In Reply to: Why I decided not to see Gibson's Passion of Christ posted by Carol (AG) on February 24, 2004 at 17:35:20:
nice to know your name. "ag" always carries a picture of "attorney general" or "assembly of God"..(coincidentally, both embodied in john ashcroft! )
your story certainly is a "journey"! jiminy crickets! in the light of all that i can certainly see where you're coming from!phewee!
but on the other hand, i do want to see the film. i believe gibson quite sincerely was drawn to put before the world in a shocking way not only a shocking event in history, but for believers, the CENTRAL event in history. the passion and crucifixion certainly put to bed the "he was a good moral teacher" pablum that completely buries the point of his visit here.
i agree that the entire life of jesus as recorded in the gospels speaks volumes to us, not just the crucifixion. but w/o it, the incarnation, and resurection, really are not all that key. i love the words of jesus, the stories of this amazing character striding thru palestine blowing everyone's mind! but frankly, i have to agree w/ paul, "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us which are saved it is the power of God."
i, like you, am as george harrison put it, "claustrophobic and excatholic"..but i do recall the meditations on the stations ofthe cross while in elementary school as extremely moving and formative. perhaps a bit guilt inducing (m.scott peck said the catholic church kept him in business as a therapist!), but i must admit, i was, and am guilty of an awful lot. these days the cross moves me to gratitude, and i hope that seeing the film will refresh that gratitude in my easily jaded heart.