Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ"

God and the Pope Discuss the Film 

Written by Raymond Fontaine, PhD - February 2004

    Mel Gibson has produced an epic film about the Passion of Christ. Before releasing it to the public, however, Gibson provided private showings to certain personalities. Some Jewish leaders complained that the film suggests that the Jews were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. Those viewers objected to its release.

   Hearing about this opposition, the Pope watched the film in his private chamber. Later he commented to his good friend Archbishop Stanislaw Dzinisz that the film presented the Passion faithfully. He said, "It is as it was." In other words, the Passion in the movie is as the Passion happened.

   According to the co-producer of the film, Steve McEveety and its assistant director Jan Michelini, the Pope's secretary Stanislaw Dziwisz quoted the Pope as saying the words, "It is as it was". Later, however, as the controversy over the film heated up, the Archbishop denied ever saying those words to Mel Gibson's associates. Throughout the ensuing uproar, the Pope remained silent, staying well above the fray. The "he said - they said" controversy continued for weeks without a peep from the Pope.

   One evening, after verifying on the Internet that the dispute remained unresolved, I retired and eventually fell asleep. Echoes of the fracas, however, reverberated in my brain and conjured up a dream featuring God and the Pope. They were discussing the hullabaloo about Mel Gibson's film.

   "Greetings," said God. "It's always good to see you."

   "Likewise, my Lord," said the Pope looking very weary. "What would you like to know?"

   "Before I ask you anything," said God, "let me remind you that I am God whom nature's structures and laws presuppose. I am the intelligent Creator who fashioned what later developed and evolved into whatever exists on earth. Moreover, it's my policy not to intervene in the course of nature and in human affairs. You see, I'm very different from the god that is revealed in the Bible."

    "I'm well aware of that, my Lord," said the Pope. "What are we discussing today?"

    "First," said God, "let's talk about Mel Gibson's film "the Passion of Christ". I want to hear from you directly whether or not you told your secretary 'It is as it was'."

   "I did," replied the Pope "but I know you won't tell anyone that I acknowledged this to you."

    "Good," said God, "now let's take one more step. Did you simply mean that the film is faithful to the Gospel story?  Or were you also saying that the movie presents Christ's Passion as it really happened in Jerusalem around the year 30?"

   "Both," the Pope replied "because I believe that the Evangelists recorded the events as remembered and conserved through the years."

   "But you surely know," said God, "that the Gospels were first written decades after the events. Moreover history does not record who the authors really were. It seems that whoever wrote them ascribed them to apostles or their close associates to enhance the authenticity and prestige of the Gospels."

   "If so," said the Pope, "no one can know for sure anything more than the fact of the crucifixion of a Jew by Roman soldiers."

   "I do," said God. "Let me tell you the truth. Jesus was a good young man, the son of Joseph and Mary. But he antagonized the Pharisees by condemning their hypocrisy. Jesus was not my divine son anymore than you are."

   "Wow!" the Pope exclaimed. "He was a mere man? What about all those miracles?"

   "In ancient times," said God, "legends abounded about famous persons performing extraordinary things none of them historical."

   "What about the resurrection of Jesus and the empty tomb?"

   "Apparently," said God, "someone removed the body and hid it well. And as for Christ's reputed Ascension, that was merely a dramatic ending to a glorious legend. Nothing more. That's the way it was."

   "I can't tell my people that," said the Pope.

   "But you could explain," God said, " that, when you said about Gibson's film that 'it is as it was', you simply declared that Mel Gibson's movie faithfully presents the passion of Christ as it is related in the Gospels and nothing more. Can you do that?"

   "No", said the Pope as he walked away from God, mumbling "the movie truthfully reveals all that really happened in Jerusalem and on Calvary. Jesus is divine like God the Father. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary. He performed hundreds of supernatural miracles way beyond the forces of nature. He died on the cross because Justice demanded his death to counterbalance the original disobedience of Adam and all the sins of mankind. He is in heaven, a glorious place, where every just person resides for all eternity. The Pope was still mumbling about supernatural realities, places and happenings when I awoke.  

    At that moment, my dream ended, leaving me disheartened. If God could not persuade the Pope to be frank with the people - if only about a movie - what hope is there for the Pope to say only WHAT REALLY WAS and WHAT REALLY IS  when talking about God's Being and deeds?  For the index of my Dialogues, click here