MP Gerald Kaufmann has strongly criticised The Passion of the Christ:
On ITV1's GMTV Sunday Programme, he slated the film'sgratuitous violence, ugliness, wallowing in blood and, it has to be said, crude anti-Semitism...
...The Jews depicted are depicted as almost caricature Jews who demand (Christ's) blood,said Mr Kaufman, the chairman of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee.
I am not accusing him (Gibson) of being a deliberate and overt anti-Semite but there is no doubt that the message of the film is seriously, damagingly anti-Semitic,he said.
People who do not know the story will see it as the Jews wanting to murder this saintly man while the Roman ruler of the country didn't want to do it but was forced into by their pressure.
But Roman Catholic leader Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor defended the film, pointing out that even though he hadn't actually seen it, it wasn't anti-semitic:
I have not seen it, the film, but everyone I have met who has seen it has been profoundly moved,he said.
There were people who said it was anti-Semitic. I don't think from what I hear that it is in any way anti-Semitic. I think they have been very careful not to in any way induce anti-Semitism.
MP slates Gibson's Christ movie - BBC News, 14th March 2004.
![[LJ syndication icon]](http://www.prattle.net/graphics/syndicated.gif){kind=small}
Since I haven't read the bible in many years, I checked the book of Matthew, and according to it, Pilate, the Roman governor, tried to talk the crowd (which as i understand it did consist not wholly but in large part of Jews) to free Jesus and execute Barrabas. The crowd said they wanted Jesus kiled; Pilate asked "What crime has he committed?", and the crowd said, in essence, "We don't care, kill him anyway." So, if you believe the biblical acocunt, then , yes, the Jews wanted him dead, and the Romans acceded to their demand only reluctantly.
Excuse me , but wasn't Jesus a Jew anyway.
Mary is of Jewish descent , according to
biblical references.
A virgin birth [ parthenogenesis ? ] ,if at all
possible , would result in a female offspring ;
essentially a clone of Mary.
Is this another aspect of Jesus the um? that
we don't know about.
Mary mother of God takes on quite a different
relevance in the prayers of Nuns and Priests
if this was the instance.
Then again if Mary was one of those unusual
females that pocess a Y chromosome , the offspring may well of had the appearance of a
man.
Edmont.
A counter argument to this might be put forward
by Barbara Thiering , however in that instance
Jesus survived the crucifixion and didn't
ascend anywhere ; except to a pulpit or/and
up someones skirt.