The root of all conflict - religion - hits theater screens today for all to digest, ponder and for some to even react with a cringe.
While I haven't yet seen "The Passion of The Christ," I would have to admit the trailer made me consider whether the movie would be beneficial or just bloody.
I saw the 30-second movie clip while at Campus Crusade for Christ's weekly gathering a few weeks ago.
The large, stadium-seating lecture room in the Eppley Center was packed. As the lights dimmed, everyone became quiet as Jesus Christ stood in Hollywood's spotlight.
There he was, before a crowd with his entire body lacerated and eyes so mutilated he couldn't open them.
The huge, on-screen crowd proceeded to chant, "Crucify him!" over and over.
Jesus was dragged over to a large, wooden cross and there was the crystal-clear sound of a thick nail being driven through his bloody hand.
The hand holding the nail was the director's himself, Mel Gibson, as he specified in an interview with Diane Sawyer.
The intense music crescendoed, hit the high note and the words "The Passion of The Christ" solidly appeared across the screen.
Some people in the audience of Crusaders cheered, as many Christians are truly excited for this film.
In fact, Campus Crusaders are making their way over to NCG Cinemas to watch the movie for free today. Five hundred free tickets were bought and donated to the group. I was halfway to the front of the line to get my free ticket when the supply ran out. At least 150 other people didn't get to the front of the line quickly enough, either.
I would have to say though, as a journalist, I am more skeptical about the film than excited.
The second after I heard cheering from Crusaders, I thought, "How could people be cheering for pure bloodshed? Does this movie have context?"
But then, I thought, as a Christian, why Gibson chose to re-enact Christ's crucifixion.
In my job, I read more about bloody attacks than I care to admit.
I am disgusted by fighting, bombing and the tearing-each-other-apart syndrome that seems to exist in today's world.
The other day, I was scanning The Associated Press wire for updates in Iraq and was brought to tears to see a 7-year-old boy with gauze wrapped around his head. He was with his parents when a suicide bomber struck a foreign base, collapsing tons of nearby civilian homes. The little boy survived, but his parents are now both dead.
And now, he's left to fend for himself. He has felt more pain in his short seven years than I have in my more than 20 years of life.
There are millions and millions more people in this world who feel this type of pain.
Let's set aside all the arguments that led to this film's controversial entry into mainstream media - anti-Semitic intentions, playing up controversy for free advertisement or any other reason.
Condemning Israelis for killing Jesus is utterly ridiculous, since the entire population in consideration was Jewish, including Jesus himself. So, let's be educated and stray away from racism.
Instead, there is something to be taken away from this film, whether you are a Christian or not.
It all has to do with where bloodshed has gotten us in today's world. Jews and Palestinians are tearing each other's heads off all in the name of religious land. Iraqis and Americans are dying in Iraq. Rebels are tearing apart Haiti in a killing rampage.
What about thou shalt not kill? Shouldn't that be universal religion?
Gibson spent about $23 million of his own money to show what Christ sacrificed for mankind in his own interpretation of the Bible. Unfortunately, Gibson only could tell part of Christ's story, as the whole story would be too long for the movies.
If you choose to internalize the pain you feel for Jesus Christ as you watch him die for all mankind's sins on screen, connect that to today's death and despair and act accordingly.
Where's the love?
He didn't die in vain.
Alison Barker is the State News wire editor. You can reach her at barkera6@msu.edu.
