Total as of March 21st, 2004: $295,507,244

Soon, The Passion of The Christ will become the most successful R rated movie in US history and it will also enter the top 20 for domestic grosses. Yeaahh!

UPDATE: 24 hours after I wrote the above line, The Passion of the Christ is now the most successful R rated movie of all time, and the 18th most successful domestic grossing film of all time. And still no attacks on Jewish people. At what point do you think the arrogant bigots who said the film will cause violence will admit they were wrong??

FAITH, TERROR AND MARTYRDOM IN ALGERIA: THE MONKS OF TIBHIRINE

"But in the 1980s and 1990s, Algeria, like many other countries with large Muslim populations, began to feel the pressure of fundamentalist Islamic groups that were springing up around the world. "


Yet another story about the killing of Christians by muslims. My local representative and fellow parishioner Peter King has been getting slack from muslims over statements he made. He has written a novel, Vale of Tears, in which muslim terrorists attack in Nassau County. When he spoke on Sean Hannity he said that 85% of the mosques in the USA have extremist leadership. Of course, muslim leaders did not like hearing this. Oddly, you never hear statements from these muslims about the slaughter their people, their "religion", their culture causes. The local leader of the muslim mosque in Westbury was quoted by Paul Vitello in Newsday as saying that Israel might have been behind the September 11th attacks. Can you imagine the constant reporting Newsday would have done if this statement was said by a Catholic leader instead of a follower of the heresy of mohammed? In order for the slaughter to stop we need strong people like Peter King.

What Will Follow Gibson's Passion?


"Abraham Foxman, executive director of the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation League, predicts that if Gibson dramatizes either Jewish rebellion, "we'll lose."

"He'll write his own history," Foxman says. "I would prefer to leave the fate of Jewish history and Hollywood to Steven Spielberg. The Maccabees and Bar Kochba are our sacred history.

"The way he treats history - with a cherry picker of that which fits his ideology or view - is not the way I would like the world to learn about the heroism of the Maccabees or Bar Kochba. So, thanks but no thanks."


---So now Foxman is saying Mel Gibson can't even make a movie on this topic. His ADL just lost a $12 million ruling because they FALSELY accused a couple of anti-semitism. He is a bigot. And notice he says it is "our history", whose history is the Passion???

Abe Foxman and the ADL will have to pay $12 million to people they falsely accused of anti-semitism.

Via Protocols

Jon Voight criticized The Passion of The Christ because there were some scenes in the movie that were not in the Gospels. He was on The O'Reilly Factor complaining about the movie. I would boycott Voight's movies but I don't know any of them.

"a word to the wise to the young artists - without spiritual guidance too much freedom can lead to spiritual decline"

Above quote is not from Pope John Paul II, but from Prince.

Good questions by Jo in the comments re The Passion of The Christ---

Is the movie just preaching to the choir? Is it deepening or changing the faith of Christians who see it? Is it converting those nonChristians who see it?

What do we make of the fact that it is well attended by young men? Has Gibson, as many say, finally given us a manly image of Jesus, to counter the goofy, hippy, peace and love Jesus their parents' generation grew up with? If so, what affect is it having on this group of viewers.

One article I read this morning implied that 11% of the population has seen it out of 34% who plan to see it. Does this mean it could gross over $750M?


I think some of these questions were discussed on Amy Welborn's Open Book and other blogs, especially the ability of the film to convert. I don't think the film is having any effect on non-Christians who see it - I think it is mostly meant for the choir. The film presents perhaps the only manly Jesus many young men have ever seen and this may make the faith more acceptable to them in the future. The best effect so far has been the amount of discussion about Jesus Christ this film has caused. I am not so convinced of the power of the film to change people but I could be wrong. As far as grossing $750 million, I can hope! I can't wait to see how it does in Latin America.

Thanks to The Curt Jester for pointing out a new blog that should make Commonweal happy! Thoroughly Modern Mary is "An enlightened weblog from from the paradigm of religious community. Sister Mary Biko PhD guides you along the way of traditional deconstruction".

Forgetting Mel Gibson for a minute...Brian Lamb is the man! There is an article in today's paper about him and C-Span. I was not aware he founded C-Span but Booknotes is one of my favorite interview shows, he really knows how to do impartial and fair. The article stangely says he "was born into a Catholic home in Lafayette, Ind., two months before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor". I was surprised to see this since he comes across as the ultimate W.A.S.P. Like Charlie Rose he is a great interviewer and if you enjoy books his show is the best.

Pope John Paul II is now the 3rd longest serving Pope in history, with only St. Peter and Pius IX having served longer!