Churches see 'Passion' as a testament

[La_Serpiente]

Churches see 'Passion' as a testament

The 100 members of Trinity Christian Church in Albany have bought 200 tickets to an advance screening of "The Passion of the Christ."
Senior Pastor Joshua Brower said some members might see Mel Gibson's searingly controversial new movie about the Crucifixion but the extra tickets are for people who he said have so far missed God's message of love and sacrifice.

Thousands of Capital Region faithful will flock to theaters early next week for advance screenings of the R-rated film, which opens Wednesday, Ash Wednesday.

This latest Hollywood depiction of Jesus' final hours has been praised as inspirational and decried as brutally violent and anti-Semitic, in most cases by people who have not even seen it yet. And while some religious groups are steering clear of the buzz around the film -- or at least waiting until they have seen the movie to pass judgment -- many evangelical Christians like Brower are seizing the opportunity to spread the Bible's message in a society that they say is increasingly "biblically illiterate."

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Churches see 'Passion' as a testament

[Malva Zebrina]

1. A drowning man swims toward the nearest shore

:eyes: I wonder when Gibson will be beatified and canonized.

[ClintonTyree]

2. Fundie field day.............

there will be no living with these folks for the next few months until the novelty wears off. I wonder if they'll have EMT's standing by at each theater for those who suddenly experience 'the rapture' and start speaking in tongues?
The buzz about this movie is unbelievable, and Mel's going to be praising God all the way to the bank.
Mel's version of the crucifixion is sure to be a hit with the God Squad. Never mind that, in all likelihood, it's historically inaccurate. Seeing the blood of their savior spilled all over the multi-plexes is going to elate the faithful, and I predict there are going to be some very strange stories borne of this in the next few weeks.

[kskiska]

4. And popcorn and candy sales

will go through the roof! Here in the South people just can't contain themselves and this movie is #1 on their minds. My son said that everyone at his place of business is advised to see it. Churches are renting out whole theatres so they can all watch it together.

[DemBones DemBones]

3. I think it's true that the population is

increasingly Biblically illiterate -- and illiterate in many other areas -- but I don't think a film focused on Christ's Passion would do a great deal to solve that problem. Though the Passion is at the center of Christian belief, there is a lot more to the Bible. It would be good if the Bible were taught as literature in the public schools, along with the Bhagavad Gita, the Koran, etc.

[MikeG]

5. I'm seeing it on Wednesday, whatever you do, don't tell me the ending!!