February 18, 2004
Dave Armstrong on The Passion of the Christ
Just wanted to point out that Dave Armstrong has seen The Passion of the Christ and posted a thoughful review of it here. It's worth taking the time to read.
Also - if you're planning on going I would suggest you buy tickets now (try Fandango.com). Monday I bought mine for Saturday the 28th and had trouble finding a showing that wasn't sold out.
God bless,
Jay
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Jay, I respect every bit of your commentary. I also post on another apologetics website, but it's a Protestant site with a "Catholicism" board. In the board are posts talking about "Luther: The Movie" which I think reeks. One of the posters wants to know why I think the historical quality of Gibson's "The Passion of The Christ" is superior, and is arguing with me that "The Passion of The Christ" took liberties with historical "facts" to move the movie along.
I want to know if you (or anyone else on DeoOmnisGloria) have seen "Luther: The Movie" (which Protestants are pleased is coming out on DVD), and if you have any opinion about the movie. Personally, I think the movie stinks, and lacks in historical truth. It is very misleading to me. And it displays Catholics as evil, in my opinion. "Luther" simply doesn't compare to "The Passion of The Christ".
If you or anybody else saw "Luther", do you really understand (believe) for example (as the movie implies), that the only Bible(s) in existence were written in Latin? Also, what is your opinion of the "Guttenberg Bible"? And finally, my understanding is that various German translations already existed. Do you have any facts or places I could look up to help me become better informed? And lastly, I know this really is about movies and not about Apologetics. But the discussion is out there, and I need some "scholarly" help to prove the movie "Luther" distorts history.
(It's 4:00AM right now, and frankly, I think I seem kooky, but I'm not! I better get some sleep!LOL)
God Bless,
Eric
I’m glad that you posted your perceptions of the movie Luther here Eric. Especially your comment that it portrays Catholics as evil. Your opinion about that should be instructive to Christians – Catholic & Protestant – who refuse to understand how or why some people (and especially some Jews!) might find Gibson’s Passion so repulsive. Perspective matters!
But then Gibson’s movie is a pretty bad movie! He plays footloose with the passion narratives – “cutting & pasting” into the film portions that (suspiciously) portray “the bad guys” (they were Jews – that Jesus was a Jew too, matters little) as particularly bent, monolithically malevolent toward Jesus’ destruction. [He could have chosen a number of other “scenes” from the narratives to produce a more balanced picture]. And this while portraying Pilate as a guy with conscience! And Pilates wife??? Too funny! What a loving, doting, caring motherly character to go along with Mary.
Gibson’s Jesus utters conspicuously in the film “Father, forgive them…” But then, some scenes later, the criminal who mocks Jesus (Doesn’t HE fall into the category of not knowing what he is doing??) gets his eye plucked out by a raven!! I guess the Father didn’t hear Jesus’ prayer after all.
And Gibson’s Chaiaphas personally, and privately berates Jesus at the foot of the cross (Hmmm…I just can’t find that in my Catholic Study bible!). And finally, the Temple is practically left in ruins during the post-death theophany. Again, Gibson exercises considerable “artistic license” in a film that he claimed so vigorously to be true to the narratives and historically accurate – what he means by that is beyond me.
The good guys are REALLY GOOD, and the bad guys are REALLY BAD. And – as one viewer of the movie has observed – even though Jesus prays for the bad guys’ forgiveness, one can’t help but wonder if the final resurrection scene – the naked Jesus stoically rising up (holes in hand and all that – what a COOL effects shot!!) and walking out of the tomb – was not designed to recall the rise of the naked Terminator – on his way to kick some…well, you know. Payback is hell buddy!
Peace!
Eric,
Although I haven't made it to see Luther (I've heard it's a pretty awful movie, both from a theological perspective as well as a motion picture perspective), I do have a good link. Take a look at Blosser's article on Pre-Luther Biblical translations. You are correct - there were numerous translations prior to Luther.
Once I do see the movie, I'll post my thoughts. Hope this helps.
God bless,
Jay
Great blog! Thanks Jay! I'm also looking forward to your thoughts on the movie after you see it.
And Jack, Peace of Christ be with you too!
Eric.
