luvluv

You guys are assuming that evangelicals will have to drag non-Christians to see the movie. This movie is without a doubt the biggest cinematic event of the season. All my non-Christian movie buddies have been talking about it for weeks.

I don't see what's wrong with it. If a pro-atheism movie was coming out, wouldn't you encourage people to see it?

JoyJuice

I have been invited to see the movie by my brother whose church has a theatre rented out this Wednesday. As much as I want to see the movie, I’m a little leery because of the expected reaction of the audience given through faith they understand the events of the movie to be historically accurate, in contrast to my reaction given my view as seeing the Biblical reasons for the crucifixion as purely legend. I have never discussed my agnostic, Jesus seminar if you will, view of Jesus with him, but I'm sure he has an ideal given the contents of my somewhat library, open for the world to see at my home. I did agree to go just out of interest of a movie about a subject that I find interest in. I'm sure the church sees this movie as an opportunity to evangelize and maybe I should suggest that the Pastor has an agnostic-atheist day set aside followed with some real open dialogue. Nothing personal, but I don't know if I could sit through the movie with a theatre full of fundamental Christians.

Sven

As far as I understand it (haven't seen the movie up to now), there are two problems with it:
(1) This movie portrays the events as historically accurate - what a "pro-atheism movie" wouldn't suggest since atheists have no holy book with stories which are believed by all of them (no, "Origin of species" doesn't count for obvious reasons)
(2) This movie is very emotional (see the other posts) and thus persuades people that there's something to Christianity for the wrong reason (I hope this isn't understood wrong - there certainly are good things in the teaching of Jesus, but that's not the point here) - it's kind of difficult to imagine a "pro-atheism movie" which persuades people of atheism on emotional grounds.

Doctor X

Sven:

Now, just to avoid confusion, did you mean:

or did you REALLY mean:

--J.D.

Bede

Sven,

Just out of interest, Contact is a pro-atheism movie that is not scientifically accurate (although might appear so to the untrained eye) and very emotional. If you haven't seen it, do so.

B

Rhaedas

The movie Contact wasn't nearly as "pro" atheism as the book was, and certainly ended less atheistically. And a movie such as Passion is going to want to appeal to the general audience's preference, not conflict. So while there might be a lot of debate between christians on the details, they'll all be happy with a deified Jesus, vs a more historically accurate one.

Jayhawker Soule

Where, in your Bible, do they speak of the cross being constructed in the Temple as ordered by its High Priest?

There is zero reason to to presume the historical accuracy of Gibson's movie, and good reason to assume that its enthusiastic focus on the 'Christ-Killer' theme will energize the most rabid fundamentalism as it exacerbates antisemitism.

Sven

Sorry, I don't understand the difference here. If the first "it" is the problem here, I meant it to refer to the whole discussion here.

Sven

I've seen it several times, it's one of my favourites. You may have a point here - although the emotional aspect has IMHO not much to do with the little bit of discussion of theism vs. atheism included in the movie. It is by all means far less emotional than every Jesus/Bible-movie I've ever seen.

Please tell me what are the scientific problems with this movie, I think I have a fairly trained eye (doing my PhD in theoretical chemistry) and have apparently missed them:

ceb

The actor who plays Jesus was actually struck by lightning on the cross during filming.

This is obviously a sign from God showing his displeasure of this movie!