The Passion of the Christ

"The Passion of the Christ" is a movie that I refused to see despite everybody I knew informing how good it was or how it would move me or of the powerful imagery. This movie broke media ground a year before national release provoking anti-Semitism and many other religous uproars. At that time, I had thought I better see it just because of the controversy it created, however, the promotion of the movie infiltrated the Church and I soon saw it as a simple marketing scheme.

Anyone should and must admire Mel Gibson's zeal to take on a such a project. Being a devout Catholic himself, Gibson, to my understanding, made a literally Biblical attempt to portray the last day of Christ. That holds a great irony. How can an actor who has held an A-list position on the silver screen, play violent characters, and seem to have little regard to virtuous character have the audacity to make a film about the crucifixion? The hypocracy permeates.


I suppose the correct question to ask is can an actor, as his occupation requires, portray the immoral, but has no reflection on his personal beliefs and worldview, and, if so, how does his professional career affect his personal life as a witness to personal convictions and beliefs?

In the middle of winter, before 'the Passion' release, every church I step foot in had a poster. The warning light kicked on in my brain. It seemed like all congregations I had encountered during this period of time somehow jumped on the band wagon in support of Gibson's film and had scheduled special engagements, even on a Sunday, for a group of members of a particular church to see a viewing of "The Passion of the Christ". I nearly vomited.

Soon, catalogs of Christian education brought on a surplus of Sunday school and group study series with the film in tow. Later on, a small Christian merchant made it big as small trinkets of pewter 'stakes' infiltrated Christian bookstores as consumers ate it up as the latest Christian trend just as did McDonald's Super Size menu. That was when I was turned off by the film and vowed never to see it.

I concluded that Christian organizations are just as guilty as the tobacco companies, teen sex advocates, gay and lesbians, and other 'open' minded, tolerant groups and individuals in trying to make a little profit off the gullible consumer whether or not he/she is a God fearing individual.

Since this opens a rabbit hole, I must ask What Would Jesus Do if Jesus wore a WWJD wristband? He may tear it off in disgust. He may see all of the 'Christian' bumber stickers and observe those mini-vans are speeding, driving with one side's wheels in the other lane, or notice the woman in the driver's seat angerily chastising the three kids in the middle as she's trying to maintain an important conversation on a cell phone to one of her fellow girlfriends at church who's gossiping about the next women's getaway. He may notice the cocky young youth pastor proudly wearing his WWJD neckchain with his keys dangling in his tan khaki trousers and polo shirt as the Saviour feels uncomfortable in his worn out jeans and frayed cuffs, in His stained, Hanes wife beater tank and 5 year old pair of Converse All Stars. He may have had visited your service one Sunday morning seeing all of you eat up your pastor's message of that day, yet He's hurt in that He knows that this leader of His followers do not know that the reverend is having an affair with a young college student whose mother respects him as a man of God sitting in the back row.

"Oh, great", Jesus said, "now Hollywood is after my biography and 'Mad Max', you know, the Lethal Weapon guy? is producing and directing the film. Fuck. Despite all of the graphic accounts about my death, still, my children can sure swallow anything and everything about me, even if it is in vain and totally not to the fucking point of what I was making when walked the earth the first time and ministering to my Father's children in those too few three years." "My Saviour, you're using offensive words." "Fuck off, Peter, who ever said that 'fuck' was offensive, I sure did not! You really can piss me off, nigga!"

I once had written in a defining moment in my life that "the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the essence of my faith" and I hold fast to that concept; that is essential in trusting God's intended escape from eternal destruction. But, once that has been established between God and the believer, the Son of God's fate and victory, as I see it, becomes the least important aspect of a disciple of Christ. It really isn't that important.

I ask myself, as many believers probably do, if Jesus Christ was alive and walking around in today's so called world where would he hang? where would he stay? who would he spend time with? to which politicians or high-rollers would he humbly accept to have dinner with? In my humble opinion, the big "J.C." would most likely stray away from Cali's mega-churches and even despise the concept of a luncheon with Dr James Dobson at the Focus on the Family campus in Colorado.

Unless you haven't figured it out, Jesus hung out with the lowest of the low, the outcasts of his day which were prostitutes and tax collectors. Today, would this compromise adult film stars, abortion doctors, Wal-mart executives, gays and lesbians, the transgendered, and even the ACLU?

A great teacher cannot impose his instructions on his students. Only the great mentors throughout history can persuade by his example to the apprentice to ascertain the concept to be great through the master's discipline and teaching; this is taught by example, not by activism not by hate, accusation, and judgement.

By now, I am sure that I could get a great deal in buying a shrinkwrapped DVD box set that includes "The Passion of the Christ" and the horribly made "Left Behind" 1 and 2 discs. I choose to not waste my stewardship in God's behalf.