Little RunOn

As I tried to comment on Adam's blog about his discussion of Mel Gibson's interview, I decided that what I needed to say was too long for a quick comment. You may want to pop over there and read that first so that you have an idea of what got me started.

Actually, I first began to consider this about a week ago when I read a Newsweek article entitled Who Killed Jesus?. The article seemed so slanted that I had to check if it was intended to be a news or opinion piece. The next day I saw a headline that read something like "Mel says his wife is going to hell." That is when I began to realize that this was going to be a true battle in the media as people attempted to create controversy.

The interview last night was further proof of that. Although the message of Christ was clearly spoken by Gibson during his interview (which is a good thing), it was buried within a multitude of other interviews, very few of which were people who supported him. I had that same feeling that the media was trying to stir up controversy before it even existed. I loved Gibson's response to the question of whether or not he thought the movie would stir up anti-semitism: he pointed out that what the Germans did to the Jews in the holocaust as depicted in Schindler's List was unbelievably horrible, but it didn't make him hate all Germans. He further pointed out that it was not the Jews but all of us who are responible for Christ's death.

This morning I heard an interesting discussion about the interview on 99X (which btw is hosting The Sinner's Ball this weekend). They played a surprisingly long portion of the interview (it was one of my favorite parts--when Mel talked about how he had reached the pinnacle of success and yet it failed to satisfy him). I was amazed that the DJs could hear the same interview that I heard and yet take away such totally different meaning. They focused in on certain phrases and talked about them out of context, completely ignoring the most important parts of what he was saying (which is what many people do with the Bible, causing all sorts of political and social problems). As I listened, I realized what an incredible weight was on Mel's shoulders to adequately defend his beliefs. As Christians, we all need to "be prepared to give the reason for the hope that we have" (1 Pet 3:15), but most of us don't have our answers picked apart by the national media. Again, I found myself both excited to hear a good discussion of Christ on mainstream radio and saddened at the slanted and somewhat unfavorable depiction of faith.

I honestly don't know if the movie will live up to all of this hype, but the discussion it is already producing is exciting. The Truth is being presented even with the surrounding debate and controversy. And I guess that I shouldn't be surprised. Jesus was and still is controversial. He presented radical ideas, made mind-boggling claims, and endured an excruciating death for things he didn't do. I guess I should not be surprised at the controversy surrounding the film. I guess I should not be surprised that darkness is trying to put out the light. And I guess I should not be surprised that this battle is being fought in the media as the Truth is being expressed in a movie, a medium all too often used to present alternatives to the source of true life.

Mel is just a man, and he admits to being a work in progress. In fact, he said some things which I disagree with theologically. I just hope that people don't judge Jesus based solely on what is said by Mel Gibson, Diane Sawyer, the 99X morning crew, or even me. My prayer is that folks will be prompted by all this discussion to consider for themselves Christ as presented in the Bible.

It will be interesting to see what people like the DJs at 99X think about the film. Just as the reactions to Jesus in his own time varied from devotion to anger, I suspect that the reactions to the movie may be the same. "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God"(1 Cor 1:18). Even as I pray that people will be encouraged by this movie to take a closer look at Christ, I am aware that the cross will seem foolish and incomprehensible to many.

Thursday, February 12, 2004