What I was looking for..........

Barbaraae asked why I went to see the movie "PASSION OF THE CHRIST". I started to leave an answer in the comment field, but decided that it certainly would not afford me enough space to answer this properly. Her question is certainly simple enough, but how does one answer when the topic is so deeply personal and complex?

There are many reasons that I went to see the movie. First of all, and to be honest, I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I'd heard how bloody and gory it is, and because of the violence a person less than 17 years of age would not be allowed to see it unless accompanied by an adult. All of which is rather ironic it seems considering the subject matter, and the fact the children all over the world are dying daily, victims of "religious" wars and "religious" radicals. I guess that's okay as long as they don't have to witness the violence in a movie theater.

There has been so much controversy about the topic, and everyone, it seems, has an opinion whether they have seen the movie or not. I prefer to do my own thinking and not allow critics to influence me one way or the other. Rather than walking around spouting a mindless opinion about a movie that I hadn't seen, I wanted to see it first hand and form my own opinion so that my spouting would have some merit - at least to me. Thankfully, I am now able to dispel the negative comments I hear.

And last, but certainly not least I wanted to "witness" the Crucifixion of Christ. It is extremely hard to explain why I needed to be a witness, of sorts. A personal relationship with God is the ultimate love, and to give one's life for another is the ultimate sacrifice. Reading about the Crucifixion and being able to "see" it drives home the reality of the sacrifice.

The movie, on some level gave me a feeling of renewal, rebirth and ultimately love - a love that could never be challenged.

That is what I went for.