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God’s work

34 comments on God’s work

God’s work

: I skipped out of my church’s budget committee meeting tonight to appear on Pat Buchanan’s show on MSBNC on The Passion of The Christ. Hmmm. That may be a new definition of profanity. I’m going to say that I am a Christian and I did not like Passion. I even preached a sermon about it. To say that not liking Passion makes Hollywood godless is illogical, silly, even offensive.

: LATER: Michael Medved and Buchanan went on about seething mobs of securlists in Hollywood. I said it’s not a matter of religion and it’s not a matter of right and left (being that they blanked out Fahrenheit 9/11). It’s a matter of taste.

34 responses to “God’s work”

  1. tb Avatar
    tb

    Absolutely

  2. deona Avatar
    deona

    Jeff —
    Just watched your first 14 nanoseconds on MSNBC! Your brief words were both unremarkable and mindboggling to me. Unremarkable, in that you simply stated your opinion about The Passion of The Christ, and explained that opinion.
    Mindboggling because I don’t think I’ve heard anybody do just that on TV in about 40 years. The guy on the west coast babbled some kind of nonsense I don’t even remember.
    I hope you grasp what I’m trying to say here. If not, I’m paying you a great complement.
    Ohmygosh! They actually continued with you after the break! Great job.
    My only comment is that Buchanan should have at least tried to explain what criteria the members of the Acadamy apply when they vote. Are they obligated to represent popular opinion?
    Or are they permitted to base their choice on their own experience, skills, and taste? I think that’s it.
    I agree with you. The fact that it didn’t get a big nomination is due to the fact that nobody voted for it. What a waste of time to read anything else into it.

  3. Bill Avatar
    Bill

    Forget The Passion of the Christ. The Phantom of the Opera deserved a Oscar Best Picture nomination. Instead of looking Sideways, The Academy should have recognized this big, beautiful movie musical. Emmy Rossum also deserved the Best Actress 5th slot over newcomer Catalina Sandino Moreno.

  4. Stephen Silver Avatar
    Stephen Silver

    Jeff-
    Good job on the show. I think it’s just hilarious that people like Buchanan and Medved profess to “not care what Hollywood thinks,” yet feign outrage when something as arbitrary as the Oscar voting doesn’t go their way. And giving away the ending to “Million Dollar Baby” was a nice touch on Medved’s part.

  5. Richard Mikels Avatar
    Richard Mikels

    Mr. Jarvis,
    What church do you go to? They obviously don’t study or preach from the gospels. “The Passion of the Christ” historicaly portrayes the crucifixtion. It probably is more acurate about a two thousand year old event that ANY other movie made about any other “ancient” event. As a history buff (and yes a very dedicated Christian), the gruesome scenes are unarguably very, very acrurate, whether it offends peoples conscious or not. Mel Gibsons portrayal and vision that we saw on the screen was brilliant!
    With a “Historical” movie like “The Aviator” with pretty boy DiChumpio getting nominated, some one obviously doesn’t have a clue in the world when a excellent movie deserves at least an oscar nomination!

  6. Alex Rivas Avatar
    Alex Rivas

    Hello Jeff:
    I saw your MSNBC piece with Pat Buchanan, but I never understood why you disliked so much. What were the worst aspects of the movie? It was certainly intense acting, probably too realistic for most the taste of most people.

  7. Jon Avatar
    Jon

    Perhaps you could comment instead on democracy, theocracy, and “The American Taliban.”

  8. Kat Avatar
    Kat

    The only American Taliban I know are the lunatics from the left wanting to turn our country into some third country shithole and have us live like the people in Afghanistan used to.
    {Ben Shapiro is a recent graduate from UCLA. He is also the youngest syndicated columnist in the United States. What he says has crept into American universities is astonishing.
    Sharpiro said, “You go on campus, you pick up the campus newspaper and see editorials comparing Ariel Sharon to Adolf Eichmann. And then you walk outside class and you see the Muslim Student Association handing out pamphlets actively fundraising for Hamas and Hezbollah, and you figure, boy, I better do something about this.”
    When he tried to do something, he was fired from the UCLA Daily Bruin, the campus’ newspaper.
    Shapiro commented, “It had something to do with insensitivity, they actually later would claim that I was a racist for attempting to expose the fact that student dollars were going to the promotion of terrorism.”
    So how did our colleges and universities become havens for anti-American thought and rhetoric?
    Some say the Leftist agenda that is running rampant today got its roots in the 1960s. The radicals of the Sixties Revolution are the same men and women at the head of our educational institutions and are in charge of shaping the minds of our young people today.
    And it is not just anti-Americanism that has escalated. Just look at this list of courses taught at some of America’s top universities:
    At Columbia, Sorcery and Magic
    At Dartmouth, Queer Theory, Queer Texts
    At Cornell, Gay Fiction
    At Swarthmore, Lesbian Novels Since World War II
    At the University of Wisconsin, Goddesses and Feminine Powers
    And, at the University of Pennsylvania, Feminist Critique of Christianity, }

  9. Gregg Avatar
    Gregg

    Gee, Kat. You’re upset that universities are teaching classes on queer fiction? Is it okay if they assign the occasional female author, or should they just stick to white males, preferably Protestant.
    Geesh.

  10. Nick Douglas Avatar
    Nick Douglas

    I am actually mildly disappointed to hear that you are a Christian. As hard as I try to keep an open mind, I feel an elitism creeping into my (atheistic, converted from Christianity after 20 years) faith. But I realize that this is my fault and not yours.
    Furthermore, I’m glad that if you are a Christian, you are a forward-thinking and open-minded one. You would not, for instance, agree with Kat that a course in gay fiction at Cornell is something to worry about but is, rather, something to rejoice in.
    I wish you had time to talk to me about your faith; I realize that you’re too busy to discuss every interesting topic with your readers. But thank you for this insight, Mr. Jarvis.

  11. Kat Avatar
    Kat

    If those are the courses you leftists are studying, God forbid that a leftist ever be our president. What a bunch of horseshit. And they pay people to teach this crap?? The terrorists aren’t the biggest threat to America–the Left is. Sorcery and magic–bwahaha Queer theory—-oh my.

  12. Michael Zimmer Avatar
    Michael Zimmer

    Kat – do you even understand what queer theory is?

  13. Kat Avatar
    Kat

    No, I never studied Queer theory. I imagine it is some theory invented by some leftist university prof. I studied History, Geography, Math, English, and boring courses that required work. They never had any of that fluffy stuff that I remember.

  14. Gunther Avatar
    Gunther

    OK, Kat. If Queer Theory is so easy, then read the following passage and tell me what it means:
    “Queer theory’s debunking of stable sexes, genders and sexualities develops out of a specifically lesbian and gay reworking of the post-structuralist figuring of identity as a constellation of multiple and unstable positions. Queer is not always seen, however, as an acceptable elaboration of or shorthand for ‘lesbian and gay’. Although many theorists welcome queer as ‘another discursive horizon, another way of thinking the sexual’ (de Lauretis, 1991), others question its efficacy. The most commonly voiced anxieties are provoked by such issues as whether a generic masculinity may be reinstalled at the heart of the ostensibly gender-neutral queer; whether queer’s transcendent disregard for dominant systems of gender fails to consider the material conditions of the west in the late twentieth century; whether queer simply replicates, with a kind of historical amnesia, the stances and demands of an earlier gay liberation; and whether, because its constituency is almost unlimited, queer includes identificatory categories whose politics are less progressive than those of the lesbian and gay populations with which they are aligned.
    Whatever ambivalences structure queer, there is no doubt that its recent redeployment is making a substantial impact on lesbian and gay studies. Yet, almost as soon as queer established market dominance as a diacritical term, and certainly before consolidating itself in any easy vernacular sense, some theorists are already suggesting that its moment had passed and that ‘queer politics may, by now, have outlived its political usefulness’. Does queer become defunct the moment it is an intelligible and widely disseminated term? Teresa de Lauretis, the theorist often credited with inaugurating the phrase ‘queer theory’, abandoned it barely three years later, on the grounds that it had been taken over by those mainstream forces and institutions it was coined to resist.”
    Oh, and by the way, “Passion” sucked.

  15. Alex Rivas Avatar
    Alex Rivas

    I would like to hear from those who didn’t like the “Passion” movie what they didn’t like about it. Why get off topic so quickly?

  16. J. Peden Avatar
    J. Peden

    Alex, I will only see “The Passion” if it costs me nothing, but I was glad to see Gibson do it because of Hollywood’s hypocritical response both before and after its release. Having had my sister report to me on it, I project that it is possibly a picture about sadomasochism. I’ll leave it at that, and will eventually see the movie – I’ve been looking for a freebie.

  17. Yehudit Avatar
    Yehudit

    “”The Passion of the Christ” historicaly portrayes the crucifixtion. It probably is more acurate about a two thousand year old event that ANY other movie made about any other “ancient” event.”
    Nope.
    Nope.
    And I have it on good authority that their Aramaic accents and grammar were lousy.

  18. Ruth Avatar
    Ruth

    Having really low tolerance for violence, I have not watched “The Passion of the Christ”, also haven’t been able to stomach “Finding Private Ryan” , “The Shining”, and a long list of others. So my opinions are pretty second hand from those who did see it and many who came away really unhappy.
    There is much of value in Christ’s message, but IMHO putting the whole emphasis on his suffering takes away from those words as much as in New Testament times so much of the following Christ had was composed of the physically afflicted who came to be healed. Christ chose to teach, the emphasis is on words of healing to all, what’s wrong with that?

  19. kristin Avatar
    kristin

    First time poster, long time reader…
    I also have a low stomach for violence. I didn’t want to see it and gave almost exactly the same explanation Ruth did. “I know Saving Private Ryan is a realistic portrayal of what happened, but is it so wrong for me to say ‘I don’t think it’s for me’?” I didn’t make it past the first ten minutes of Gangs of New York. I had to stop watching Nip/Tuck about 15 minutes in the first time watching it. I’m squeamish.
    I got repeatedly berated by my hardcore pentacostal family (I, for the record, am a church-attending Christian as well) for refusing to see the film. Finally I relented. It was what I’d expected. A large budget snuff film under the guise of religious fervor.
    I don’t doubt that Mr. Gibson thought he was doing a huge service to the ‘godless’ American people by making such a film, but what would have been so wrong about portraying Christ as a living, vital person?
    I kept hearing from my family, “this is going to create a revival” and I strongly disagree with this sentiment: someone who saw The Passion who didn’t know the story of Christ would have walked away confused more than anything. If I walked into the Passion knowing NOTHING of the Bible or Christianity, my only thought would have been “Why?” It didn’t explain anything. Don’t get me wrong; the movie was long enough, but I would have done with more back story in the film and done away with 45 minutes of progressively more intense mutilation of someone whom, if i didn’t know and revere the story of already, I would know nothing about.

  20. Barry Avatar
    Barry

    In re: “Passion of the Christ,” to quote from those wise, wee bairns at South Park:
    “Dude, that was a snuff film.”

  21. Celcus Avatar
    Celcus

    Lets face it, Hollywood, specifically the Academy, operate essentially like adolescents. They are defined by cliques, petty arguments, gossip, posturing, and popularity. Many simmer with memories of adolescent slights from the jocks, nerds, druggies, etc. The drama club was never the hotbed of popularity and now the shoe is on the other foot. Many have no qualms about disqualifying films that seem to come from those other groups. Lord of the Rings was slighted simply because it was the nerds film, and even the Drama club kids could make fun of them. An action film, the province of the Jocks is certain to be slighted by a large number. That good films often do win, is true, but the knee jerk adolescent response is often discernable.
    Promoters of the Passion, mostly outside the clique, and including a large number of overbearing moral elitists who spend most of their time accusing everyone in Hollywood of being satanic child molesting comies, essentially dared the Academy not to nominate it. Now if you were 15, what would you do?

  22. Richard Avatar
    Richard

    The Passion WAS a snuff film, but if some Christians dug it, great for them. However, to act like thinking it sucked is an attack on your faith is hyper-defensive.
    My biggest problem with The Passion is that while the crucifixion is the climax of Christ’s story, and the part that begins his divinity, his message is what was important. Dwelling for two hours on the gory details of his death is just gross.

  23. worrywart Avatar
    worrywart

    Kat,
    you never cease to amaze me at how analytical and critical you are of everyone’s opionions but your own. if you spent one millionth of the time you spend finding fault in everyone else looking at your own beliefs, you might change your mind about a lot of things.
    Even the most unreasonable person has to admit that they can’t be right 100% of the time.
    Perhaps it’s the culture of “I’m right and I don’t care what anyone says” that has emboldened people like you. If that’s the case, then it’s definately time for a culture change.

  24. Catherine Avatar
    Catherine

    Am I the only one who is amazed at how much publicity The Passion’s “snub” is getting? Can’t it be chalked up to the simple fact that it just wasn’t as good, in the Academy’s eyes, as the other movies? Why does it have to be that Hollywood hates Christians? I mean, it did get 3 nominations. Farhenheit 9/11 got none. Just because it wasn’t up for best picture doesn’t mean it was snubbed. I’ve heard the argument that it was soooo popular so it should have gotten a nomination. Since when have popularity and box office #s been a determinant of Oscar nominations? Spiderman 2 was very popular. What about The Matrix? Why weren’t they nominated? And more than anything, why does ANYONE who’s not a Hollywood insider care AT ALL what gets nominated and what doesn’t? It’s the Oscars people!!!! It’s not the Nobel Peace Prize. Get over it.

  25. Stephen Silver Avatar
    Stephen Silver

    Lord of the Rings was slighted simply because it was the nerds film, and even the Drama club kids could make fun of them
    Lord of the Rings was “slighted”? By whom? It was probably the most critically acclaimed series of movies this decade, and it also won a truckload of Oscars.

  26. Eric Avatar
    Eric

    I’m afraid I have to agree with kat on this one. The idea of reading and learning about queers through history before coming to a conclusion, rather than relying on a snap judgement based in igorance and stereotyping is just so … liberal.

  27. Alex Rivas Avatar
    Alex Rivas

    To say that the “Passion” was a snuff film shows complete ignorance of both the message of the movie as well as ignorance of the four Gospels (which all portray the crucifixion in detail). The movie was supposed to portray the last 12 hours of his life, not the entirety of the Gospels. If you thought the movie was violent, well, that how a crucifixion really was: violent.
    Schindler’s List was rated R for violence, some sexuality, and language.
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108052/
    Was that a snuff film too??

  28. Dan Schneider Avatar
    Dan Schneider

    Given that there is not a single shred of contemporaneous evidence for a Christ figure 2000+ years ago in the Near East, I wonder about the historical accuracy comments, film aside. I’d love to hear said historical accuracy buffs opine upon LOTR’s or Star Wars’ inaccuracies as well. DAN

  29. film_buff Avatar
    film_buff

    Alex,
    Perhaps you misunderstand the definition of a “snuff film”.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snuff_film : “A snuff film is a film, sometimes pornographic, that allegedly depicts actual murder, produced for entertainment purposes.”
    I think the key words here are “depicts actual murder” and “produced for entertainmet purposes”. According to this definition, Schindler’s List wouldn’t be a snuff film, because, as I remember it, there weren’t scenes of actual murder … the murder was for the most part implied. I seem to remember some scenes of people being shot, but they were, as I remember, scenes of soldiers killing each other or of prisoners trying to escape, both of which would usually not meet the legal definition of murder.
    In Passion of the Christ, I’m pretty sure everyone would agree that the whole point of the film was the murdering of Christ, in graphic detail. Whether or not it’s tasteful to refer to it as a snuff film, the label certainly does fit.
    I think the reason people apply that label is because the film chooses to only focus on the last twelve hours to the exclusion of anything else that happened. Even the passion play performed every Easter in all Catholic churches adds more to the story than just the death part.

  30. Alex Rivas Avatar
    Alex Rivas

    film_buff
    According to the same Wikipedia definition, neither movie was a snuff film because the “murders” were simply acted out. A snuff film is the filming of an
    ACTUAL murder. Also, I would think most viewers would not consider either film as meant for entertainment but as movies with an historical/moral message.

  31. Alex Rivas Avatar
    Alex Rivas

    Again to film_buff:
    ” Whether or not it’s tasteful to refer to it as a snuff film, the label certainly does fit.” What kind of nonsense is this! Looks like YOU don’t know what the definition of a snuff film is! The reason they apply the “snuff” label is because they love to use the labels that demean and stereotype without having to explain themselves. My first post was just a straightforward question asking those who saw it what specifically they diskliked about the film. If you want to say it was too violent or showed too much blood, then just say so. Just be intellectually honest with the us and stop repeating the stupid canard that it was a “snuff film”.

  32. oodja Avatar
    oodja

    About The Passion’s supposed “historical accuracy”:
    Not only were the Gospels were written more than a hundred years after the fact (and hence suspect as “historical” documents, regardless of their status as religious texts), but they are curiously not nearly as preoccupied with the physical suffering of Christ as Mel Gibson’s film is. Two of the four Gospels mention that he was scourged in less than a sentence and then move on, and the other two don’t even feel the need to mention it at all. The idea of the Passion being about Christ’s human suffering first and foremost is a Western medieval interpolation and not at all historically accurate.
    That and not one person in the movie spoke Greek! In the cities of the Near East, which had been Hellenized for centuries, Greek was the lingua franca even for the Jews. Aramaic may have been spoken as a first language in the sticks, but in Roman Jerusalem you’d expect to hear Greek from most people, perhaps some Latin, and only then Aramaic and other Semitic languages.

  33. Kristin Avatar
    Kristin

    Yes, Alex, it was too violent and bloody. I’m sorry to have used a semi tongue-in-cheek reference to “snuff films”, but if you understand (not agree with mind you) my opinion that the film took way too much delight in showing every drop of blood and every gushing wound, then you understand the correllation.
    (on an unrelated note: Actually i’ve never seen Schindler’s List, but that is neither here nor there. I am only 22 and was far too young to see it when it was originally released. No other reason than that.)
    And yes, I think it missed the point. i know Mr. Gibson’s point was to make a movie about the last 12 hours of Christ’s life, but I guess my question is why is it that he came to the decision to exclude the other 33 years of it? If Mel’s “vision” was to express his faith…I don’t know about you, but when I’m praying, it isn’t exactly the blood-dripping, bones-exposed weakened Son of God I’m praying to. The film presents no other images other than Christ as a victim, in my opinion.
    Wouldn’t the depiction of suffering be more impactful if we were dramatically shown that no one deserved this suffering less?

  34. Ruth Avatar
    Ruth

    Kristin, you make a good point. Not just because you agreed with me earlier!
    The message of the gospels, and I particularly think of the Beatitudes, is of service and love of God’s children, not just that Christ suffered and died.
    Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall inherit the Kingdom of God means a lot more to the Bible’s readers that I know than look what a nasty bunch these publicans were for putting Christ to death. We’re taught to forgive, and I haven’t heard that there was a lot of forgiveness or redemption in the Passion.
    But as I mentioned, I couldn’t tolerate the blood and gore, so my impressions are second hand. Thanks for sharing your experience.