Have you seen "The Passion of the Christ" in the theater or DVD?

[workinprogress8]

I cannot stand the sight of blood, so I don’t know if I could sit through this movie. I really wish I had the stomach for it. I know it would probably deepen my Catholic faith. Anyone else here saw it and didn’t get sick, despite the fact that they cannot stand the sight of blood.

Thanks

 

[Will_Turner]

I have the movie on dvd…I am glad I did not go to the theater to see it…I would have been devasted when watching the scourging and the crucifixion…I love the movie but I like watching it at home so I can pause it when it gets too hard to take! Beautiful picture…one all Catholics and Christians the world over should see eventually! God bless you Mel for making this film!

 

[Journeyman]

Wow, so far, an overwhelmingly large majority have seen the movie, but I am not surprised. After all, this is a Catholic Forum and most of the people in the forum, whether Catholic or non-Catholic have a deep faith. I can understand people not being sure if they want to see the movie because of the violence they might have heard about. But I think it was not inappropriate violence.

With such a large number of you responding that you saw the movie, it is kind of depressing to think that my parish was so apathetic towards the movie. I honestly think that most of the parishoners have no concept of the sacrifice of Christ and how that ties into the Mass and into their own lives. Sad!

 

[rayne89]

Saw it in the movie theater, plan on getting the DVD.

I too can not stand violence in movies but I felt I had to support this movie.(What was upsetting was 2 rows in front of us 2 young children no older than 9 - this is NOT a movie for children.) In the theater I watched most of it with out looking away, I guess I felt I had to. Jesus went through this for my sins the least I could do was know what he went through. I was emotional draining. It’s the only movie I ever went to where everyone left in complete silence.

I’ll probably only watch it once a year at lent.

Actually the last straw in a list of things that made us leave our old parish was our priest (fairly new to the parish) putting an article in the church bulletin criticizing the movie even though he admitted he’d not seen it. Making people feel guilty for their sins does not promote healthy spiritual developement was 1 of many rediculous comments he made.

 

[puzzleannie]

Chickamauga:

Two hours and seven minutes is “long?”

I was just given the DVD for the parish and it says 3 hours., but yes 2 hrs is a big block of time for me to carve out in a setting where I can watch the movie in a meditative way, not as entertainment. I just don’t go to movies, just don’t have time.

I did give it a shot on my day off when I had no relatives around to care for, they were sold out, but what really disturbed me, as the previous showing was letting out, to hear a group of teens obviously enthusiastic about the movie calling it a great “slasher flic”. their mood was anything but contemplative or sorrowful.

 

[Faithful_2_Rome]

I have no problem with violence, blood shed or gore in movies when done with artistic merit and keeping with the content of the genre or plot of the film…but I am also not a gorehound for the sake of gore. I dig explosions, bloody shoot em ups, etc…but nothing prepared me for how Gibson staged the Scourging…it shocked me, but was very necessary… I believe the Holy Spirit worked thru him and said its time ALL Christians as well as others woke up and seen what Christ went thru…think it didnt happen like that? Look again at Shroud of Turin…over 120 Scourge marks…front AND back…I think people needed a brutal wake up call that Jesus was NOT scourged like most other movies portray…as if he was whipped with a feather…for those who cant take it…you have your other Christ flicks…this one tells the brutal truth of what happened and I am glad it was shown…and I LOVE Mel Gibsons crazy skewed violent flicks…and God must have seen that Mel had the talent to bring this flick to life…yeah…I think God liked Braveheart and The Patriot…and did his own casting call for The Passion.

 

[4_marks]

Journeyman:

I was at a parish meeting last week and there was a mention of “The Passion of the Christ”. Only about 10% of the people in attendance have seen the movie. I was a bit surprised by the small number of people that had seen it. I know it might not be something that everyone would want to see, but I was surprised that so few Catholics had seen it.

I understand there might be various reasons that people have not seen it, so if you have not seen it, why not?

In 2004, I saw a sum total of two movies. I saw both in April. Both were the same movie. The movie that I saw 2x was Mel Gibson’s “The Passion.” I have a copy on DVD, but my wife doesn’t have the stomach to watch it. She has never seen it.

 

[Toni]

I saw it three times and bought it on VHS. It’s not the same at home with the small screen and lacks the sound effects but was well made and is an excellent movie.

 

[4_marks]

rayne89:

Saw it in the movie theater, plan on getting the DVD.

Actually the last straw in a list of things that made us leave our old parish was our priest (fairly new to the parish) putting an article in the church bulletin criticizing the movie even though he admitted he’d not seen it. Making people feel guilty for their sins does not promote healthy spiritual developement was 1 of many rediculous comments he made.

Good for you! Your former pastor sounds a lot like Robert Schuller (inserts finger down throat).

Is it me or are the PC police manning many of our parishes these days?

 

[Cairisti]

I saw it once in the theater when it first came out. (Luckily my brother bought our tickets online). It was probably one of the most emotional and moving movies I had seen. Though I will admit to not liking the scrouging scene, however, just knowing what our Lord when through , made it somewhat bearable and made me force myself to watch it. It was almost too bloody.(Used up quite a number of tissues too.) Also, seeing Mary’s reaction, ect was just heartbreaking. And the music was great. Not to mention getting to hear Aramaic and Latin. My brother did get it on DVD, but I’m not sure I want to watch it unless it’s during Holy Week. (And I’ll probably want to fast forward through some scenes.)

 

[JKirkLVNV]

I saw it in the theater and was given a copy for Christmas. I plan to watch it each Holy Week. I can understand some people not wanting to see it if they have a problem with violence or blood sickens them. What I don’t get is Catholic clergy and religious dumping on it, as the nun mentioned above. What did they imagine the Crucifixion was like. Growing up Baptist, we were disabused of any sterile notions of the Lord’s Death. As a history buff, I also knew how brutal the flogging scene was. I think the Romans kind of hoped that He would die under the lash so they wouldn’t have to walk outside the city to crucify Him. The part that undid me and over which I wept was when the Blessed Mother was trying to get to Him and He fell and then they flashed back to when He was a Baby and He fell and She flew to Him…well, that made me cry like a big ole’ girl!

 

[tee_eff_em]

2 theatrical showings (opening Ash Wednesday and a few weeks later with my 12 year old). My wife and 15 year old did not see it until the day the DVD went on sale (they would have been too overwhelmed seeing it in the theatre, but were glad to see it on the small screen)

A total of four 's
tee

 

[maklavan]

Have not seen the movie. Have no intention of seeing it.I do not care for the sensational violence that has always characterised Gibson’s work e. g. “Braveheart” Also, I am told that Jesus is thrown over a bridge in chains,and haunted by weird demons. Where is that in the Bible?

By the way. this film netted 500 million dollars. Did Gibson give this to the poor? If not, he is on up on Judas, who only made 30 pieces of silver.

 

[cove]

I plugged my ears and closed my eyes during the scourging scene when I saw it the first time around. It was awful. For me, it was like having to watch a member of my family be tortured and beaten. I think this maybe why alot of the faithful do not want to view it. My sister, for one, has not seen it sighting the graphic violence.

I had to really think about letting my children see it. But, they persisted in there desire to see it so I warned them about that scene and when it was about to start I got up and left the theater until it was over.

The movie was so very RC in how the Passion was portrayed. I could really relate to it. It is a great work of film art and Mr. Gibson deserves kudos and honors for the obvious “passion” he put into it.

 

[cove]

maklavan:

Have not seen the movie. Have no intention of seeing it.I do not care for the sensational violence that has always characterised Gibson’s work e. g. “Braveheart” Also, I am told that Jesus is thrown over a bridge in chains,and haunted by weird demons. Where is that in the Bible?

By the way. this film netted 500 million dollars. Did Gibson give this to the poor? If not, he is on up on Judas, who only made 30 pieces of silver.

Have you ever considered the movie a form of evangilization? The movie has crossed the boundries of Christian denominations. It has reached all corners of the world. How could you equate Gibson with Judas? Gibson is using his personal special talents to proclaim Christ to a modern world.

I did not like the violence but lets be realistic. Do you think Jesus’ beating was a walk in the park? If we can imagin what Jesus endured for us, it humbles you. I think this is what Gibson was trying to get across. No mere mortal could have with stood what Jesus with stood for our sake. In effect, you feel the pain of your own sins.

 

[rayne89]

cove:

The movie was so very RC in how the Passion was portrayed. I could really relate to it. It is a great work of film art and Mr. Gibson deserves kudos and honors for the obvious “passion” he put into it.

I have a fundementalist Baptist manager at work. After he saw the movie he said “I was surprised the movie wasn’t more Catholic.”
I questioned what he meant by that and he said “If a Baptist made a religious movie you’d expect it to have a Baptist portrayal of it.”
I replied “What’d you expect the pope to walk by praying the rosary? There isn’t a “Catholic” version of the crucifixtion.”

He also mentioned he thought Mary would have a* bigger* role -which really shows the misunderstanding many protestants have of our faith.

 

[cove]

rayne89:

I have a fundementalist Baptist manager at work. After he saw the movie he said “I was surprised the movie wasn’t more Catholic.”
I questioned what he meant by that and he said “If a Baptist made a religious movie you’d expect it to have a Baptist portrayal of it.”
I replied “What’d you expect the pope to walk by praying the rosary? There isn’t a “Catholic” version of the crucifixtion.”

He also mentioned he thought Mary would have a* bigger* role -which really shows the misunderstanding many protestants have of our faith.

What I meant when I said that is was very “Catholic” is that I could truly identify each of the stations of the cross that are always depicted on the walls of any Catholic church you enter. In our churches it is very comon to see a “Passion play” during Lent and this movie was just that, a Passion play on a grander scope. This is what was very familiar to me and something Gibson, a Catholic, most certainly got his ideas for the movie.

Your experience just goes to show you the ignorance there is among many in other denominations. I think this movie forced many of them to take a different look at the Catholic faith. Too often they believe that we are not even “christian”. Some of their perceptions were proved false. I credit Gibson for that.

 

[SCTA-1]

I’m just curious.I know Mel made mega-bucks off this movie and therefore profited from the gospel.Has anybody heard anything about what Mel is doing with his huge profits from the movie? I think giving some to the tsunami people would be a good start.I’m not being sarcastic or mean spirited about this, I’m just curious because I heard nothing about the movie’s profits helping anybody.

 

[Kevin_Walker]

Before “The Passion of the Christ” was made, I attended an Islamic Colloquium held at the Harvard Divinity School speaking on their belief that Christ did not die on the cross. (The Moslems believe and teach that He survived the crucifixion).

My point is that the Moslems minimilized everything about the crucifixion: that He wasn’t treated that bad, He wasn’t scourged that violently, that the spear in His side was merely a ‘prick’, and that overall Jesus was young enough and healthy enough to have survived the ordeal.

After what I read by a Roman historian that every abuse depicted in “The Passion of the Christ” would have been worse, I only wished that the movie was released before their workshop was given!!

Yours,
Kevin Walker,
Boston, MA.
Faithful 2 Rome:

I have no problem with violence, blood shed or gore in movies when done with artistic merit and keeping with the content of the genre or plot of the film…but I am also not a gorehound for the sake of gore. I dig explosions, bloody shoot em ups, etc…but nothing prepared me for how Gibson staged the Scourging…it shocked me, but was very necessary… I believe the Holy Spirit worked thru him and said its time ALL Christians as well as others woke up and seen what Christ went thru…think it didnt happen like that? Look again at Shroud of Turin…over 120 Scourge marks…front AND back…I think people needed a brutal wake up call that Jesus was NOT scourged like most other movies portray…as if he was whipped with a feather…for those who cant take it…you have your other Christ flicks…this one tells the brutal truth of what happened and I am glad it was shown…and I LOVE Mel Gibsons crazy skewed violent flicks…and God must have seen that Mel had the talent to bring this flick to life…yeah…I think God liked Braveheart and The Patriot…and did his own casting call for The Passion.

 

[tee_eff_em]

maklavan:

By the way. this film netted 500 million dollars. Did Gibson give this to the poor? If not, he is on up on Judas, who only made 30 pieces of silver.

I was going to respond to this, but then I thought better than to feed…

Continuing trip-trap, trip-trap, trip-trap across the bridge, ignoring any who live below,
tee