JoMal you'll note that I said "fiction". Footage of 9/11 isn't fiction. The claim in Matthew that the Jews admitted responsibility is, and the idea that Pilate was a reluctant executioner flies in the fact of history.
Actually, jn, that was the point. Humans write history; the history we read about, including the oldest known historical reference – the Bible, was interpreted by the people of its time, (a century after the events surrounding the crucifixion of Christ, but close enough, right?) and worded to reflect the take on events according to the authors. That Gibson’s movie was based on this history just means it has an inherent flaw in its accuracy to begin with. But the Christian religion is completely based on the accuracy of the events depicted in the Bible, and that is what Gibson used to create his film. Implied blame occurs because the Bible implies blame; whether we believe these events occurred exactly as written is the basis for believing in the Christian type of religion. Belief is not only tantamount to being Christian; it is required with the intention of BEING a good Christian. That means the good aspects as well as the bad.
So the point is, jn, the Bible represents the truth in the basic beliefs of all Christians. It hardly matters how you or I may feel about these events or their truthfulness if millions do not share those observations.
I take a dim view of peoples ability to think subtlety, particularly about religion. It seems most people need an enemy and they want clear distinctions between good and evil. That very distinction is the basis of religions. It's also a huge part of politics both left and right.
Will this movie cause an outbreak of attacks on Jews in the U.S? No, it won't. Will it bring together people for a healthy discussion? No, not many.
I read recently that before mankind can truly advance to a more Utopian society, the first steps would involve the elimination of all religion and financial controls. Neither sounds likely to occur within the next 2,000 years, as they have not in the prior 2,000 years. The person who said this, by the way, said that the elimination of religion would be much more difficult to achieve.
My take on it is that religion, right or wrong, and the various beliefs associated with organized religion, are here to stay, in all it misinterpretations of the same books, with all its arguments as to who believes the “right†way, and all the worldwide conflicts to “convince†everyone else to believe the “correct†way. Subtle thinking has nothing to do with it.
Were the Jews more at fault then the Romans for the crucifixion of Christ? You betcha. And I will give you a very, very solid reason why this determination ended up in the Bible. The Catholic Church, the bastion of Christianity, the pillar of the earth that created magnificent basilicas to honor Jesus, eventually conquered the Roman Empire, incorporating many of the pagan beliefs and rituals into the new religion, so the ignorant peasant would not have to travel very far to accept the faith. Does anyone actually think they would be foolish enough to include the REAL truth about the events of those ancient times, and the role of their own people in them? Better to have a convenient scapegoat. After all, what is a good, solid basis for any religion without someone to hate with it?
