Once again, the evangelical Christian community has been set up, manipulated, used, and abused? When will we ever learn? Unless you live in a cave in Papua New Guinea, I'm sure you've heard about the arrest of actor and filmmaker Mel Gibson for drunken driving which happened about a week ago. I'm sure you heard that he manifested what I call a "mouth like a cesspool". The worst part of all was his railing against the Jews, saying, "F__king Jews!" and "Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world".
If anyone needs to pause to throw up, I understand. Gibson has said he is not anti-semetic and that it's all a mistake. He wants to meet with Jewish community leaders. It's been rumored for years that Mel Gibson is anti-semetic. Many Jewish people believed "The Passion of the Christ" was a very anti-semetic film. The overwhelming majority of evangelical Christians did NOT believe it was an anti-semetic film. I did not, and I still don't. True, the majority of Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day are presented in a very bad light. The truth is the New Testament itself presents them in a very bad light. But Jesus was Jewish! All Twelve Apostles were Jewish. Did you know that even Saint Paul AFTER his conversion on the Damascus Road calls himself "a Jew" and "a Pharisee" several times but NEVER "a Christian"? You see, most born-again Christians see the Jews as the good guys, but believe the majority of their leadership at the time of Jesus was corrupt and therefore (along with the Romans) were "the bad guys". For those reasons we defended and defended Mel Gibson at the time the film "The Passion of the Christ" was released. We also defended the bloody scenes of Jesus. If anything, the depiction of Jesus' suffering was NOT STRONG ENOUGH. Jesus suffered and died for our sins and to make a way for us to be in right relationship with God. The fact that Romans executed Jesus and that corrupt Jewish leaders encouraged this execution are details that (believe it or not) evangelical Christians don't see as all that important.
But Mel Gibson was not honest with us. In fact, Gibson is not an evangelical Christian. He is a very strict and old-fashioned Roman Catholic. He belongs to a sort of "off beat" Roman Catholic group that says the mass in Latin and holds to pre-Vatican II doctrines, practices, and beliefs.Gibson heavily courted the support of evangelical Protestants for his film. He believed he'd get more support (and money) from us than from average American Roman Catholics. Of course, he was right. Had he said something to us like, "Support my film and stick it to those f__king Jews," I wonder how many born-again Christians would have supported his film? In my opinion, the numbers would have greatly dropped off. That also would be true for all of his other anti-semetic comments.
Traditional Roman Catholicism believes in "doing penance"- in doing good works to make up for the bad things you do. Did Gibson think that making that film and trying to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel would make up for his faults? Maybe. If that's the case, Gibson got it all wrong.
Many of us in one way or another fell for Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, and others. And, I admit I pretty much was duped my Mel Gibson. Maybe he should change his name to Mal Gibson- he's quite a malefactor.
"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." (Matthew 12:36).
EMMYS 1970: My World...and Welcome To It
1 year ago
4 comments:
Out of the mouth the heart speaks.
hi; first time commenting in your journal although I have been reading it for about a week or two. Interesting thoughts; I wrote something about Mel in my blog. I left a link in case you are interested.
http://journals.aol.com/lv2trnscrb/AcorgiinSouthernCalifornia/entries/2006/08/02/maybe................/1387
betty
I agree with you, Bob. I have to admit I admired Mel Gibson at the time he made his film, "The Passion of the Christ" because he took a big chance of offending Jewish people. It turned out to be a huge money-maker but the best part of it was the consensus at the time was that it was not anti-Semitic. Unfortunately, because of Gibson's actions and words, people will once again try to portray the movie as anti-Semitic. Your evaluation that it was corrupt Jews who helped to crucify Jesus was exactly right. It was not all Jews who turned against him. Just as during WWII, it was not all Germans who supported the Nazis. It's important for people to make that distinction. But, as for Gibson, he has some deep-seated problems, probably stemming from the influence that his definitely anti-Semitic father exerted on him. But like Paul, who actually killed Jesus' followers and was thoroughly converted, it is possible that Mel Gibson can experience that same conversion. For his sake, and for the sake of his wife and children, I hope and pray that happens.
Jennie
I share your disappointment, but a little different perspective:
It usually the rule and not the exception that Christians are only quoted when they say something foul. The world has it in for them, and that is reflected by the press. Mel Gibson is not a disciplined theologian, nor is he necessarily all that bright. But in this case, he was someone with the influence and assets to produce a valuable Christian historical representation. A scholarly theologian may have done it better - but then it wouldn't have gotten done at all, since they don't have the necessary "contacts" to produce a movie.
So Gibson is more of an ordinary slob who did something of merit. Comments said in the heat of a confrontation are not reflective of someone's core beliefs. Typically, fights entice people to say ANYTHING that would tick-off their opponent, whether the speaker actually believes it or not. That this comment would be plastered all over the media only shows the spirit of those reporting it.
"It reflects badly on Christians." True; but I have not seen the Secular world won over by all the good words and deeds done by Christians, so I am leery of that kind of criticism. As for "anti-Semitism", Evangelical Christians have been among the biggest supporters of Israel, and typically portray Judaism in a very favorable light. Yet cries of "anti-Semitism" seem to be shouted from the housetops regardless. A quick scan of the media will yield much "anti-Christian", "anti-Arab","anti-French","anti-German" commentary, and we accept that as a normal part of the social backdrop.
I know this covers more than the Mel Gibson incident, but it has caused criticism of Christianity in a general way. "...every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof..." We've all said vain things, they just weren't reported worldwide. I'm only suggesting that this shouldn't sour our view of the film or our self-image as Christians.
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