House Church Talk - Passion

[Janet Murphy]

We saw the "Passion" yesterday, teenagers included.  In short, I feel the
Holy Spirit's presence in this movie and would recommend it.  Oh, I hate
violence and I had to keep my head down alot.  A few times when I looked up
I had to cover my mouth because of nausea.  But that's OK.....it's reality,
folks, and let's face it, that's what you are supposed to think of when we
take communion.  Do we though?  It's become just one more religious exercise
for the most part.

We were all silent on the way home.....speechless.  I didn't expect that to
be our reaction.  But we gathered together at home and had some good
discussions.

David, with regards to the link you provided about remarks on this film.
You said you hadn't listened yet?  I would tell you not to bother.  It is
nothing but anti-Catholicism, making mountains out of molehills, and full of
weak arguments.  The speaker says that the Bible doesn't talk much about the
suffering and therefore believes it is disproportional to make an entire
movie filled with it.  Well, how much more could the Bible say than it does?
It describes what happens, but this is one area where a picture is worth a
thousand words.  Oh people, we CAN NEVER THINK TOO MUCH OF
WHAT HE SUFFERED.

No one is harder on false Catholic doctrine and false ecumenism than I.  But
I don't think this movie can be linked with any of that.  There are a few
departures from scripture in the movie but nothing that is serious.  Believe
me, I didn't come out of the movie rushing to buy a rosary.  Like I said,
this speaker really is making a mountain out of a molehill and I think is
displeasing the Lord if you want to know the truth.

Yes,....lots of weak arguments from him.  The actor who played Jesus
is in another movie to be released in a few months.  Something about being a
golfer.  By this time, the speaker was becoming a drone in the background
because I was so turned off, so I didn't hear every word of this part.  But
he was going on and on with the tears reminding me of Tammy Bakker that a
man who played "my sinless Jesus" shouldn't be doing this.  Since I didn't
hear everything
he said, I  I looked up what this movie is about.
Here it is.  Jim Caviezel who played Jesus plays this golfer.  The speaker
is having fits about this.  Huh??

A Stroke of Genius (2004)

Synopsis: Overcoming an early childhood illness, Robert Tyre Jones Jr.,
"Bobby Jones," was the first golfer in history to win the prestigious Grand
Slam. A sports phenom at the age of 14, Bobby triumphed over his fiery
temper, public scrutiny and the grueling physical toll the game took on his
body to become one of the most loved golfers ever to play. Jones won the
Grand Slam at the age of 28, and was still able to complete two college
degrees and graduate from law school. Eventually torn between his family and
the game he loved, Bobby retired early to spend time with his wife and
children. However, his contributions to the game of golf continued, as Jones
went on to found the acclaimed Augusta National Gulf Club and the annual
professional and amateur tournament - The Masters.

Exactly what are we now expecting out of Mel and the rest of the cast? They
aren't ever allowed to make a secular movie again?
Gee, I wonder how pure the people who play Jesus in their church Passion
Play every Easter are.   This speaker was also so hard on the cast because
they celebrated mass every morning on the movie set.  Boy, I could think of
alot worse things.

I'd  be alot more frightened of the effects of the cheesy, low budget films
the evangelicals put out about the rapture.  There is a very strong chance
that this entire doctrine is as wrong as Y2K was.  But you can't go wrong
showing the suffering of Jesus.  Nope, not in this day and age when the
world and the churches are filled with ego, Prozac, selfishness, and
adultery.  We are in a mess.

Jesus wasn't on some polished teak wood cross.  We have all had a serious
disconnect with His suffering Thank you, Mel Gibson, for making that clear.

You know what I think would be a great sequel for Mel to make now?  A look
inside the abortion industry.  Yeah, let's keep showing the blood and gore
of what is going on in our world.  I don't think God minces words in the
Bible describing violent events.  Castrations, cutting off heads, etc.
Neither should we.

Have a good week.

janet
www.janetmurphy.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Anderson" <david at housechurch.org>
To: "House Church Talk" <House Church Talk  at housechurch.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2004 9:53 AM
Subject: RE: House Church Talk -  Passion


>
> Several years ago, I met and heard a mighty preacher named Al Martin. He
> was visiting in SW Virginia in a town called Cedar Bluff. I see that his
> remarks on this film have been downloaded more than 5000 times.
>
> http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=22204152414
>
> I have not heard this 9 mg mp3 file yet, due to slow internet connection,
> but believe that it would make a good discussion starter for any house
> church or small group.
>
> Most of the adults in our group viewed the film together earlier this
> week and I was very glad to have been forewarned of it's graphic nature.
>
>      David Anderson
>
>
>