Perhaps the Catholic theologins have enough Latin to understand one half, and perhaps the Jewish Talmud scholars can understand the Aramaic half, but how the hell did Matt Drudge understand anything but: "wow, look at the pretty pictures"?
I have to say, though, that James Caviezel seems like he would make a very compelling Jesus.
Bryan
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Jews alarmed by Gibson film of Christ's last hours By Andrew Buncombe in Washington 13 August 2003
Mel Gibson's unfinished but hugely controversial film, The Passion, has provoked further criticism after a leading Jewish group had a private screening.
The film, which portrays the final 12 hours of the life of Jesus Christ, would fuel "bigotry and anti-Semitism" in its current form, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said. It called on Gibson to modify the film before it is released.
"The film unambiguously portrays Jewish authorities and the Jewish mob as the ones responsible for the decision to crucify Jesus," said Abraham Foxman, the ADL's director. "We are deeply concerned that the film, if released in its present form, will fuel the hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism that many responsible churches have worked hard to repudiate." [...] The film has attracted controversy since leaked copies of early drafts of the script began appearing earlier this year. Its critics say the film, which was shot in Italy, has dialogue only in Latin and Aramaic and has no English subtitles, portrays the Jews as "bloodthirsty".
[...]
Last Friday, the head of the ADL's office on interfaith matters, Rabbi Eugene Korn, attended a private screening in Houston, Texas. He said that some of the film's "gross historical inaccuracies" had been removed after complaints from Jewish and Catholic scholars earlier this year. But he said that the film still had "major historical falsehoods".
[...]
A spokesman for Gibson, who produced, directed and co-wrote the film, which stars James Caviezel, denied that it was his intention to offend. "No one associated with this film has any interest in fuelling hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism,'' said Gibson's publicist, Alan Nierob. "In fact, Mel's interest is just the opposite, as he has stated previously that this film is about love, hope, faith and forgiveness.''
A number of those who have seen the film have praised it. Matt Drudge, founder of the Drudge Report news website, said: "It depicts a clash between Jesus and those who crucified him and speaking as a Jew, I thought it was a magical film that showed the perils of life on earth."