CECIL PINTO - a crusader for debates on a Goan's Passion for more!

I received this item in the mailbox and thought to
dedicate it to Cecil Pinto - a crusader for debates on
a Goan's 'PASSION' for more!

Ofcourse, I had to edit the content for clarity, with
due diligence.....reverence and not to land into
revulsion. Like they say in a PEPSI commercial, hea
dil'l mang'ge more.. ha, ha!

Gaspar Almeida
Associate, www.goa-world.com

Read on.....

There's nothing spiritual, the way Hollywood makes
movies today. The world is very evil today. Movies
about beloved religious figures provoke strong
reactions - from reverence to revulsion. For some,
they are vivid illustrations of their faith; for
others they are corny "sandal-operas."

Going around the internet resources available, I found
that, this season, three movies have caught the
attention of Protestants, Catholics and Jews, and
opinion is equally diverse. Supporters see them as a
golden opportunity for evangelism, while critics
charge they are demeaning to other faiths.

"Luther," a biopic about the rebellious Catholic
priest who sparked the Protestant Reformation, stars
Joseph Fiennes, the "Shakespeare in Love" heartthrob.
"The Gospel of John," a word-for-word dramatization of
the fourth book of the New Testament, features a cast
drawn from England's Royal Shakespeare Company. "The
Passion of Christ," Mel Gibson's drama of Jesus' last
12 hours, draws on a variety of sources.

"Luther" and "The Gospel of John" are now playing in
select cities in the US. The Passion of Christ was
released on Feb. 25, 2004, Ash Wednesday.

We've had a historic recognition of the Christian
market, which has not really been considered as a
group since the 1940s and 1950s," says Ted Baehr, of
MovieGuide, which rates commercial films for morality
and spirituality.

The difference in these films from other films about
Christ is that they are being made from the
perspective of believers, by believers. This makes a
huge difference in how they will be received by
unbelievers, because those of us who have faith in
Christ believe that the power of our faith is in the
word of God.

This season's religious movies also have generated
controversy. And bad publicity is a concern for the
religious community, experts say, because if the films
don't do well at the box office, it's unlikely that
there will be many more big-budget, big-screen,
commercial efforts anytime soon.

But the greatest furor so far involves Mel Gibson's
"The Passion of Christ," which has drawn early
criticism from Jewish groups and others concerned
about its telling of the story of the hours preceding
the Crucifixion. They say the film revives the image
of Jews as "Christ-killers." Gibson's conservative
Catholic religious views, and those of his father,
have attracted coverage.

To counteract some of the negative buzz, Gibson has
been screening the film around the US. Those attending
the screenings have been required to sign a
confidentiality agreement.

It takes you on an emotional roller coaster, like any
sermon or work of art does. Because of the reasonable
artistic liberties Gibson was able to take with
Scripture, he was able to include some Hollywood-style
emotional elements, while still remaining true to the
reality of what Christ went through.

Although the Gibson film has attracted the most
attention, "The Gospel of John" has been troubling to
some. Producers say it's a word-for-word re-creation
of the Gospel of John. If viewers have a problem with
the film, they say, their problem is with the
Scripture.

If it's not word-for-word, I don't want to see it. I
don't like what Hollywood puts out. They add too much
of their own beliefs, and they take away from the
word. When I find someone who can make a movie that is
the truth of the word of God, then I will go out of my
way to see it, a devout Catholic says.

In the meantime, the parishioners in 'select' Churches
in Goa enjoy the film, free of charge, minus some
stress on their eye-balls due to poor quality of the
DVDs. Praise to God!

(Thanks to the bulk forwarding messenger who keeps
filling my mailbox(es). Positively one of them have
been identified as Cornel Carneiro of the not so
worthy A Verynaughty Fermentes Kendr.)

Bo..., back to you!


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gulf-goans/message/4041