who have received Him as our personal Lord and Savior, do not need a very religious man-made film to enhance our faith in Jesus Christ. We KNOW Jesus, we know His Word, we know the sacrifice He made for us at the cross. Jesus sits glorified in heaven. He is not dead on a cross. This movie may indeed "crucify him afresh." The actor, who plays Jesus in the film, was reportedly struck by lightning while hanging on the cross. Anyone who studies Scripture knows that lightning is never a sign of approval from God but rather judgment. The Bible says in John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" The Word of God does not say that one needs to be a part a certain church to have salvation. The Word of God tells us that we must guard our minds. We must guard our hearts and to be watchful for wolves in sheep's clothing. The devil's job it is to twist and distort the Word of God. The ONLY Evangelistic tools Christians need to win the lost are the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the words of the Holy Bible. Romans 1:16 says "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Those are the evangelistic tools Christians need to win the lost. Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God! Dan 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. The only description of Jesus found in the Bible says that Jesus now has white hair and eyes like flames of fire. He wears many crowns!! It is an abomination to picture Jesus with a crown of thorns on His head. He wore the crown of thorns on the day He died. He is not dead on a cross and He no longer wears the crown of thorns. This "passion" promo picture being circulated all over the internet is another jesus and is a grievous abomination. The "jesus" of these movies is NOT the Resurrected Jesus of the Bible who sits in glory at the Right hand of the Father. They keep him dead on the cross in their prayers, images and movies. Jesus is not dead but is risen. We don't have any business looking at supposed images of God Almighty made by the vain imaginations of sinful man. It is Jesus, of the Bible, who is our Intercessor and Mediator between God and man. God will not share His glory with another. Let us worship the Lord in spirit and in truth and cast out images that originate from man's vain imagination. Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. We are to shun the very appearance of evil. Jesus rose from the grave and He is sitting in glory as Mediator between God and man. He died once and for all...never to be crucified again. We may stick to the Bible and ONLY the Bible. Hebrews 6:6b "...seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." A question on this topic was submitted to us. View the answer here! NEWS SOURCES: http://www.apologeticsindex.org/p22c.html http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/980753/posts http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4224452/ Since upon writing this article, we have found that there are other Apologetic websites who share some of our views concerning the film: Some Thoughts On Mel's Movie - Great article listing the things in the movie which are contrary to the biblical account. click here Why I Will Not See "The Passion of the Christ" The Passion- Vivid Deception - Former Catholic Priest writes Another article on the Passion from Berit Kjos Way of Life.org Article on the Passion The Truth About the Passion- from Sermon.Audio.com The Passion Movie: To See or Not To See --BEST SERMON I'VE HEARD ON THIS SUBJECT Don't Get Too Passionate About the Passion Mel Gibson's: The Passion The 2nd Commandment and the Passion of Christ http://www.lazarusunbound.com/ http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/BookReviews/movies/passion.htm http://www.a-voice.org/discern/passion.htm http://cuttingedge.org/newsletters/ http://watch-unto-prayer.org/passion.html Why evangelicals are cheering a movie with profoundly Catholic sensibilities. Jesus Scholars Find Fault in Gibson's 'Passion' Gibson's 'Passion' simply 2 hours of brutality, gore Passion tickets bear 'mark of the beast' "Once the images and subscripts are embedded in the mind by the relentless musical theme, they will be unable to read Scripture or hear preaching without mental recall of false images of a false Christ portrayed by Hollywood actors." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpts From Understanding the Times Website article: Caviezel grows animated as he explains how Mary brings him closer to her Son Jesus, whose presence in the Eucharist is so meaningful to him. The Eucharist, he explains, inspires him to turn away from sin. That, in turn, makes his prayer life more sincere. Keep your eye on this “Mary-Eucharistic Christ” connection. For some time now I have been researching this trend. There have been numerous apparitional messages by a woman declaring to be the Mother of the Eucharist pointing to a personage she calls the Eucharistic Jesus. This is the Jesus that “manifests” in Catholic Churches based on the Catholic belief in transubstantiation. Is it possible The Passion has a silent agenda to bring people to the Eucharistic Christ? Time will tell. Source: http://www.understandthetimes.org/current_transcripts/text/jan2004/1360.shtml#_ftnref5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpts from Christianity Today's Article on the Passion: Mel Gibson is in many ways a pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic. He prefers the Tridentine Latin Mass and calls Mary co-redemptrix. Early in the filming of The Passion, he gave a long interview to Raymond Arroyo on the conservative Catholic network EWTN. In that interview, Gibson told how actor Jim Caviezel, the film's Jesus, insisted on beginning each day of filming with the celebration of the Mass on the set. He also recounted a series of divine coincidences that led him to read the works of Anne Catherine Emmerich, a late-18th, early-19th-century Westphalian nun who had visions of the events of the Passion. Many of the details needed to fill out the Gospel accounts he drew from her book, Dolorous Passion of Our Lord. Here is one such detail from Emmerich: "[A]fter the flagellation, I saw Claudia Procles, the wife of Pilate, send some large pieces of linen to the Mother of God. I know not whether she thought that Jesus would be set free, and that his Mother would then require linen to dress his wounds, or whether this compassionate lady was aware of the use which would be made of her present. … I soon after saw Mary and Magdalen approach the pillar where Jesus had been scourged; … they knelt down on the ground near the pillar, and wiped up the sacred blood with the linen which Claudia Procles had sent." Gibson does not follow Dolorous Passion slavishly, and at many points he chooses details that conflict with Emmerich's account. But the sight of Pilate's wife handing a stack of linen cloths to Jesus' mother allows Gibson to capture a moment of sympathy and compassion between the two women, and the act of the two Marys wiping up Jesus' blood gives Gibson the opportunity to pull back for a dramatic shot of the bloody pavement. Source: http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/commentaries/passion-passionofmel.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Woman collapses and dies during showing of "The Passion Of The Christ" |
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| "On its own, apart from whatever beliefs a viewer might bring to it, "The Passion of the Christ" never provides a clear sense of what all of this bloodshed was for, an inconclusiveness that is Mr. Gibson's most serious artistic failure. The Gospels, at least in some interpretations, suggest that the story ends in forgiveness. But such an ending seems beyond Mr. Gibson's imaginative capacities. " Good and Evil Locked in Violent Showdown By A. O. SCOTT "Lost in the film's beautifully lit orgy of abuse is the sense of who Jesus was and why the Jewish priests - Gibson's villains in this old-fashioned melodrama - wanted him crucified."....."The centerpiece of ``The Passion of the Christ" is, rather strangely, an episode of torture that doesn't rate a mention in the gospels of Matthew and Mark, while Luke and John only devote five verses to it. Here, it's one-fourth of the movie....If you're not familiar with Pilate's wife or didn't know the two Marys were there when Jesus was scourged (let alone mopped up the blood in the courtyard), you're not alone. Gibson invented these scenes. The film places a particular emphasis on the Virgin Mary, a figure central to Gibson's Roman Catholic faith, as well as an androgynous Satan, who lurks, cloaked, on the edges of the action....What doesn't quite get through is Christ's message of forgiveness and love..." By Glenn Whipp Film Writer "By filming New Testament Gospels with Old Testament fire and brimstone, his Passion emerges as something contrary to Jesus's spirit: unforgiving." ~ PETER TRAVERS from ROLLING STONE (February 23, 2004) "Mel Gibson shows once again that he's skilled at depicting violence. But you'd be hard pressed to find evidence of "tolerance, love and forgiveness" that the producer-director-co-writer insists he's trying to communicate." ~ BY GENE SEYMOUR STAFF WRITER at Newsday.com "The real damage will not, I think, be in the realm of Jewish-Christian relations, at least not in this country. Anti-Semites don’t need an excuse to be anti-Semites. The damage will be to those who come to believe that Gibson’s crimson tide, with its jacked-up excruciations, is synonymous with true religious feeling." ~ By Peter Rainer from NewYork Metro.com "His new film -- which opens tomorrow -- does tell the story of Jesus' trial and execution in specific and literally nauseating detail. Yet where is the Jesus of the Gospels who made wine for a wedding feast? Who told beautifully wrought parables? Who fed multitudes with a few baskets of food, and counseled charity to the poor? Not here. Instead, Gibson's movie shows us only the suffering Jesus -- and practically revels in violence and vengeance. The scourging takes up twice as much screen time as the Last Supper and the Sermon on the Mount combined. It's like "Braveheart," only with William Wallace resurrected. Then Jesus strides from his tomb at the end, it's to the martial beat of drums. " BY STEPHEN WHITTY STAR-LEDGER STAFF |
| REVIEWS OF THE FILM: |
| Posted: February 26, 2004 |
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| A great review of the "passion" movie can be found at Challies.com. It is written from a Protestant point of view. Here is one more great article review at http://www.seekgod.ca/gibson.htm. |
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| Source: http://www.caviezelcountry.com/ |
| WHY WE WON'T ENDORSE THE PASSION FILM |
| For further reading on the subject read our article: Trendy Jesus Films ... A New Face for "Jesus" |
Other Interesting Articles: Did Mary Have Other Children? The Antichrist and The Da Vinci Code Babel- The Center of Unity The Way of Cain UNBIBLICAL THINGS...Female Angels, and "Jesus" Pictures |
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