Should Baptists See Anti-Semitic Mel Gibson's
"The Passion of The Christ"?
We believe that this is an appropriate question to ask. After all, "The Passion of The Christ" movie has been well known for years for its "R"-rated, bloody, Roman Catholic content. This movie, which came out a few years ago, was produced by the anti-Semite Mel Gibson, who has made several other extremely violent films in the past, such as "Mad Max", "Lethal Weapon", and "Braveheart".
"The Passion of The Christ" can be objectively classified as a "splatter film" on the basis of its violent, blood-spattering content. (A "splatter film" is "a sub-genre of an horror film". This genre includes many other horror films, films such as "Psycho", "Kill Bill 2", and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" to name a few.) This blood-splattering is also "up close and personal", because its extreme violence and shedding of blood is shown in "close-up" format on the movie screen. The blood-splattering in "The Passion of The Christ" also goes on for a sickeningly long period of time in the movie.
What business would a Fundamentalist Baptist or any other Baptist have in seeing such a violent Roman Catholic film by an anti-Semite? The fact that this is a "Roman Catholic" film that we are referring to should be made quite clear. Mel Gibson, a devoted, pre-"Vatican II" anti-Semitic Roman Catholic produced this movie. Mel Gibson had experts in Roman Catholic theology help him to make this movie, so that he could be very sure that this movie was in fact a "Roman Catholic" movie. The movie also teaches Mariolatry, one of the central heresies of the Roman Catholic Church. (For references to this, please see the bottom of this page.)
If you are not of the opinion that the Mariolatry contained in "The Passion of The Christ" is enough to demonstrate that this is indeed a Roman Catholic film, then please note that there is also quite a lot of other evidence you might also want to consider as well. For example, "The Passion of The Christ" contains all of the Roman Catholic so-called "Twelve Stations of the Cross", much of which is clearly un-Biblical.
The movie also has the Apostle of Christ bowing himself low before Mary, proclaiming himself to be unworthy of her, and calling her "Mother". Further, the movie shows Mary herself possessing, (and in fact using), "ESP"-type supernatural powers to sense both where Jesus was and what was happening to him.
"The Passion of The Christ" also has Mary entering into the very sufferings of Christ, as the "Co-Redemptrix", --an heretical false doctrine taught by Roman Catholicism. (This blasphemous doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church exalts Mary to the status of "co-redeemer", having Mary and Jesus both together paying for sin on the Cross.) Mary is also dressed in what is clearly reminiscent of a nun's "habit" as her costume for this movie.
Roman Catholic elements are actually heavily interwoven throughout the movie. Therefore, any claim that this movie is not in fact a "Roman Catholic" movie, is either made in ignorance or else is intellectually dishonest, given the great deal of evidence proving that the movie is very Roman Catholic from start to finish.
For a Baptist, the question of whether or not this movie is "Roman Catholic" is both quite relevant and important. The Roman Catholic Church teaches a false gospel of works, rather than the true gospel of grace through faith in Christ alone. Therefore, Roman Catholicism is a false religion, in the same way that "Mormonism" and "Islam" are soul-damning religious cults -- each teaching a false plan of salvation through the "good works" of man.
The leader of Roman Catholicism, the Pope, has been called "The Anti-Christ" by many Baptists throughout history. Millions of Baptists and others (including countless Jews) have been tortured and/or killed over the centuries, based upon the authority and/or orders of such Popes. I do not personally believe that any Pope in the past was actually "The Antichrist". Nevertheless, this may or may not be the case in the very near future, what with (Pope Benedict XVI) now the Pope of Rome.
The Roman Catholic Church, under the Pope's guidance, has of course had a long history of anti-Semitism. Countless Jews have been murdered over the centuries under the direction and influence of the Roman Catholic Church. In fact Adolf Hitler was an anti-Semitic Roman Catholic. Since Mel Gibson is a Roman Catholic, it is not surprising that he would make a Roman Catholic movie showing Jews in a very poor light.
In comparison, Baptists have had a long history of supporting the Jews and believe that the Jews are God's "Chosen People" on Earth. Baptists have therefore historically refused to support anti-Semitism. Because Baptists are friends of Israel and the Jews, learning that some so-called Baptists have supported Mel Gibson's movie comes as something of a shock to true historical Baptists.
Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger)
A new man became the Pope of Rome back in 2005, namely Pope Benedict XVI. Nevertheless, please take a close look into the eyes of this new Pope in the above picture. If you are a Baptist and know that Popes have presided over the torture and murder of millions of Baptists and others over the last few centuries, can you really trust this new Pope? Will either this or another Pope after him be or help the Antichrist to start shedding the blood of Baptists once again by the millions, possibly in the very near future?
I do not actually think that this current Pope, Benedict XVI, will start killing Baptists by the millions. Nevertheless, it remains an irrefutable historical fact that Popes in the past have presided over the torture and/or murder of millions of Baptists and other Christians, Jews, and others who dared to disagree with Roman Catholic teachings. It is therefore certainly conceivable that such a thing could happen once again in the near future, possibly in our lifetime or within the lifetimes of our children.
If millions of Baptists have been murdered by the Popes of Rome, and possibly millions more may be murdered again be in the not-too-distant future, then isn't a supporter of such a clearly Roman Catholic movie on the same side as those Baptist killers? Is it not "Spiritual High Treason" against Christ and against His Church for a Baptist to support such a Roman Catholic movie? Would it be any worse to support a Muslim or Communist propaganda movie, (since both Muslims and Communists have also killed millions of Baptists and other Christians over the years?)
I would not want to one day stand before Christ at the Bema Judgment, (or in fact the Last Judgment, as will be the case for far too many so-called Baptists), and try to explain why I had deliberately chosen to support those who have murdered the Saints of Christ. God Forbid!
Then, there is the issue of manufacturing lies about Jesus. This movie makes many false presentations of events, words, and actions concerning Christ. The Book of Mormon and The Koran also make many lies about Jesus. Are the Book of Mormon and The Koran good books or are they bad books? You must readily admit that they are "bad books" if you really love Jesus and The Bible.
Do not the Book of Mormon and The Koran present for us two different "False Christ" images? If any Christ is not the Christ of Scripture, then the Bible clearly says that it is "another" Christ. The Bible strongly warns Christians against tolerating such a "False Christ". Nevertheless, this movie clearly presents us with the image of "another Jesus" because the "Jesus" of "The Passion of The Christ" is a different Jesus than the real Jesus of Scripture. (2 Corinthians 11:4)
Is lying about Jesus blasphemous? You might ask, "But, how could lying about Jesus not be blasphemous?" Many years ago, a movie called "The Last Temptation of Christ" also presented many wicked lies about Jesus. Because of this other movie's blasphemies, thousands of New Evangelical Christians and others in California staged a protest against this wicked movie. They essentially shut down the Hollywood Freeway and flooded the streets of Universal City. These Christians, (and others who apparently had at least some fear of God), were filled with "righteous indignation", protesting against that movie's lies against the Savior.
The movie "The Passion of The Christ", like the movie "The Last Temptation of Christ" before it, also spewed out many lies about Jesus. This time, however, where were the thousands of Christians filling the streets to protest this new movie by the anti-Semite Mel Gibson? Instead, most Christians were silent about this new blasphemous movie by the wicked of Hollywood. (As an example of the wicked people of Hollywood, Monica Bellucci, who played Mary Magdalene in this movie, also performed in many violent and extremely sexually perverted pornography movies as well. See the references at the bottom of this page.)
Then lastly, what about the idea of a Fundamental Baptist even going to a movie theater to watch such a violent R-rated movie? There was a time not too long ago, when Fundamental Baptists earned a reputation for shunning Hollywood movies altogether. In many such churches across America and elsewhere, preachers preached "red hot" sermons from their pulpits, warning people about the "evils" of Hollywood's filthy and blasphemous movies. Where are those preachers today and where are their fiery sermons against the sins of Hollywood?
Most of the preachers who once preached "red hot" sermons have long since died. For the most part, preachers have stopped preaching against the Babylon of Hollywood and her great sins. In the place of such Godly preachers are "men without backbones" -- "jellyfish" men -- men too cowardly to speak out against Hollywood and her filth and blasphemy. In fact, many such preachers have actually pitched their tents towards this "Sodom" of Hollywood. My, how things have changed! (I guess that Satan has been enjoying some rather successful "evangelism" efforts lately among many Fundamental Baptist preachers.)
Of course, in the past there were also many liberal Baptist preachers who did not preach against the watching of Hollywood's movies per se. Instead, many of these men only preached against the watching of "those bad movies" that were rated "R" or "X". Nevertheless, Mel Gibson was often singled out by some of those same preachers for his extremely violent movies and such preachers warned people specifically to stay away from Mel Gibson's violent R-rated movies.
To my shock, I have found that many of these same preachers have told their congregations to watch this newest (and perhaps most violent) of the anti-Semite Mel Gibson's R-rated films! What has happened? What is going on? Are preachers now endorsing the very sins that they, (until recently), were so strongly preaching against? Whose side are these preachers on anyway - God's or Hollywood's?
Worse yet, many preachers have actually carried this violent, rated-R, blasphemous film right into their church sanctuaries, auditoriums, or fellowship halls so as to pollute the very House of God with the spiritual filth and blasphemy of Hollywood. Will not God be angry with such a provocation? Will a man of God do such an evil deed right in church and a Holy God not see it? God Forbid!
"Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them." (Ezekiel 8:14-18)
Of course, some preachers commit their sins in secret, preferring to bring such rated-R, sexually perverted, or spiritually pornographic movies home as DVDs, in order to view them secretly "with the shades pulled down". By doing so, they act as if God could not see their sins with the shades pulled down. Nevertheless, the eyes of the Lord are still "in every place...", (including your bedroom with the shades pulled down.) (Proverbs 15:3).
If you have either seen anti-Semite Mel Gibson's "The Passion of The Christ, " or else have supported it in spiritual ignorance, God can still forgive you for this wicked sin through the blood of Jesus Christ His Son. "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11) Therefore, seek the cleansing and forgiveness of the real Jesus Christ for your sins. Christ's blood is sufficient to cover all sin.
Some Resources:
(I do not necessarily agree with everything in these links.)
Mel Gibson’s movie: The Passion of The Christ (Index of articles)
Mel Gibson’s Passion: A Biblical Analysis of The Passion of the Christ
[How to Gain Freedom from Sinful Passions]
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