"The Passion" is a Major Disappointment

Henry Makow Ph.D.

Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ" angered and disheartened me. It was an excruciating experience and a waste of time. I would have left had I not been "on assignment."

My readers know that I had hoped this movie might spur a religious revival. Then on reading reviews I had misgivings. One reviewer said it "celebrates humanity's hatred for Christ rather than Christ's love for humanity." (The hatred of Christ is satanic.) Another said it was "the Gospel according to the Marquis de Sade."

Suspicious of the mainstream media, I withdrew my misgivings opting to see the movie myself. Unfortunately, they were justified.

The movie depicts how Jesus did not try to save himself but rather embraced a brutal torture and death. I realize that for many Catholics this has great significance, which I will touch on later. However I question its value for non-Catholics.

Sadism

The movie mostly consists of Jesus being humiliated, beaten and flogged. The lashing is so severe no man could possibly survive, let alone carry a heavy cross.

The severity is demonstrated when the centurion brings his lash down on a wooden desk: the splinters fly leaving a deep gash.

For what seems like an eternity, Jesus is flogged on his back. When this gruesome ordeal finally appears to be over, Jesus is released and rolls on to the ground. Then he is flogged on his chest for what seems like another eternity. No explanation for the Romans' animosity is provided.

Then Christ is taunted and beaten by centurions who place a crown of thorns on his head. Then he is whipped while carrying the cross. At one point he falls on the ground and the cross falls on top of him.

The movie inspires a disheartening sense of God's feebleness and the Power of Evil. The rumblings in heaven after the Crucifixion do not dispel this sickening sense. That's why I give credence to those critics who suspect Gibson of a hidden satanic agenda.

While scourging is mentioned in the Gospels, it has nothing like the significance it does in the movie. For example, "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him" (John 19:1). "Then they spat in his face...beat him [and] struck him with the palms of their hands." (Matt 26:67)

Gibson does not establish Christ's significance as embodiment of God's Love. Thus it is hard to comprehend the meaning of the Crucifixion. James Caviezel who plays Christ has little stature or charisma. Sparse attention is paid to Christ's Gospel. The flashback to the Sermon on the Mount is perfunctory. Why wasn't the whole sermon depicted?

My article "Passion Highlights Jewish Christian Differences" was far too optimistic. http://www.savethemales.ca/000322.html The movie does nothing of the sort.

Judaism (or Talmudism) upholds the special relationship of Jews to God. In practice, it is an ideology of racial superiority and conquest. Christ was killed because he taught the universality of God's love and the brotherhood of all men.

Judaism emphasizes success and power in this world. There is no afterlife. Christ was killed because he taught us to renounce the world's lures for the rewards of the Spirit both now and in the hereafter.

Why make a film about the Crucifixion if it misses these fundamental points?

Satanic Hoax?

Cutting Edge.org says that "The Passion" portrays Illuminati symbols of the anti Christ not found in the Bible, nor in St. Anne Emmerich's mystic writings, upon which Gibson relied. http://www.cuttingedge.org/newsletters/index.html

"As the Roman soldiers are beating Jesus, the female Satan is suddenly seen gliding through the crowd opposite the Virgin Mary. Suddenly, as she emerges from behind the body of a soldier, you can see that she is carrying a very white child. Since the movie has... juxtaposed scenes of the Virgin Mary and of the female Satan, and since Satan is dressed in the same type of Virgin Mother outfit, this demonic scene must be intended to depict a Virgin Mother - Divine Child scenario.... The baby suddenly turns to look upon Jesus' brutal beating with great glee..."

The web site also suggests that Jesus is one-eyed throughout the movie (due to his beating) and this too is an llluminati signal. The logo of Gibson's Icon production is a single eye as is the Satanic eye in the Freemason symbol which is on the U.S Great Seal.

Cutting Edge also remarks that the very last scene of the movie, which takes place after his resurrection in the tomb, shows Christ's bare buttocks. I missed this because I was in a hurry to escape.
For those interested in the satanic angle, I also refer you to Watch Unto Prayer www.watch.pair.com

How I Differ From Catholics

The medieval mystic St. Anne Emmerich influenced Gibson's script. Apparently during the middle ages, popular piety put great emphasis on Christ's physical sacrifice. His wounds pointed to "the fulfillment of Christ's love because God humbled himself by taking on vulnerable flesh and died to free mankind from death...Christ's death was a perfect sacrifice that destroyed the power of sin, and therefore death over humanity." http://www.holycross.edu/departments/visarts/projects/kempe/devotion/wounds.html
I have no interest in religious disputation and will not engage in it. I am not a Catholic but agree that imitating Christ's self-mortification is a valid religious path. I was born a Jew but do not subscribe to Judaism either.

I do not know if Christ was God. I suspect he was a man who was totally imbued by the Divine Spirit and perfectly expressed the Divine Purpose. His message was that if he could do it, so can we. I think this is what he means when he says, "none can come to God but through me." We can experience our Divinity by obeying God.

I believe that God is Reality. We were put on earth to unveil God's Plan, both personally and collectively. However the spiritual heirs of the Pharisees are creating a new world order dedicated to Lucifer and not God. They are defining truth and goodness not in real terms but according to their narrow totalitarian agenda.

They are turning the world upside down. Most of our assumptions about society are a lie. I am more convinced than ever that the Harold Rosenthal Interview is an accurate expose. http://www.savethemales.ca/000334.html

Gibson's "The Passion of Christ" could have reminded us of our Divine nature and responsibility. Instead it was a medieval passion play. I appreciate that many people were inspired and uplifted. I am glad and respect that. Please do not attempt to convince me I should have been inspired as well.

Recently a young man asked for advice about religion. For the benefit of a few like him, I am going to conclude with my reply:
"If I were you, I would not associate with any religious organizations. I would also shift my focus from scripture to your immediate life and your immediate relationship to God. I would try to be silent or take long walks and clear my head. Then I would listen for God speaking to you. In other words, have an immediate relationship with your Creator and focus on improving your life and behaviour by bringing more harmony, peace, love and order into it.
You can still read the scriptures for inspiration but let your day be your religion, how you live, how you embody the principles in which you believe. Too much religion seems to remove people from their actual life.

I don't pretend to be a success myself in these terms but it represents my ideal."

Henry Makow Ph.D. is the inventor of the board game Scruples and the author of "A Long Way to go for a Date." His past articles exposing feminism and the new world order can be found at www.savethemales.ca His email address is henryatsavethemales.ca

Last updated 29/06/2004