JourneyOnline
I guess it will be on television here soon.
The documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus produced by Hollywood film maker James Cameron claims a 2000-year-old tomb found in Jerusalem may hold the remains of Jesus of Nazareth, Mary his mother, Mary Magdalene, said to be his partner, and Judah, said to be their son, together with other members of his family.
So, as yet another storm has broken out over the story that Christians hold so dear, I reflect on why I never went to see Mel Gibson’s celebrated movie The Passion of the Christ.
Apparently it was filled with excessive violence and, anyway, I knew how the story ended because I’d read the book.
But basically, when I go to the movies I don’t want to be depressed, I want to be entertained and while the resurrection is the denouement, wading through the Good Friday stuff is really quite discouraging.
Truth be known, I am a simple Protestant who likes the cross to be empty and the story to have a happy ending and Gibson, I fear, is essentially a Catholic who likes the crucifix and wants to dwell on the sacrificial nature of Jesus’ death.
I want to be a resurrection Christian not a crucifixion Christian.
I long for a story with a happy ending. I want to draw my energy from the life of Jesus not the death of Jesus.
I want to be inspired by his stories, wisdom and interactions with sinners, disciples, women and children, not by his gruesome, violent and painful suffering at the hands of cruel and barbaric torturers.
Come on Pentecost! Lent has gone on long enough and I’m ready to be uplifted and inspired in John 10:10 discipleship.
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Yeah Jesus!
