Gibson’s Passion 12:16:24 5.07 PM

Story by: Gail NoblesPhoto by: Georges BiardUsage: Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0Well, here’s something I didn’t see coming: Mel Gibson, that fiery actor we all know, decided to take achance at filmmaking by co-producing, co-writing, and directing a biblical epic back in 2004 called The Passion of the Christ. Now, if memory serves, I was under the impression that he had some Christian beliefs, but truth be told, I didn’t know a whole lot about his past or how he ended up there. When the film hit theaters, it was like a crowd—people flocked to see it. I remember standing in a long line, feeling as if I was about to witness some miraculous event. There was a fear that my family and I might miss out, that we might not get tickets. But lo and behold, we finally got into the theater. What unfolded on that screen was something else. I was struck by the sadness of it all, and it certainly didn’t unfold the way I had imagined. The movie was not like all the other movies I had seen about Christ. There were folks in the audience, visibly moved to tears.You see, this wasn’t just any ordinary portrayal of Christ; it was Mel Gibson’s unique take. And, of course, critics didn’t hold back—they claimed it was a brutally violent film. They argued that rather than explaining Christ’s teachings, it showcased Gibson’s fascination with violence, almost as if it were the main attraction of the picture. Some folks thought he spent too much time on the blood and guts rather than the message. Who would have thought a film about Christ could stir up such a disturbance?So there I sat in the theater surrounded by tears and powerfully haunting, imagery, pondering life, suffering, and the vision of faith. When I walked out, I realize there are more people who love Christ than I had previously thought. Many came to see the film, and it seemed that art has a unique power to confront us with what we might prefer to ignore even when it’s a bit too vivid or uncomfortable. Regardless of how we see it, Gibson certainly left his mark on the world of biblical films.I'm Gail Nobles. Thank you for listening.Bible Happenings