Comments on: Pilate

By: Jim Madison's Dog

Jim Madison's Dog — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 21:52:55 +0000

I am told by a priest pal of mine that at the entrance to Pilate’s hometown there is a sign that says, “Welcome To (Wherever)—Birthplace of Pontius Pilate.” Now, THAT’S marketing.

By: Jimmy Doyle

Jimmy Doyle — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 21:38:56 +0000

John Isbell: Gotcha. I stand corrected; seem to be having some trouble with basic reading comprehension.

By: Dave F

Dave F — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 19:59:51 +0000

As an enthusiastic crucifier of uppity Jews (by the thousands) and a Saddam-like form of orderly overnment, Pilate scarcely fits the tortuous analogy Kieran is trying to fashion here. I’m a lapsed Catholic, but I know an anti-semitic set-up when I see it. Judging from many of the comments here, I gather the British left is running true to form on this question.

By: John Isbell

John Isbell — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 18:04:31 +0000

Apocryphal gospels, Jimmy. ca. AD 130-300. Gentiles. Pro-Roman, hence the Pilate schtick, and blaming the Jews as definitely as possible. Definitely not the Romans.

By: Jimmy Doyle

Jimmy Doyle — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 16:21:16 +0000

Since all the evangelists except Luke were almost certainly Jews, that “rampant anti-semitism” would presumably be of the ‘self-hating’ variety?

By: Miriam

Miriam — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 15:26:06 +0000

Blood libel. Jonathan Frankel has a good book on its resurgence in 19th c. Europe.

By: T. Gracchus

T. Gracchus — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 15:00:47 +0000

What exactly is a “blood-libel”?

By: John Isbell

John Isbell — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 14:09:18 +0000

Let’s note that Joan Armatrading should be listened to more often. More than one apocryphal gospel treats Pilate as a saint and martyr. Most are fairly dull, though John playing with a partridge, with different interpretations, and traditionally written by his disciple, is cute and rings true. What they ddo have is rampant anti-semitism. You see what the NT redactors left out: a lot. The film will, fom what I’ve heard, certainly horrify and traumatize the Sunday School kids nationwide being shown it. My prayer is that this will cause their parents to think what they’ve just done. It’s Lent. Mel is a of course a heretic, and I’m confident his film is also heterodox. Jesus is not a side of beef.

By: James R MacLean

James R MacLean — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 07:19:52 +0000

I think I’m disturbed by the tendency of self-conscious groups to wallow in some great wrong that was done to them. For example, ultranationalists in many countries have a sort of ritual wallowing in some offense committed against them at some time in the past. What I’m noticing is a lot of really extreme aggrievment on the part of zealots watching the movie (sorry, I don’t meant Hasmonean zealots either). Just a thought.

By: dsquared

dsquared — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 06:54:03 +0000

Yeh, but other hand his eventual diversification into the fitness classes industry seems to be paying off.

By: Rabbi Joel Schwartzman

Rabbi Joel Schwartzman — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 06:29:46 +0000

Surely you gest. Old Pontius’ bad luck didn’t stem from his run in with Jesus. He was called back to Rome for his murderous ways, and we have more history about that from Agrippa I and Philo than we actually do for his most famous victim. Let not the sands of the Middle East revise your vision of history too distortedly.

By: bob mcmanus

bob mcmanus — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 05:00:44 +0000

Since Jesus and the Christians were insignificant to Pilate’s career ( I think there was an ill-considered massacre out east somewhat that got him recalled)…. I actually read this as a very nice and subtle reference to recent history in Iraq. Silly me.

By: Uncle Jimbo

Uncle Jimbo — Thu, 26 Feb 2004 04:44:03 +0000

What a reasonable, toned comment on this movie. Amidst all the hyper-ventilating, I think you have found a likely to be relevant view of the importance of this film. Cordially, Jim