"Are You Planning the See 'The Passion?'"

[Eve]

(I have no idea which forum to put this in, by the way, so feel free to move it)

Yesterday, two relative strangers asked me, out of the blue, "Are you planning to see The Passion?" One was a messenger at work, the other a guy at my local deli. We have never discussed religion or movies before—or much of anything, really—so I'm wondering, are people being asked to "witness" for this film to everyone they meet?

(My gut-reaction answer, by the way, was, "hell, no!")

[GingerOfTheNorth]

Nope. I'd rather watch an Argentinian snuff movie. Apparently they're strikingly similar.

[Casey1505]

Yes, I am planning on it. Probably tomorrow, if I have no other plans. I have free movie tickets, and I'm just curious to see what all the hype is about. I bring no deep seeded religious convictions into the movie with me, and I don't expect to bring any out. I plan on going into the theater expecting to be entertained for 2 1/2 hours.

[WordMan]

Eve I take the point of your OP less to be about actually answering the question (by the way: nope - I tend not to like movies that gross me out), but more about the fact that folks are asking you about it.

From that standpoint, oh yeah. The movie and it's opening has crossed over to the "chit chat" category. Kinda like the weather, the Oscars, the A-Rod trade - one of those things that people can bring up in everyday social interaction. I am sure some folks will use it as an entry point to get all witnessy, but hopefully not many. But as I run errands and such, I am getting asked....

[FairyChatMom]

Nope. On the rare occasions I go to movies, it's for escapism or entertainment. This film promises neither. Besides, it'e been hyped out the wazoo, and I refuse to see overly hyped movies as a personal statement. And everything I've heard about this one tells me I won't like it, anyway.

[Eve]

Eve I take the point of your OP less to be about actually answering the question.

Right-o. I am not asking you guys if you are planning to see it—I'm asking you if total strangers are coming up to you on the street to discuss it, and why?

[Kakofonous]

Right-o. I am not asking you guys if you are planning to see it—I'm asking you if total strangers are coming up to you on the street to discuss it, and why?

I'm getting this, too - but it seems to be at the 'random chit-chat' level rather than the 'religious witnessing' level.

I'm being much much more annoyed at the chalking of campus. You can't go for more than about 10 feet around here without there being something about it on the sidewalk All I can do is hope for a good rain storm sometime soon.

[Lissla Lissar]

I've had my manager ask me if I'm going to see it, and she's definitely not Christian. I think it's mostly just because there's been so much hype- it's something that most people know about, so it's a good small-talk topic.

[Philster]

Well, I am an atheist, raiased Roman Catholic. I'm a fairly 'famous' atheist in that I was contacted and interviewed by someone at ABC News when that whole Boyscout-not-pledging-to-a-supreme-being-thing went around a few years back. They got my info off a Schermer website.

Well, my Roman Catholic neighbors - who preach often to me - are going with me and the wife. I actually suggested it to them, I ordered the tix, and we're all going tonight.

I have a much deeper understanding of Christianity, Catholicism and religion than they do, so I want to see what the fuss is all about, see how a Gibson portrays it.

But no one really has witnessed, far as I can tell. But after talking with people who already watched the movie, some folks sound like religious zealots.

That is troubling.

[Zap_Rowsdower]

No strangers but a couple of co-workers have, and after I said no, they said the weren't planning to either.

[Miss Mapp]

Not a stranger, but a woman who lives in the one of the houses across the way from me; I've known her in that we've exchanged casual greetings 3 or 4 times in the past year. She came over to my house Sunday afternoon and asked if I wanted to see the movie. I'm an ex-Catholic agnostic/atheist and no fan of Mel Gibson, but I have been kind of curious about this and watching movies is one of my primary activities with friends. I was considering accepting until she mentioned that her church group was getting a bus so they could go all together for a private screening... and that rather scared me off.

[Casey1505]

Sorry, I misunderstood the question, as well.

No, I haven't been preached to. It's only at the level of "chit chat" that other posters have mentioned. No one I've encountered has taken the opportunity to begin witnessing to me or anyone else that I'm aware of.

It hasn't really gotten past the "They're selling nails on the website??" level here at work.

[FairyChatMom]

No one's asked me, nor have I heard anyone around me discussing it. NPR has been full of shows about it. The newspaper in town has a lot about it. I'm bored already.

[gum]

Yes. I've been asked by customers. Which is really silly. The movie will not be here for some time, I think.

Imagine that. The whole P.R. bussiness of mr.Gibson has reached the Netherlands.

And I'm damned if I'm going to spend a cent on the thing. In my opinion, mr. Gibson is a smelly sperm-whale. [no offence to the whales]

[matt_mcl]

'Smelly sperm whale'? I have got to use that somewhere.

No, I am not planning to see that. If I want to see someone get scourged, I'll go to Hard Night at the Black Eagle. Or else save up my pennies and go see the Semana Santa in Toledo; I understand the costumes are better.

[koeeoaddi]

I'm instructed to do so ever day, by the sign in front of the church on my way into town.

Wild horses and a division of Roman soldiers couldn't get me there, though. After all, I couldn't even make it through the chainsaw scene in Scarface.

[Cervaise]

I'm a film geek and an atheist and I'm the one nagging all my movie-inclined friends about if and when they're planning to see it so I can maybe arrange a group outing.

Not sure this qualifies as "irony" per se, but it certainly is odd, now that I think about it.

[MrVisible]

My boyfriend makes deliveries to offices all over town as part of his job, and he's been asked this several times.

He always replies "I don't approve of violence in movies."

That leaves 'em baffled.

[Really Not All That Bright]

Personally, I never go see the movie if I didn't like the book. I didn't like the book.

The only mention I've heard of the movie so far was the other night when we took a friend out to get him drunk for his birthday. His fiancee won't sleep with him when he's really drunk, so I jokingly offered to instead, on the condition that he paid for dinner and a movie.

His response- "You think Passion is a good first-date movie?"

Hilarious.

[Ashes, Ashes]

Heck no, I'm not going. It's only rated two stars, plus I've already read the book.

Count me in among those who're already tired of hearing about this movie. Hearing about Lent is bad enough, but the twiddling about how some of my co-workers are ever so pious because they're going to go see the movie, blech. "It's so violent! Aren't I such a good little Catholic to make this sacrifice and subject myself to the horror that is The Passion."

They didn't act this way about Schindler's List, let me tell you. Heck, one of my Catholic co-workers refused to see List-- it was too ooky according to her-- but she's right now debating taking her 10 year old to see The Passion.

[Duke]

Strange, I work at a Catholic university, and not only has no one asked me that, I haven't heard anybody mention the movie here at all. Not even the priests have talked about it. I haven't seen any signs advertising student outings to the movie. No e-mail from campus ministry discussing it...nothing.

Of course, this is Niagara Falls, and things tend to happen late here.

[Eve]

Of course, this is Niagara Falls, and things tend to happen late here.

NIAGARA FALLS? Slooooowly I turned . . .

[Lute Skywatcher]

My job seems to be a haven for glurge (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=241791).

[Eureka]

Haven't been asked, don't expect to be. The minister at my church did mention it on Sunday with some kind of comment about it being a good movie because it shows the amount of agony that Christ went through rather than letting people forget about it like we usually do except for 15 minutes on Good Friday. I thought that was kind of odd. I have no desire to see a movie that focuses primarily on torturing someone. I'm not keen on movies about Jesus in general, but I'd be more keen if less of it seemed to focus on his final days of pain. (I'd also be more likely to want to see it if it reflected the point of view of a religious organization that I respect rather than the point of view of a well-known celebrity)

[rinni]

No one has said anything to me in person, but I got two long drivelly anonymous posts complete with pictures in my LiveJournal. One of the pictures was quite bloody, and I'm quite squeamish - I hate blood, I tend to get dizzy and faint if I see blood. Luckily for me, the bloody picture seems to not be working anymore.

I wrote an angry/funny response to them, even though I don't think it was a real person. :D

And I agree with you: HELL NO, I won't go!

[Khadaji]

Nope. In gerneral I read books for entertainment and only watch a movie if I want to totally veg out. At those times I either watch romantic comedies or action films.

[EddyTeddyFreddy]

Nope. I'd rather watch an Argentinian snuff movie. Apparently they're strikingly similar. DAMN you, Ginger! You stole my post! Ten lashes for beating me to it! You nailed how I feel about it. :D

[Lobsang]

No.



But then I told myself not to watch that idiotic religious film - "Time Changer" but I did.


Nah,, I have grown to despise Mel Gibson, WELL before this film. Even though he's not in it I don't think I can bare to watch it.

[Lobsang]

I should add that I only watched 'Time Changer' because it was on SKY. There is absolutely no chance whatsoever that I will pay and make physical effort to attend a cinema for such films.

[Primaflora]

I haven't been asked in real life but it's certainly been discussed ad nauseam on a couple of homeschooling lists I belong to.

No way am I going near it. Stomach-turning stuff.

[DocCathode]

NIAGARA FALLS? Slooooowly I turned . . .


Whoa! Hold on! It's me! The one with the kindly face!

Anyway

Nope. I think the yarmulke tells most folks that I might not be the best target to witness at. Should anyone try, I'll try telling them that I don't need to see the film- I was there. When they insist that I am not Jesus, I shall forgive them. For when I rose from the tomb mine own disciples did not know me.

Or maybe

"If I wanted to watch a Jewish carpenter get abused I'd visit my cousin Saul at work."

[vivalostwages]

I'm planning to avoid it at all costs...unless the theatre would issue me a large barf bag and a promise to refund an amount of money proportionate to the amount of vomit produced.

[Katisha]

Strange, I work at a Catholic university, and not only has no one asked me that, I haven't heard anybody mention the movie here at all. Not even the priests have talked about it. I haven't seen any signs advertising student outings to the movie. No e-mail from campus ministry discussing it...nothing.

Of course, this is Niagara Falls, and things tend to happen late here.

I'm at a Catholic university too, and haven't heard much talk about it either, although a friend of mine who's a Miltonist insists that I see it, because he wants to know what I think. (His interest in the film is primarily professional.)

And then another friend of mine wants to know what I as a Catholic think...

[Eve]

For those of you curious about "Slowly I turned . . ." (http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/slowly.html)

[HPL]

Probably not until it comes on DVD. I've gotten fed up with sitting through 20 minutes of commericals AFTER paying to get in before I can watch the movie. As such, I try to avoid going to the movies unless A.)It's something I really want to see or B.) It has to be seen on the big screen to be fully appreciated. This movie fits niether.

[HPL]

It hasn't really gotten past the "They're selling nails on the website??" level here at work.

I saw that. It's rather morbid and it somewhat bad taste as well, I think.

[SexyHamster]

Strangely enough, one of my friends just mentioned this movie to me.

───────────────────────────────────────
Message from ****** (Sat Feb 28 12:39) [---]:
You seen "the passion of the christ yet?"

I heard there's a good scene where he kicks everybodys' ass.
───────────────────────────────────────

Back in reality, I don't think I'll be watching this one any time soon.

[gum]

Eve:[ "Slowly I turned........." - 'By Joey Faye; His most recent claim to fame was as the green grape in the Fruit of the Loom underwear commercials'.

Thanks. :)]

[Lynne_kilii]

Probably not until it comes on DVD. I've gotten fed up with sitting through 20 minutes of commericals AFTER paying to get in before I can watch the movie. As such, I try to avoid going to the movies unless A.)It's something I really want to see or B.) It has to be seen on the big screen to be fully appreciated. This movie fits niether.
[hijack]
If commercials and previews are the only thing that would irk you about The Passion, call up your local theatre, and ask if they're showing commercials and previews before it. The production company or whoever specifically asked theatres not to put ads and previews before it, screwing up a whole bunch of people who showed up late for the film last night* hoping to skip them.

*(I hang out at my boyfriend's theatre a lot)
[end hijack]

A lot of people have asked me if I'm going, and I always say no, I'm not really interested.

[Flamsterette_X]

For those of you curious about "Slowly I turned . . ." (http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/slowly.html)

That reminds me of bitter memories and strife with someone I used to know.

As for seeing the movie, I don't know... maybe. I'll figure out who else is seeing it, although it is bloody and everything else that I don't normally like.

Haven't been preached to about seeing the movie, although apparently our church is reserving 150 seats in a local theatre on the night of March 12 to see it.

[DMark]

Odd that you mention that.
I work in a large law firm in Las Vegas with about 30 percent Mormons, and the rest are a mish-mash of you name it.
Not one person mentioned having seen, or going to see, the film.
Normally, "what are you going to see this weekend" is a big topic, as there really are film buffs in Las Vegas and I think 95 percent mentioned they will be watching the Oscars on Sunday.
But now that you mention it, it is really odd that not one person mentioned this film.

Personally, I might rent it when it comes out on DVD, but even then, I doubt it.

I am one of those ex-Catholics, and I feel I have been whipped and beaten my entire life - I don't need to see it on the screen.

[Cartooniverse]

Nope. I'd rather watch an Argentinian snuff movie. Apparently they're strikingly similar.

Oh indeed, much better to proudly wave the flag of abject ignorance in the face of the world than actually view the work and therefore know what it is both you AND your conversation mates are discussing.

Why foul the waters of complete blind ignorance with the fine silt of knowledge?

:rolleyes:

As for the O.P., I was at a party last weekend pre-viewing and a few people asked if I was going to see it. I knew I would and answered as such. We had a party last night, and while it came up in conversation it did not rile up our guests or demolish the entire evening, it was simply a source of conversation and shared thoughts. The party had Methodists, Jews, Quakers and Catholics in attendance.

Cartooniverse, who saw it last Thursday.

[Blackeyes]

Tuesday some freshmen (stupid freshmen) were talking about how they were planning to see it together, with their church(es). They're a good crop of freshmen this year and some of them I actually consider friends (perish the thought), so one of them asked me to go Wednesday at 7. So I did. He actually had a ticket with him he gave me. This shows that some chuches are using it either as a tool for witnessing, or that they bought out theaters for their congregation and handed out a lot of tickets.

I didn't really go see it with them, so much as I had to find my own ride there (irk), got there late (it was a 7 showing but they were meeting at 5:15) and didn't sit by them. The theater was PACKED. People were watching it standing up, and a lot of folks pushed up the arm rests and sat bench style. Coincidentally, this is how I found a seat and sat next to a pretty girl the whole time.

I had a great opportunity to use the "Is this seat saved?" routine. Instead I said "taken". A wonderful opportunity for inappropriate comedy wasted.

Yes, there were some previews before the movie. I believe only two or three -Captain Amazing and the World of Tomorrow, and Spiderman 2. And a movietickets.com commercial. In most movies, they have the cycle of still advertisements before the "pre show countdown", but here the projector was not even turned on until the previews started.

When the movie ended I also had to find my own way home. "Hey there, buddy. Remember me from services? I usually sit kind of near you usually.... Yeah, but you might not see me much because I usually hang out with my youth pastor. What's his name? Well.. Mike! He likes us to call him Mike, because he's a real cool laid back kind of guy....Aw, thanks and gee wiz. It was nice meeting you again. Thanks a bunch for the ride home, I sure appreciate it. See you on Sunday!"

[Zap_Rowsdower]

Oh indeed, much better to proudly wave the flag of abject ignorance in the face of the world than actually view the work and therefore know what it is both you AND your conversation mates are discussing.

Why foul the waters of complete blind ignorance with the fine silt of knowledge?

:rolleyes:


:rolleyes:

Yeah, whats up with people choosing not to see something that according to the previews and descriptions will be an unpleasant experience.

And I haven't heard much of a movement to ban the movie and not allow others who want to, to see it. Unlike some Christians did the Last Temptation of Christ came out.

[raz]

My school is livid with gossip about this movie.

I am atheist, and I saw it. It disturbed me greatly. I'm far too non-violent for that kind of stuff. Ick. See, since I don't believe in Jesus, it was just like watching some random guy get beaten to death so the emotional impact wasn't there for me, but still...sheesh, Mel Gibson. Coulda toned it down just a tad, don't ya think?

"But thats how it really happened!" I've heard people say when I put forth my viewpoint.

Well, you werent there when it happened, I'm sorry to say.

[Eureka]

Well, I still haven't been asked by casual acquaintances if I'm going to see it. I have, however, been invited to go see it (and might have been able to get my ticket paid for by someone else) and was surprised to hear that my parents had seen it already. (Last weekend the went to see Miracle (the story of the US hockey team)). This makes two movies in less than a week. While not uncommon for some people, it uses up my parents quota of movies to be seen in theatres for the year. Of course, they went to a viewing arranged by their church, which apparently will be discussing the movie throughout Lent. I can respect that, even though nothing they said made me think it was a movie I need to see.

[Eureka]

And now that I've read Raz's post I want to respond to it. I listened briefly to a bunch of people on the radio discussing their reactions to the movie. More than one said that "It wasn't violent. that's just how it was" and I wanted to scream. It is one thing to say that it wasn't TOO violent, or wasn't GRATUITOUSLY* violent and another to say that it wasn't violent. I mean, in one of my classes last semester, the professor said to us one day" I used this example for years without thinking anything of it. That's not true anymore. I would use a different example, but I just can't think of anything that would be as effective. Imagine a plane flies into a building" He apologized, as it were, for bringing up tramatic memories.
*My dad is not convinced on this score. He felt the violence occurred to the point that it seemed like a miracle that Jesus was alive to be crucified.

[Jennyrosity]

Fanastic quote from a Muslim friend while discussing this film:

"I don't know much about Jesus. I would like to learn more about him and his adventures".

Classic.

[Philster]

Reporting back: It sucked.

A good movie about a beating, but you have to believe that Mel missed the point. I think that many Christians miss the point when it comes to Christianity. I still don't know why - as an atheist - I know more about their faith than they do.

J.C. gets the greatest amount of attention ever in Hollywood and it's a blood fest? Poor bastard had revolutionary ideas about God and how people should view god, love and one another....that God is caring, not a plague-baring bastard demanding you kill your family...and that you are his children and he will lead you. The whole Jesus enchilda...the flipping upside down of all the 'fear god and obey this and obey that or die', and this crap of a move stirs them? The beatitudes and sermon on the mount...the parables...all of it...and Christians get this crap?

Hello, Christians...loving this movie and worrying about the Ten Commandements is proof that Jesus was spitting into the wind. Get a clue, people.