by Ken Wetmore, KUAM News Wednesday, March 03, 2004 E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

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Violence, spirituality, and Hollywood have collided creating one of the most talked about and controversial movies to hit the Silver Screen. Of course, I'm talking about “The Passion of The Christ”, the new film directed and produced by Tinsel Town heavyweight and devout Catholic Mel Gibson.

While the movie opened a week ago to audiences on the mainland, the film has been a little slower coming to Guam. Today, the Micronesia Mall Theaters held a special screening for the community’s religious leaders and the media. We were there to find out what the reaction of Guam audiences would be to The Passion of The Christ. If it is rare to see men walk out of a theater with tears trickling down their face, it is even more rare to see them gather for prayer after finishing an R-rated movie.

But that is what happened today at the first screening of the film on Guam. Father Adrian Cristobal, pastor of the San Vicente Catholic Church in Barrigada told KUAM News after seeing the film that he felt it was, “Very inspiring, very touching, very moving...you know, it deepened my love for God. For Jesus and it touched me in the heart and it really, really effected me.”

Mae Quinata also says she was effected by the movie, saying, “Some portions I could not watch because I'm crying. It is really tearful, it is a really nice...very compassionate and very loving picture.” 

Of course, much of the controversy surrounding the passion has been that rather than inspiring love and compassion the movie could fuel hatred toward Jews. Father James Benavente is rector of the Agana Cathedral Basilica and says that was on his mind as he watched the movie today. “That was my biggest concern is the anti-Semitic messages that it contained and it is quite obvious in the film. I think though given the film, we need to be able to look beyond that that Jesus had died because of our sins and this is part of the history that has taken place and the reconciliation that must begin between Christians and Jews is the message of peace and hope,” he said.

The pastor of Bayview Baptist Church had another perspective. Pastor Rob Spiegel is Jewish and practiced Judaism before becoming a Christian, and said, “As a Jewish believer in Christ it talks about Jesus the Messiah and his love for the world and that's really the message of this movie, that love for the world.”

Pastor Spiegel says he is encouraging his congregation to view The Passion, although he described as pretty intense and not for kids. The level of violence in the passion has also caused criticism but many people we spoke with shared the opinions similar to these. “You almost got the sense that you were really there really feeling the pain that Jesus went through and you got to experience some of that especially when you talk about the Lord was scourged and you really got to see it,” said Pastor Spiegel.

How do you feel as you're leaving? “Made me changed to a new man," referencing a pivotal quote in the picture. 

The Passion of the Christ opens for Guam audiences this Friday.