[Marq]

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

Marq, what back-story or prior context are you talking about? The Gospels, with the exception of one brief passage in Luke, give no back story other than Christ was born in Nazareth. And by prior context are you talking about Isaiah? Well, Isaiah was written 700 years before Christ.

As you allude to later, I was mostly referring to providing some background on who this "Jesus" character was. Though, you say it would be only series teachings to dull disciples, I would not have minded some presentation of him as a teacher, performer of miracles, and watching him amass some followers. As I mentioned, I am far from a religious scholar, so it would be safe to assume I was not referring to any specific passages from the Gospels or Isaiah.

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

And you don’t like the movie because Gibson doesn’t go out of his way to guide you step by step through the New Testament nor does he differentiate Mary from Mary called Magdalene. So you don’t know that John is John. What does it matter if you know his name or not? The point is not what was John like, but how could John watch his Rabbi being crucified over 12 hours yet hold no hatred against the aggressors.

I most certainly was not referring to being guided through the entire New Testament. You're putting words in mouth. I was able to differentiate the characters fine (Mary[s]; John; Judas; etc). If I wanted it to be as simplistic as possible and to be spoon-fed I would have complained about the spoken languages/ subtitles (I actually thought those were a wise choice). Sorry for being so vague.

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

You're basically admitting that your heart is hard and that you are duller (spiritually) than Peter. Do you take pride in saying that you didn't give a damn that Christ was tortured so badly that God had to look away?

You're putting words in my mouth here again. Nowhere am I saying that my hart is hard and lack spirituality. You may think or infer that my heart is hard for not admiring the film and its telling of the story and that I lack spirituality, but perhaps I simply did not find this movie to be especially effective. If you interpret that as my "not giving a damn that Christ was tortured", that's fine. I don't think my religious beliefs are absolutely necessary to disclose when commenting in a "Film Discussion" forum, but if it makes you feel better to assume my spiritual stance, so be it, but I won't be baited here. If you'd like to go that route in another area, that's fine (though I'm not sure how into it I'd be, as I'm nearly as impassioned/ religious person as you, nor do I think emotions could be tamed very well by all members posting), but I thought I'd be interesting to focus solely on the film itself (such as your great comparissons with The Passion of Joan of Arc).

I'd say you should lay off the not-so-vague insults, Rouge. I like you a lot, but assuming what I do and don't give a damn over simply based on my reaction to a film is pressuming a lot.

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

I mean, did you even cry or feel badly for Christ?

If the film was more effective (for me) in telling the story, perhaps I would have cried. I did of course feel badly for him as it's a horrifying story, but I wasn't brought to tears in this case.

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

When you watched the Romans sadistically torture Christ did you not realize that YOU sadistically mistreat god's grace and commit worse sins on a daily basis?

I'm thinking you're taking my distain for the film a little too seriously. Your interjecting your obviously passionate religious beliefs (which are completely fine for you or others to have) by telling me how I should feel when watching a filmic adaptation of scripture is pressuming far to much about me again. To suggest I MUST feel that I "sadistically mistreat god's grace and commit worse sins on a daily basis" (or any other way) when seeing the movie not only assumes my spiritual foundations are identical to yours and the filmmakers, but also fails to realize, as I'd been arguing, that I obviously have failed to find the film effective on most levels, and would not nearly be so overwhelmed by my own sadistical sinning ways (were I to have that belief system myself [which again, your are pressuming]), if I don't think it's good filmmaking.