Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" Movie

There has been a lot of press and anticipation (both pro and con) regarding this movie, while, at the same time, there has been a lot of news coverage regarding the illegal licensing of same sex marriage in San Francisco, California and other parts of the country ... and President Bush's announcement concerning the need to protect and preserve the sanctity of marriage by way of a Constitutional Amendment, assuring that marriage remains the sacred union between one man and one woman as it has always been regarded throughout our nation's history.

This movie portrays the brutality and cruelty of the crucifixion in very graphic detail, and in a Biblically accurate and believeble way. It depicts the haughtiness of the religious elite of that day, who, while subject to their Roman authorities, were very much in the fore-front, leading the charge to crucify (execute) Jesus. And, for those who know and understand who Jesus "really" is (God manifested in the flesh), that is what makes the crucifixion so much more hideous than that of the murder of an innocent, passive, mild-mannered, man. However, Jesus (the Incarnation of God) was born, and came into this world, for the purpose of suffering and shedding innocent (pure and sinless) blood, and to die for the sins of all of humanity ... in order to redeem man back to Himself and bridge the vast chasm which separated man from God due to our "fallen" ... "sin" ... nature.

The movie depicts the closeness of the bond between Jesus and his mother, Mary, in such a way that some might interpret their mutual love and devotion to mean she should be elevated to a place of Divine reverance and/or that Jesus drew His spiritual strength and resolve partly from her. However, that was not the way I took it at all. At any rate, there's a few things which, I believe, were included in the movie to embellish the events, which are not explicitly found in the Scriptures. But, over all ... and generally speaking ... , I'd have to say that the Scriptural facts regarding Jesus' betrayal, mock trial and execution were accurately ... and very dramatically ... presented in this movie. Whether a person professes religious faith or not, this movie should cause anyone to pause and consider, AND want to emulate, the love towards others, the faith, resolve, self denial, personal convictions, determination and restraint ... even in the face of death ..., of the one referred to by some as simply the "Galilean". And, for this reason, I would highly recommend it to anyone old enough to understand who Jesus "really" is. Which, by the way, reminds me of one of the things that sort of stands out in my mind.

It is my understanding that a possible appearance of being anti-Semitic was the reason Mel Gibson left the scene out (and/or did not include it) of the Jews' declaration to Pilate to let the blood of Jesus be on them and their children, after Pilate publicly washed his hands and announced himself to be innocent of the blood of Jesus. However, I disagree! That would have been just telling the story like it really happened, and as it is recorded in the Bible.

In my opinion, the thing which probably has some Jews worked up is the title of the movie, itself. You see, while some did, the vast majority of religious Jews did NOT recognize, acknowledge or accept Jesus as their "Messiah" (the Christ). **IF** Mel Gibson had named the movie, "The Passion of Jesus", there probably wouldn't have been nearly as much concern and/or controversy. However, the movie being named, "The Passion of the CHRIST", is, indeed, a horse of a different color.

There seems to be a show down coming between militant Islamic terrorists and BOTH Judaism and Christianity ... and between liberals and conservatives here in the US. I am convinced that the One True God of Creation is going to ultimately and conclusively, prove ... supernaturally (WITHOUT any assistance from humanity) ... who is in the right and who is in the wrong on a number of modern day "hot button" issues. And, I believe the proof will more than likely be unfolded in my lifetime ... or during my generation, at any rate. I was born on Christmas Day in 1952 ... a "baby boomer" (children born in the US between the years of 1946 and 1964). There's over 70 million of us in the United States in this huge group of our population. And, a number of companies have "ridden the wave", targeting their marketing efforts to appeal to this massive group of the US population. As the "baby boomers" enter our senior years, I believe more and more will be focusing their attention on spiritual matters from this point, forward.

We are living in a very unique period of time in history. Bible prophecy is unfolding before our eyes. In the wake of the First Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) and the on-going conflict in Iraq following Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as the on-going global attention being focused on the "War on Terror", in the wake of the cowardly attack on the United States of America on September 11, 2001, the Bible has taken center stage ... with some turning to it for comfort and guidance, while others are attacking it, attempting to discredit it, and/or regarding it with disdain and contempt. However, I am excited about what God has done, what He is doing AND what He is going to do in the days, weeks and months ahead!

In a nutshell, it is my opinion the answer to that question is ... BY INDOCTRINATION. How was this indoctrination to be accomplished? It is my opinion that this was to be accomplished by a gradual and subtle conditioning (or re-conditioning) ... or re-programming ... of the minds of people ... spanning a number of years AND generations. How was this to be accomplished? It is my opinion that it was to be accomplished by a "spoon fed" diet of mis-information, specifically designed to become accepted AND made popular by large numbers of people by way of powerful mediums. What mediums are powerful??? It is my opinion these mediums include, but are NOT limited to, television (actors and character icons), movies (actors and character icons), music (artists and icons), sports (heroes and icons) AND computers (and the Internet). Now, let me hastily add that I am NOT saying all television programming (and character icons), movie content (and character icons), music (and icons), sports (heroes and icons) AND computers (and the Internet) are evil and wicked. What I am saying is there are multitudes who no longer think for themselves, and have been gradually and subtly indoctrinated to believe things that are in alignment with ... and/or sympathetic towards ... the cause of those who are anti-government, anti-patriotism, anti-American, AND anti-God

Generally speaking, I do my dead level best to be an optimist. However, I also do my dead level best NOT to be a blind optimistic fool. While I am glad the "wall of Communism" fell, I am not gullible enough to believe the threat of communism, taking over "without firing a shot", has died. This country has some very real enemies ... within and without ... and on many fronts. As a result of this "dumbing down", there are people who either do not know, may have forgotten, or may not believe, that the threat is still alive, which surfaced when Nikita Khrushchev, first secretary of the Soviet Communist party, pounded his shoe on a table at the United Nations and publically made it known in the early 1960s.

I'm convinced there are those who are still working diligently towards that end. Furthermore, having, personally, been on the receiving end, and seen just how vile the hatred and contempt that emanates from people, who claim to be Christians, towards me and an organization that many of our founding fathers, early statesmen and Patriots were a part of, I am made to realize just how serious this threat really is. I've had professing Christians, whom I thought were dear friends, to turn on me like pit bull dogs. One was my former web master who took our dialogue and posted a very biased and slanted rendition on a web page of his own. Which, when I ran across it recently, I posted all of it immediately following our original dialogue on my web page ... showing it in its entirety, just to expose the hypocrisy of his presentation. It is really sad when a professing Christian, who cannot present their case of opposition against someone else in a convincing manner, resorts to venomous personal attacks and malignment ... AND then bears false witness against another, in an obvious effort to justify his actions ... or to make himself look good. However, that has been going on for a long time. Jesus' condemnation and crucifixion is a prime example of that! And, I hope more people sees Mel Gibson's movie than anyone could possibly imagine!

I believe, far too many people either have been mis-led or don't know about (care for or respect) the convictions of those who were very instrumental in this country being established on the Biblical principals which it was established upon ... most of whom put it all on the line and/or paid with their own blood to see to it that it was actually accomplished. I am convinced now, more than ever, that the dumbing down of America has played an important role in the ignorance and/or indifference that is prevalent today. The enemies of this organization to which I refer, up until recent years, has been limited to just the religious intolerant, dictators and tyrants who are opposed to a free people ... and a free society. However, in recent years, due to some very effective marketing of false and misleading propaganda, multitudes have literally and figuratively "bought" the propaganda by the truck load in the form of books, tapes and videos. Many of these are unsuspecting, professing Christians, who may be unknowingly and unwittingly supporting the anti-God, anti-American, anti-government and anti-patriotism force that is behind the movement against this organization and our way of life ... and whose aim is to take over without firing a shot. However, like it or not, they are supporting it just the same. In far too many cases, this force has actually been able to recruit those they've "dumbed down" to roll their Trojan Horse into town (so to speak), poison many wells, and take over the minds of many people, who like to think of themselves as being independent thinkers ... but who think and act as though they're from the same cookie cutter, "parroting" the exact same propaganda they've been indoctrinated to believe, promote and defend.

In other words, multitudes have been brainwashed ... and/or very negatively influenced ... and don't even realize it. Not only that, but the "real" enemies behind this movement have deceived these folks (who don't know that they don't know, but who have bought the lies and deception of the propaganda, that has been "spoon fed" to them, hook line and sinker) to the point that many have actually taken up the cause of the very ones who are out to destroy anything and everything that stands for the individual, political and religious liberties ... the decency, morality, brotherly love and respect for ... and to ... God, Country, fellow man, and patriotism ... which made this country great. Odd as it may seem, they are working for the very ones who are out to destroy what they claim they stand for, themselves ..., and they don't even realize it! Now, that's the real kicker, as I see it. For those who have bought in to the propaganda and mis-information ... hook, line and sinker ... and have basically given up, and more or less, flushed America down the toilet, there are three things they should be reminded of ... and the lessons to be learned by each of the following ....

I am NOT saying dumbed down, negatively influenced, brainwashed, people are evil. They've just been sold a bill of goods by the "dark side", and have aligned themselves (whether knowingly or not) with a variety of religious intolerant, anti-God, anti-American, anti-patriotism, tyrants and dictators who have fought against this organization tooth and nail ... as did: Mussolini, Hitler, Franco, Stalin, Ludendorff, and even the Catholic Church (as documented by quite a few Papal Bulls). Granted, that is a person's right and privilege, to do so, if they so desire. You can do what you want to ... but, as for me, I'm going to continue to stand with those who were very instrumental in seeing to it that this country was established the way it was. AND, not only with those who were the founders of this great country, and the framers of our constitution, but also with a whole host of great military leaders, statesmen, civic leaders, patriots and citizens, both past and present, who are also part of this same organization. I would just tell anyone who is pondering this matter to "Choose you this day" ... AND to keep in mind ... "Ye shall know them by their fruits".

Personally, I refuse to succumb to the intimidation tactics employed by the politically correct, religious intolerant, anti-government, anti-God, anti-American, anti-Patriotism, whale saving/baby killing, tree hugging, liberals, and their willing accomplices, who masquerade around as if they have all the answers ... when they don't even have all the questions! Well, I'll get off my soap box now, and will close by saying there is absolutely nothing wrong with Christians praying for, being concerned about, AND being involved with trying to protect and preserve America .. and our core values. As the late President John F. Kennedy put it, "Ask not what your Country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your Country."

John the Baptist was referred to as the "voice of one crying in the wilderness". It was in this spirit that I purposed in my heart a number of years ago ... AFTER God called me out of red neck beer joints of Mississippi in 1985, delivered me "cold turkey" and put something deep down in my soul that has been like fire shut up in my bones ... that I started my non-denominational work for God both in print AND on the Internet. It is my most earnest and sincere prayer that this movie of Mel Gibson has been done in the SAME way. And, it is my understanding that it was. I am convinced God is calling people (many of whom, like myself, would be considered most unlikely) to do a work in these last days before God brings things to a climax. It is also my most earnest and sincere prayer that, if you haven't done so already, you will come to embrace the Apostles' One God Monotheistic doctrine and obey Acts 2:38.