On why we're noisy 'bout "Passion of Christ"

"My problem with MOST self-righteous groups .. majority haven't even seen the film yet .. is they create these outcry even without seing the film. Look at the protests that haunted The Last Temptation of Christ ? or to a lesser extent, Dogma ? Based on what, movie reviews? story line ? Sure, it MIGHT create a problem on the treatment of Jews .. but we're not in a Minority Report movie where you punish the person prior to doing something wrong. So why not wait and see ? We're not in the 1500s ... we already know the Jews did it, he's just putting it out there ? What's the big deal ?"

It's specific Jews and not ALL Jews, that are accused of killing Christ.

Historically, that provision in Matthew has been used as an excused to commit progroms--raids on Jewish communities where their homes are burned and the Jews are massacred.  This has been going on for a long time, and the Holocaust is just the latest expression of that longstanding hatred.

So please, if y'all are good Catholics, be aware of Vatican 2--certain Jews at the time and not all Jews all the time are guilty of having Christ killed.

And even if you AREN'T good Catholics (like I am)--well, Vatican 2 still makes sense, even to an atheist like me.

And we're not condemning the film per se, neither me nor the ADL nor the New York Times--we're condemning the WAY Gibson has been withholding screenings (only for rabid conservatives or Christian extremists) and mounting an aggressive campaign against people who are expressing concern (please note: they are NOT calling for a ban; they are expressing concern about possible anti-Semitism). It's not Gibson's film that's being attacked; it's Gibson who's exploiting the controversy to drum up interest in his film.

Remember, it's Gibson's people who jumped the gun on the Pope's support, when they didn't have any such clear mandate.

As for the anti-Semitic attacks on Last Temptation...well, it's those same people who made the attacks (Christian extremists, rabid conservatives) who are defending Passion and the way its controversy is being handled. Film critic David Ehrenstein, who defended Last Temptation, is the first to say this is so.  You really can't say the two controversies are the same.