The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland Tennessee (TN) and Bradley County Tennessee (Tn).





Of Bradley County Tn.


MARCH  2004

                            The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland and Bradley County Tn.

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The Windowbox

Passion (Before)

by Susie Lofton

Few industries have the power of persuasion that Hollywood does. The reference to "Hollywood" here encompasses the whole movie making industry whose epic-center is Hollywood, California; and includes all the major studios. The industry has made tremendous advancements over the years. First, everyone was producing silent movies where the movements of the actors were stiff and choppy; and silent. Today, and after much improvement in equipment and technology, one can experience movies that at one time were thought of as only fantasy. Visual effects digitally produced can almost make the unbelievable, believable. Some effects are so explicitly detailed that one has to remind them that what they are watching is not REAL.

I remember watching Moses and the Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston for the first time. I was quite young at the time, but nonetheless it was awesome and spellbinding. Then came movies like Star Wars, Star Trek, etc., with space and a wild imagination as one's inspiration. What always amazed me were movies where hundreds and thousands of people were depicted in extremely large areas, such as war movies. How did they get so many people dressed and co-coordinated?

One such movie produced in recent years was "Braveheart," which had hundreds of people in battle, one against another in hand-to-hand combat. Those battle scenes

Susie Lofton

were so graphic and realistic! I liked the movie, the theme and plot, but the blood and gore was much more than I could stand. When it came to those parts, I would look away much of the time. Aside from the movie itself, I learned some really interesting history. Studying history in school was not the least bit interesting to me, but as the old saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Today, I really enjoy watching historical movies. History in movies puts "legs" on words. It gives you something to visualize and visualization helps one retain material that otherwise is abstract and unfocused.

The newest and at the moment, most controversial movie is, "Passion of The Christ," directed by Mel Gibson, who by the way played the starring role in "Braveheart." This movie, "Passion," is about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Having not yet seen it, and my only real knowledge of the movie is from what I have heard, it sounds to me to be a movie, which is graphic and moving, historical and for the MOST part--scripturally accurate. I understand that there is a segment before the crucifixion where Satan tempts Jesus. In the scriptures, Satan did tempt Jesus early in His ministry. Anyway, the Bible does not give a minute-by-minute account of Jesus' life. In the Garden of Gethsemane following the Last Supper, Jesus agonized in prayer over His impending death. He asked that the cup, his death, be passed from Him, but He chose to do the will of the Father over His own. He told His disciples, the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. We are not privileged to the thoughts that passed through His mind. Perhaps as He prayed, He remembered that Satan had once offered Him the kingdoms of the world if He would fall down and worship him. He warned His disciples to watch and pray, lest they entered into temptation.

With all the movies about witchcraft, the false messiah, the beast and every imaginable evil concept, it is about time someone was brave enough to come forward with a message of hope. Evil is real. It is tangible. It is not what it often appears,

alluring and fascinating. It is deadly.

The only hope that one has is through Jesus Christ. He is real. He is tangible. He is what He is. In Him there is life.

It has been told, that this new movie is graphic. So be it. Some years ago a Doctor researched the customs of the time of Christ, His brutal beatings, and trial. It was his learned opinion that it was a miracle Jesus did not die from injuries sustained even before he made it to the cross. He had to endure the cross, or He would not have been the true Messiah. It was prophesied by the Prophets of old that the Christ would suffer in such a manner. The scriptures had to be fulfilled.

Many will not like this movie. That is to be expected. Some who are Jewish are afraid that this might heighten anti-Semitic opinions. I cannot recall ever hearing a Jewish person denounce the crucifixion of Christ. They denounced him as the Messiah. They were so convinced that Jesus was not the promised one that at His trial before Pilate the people cried, "His blood be on us, and on our children" (Matthew 27:25). Sad, but true, it has.

The beautiful thing about the biblical event of the Passion of Christ is that if it had not happened as it did, aside from the prophetical side. If the Jews had accepted Him, He would have only been a Jewish Messiah. Us, who are Gentiles, would have no hope. He came to save all, not just the Jews.

I truly believe this movie is not to make any one group of people look bad, or to stir up hatred against them. It is history. The war with the Japanese and the Germans is also history. But, look at us today. Our country is unique. We are a melting pot consisting of all nations, setting an example for all.

One has to consider also, the passion of the director, Mel Gibson. It is my understanding that he, in the scene where the nails are being driven in the hands of Christ. That Mel opted to perform that part himself. This tells me, he has a deep conviction and realization of who Jesus Christ is. In essence, we all crucify him afresh and put Him to open shame each time we willingly and purposefully sin (Heb. 6:6). This is Mel's way of baring his soul and acknowledging his own shame.

This is not the first, second or third movie made about Jesus Christ. We see movies each year around Easter about His life and death. There have been spin-off movies about the robe of Christ and about different ones converted to Christianity following His resurrection and ascension. The one thing I have heard a lot about was the graphic nature of the movie. When that part comes along, if I cannot bare to look upon what my Lord bore, then I will look away. But I hope I can look upon it and rejoice that I know where hope lies.

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