What can I say about Mel Gibson that hasn't already been said in the past few weeks? National media coverage has detailed how this former Catholic icon of family values fell from grace, betraying first his wife of over 20 years, and then his model baby-mama. Quotations reveal him to be racist, vulgar, abusive ... oh yeah, and misrepresentative of Church teaching on salvation.
Obviously, I could say how disgusted I am.
I could say how I once loved The Passion of the Christ, but after multiple viewings the intense gore is just sickening, not meaningful. Sure, Jim Caviezel and the Eucharistic paralells are still great. But it seems like violence is how Gibson explains the world in most of his films. For instance, over 4th of July I re-watched The Patriot. Like The Passion, it was chock full of hateful destruction calcuated to elicit shock, anger, and revenge. Seeing Gibson's character mutilate Redcoats with a tomahawk was not unlike the Roman soldiers in the infamous scourging at the pillar scene.
I could also say how this review, while ignorant and vulgar, is also fascinating. It shows how The Passion - theological context = confusion, not evangelization. The reviewer admits he "knows nothing about Christianity," but didn't leave with any better understanding of sacrifice and redemption. On the other hand, the film did teach him who Pontius Pilate was and made him ask some questions.
I could say that I want to spit on Mel Gibson's reputation and smack him in the face for disgracing his family and his faith. But then I read this post, with the phrase "Every Soul is a Battlefield." It's true, Mel Gibson is in a battle for his soul. He's fighting against his sinfulness, his inner demons, and whatever addictions or mental illnesses he may have. More violence and hatred won't cure him. Instead, I should do what the post's author recommends "be a brave heart and pray for him." That's what Jesus the Christ would have us do.
Not a fan of The Passion, but I do love Braveheart and The Patriot. You're right, his movies are filled with incredible violence, although it could be argued those were times of violence. But whatever, this wasn't a critique of his movies, was it? It's about a man who happens to be an actor with a huge audience, and he's acting like an ass... in public.
ReplyDeleteI immediately think of Tom Cruise. I diligently went to all of his movies, claiming to be a fan despite whatever personal principals he carries. And then he showed his ass, multiple times, and lost me, and many others, as devoted fans. I'm just a number and my opinion doesn't matter. He's made that clear.
As long as Johnny Depp reserves his ass showing in yummy ways and not in disturbing public rants, I'm all good. But yeah, ol' Mel needs a lot of help and invoking some heavenly help is probably his only salvation.
Well put! It is sad that one of the few "open Catholics" in Hollywood has managed to damn himself so efficiently! Doesn't help our reputation at all does it?
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