CNN.com - Hundreds help remove anti-Semitic graffiti? - Mar 8, 2004

Rabbi Daniel Cohen said the vandalism may have been sparked by Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” which just finished its second weekend as the No. 1 movie in the country. The movie, which some believe wrongly blames Jews for the death of Christ, has been criticized as anti-Semitic.

Elise Zakroff said she was sure the film inspired the graffiti.

“What Mel Gibson did is terrible,” Zakroff said. “It is happening all over. We are tired of anti-Semitism. All we want is peace.”

Having no evidence, and no proof, I conclude they’re right. It was Mel Gibson who caused this. I know for a fact because there wasn’t any nazisim in the United States until the Passion of The Christ came out. All hatred, ignorance, and even anti-semitism had been swept under the rug until last Ash Wednesday.

I wish the world would stop countering idiocy with more idiocy.

Lake County church shows bootleg tape of ‘Passion’

Oops.

I stumbled on a particularly odd review of the album. At first I thought it was the sarcastic joke of an atheist.

I asked Jesus about this soundtrack and the movie and He said, “It is, so far, the most accurate portrayal of the actual suffering I endured… for ALL OF YOU!”

When I clicked on the link with his name, I saw that all of Peniel G.G.G.’s Reviews were almost all the same. Thirty-eight reviews about Christian books or tapes or whatever, claiming approval from Jesus. He must be a very repetitive atheist with a lot of free time, willing to spread his sarcasm all around amazon.com, I thought to myself.

But then I googled his name.

He’s serious. Sadly serious. He’s apparantly authored many books which detail the explicit conversations he’s been having with god for many many years.

It’s an odd world.

Black News

It makes me sick to see these so-called white Christians in the South running around crying about a movie called “The Passion of the Christ,” when just a few years earlier these same so-called white Christians in the South were getting out of church early to watch an innocent Black man being lynched by the KKK! How hypocritical can you get?

Um. Yep.

Commanders lecture cadets over ‘Passion’

The Air Force Academy recently “admonished” cadets who had tried to spread the news about the Passion using an email list serve. The fact that they merely “admonished” them, leads me to believe that they didn’t violate any email policy, or any Air Force rule. Futhermore, they posted flyers in the Cafeteria (BLASPHEME!), and were verbally “admonished” for this as well. I’m not sure if Superintendent Lt. Gen. John Rosa, the officer who “admonished” them is aware, but one usually signs up for the Air Force to protect our constitution which just happens to garuntee the freedom of speech. It’s amazing how we like our freedoms but don’t ENCOURAGE their healthy, normal, use.

I’d bet (but am willing to be wrong), that the Cadets regularly use their emails and email lists for all kinds of personal issues. People get offended that we might offend people who aren’t Christians by suggesting that they see a movie.

A COSMIC philosophy is not constructed to fit a man; a cosmic philosophy is constructed to fit a cosmos. A man can no more possess a private religion than he can possess a private sun and moon.
-G.K. Chesterton

I would love it if more Muslims suggested that others see a movie expounding or about their faith. Equally would suggestions by Jews, Hindus, Atheists, and the like, find a place in my heart. Dialogue, interaction, discussion, and sharing are all necessary for understanding and growth. If only Christians share with Christians, then we stay in our own safe little unmolested boxes, conjuring up distorted, ignorrant visions of each other.

I part company with Jefferson and other likeminded folks who suggest that religion is only personal in nature. Religion is ultimately communal, because it’s essentially about our relationship as a human race with each other and our Creator.