Readers may recall that, when The Passion of the Christ first came out in the movie theaters, I thought Christian Canadian writer Michael Cohen's reaction to the film a bit drastic, even suggesting that he had transformed the movie into a cartoon. At the time, these statements of Coren's struck me in an indeterminately related way:
This is some pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic blood cult. It is populated with medieval-type caricatures, screaming out of context, laughing at suffering. ...The flashbacks seem, with one touching exception depicting Jesus as a child, to be mere attempts to push Catholic eucharistic theology onto the audience.
Now, Rod Dreher has noted that Coren's tune has changed:
I still believe that this work should have been different in various ways. Yet now I have seen, or allowed myself to see, what lies at the very core of The Passion. The Eucharist. ...The interspersing of scenes from The Last Supper and the institution of the Mass with the immense and intense suffering of Christ was irksome to me when I first saw the movie. Now these flashes of truth serve as chapters of explanation, each one shining a unique light on the events that surround them. ...
As I watched again, another reality embraced me, like the arms of a loving mother around an eager if sometimes foolish child. It was that Mary is not merely a background figure in a magnificent drama, but the divine conduit for salvation. In other words, she is sublime and perfect and with us forever. The mother of us all....
Mary weeps for her son. Her tears and His blood mingle to soak the world in hope and love. Within their grandeur all despair is smothered and all sin cleansed. Yes, I see it now. I see it so clearly.
To be sure, private home viewing inclines one to react to a film differently than watching it amid a crowded theater, and different aspects will emerge in each place. Still, I think there's something more profound going on, in Coren's case. I think his initial reaction was an outward manifestation of a deep recognition of Truth and emotional rejection of the requirement to rethink views around which his life had been built. (Andrew Sullivan is an exponentially more transparent example of this.)
Ultimately, the clarity that broke through the repulsion has cost Coren avenues of income and career advancement — an Evangelical writer and speaker who converts to Roman Catholicism is apt to lose gigs more quickly than he can find new ones that better align with his revelation. And Mr. Coren joined the Church in July.
Watching The Passion in my own living room, I wondered how it could be that people don't see the essence behind Catholic theology. In allowing himself to see, Michael Coren has illustrated what keeps others from doing the same: usually themselves and their interest in their particular circumstances.
Posted by Justin Katz at September 21, 2004 11:54 PMThat was beautiful and inspiring to read. Reminds me of the transformation of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, the former abortionist who was jewish and athiest. Now he is a pro life Catholic.
These sort of conversions are miracles in themselves, don't you think?
Come visit my blog sometime!
First of all, I consider myself to be a well-educated person at 13 years of age. I am very interested in religion and why people seem to follow it. I am currently leaning towards being an athiest, due to many things that have happened in my family and aorund me. If tehre was a god, how could he let these horrible things happen? Take Africa for example. Innocent people are dying every single day and this so called "god" doesn't even seem to help them. How would this "god" let his masterpiece, the world, be over-populated and polluted? It would be like watching your beloved child slowly die before you, and having the "magic" poition in your hand to save her, but not using it. Humans don't have the power, and neither does any superior creature called "god". People only believe in religion because it helps them cope with their everyday stress and anxiety that overwhelms the existing world and sollows it with lies and contriversy. Humans are one of the main problems of the world. Look at Kurt Cobain, he hated humans, as do I. Their nature is just so sick and twisted any being/creater would not have included such large flaws in the blue print. Thats why I believe in evolution, not god. God was just made up as a guideline so that civilizations wouldn't crash with "sins" and just so that people wouldn't do gross things like incest. Finally, I pose a question that I want answered. Was John Lennon an athiest?? Try to e-mail me back please at nirvana_kks23@hotmail.com
Posted by: Kimi at November 6, 2004 8:04 PMKimi,
The existence of pain and suffering tells us absolutely nothing about the existence of God. The fact that God isn't like an all-powerful over-protective mother doesn't mean that God just isn't. It does, however, give us clues about God's nature and what He might want of us.
As a fan of Kurt Cobain, you ought to have a tremendous sense of the truth that good things can from suffering. Chances are that the attributes of his music that you like derive, to some extent, from what he was going through. This isn't to say that it is right to wish suffering on others to get good songs out of them, but even the most over-protective mother will force her child to suffer if the payoff is important enough. (Some kids would say school is that very sort of suffering.)
Suppose a young child has cancer. Would you blame her mother for putting her through the various painful therapies to cure it? At least according to my Christian view of God it simply isn't the case that His watching us die in this life is "like watching your beloved child slowly die before you." Death is a transition; what if life itself is the "magic potion" that you mention?
As for John Lennon's religious beliefs... I'd suggest, first, that turning to rock stars for advice on God is a bit like turning to somebody who lives in Manhattan for advice on preparing a farm for winter. That said, everything I've ever read on the subject would indicate that he was an atheist. (Just look at the lyrics to songs like "God" and even "Imagine.")
Interestingly, though, George Harrison — who was most definitely not an atheist, and who knew Lennon personally — wrote a song a few months after Lennon's death titled "All Those Years Ago." In that song, which is like a letter to Lennon, Harrison writes that "they've forgotten all about God/He's the only reason we exist." That line always struck me as odd, considering Lennon's own lyrics about God...
Posted by: Justin Katz at November 7, 2004 10:20 PMYou may be right in some ways. It hasn't changed my point of view on anything, as I still think that if there was god he would be cruel to let all those people suffer. Why would he create such a disfunctional world? I also think that people only go to church/synagouge for a reason to live another week. Without the fear of damnation and crap everyone would do what they wanted, not held back by the srtings of religion. Religion defies basic human rights. Churchs only lie to people to get them to be strong, and face the world again. It's realy just encouragement for life and I think that it's pointless.
Posted by: Kimi at November 7, 2004 10:42 PMHi Kimi,
It is true, we live in a dysfunctional world. But this does not necessarily mean that God is nonexistent or cruel.
The Bible teaches that God created the world to be a good place. God has also given people free will to choose good or evil, and people sometimes choose evil, which wrecks the good things God has made. A lot of Christians also say that there is a Devil out there who creates havoc and tries to destroy good.
I believe God is deeply concerned over the problems of the world, enough to sacrifice himself (as Jesus), because he wants to be our friend, spend time with us, and bless us.
Some people say the "religion is a crutch" or "religion is a social control". I agree, religion can be both of those things. But the core of the Christian faith is not about those things, it is about knowing Jesus, and letting him work in your life.
Those who claim religion is a crutch should look at the other crutches that people live by, for example money, sex, and power. Such things do not fill the soul with peace, love, or joy.
Those who claim religion is a social control should look at the consequences of a society without morals: sexual diseases, broken hearts, broken families, drug abuse, prostitution, and people living selfish, greedy lives. Someone once said "if people do not have a policeman in their head, society will need more policemen on the streets". Without religious faith, the western world is headed for a police state to curb increasing lawlessness.
I hope you will try this little experiment:
Ask God "If you are real, please show me"
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