Empire Control Room & Garage
Don't Need to Go to the Movies to Find God
RECEIVED Wed., April 7, 2004
Dear Chronicle,
Please tell Thomas Tucker I'll pray for him ["Postmarks," April 2]. I happen to go to mass at the University Catholic Center where Father Sabatte preaches. Maybe Mr. Tucker should come sometime and witness an honest, contemporary, and "conversion"-worthy sermon about the life of Jesus. Paulists rock and Father Sabatte is a master of making the Gospel accessible without Hollywood theatrics. As far as the movie which calls itself The Passion being the "best sermon" that Americans will hear and see, what a very sad outlook on the part of Mr. Tucker. Mel Gibson's lousy objectification and prostitution of the death of Christ is both pathetic and uninteresting. It's offensive that one would create a film on the life of Christ with objectives of greed, profit, and furthering one's own already delusional sense of self-importance. Maybe I'm crazy, but how about going out and serving the poor and working in your own neighborhood or abroad (both of which I've done and do) to experience the word and life of Christ? Wait, isn't that what Jesus did and told us to do? There's enough despair and real life injustice around the corner and down the block that I don't need to go to a fucking blockbuster, offensively violence-ridden flick to get off and feel better about myself and somehow closer to my God – who has never left my side in the first place.
Please tell Thomas Tucker I'll pray for him ["Postmarks," April 2]. I happen to go to mass at the University Catholic Center where Father Sabatte preaches. Maybe Mr. Tucker should come sometime and witness an honest, contemporary, and "conversion"-worthy sermon about the life of Jesus. Paulists rock and Father Sabatte is a master of making the Gospel accessible without Hollywood theatrics. As far as the movie which calls itself The Passion being the "best sermon" that Americans will hear and see, what a very sad outlook on the part of Mr. Tucker. Mel Gibson's lousy objectification and prostitution of the death of Christ is both pathetic and uninteresting. It's offensive that one would create a film on the life of Christ with objectives of greed, profit, and furthering one's own already delusional sense of self-importance. Maybe I'm crazy, but how about going out and serving the poor and working in your own neighborhood or abroad (both of which I've done and do) to experience the word and life of Christ? Wait, isn't that what Jesus did and told us to do? There's enough despair and real life injustice around the corner and down the block that I don't need to go to a fucking blockbuster, offensively violence-ridden flick to get off and feel better about myself and somehow closer to my God – who has never left my side in the first place.
Laura Thomas
