Just a note to the originator of this thread. Someone or something
who is "ultramontaine" supports the supremacy of the Pope. Mr.
Gibson's film can in no way be ultramontaine since its content and
story concern a time and a place long before the establishment of
that Papacy, thereby rendering it unable to make any comments
regarding the Pope whatsoever. Additionally, Mel Gibson rejects the
authority of the Vatican as an institution, and thereby, the Pope.
As he stated in the Italian newspaper Il Giornale, "My love for
religion was transmitted to me by my father, but I do not believe
in the Church as an institution." Hence, there is nothing
ultramontaine about him either. Also, you failed to mention that
the "lurid scene" involving Ciaphas was a passage from the Gospel
of Matthew, not some heinous invention on Gibson's part (as one
might assume from your apparent opinions about the film). In your
mention of this scene, I find your use of the word "lurid"
misleading. "Lurid" is a word that means "gruesome" and "causing
horror." Usually it refers to something that is violent or sexually
explicit - especially when describing a scene in a film, play or
book. There is no such content in the aforementioned scene. In the
scene, the High Priest Ciaphas speaks for the people in response to
Pilate's denial of responsibility for the crucifixion of Jesus.
Ciaphas says that the people are willing to take the blame -
indicating their opinion that it was the right thing to do. The
scene also had nothing to do with Gibson's "intestines on a stick"
quote. He said that of a journalist who was accusing him of
anti-Semitism, a belief which he has openly and frequently said he
despises. "I want to kill him," et cetera, was not the right thing
for him to say, to be sure. But Christians aren't perfect people.
Not even necessarily good people. Just sinners who realize they're
sinners and try to follow the way of salvation - not always
succeeding. Your title, "Mel Gibson - Christian," along with the
tone of this series of posts seems to suggest that somehow you
believe that Mr. Gibson is not any kind of Christian at all or that
in being Christian, he is staunchly anti-Semitic and that this
quote somehow proves that - which it in fact does not. Mel Gibson
has been a man under assault spiritually, emotionally,
psychologically and even physically (illness was rampant during
filming) through the making of this film and the resultant
backlash. He is highly passionate about this film and is deeply
hurt and angered by assaults on his character resulting from it. I
if I found myself in a similarly taxing situation, some very
unfortunate words might escape my lips as well. Also, your
assumption that the word "they" in his other comment is directed to
Jews as a people is irresponsible and unfounded. Mr. Gibson is
speaking here in obvious hyperbole about the ardor with which those
who are offended by the scene are opposed to its inclusion in this
or any film. This is not limited to Jewish people, nor is it
extended to the whole of the Jewish race or religion by anything
other than your flagrantly assailant attitude toward Mr. Gibson's
character. He never set himself up to be any sort of "paragon" and
has said things he most certainly shouldn't have, but that is no
cause to discount the man's faith and sincerity wholesale. The Holy
Spirit has indeed inspired many broken, frail and sinful people to
do many great things and Mel Gibson is certainly no exception. In
short then, I find your cursory and markedly hostile words about
Mr. Gibson to be ill-informed and unfairly judgmental and I highly
recommend that you find some compassion of your own before being so
quick to point out its faltering in others. But that's just my
opinion.
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