Uber Catholic Mel Gibson told the Herald Sun of Australia that he believes his wife, an Episcopalian, will be going to hell:
"There is no salvation for those outside the Church. I believe it...Put it this way. My wife is a saint. She’s a much better person than I am. Honestly. She’s, like, Episcopalian, Church of England. She prays, she believes in God, she knows Jesus, she believes in that stuff. And it’s just not fair if she doesn’t make it, she’s better than I am. But that is a pronouncement from the chair. I go with it.”
Which reminded Gothamist of the classic Seinfeld episode, The Burning, where Elaine is aghast to find out that boyfriend David Puddy is religious (he listens to Christian stations and has a Jesus fish on his car):
Elaine: Oh. So, you're pretty religious?
Puddy: That's right.
Elaine: So is it a problem that I'm not really religious?
Puddy: Not for me.
Elaine: Why not?
Puddy: I'm not the one going to hell.
Later
Elaine: David, I'm going to hell! The worst place in the world! With devils and those caves and the ragged clothing! And the heat! My god, the heat! I mean, what do you think about all that?
Puddy: Gonna be rough.
Elaine: Uh, you should be trying to save me!
Puddy: Don't boss me! This is why you're going to hell.
If only The Passion of the Christ would be as good as The Silliness of the Seinfeld.
Gawker on the passion over The Passion of the Christ. greg.org on the earlier movie, Jesus.
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I was just looking at the trailers for TPOTC, and it looks great, and sounds great (lots of wailing-type music with reeds and percussion for an ancient-mystical-dramatic thing, also very similar to the music for “Troy”); but my only concern is the use of recycled imagery that looks like pictures out of my 4th Grade CCD book. The heavenly light streaming into the Garden of Gethsemane. And like, why does Jesus have that bad Allman Brothers hair-do? And the trimmed beard? For being a bunch of 1st-Century Jews, these guys sure have done a lot of facial-hair trimming. Is that (ahem) kosher? Also, what’s with the women with uncovered hair? I’m pretty sure that’s not right. Also, Jesus hauls a fully-built cross up the hill. I think it’s universally agreed-upon that Jesus just carried one beam, and they either nailed his hands up above his head, or attached that beam to a standing post or dead tree. Not that it matters in determining the “quality” of the movie, but Mr. Mel “Bird on a Wire” Gibson has made a great deal of the historical “accuracy” of the scenes. I think that was the wrong feature to play up. I would have gone with the classic “greatest story ever told, shown to you in a way you never imagined.” I'm trying to keep an open mind because I think this anti-semitism debate is a red herring.
God, that's so brilliant --- what a comparison! I miss SEINFELD.
First Dennis Miller, now Mel Gibson. Man, 2004 is shaping up to be a strange one....
"And the heat! My God, the heat!" That's one of my favorite Seinfeld lines.
My fave David Puddy line would have to be: "Feels like an Arby's night."
A hallmark of a good or great sitcom is if the supporting characters are interesting, and David Puddy might be one of the best creations ever. There's also Newman, Uncle Leo, and fiancee Susan's parents, but I have a soft spot in my heart for face painters.
That's interesting, because that's what he said to Peter J. Boyer in the New Yorker piece on The Passion of the Christ.
In fact, that's what he said verbatim. And so is the other quote from the Herald Sun "interview".
http://www.wcnet.org/~bgcc/gibson.htm
Jesus never heard of corduroy, either.
I am extremely impatient to see Passion - the resurrection/ascension myth is obviously absurd, but like Tertullian I am inclined to believe it for that very reason. Even without the theological considerations, people forget the historical impact of Christ and Christianity (and St. Paul), I think, in transforming the world - specifically the ideas of the universality of human worth and freedom of religious conscience. Christian doctrine is almost completely free of the divisions found in the Koran and Talmud (both written long after the Gospels were collected) breaking people up into gentile or infidel groupings in the temporal sphere. That was absolutely revolutionary and visionary at the time, and unfortunately remains so to some extent, even in "Christendom".
I really don't have much faith, but I envy those who find it in themselves. Maybe someday? In the meantime I do my best to be a virtuous pagan.
Mel Gibson's wife must REALLY love her husband! I can only imagine their home life: "Yeah, honey, I told everyone you're going to burn in hell and I'm not. Woo hoo! Happy Valentine's Day! Wanna have 12 more kids?"
What a romantic!
to larry dvm:
cool, dude; you go! not many know that the 'cross'
thing is bogus. the hair was usually much shorter,
really 'manish,' if you get it(Law of Moses forbid
long hair on men) the mod jews got to be profil'n!
to sterling: faith is like your health, you can build it up, tear it down, whatever; it depends on
what YOU do/don't do;
'bout that "historical impact," people don't throw over their whole lives for something BOGUS,
maybe you didn't go to Woodstock, but if you tried, you could probably talk to some1 who did;
would you believe it then?
EVERYBODY DANCE! DANCE!
be safe, have fun
Why is it that the most "devout" Christians are the ones who are most terrified of death? If Mel's faith is so powerful -- and something I should be wanting -- why is he so loathe to "meet his Maker?" Sheesh!
Walker: You have a long ways to go to grow UP!!!
Life is a one way Journey, you might as well enjoy it! But don't forget, weather you are faithful or not, you can't afford to make this mistake in life! A soul is a very expensive price to pay if you don't walk the right path! Now think of it this way.......You wouldn't drive a car without insurance would you? Well faith is your life insurance! Don't leave home without it!
Everyone is scared of dying because they don't know if they were good enough for GOD to accept them. Even the most faithful.......did they learn the bible and what the written word of GOD is? Do they believe or do they believe that they evolved from the monkey? First of all weather a person is a Christian or Jewish.....they both believe in GOD the Father. According to the Tora the chosen one is coming. According to the Bible, Jesus is the chosen one...THE SON OF GOD. Here is the riddle.... IF You could see GOD and or JESUS with your own eyes, would it change your behavior? Would you honor his word? WOuld you study the bible for what he is trying to teach you from it? Do you believe that the world would change if all could see Jesus? Do you pray for the answers? Do you feed a hungry person living on the street or just walk past him as if you didn't see him? Would GOD be proud of you as you are right now? Examine your heart
Katie,
The mistake most religious types make is making a distinction between them and their "kind" as opposed to people who AREN'T of their kind. They compartmentalize religion, identify themselves as "good" and others as "lost", and think that God somehow likes them best (whatever the religion) and has given them the authority to determine who is and is not "saved".
How dare you? You do NOT have that authority. Who do you think you are? God did NOT give his job to you.
The Bible says "He who would be first shall be last." This means the very act of thinking you're saved (however you define that) is enough to put you at the end of God's line. Why? Because it takes vanity and arrogance to presume God loves you more than he loves someone who is different from you and will let you into heaven ahead of someone else. It is the meek who shall inherit the earth, NOT the vain and the arrogant.
And religious types are always the first to ignore the commandments because they somehow think they're exempt...because God likes them best. One example, it is always the religious types who have to have a gun - who have given themselves permission on some level to kill for whatever the reason, even though "Thou shalt not kill" is one of God's commandments, and they claim to be close to God. I could go on.
Wake up. Rid yourself of your sanctimonious pomposity, and please stop quoting preachers who are in the sales business, NOT the "God" business. Don't make the mistake so many people do, and parade your religion around like a person masturbating in a storefront - your faith should be between you and God ONLY. Your prayers should be between you and God ONLY. And the determination of who is and is not doing a good job in God's eyes is God's ONLY. Not yours.
Stop telling people they need to grow up and become like you in order for God to accept them.
What you said is all well and good, but I have a suspicion you don't live it (religious types who talk about their faith and are quick to point out other people's "flaws in God's eyes" rarely do - unless it's with one eye in the mirror, in front of an audience). And try to think for yourself.