I can't believe this

According to this Zenit story, there is already a good deal of controversy developing over Mel Gibson's movie on the Passion of Jesus Christ. The story refers to a column by Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput, who defends Gibson and the movie, noting that critics should want until the movie is actually made before they criticize it.

The controversy concerns the portrayal of Christ's passion viz. Jews. Apparently, some scholars and others are worried that "stereotypical" anti-Semitic elements will be present in the film. The Zenit story even tells of an 18-page paper put out by a group of Catholic and Jewish scholars who complain that "a graphic movie presentation of the crucifixion could reawaken the very anti-Semitic attitudes that we have devoted our careers to combating."

Please. Gibson has made it clear that he is being faithful to the Gospel accounts of the Passion. If that is the case, and the movie is little more than a visual version of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, then maybe these scholars should request that the gospels not be read, for fear of reawakening those anti-Semitic attitudes.

By the way, this is the same group of scholars who issued a paper last summer stating that it was inappropriate to seek the conversion of Jews to Christianity.