Wednesday, February 25, 2004

A Third Great Awakening?

Holy Shit!

A jewish Rabbi writing in the National Review is making three predictions about Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ:

  • It will make a butload of money.  [I’m paraphrasing]
  • The Passion will will be the most serious and substantive Biblical movie ever.
  • It will be a harbinger of a third Great Awakening.
Johno knows more about the first religious awakenings in this country than I do.  But it seems to me that this is an interesting prediction, as we’re long overdue for one.  The secular movement has been ascendent in American cultural life for decades now, and there is always a reaction to any culturally dominant movement.  It would be interesting to speculate on what effect a great awakening would have on 21st Century American politics, foriegn policy and culture.

It’s also an interesting article in that it analyses the efforts of Jewish groups to attack Gibson and his movie:

“Those Jewish organizations that have squandered both time and money futilely protesting The Passion, ostensibly in order to prevent pogroms in Pittsburgh, can hardly be proud of their performance. They failed at everything they attempted. They were hoping to ruin Gibson rather than enrich him. They were hoping to suppress The Passion rather than promote it. Finally, they were hoping to help Jews rather than harm them.

In this, they have failed miserably. By selectively unleashing their fury only on wholesome entertainment that depicts Christianity in a positive light, these critics have triggered anger, hurt, and resentment.”

“Many Christians who, with good reason, have considered themselves to be Jews’ best (and perhaps only) friends also feel resentment toward Jews who believe that The Passion reveals startling new information about the Crucifixion. They are incredulous at Jews who think that exposure to the Gospels in visual form will instantly transform the most philo-Semitic gentiles in history into snarling, Jew-hating predators.

Christians are baffled by Jews who don’t understand that President George Washington, who knew and revered every word of the Gospels, was still able to write that oft-quoted, beautiful letter to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, offering friendship and full participation in America to the Jewish community.”

“It is strange that Jewish organizations, purporting to protect Jews, think that insulting allies is the preferred way to carry out that mandate.

Indeed.  It seems that much of the opposition to this movie has been overwrought, and coming from people who have not seen the movie. 


Posted by Buckethead on 02/25/04 at 04:24 PM
Holy Shit! • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink