The Mel Gibson movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” has been available on DVD for less than three weeks and already it has sold 9 million copies, breaking all previous records. But not everyone is happy: noting its DVD/VHS release, about 100 theologians have now signed a statement condemning the film for being anti-Semitic.
Commenting on this is Catholic League president William Donohue:
“The success of ‘The Passion of the Christ’ conclusively demonstrates that the unethical campaign to censor the movie and malign the millions who love it has been an abject failure. But some never learn, and no segment of the population is slower at learning than the learned ones in the academy.
“The arrogance of the theologians who hate this movie is unsurpassed. Consider the comment, ‘we also acknowledge that many who see the film are honestly unaware of its anti-Jewish elements.’ Read: many who like the movie are just too dumb to pick up on its bigoted elements. But fear not, to the rescue come the learned ones.
Here’s another example: ‘Acknowledging that many people have responded positively to the film, we still find it lamentable that Christian leaders so easily pass over its anti-Jewish character in favor of what they perceive to be its positive aspects.’ Perceive to be? In other words, in reality the movie is devoid of positive aspects; some (the unlearned ones) have obviously been deluded. Once again, our benighted savants have come to the rescue. Just put on their lens and watch the film their way, and all will be well. Make no mistake about it, this isn’t the stance of educators—it’s the work of the thought police.
“Finally, the high priests of theology and theater are forced to admit that ‘antisemitic violence has not occurred.’ But, they say, this ‘gives us minimal comfort.’ Maybe so, but it sure gives the rest of us a lot of satisfaction knowing just how wrong they’ve been all along.”
