Our first approach should not necessarily be a public one, and it was not in this case. I strongly believe that after the Shoah, Jews no longer have the luxury to remain silent in the face of anti-Semitism, even if some media and other people say that we should. “In this specific case, people have accused us of reacting to Gibson’s movie because we needed the publicity. This document repudiates the deicide charge against all Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus.”įoxman says the question of when to go public with an issue is often very delicate for the ADL. “It is well known that Gibson belongs to a traditionalist right-wing Catholic sect that rejects Vatican II reforms, including the Nostra Aetate statement. Given your talent and celebrity, how you depict the death of Jesus will have widespread influence on people’s ideas, attitudes, and behavior toward Jews today.’ 1 “The letter went on to note that ‘Passion plays have an infamous history of leading to hatred, violence, and even the death of Jews. We said we wanted to be assured that his film ‘will not give rise to the old canard of charging Jews with deicide, and to anti-Semitism.’ “We did not react publicly but decided that we should reach out to Gibson, and we wrote him a letter on 24 March 2003. After that interview, he relates, many people contacted the ADL. Foxman is the national director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in the United States. This may harm the image of Jews among Christians.Ībraham H. The movie is likely to be shown in Christian circles for a long time to come.Throughout it, Gibson cast the Jews in a very negative light. When the film was released, it turned out to be a major commercial success.Despite a number of direct and indirect approaches, Gibson avoided contact with the ADL. There were increasing indications that the movie was going to depict the Jews in a highly negative way.The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) decided to reach out privately to Gibson for assurance that this film would not lead to charging Jews with deicide and to anti-Semitism. In January 2003, Mel Gibson announced that he intended to make a film that would tell the whole gospel truth about Jesus’ crucifixion.We are in the process of performing updates and in the meantime we would ask you hold off on new orders. 'The Passion of the Christ' powerful days draw closer to Easter film received several Academy Award nominations Jesus Christ's final 12 hours Melanie Pickett the life of JesusĪt this time, we ask you refrain from purchasing on the Sonoma Christian Home store. The film received several Academy Award nominations and is available on DVD. The story begins in Gethsemane and ends when Jesus rises again and leaves the tomb. It featured such languages as Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin, and starred Jim Caviezel as Jesus. The Passion of the Christ first came to theatres in 2004 and earned over $370 million in the United States alone. This poignant glimpse inside the life of Jesus and his earthly family, the betrayal, and His eventual sacrifice is violent, intense, and important. Mel Gibson set out to demonstrate Jesus’ passion for humankind and how He gave of himself of His own volition to save us all, knowing we may never love Him.Īs the days draw closer to Easter, we reflect more than ever, on our gift of salvation. This visual depiction of the Crucifixion is unlike any other we have seen in film and leaves a lasting and permanent impression on the hearts of many. The majority of the film painfully shows – in as real detail as possible – the barbaric torture Jesus endured.
The film demonstrates that Jesus willingly suffered and died for mankind. The Passion of the Christ depicts Jesus Christ’s final 12 hours on earth. In the powerful and intense retelling of the the Resurrection of Jesus, The Passion of the Christ, feels more precious and relevant in the weeks leading up to Easter, as we observe the incredible sacrifice for our salvation.
‘THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST’ POWERFUL MOVIE TRAILER