(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!”)
Nope. I’d rather watch an Argentinian snuff movie. Apparently they’re strikingly similar.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
No strangers but a couple of co-workers have, and after I said no, they said the weren’t planning to either.
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.
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.
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.
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]
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.