The Passion of Christ

A Muslim friend from Canada Post recommended that I see the movie the Passion of Christ. I kinda raised my eyebrow as I heard him talk about the movie. It was just kind of surprising to hear coming from a Muslim. He said it was very well done and made you wonder why God would let those horrible things happen to one of his prophets. Many Muslims see Jesus as a prophet not the messiah.

I was equally puzzled with his concern because that was the root of the Christian tradition. He came to suffer and die. That was a pivotal part of his mission. The Terminator skit on youtube said it well. No sacrilegious intended: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pUrsUORF4Y

Some people used to think that if you were disabled or if bad things happened to you, you were bad or being punished by God. To me that logic is very flawed. My concept of God is that he would have nothing but compassion on those who suffer.

Some Protestants were in an uproar over the movie because it was in Latin. Who cares? When I saw it, I thought they were speaking Hebrew, which would make more sense. It had English sub titles, which was a little bit more realistic than thinking Christ was speaking English. Turns out that Mel Gibson is Catholic and to the Catholics, Latin is a holy language so he decided to do it in Latin. Good for him. Who cares? To get bent out of shape over what language it was in is to miss the whole point of the movie.

Christ taught about service and said in as much as ye have done it not unto one of the least of these, ye have done it not unto me. He was referring to the judgement when many who professed to know him would be turned away because they turned away those who suffered here on earth.

I shudder when I see all the religious extremism that goes on in the name of Christianity. I see Christ as a revolutionary. After all he marched up to the religious leaders of the time and said they were liars, hypocrites and extortionists. Indeed if Christ was to come in our day, many so called Christians would crucify him all over again.

Personally, I think religion is a good thing. When I drive by the Sikh temple in Vancouver on the way to the mountains, I like to see that part of our community. I see it as a group of people aspiring to something higher. Sure there are extremists in every religion but there are extremists in every political party too.

Martin Luther King was a Christian who preached tolerance not hatred. Mother Teresa quoted Gandhi and said "He who serves the poor serves God." Sounds a lot like another guy I read about once. It’s easy for people to take religion out of context to promote their own agenda. I get kinda frustrated when I see so many people get so bent out of shape over so many very insignificant things. Mind you I’m the last one to talk. My daughter hates my road rage. I just can’t handle traffic.

Nevertheless, I aspire to something higher. I aspire to something better. I aspire to something good. That is the root of my dream.

I remember seeing a father and daughter administer communion in the United Church once. The little girl held the cup with such admiration it reminded me of a child holding what they believed to be the glass of milk that Santa’s drank out of. To me, someone devoting their life to telling everyone there is no Santa is a somewhat less than fulfilling life.

Karl Marx said religion is the opiate of the people. Implying that religion is false but if it makes them feel good, there’s no harm in it. Much. Now I’m not comparing the divinity of Christ to the existence of Santa Clause much but to me fighting religion is not the quest that leads to enlightenment or peace of mind. To each their own I suppose.