Targeting: BAD

posted by [identity profile] revdorothyl.livejournal.com at 06:16pm on 05/03/2004
Agree with you that assholes using this film or anything else as an excuse to target those they deem 'not quite like us' is seriously bad karma. 'Course, most random assholes don't need much of an excuse.

And I've already had my first unpleasant confrontation with a student on Wednesday who seemed to be adding "the Word according to Mel Gibson" (things he's said about his intent or what he was portraying in this film, gathered from interviews, etc.) to the long list of texts she regards as infallible, unquestionable, and literally true in every detail. My views on the film (which another student asked me for) didn't agree in every detail with what she thought Mel had said about the film or what she thought she had seen in the film, and this was upsetting her greatly (in the sense of causing her to become ever more pugnacious and rigid). But I think she was already upset with me for not confirming all her preconceptions about the Bible in this course and for having the gaul to keep pushing her to think critically.

As for Mel's therapy -- I agree he could use some, as well as a return to the classroom (and a professor who'd push his buttons and require him to back up his prejudices with evidence).
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Re: Targeting: BAD

posted by [identity profile] cindyamb.livejournal.com at 07:56pm on 05/03/2004
I think at any instance of anti-Semitic violence (or rhetoric), whether inspired by this film or not, Christians have a moral obligation to yell, and loudly. We let/encouraged/used our sacred texts for far too long to support it. It's now time we use what they teach, to stop it.
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"As you did it to the least of these . . .you did it to me"

posted by [identity profile] revdorothyl.livejournal.com at 11:01am on 09/03/2004
Darn straight. I've never understood how anyone could read the Bible (either testament, let alone both) and still come away with the idea that violence or hatred or any kind of persecution against another human being is "Okay with God" (let alone "ordained by God"). I agree that Christians have too much shameful history with regard to persecutions to be able to sit quietly by while ANYBODY is getting slammed -- verbally, pictorially, or physically. Considering what Jesus had to say about sins of omission ('when you failed to care for any one of my brothers or sisters, you failed to care for me in MY hour of need' -- to paraphrase), it's pretty hard to justify any failure to step forward and stand with those who are being targeted. But, as with Gibson's movie, I guess you have to have read the WHOLE book, and not just the bits that seem to agree with you, in order to get the message.
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