(SermonAudio Note: It appears that much of the film's focus has been on the physical aspect of Christ's sufferings which would naturally tend to evoke strong emotions from any casual viewer. This can be true of any non-religious story of human suffering and tragedy. As much as this is an important element of Christ's sacrifice, Christ suffered as no mere human could ever suffer because of His unique Divine nature and therefore His payment and suffering was on a much higher, indeed infinite, spiritual level. He was smitten of the Father as our Great Sin-Bearing Lamb of God and well was the deepest part of His suffering shrouded in 3 hours of darkness where no man, even at that time, could witness with the physical eye. It is by faith that we truly 'see' what Christ endured in His soul for us, and "faith cometh by hearing." Let us then walk by faith and not by physical sight.)In his only radio interview about his soon-to-be released film, Mel Gibson told Focus on the Family founder James Dobson the controversy surrounding "The Passion of the Christ," has been difficult on him and his family but not unexpected.
"I felt the sting of these things; I think they're unfair," Gibson said in reference to charges he and his film are anti-Semitic.
"But if you're going to deal with the Passion, you're going to take some hits," the filmmaker said.
In the conversation, which will air Monday on the Focus on the Family broadcast, Dobson told Gibson he found the film "deeply disturbing and shocking and at the same time a powerful witness to the price paid by Jesus Christ for you and me."
"It left me with a sense of guilt and responsibility," said Dobson, who has seen a rough cut of the film twice. "I did this to Him. I'm part of the curse of sin that was laid upon Him."
The film opens Ash Wednesday, Feb. 25, in more than 2,800 theaters nationwide.
Gibson admitted to Dobson the R-rated film covering the last 12 hours of the life of Christ is graphic.
But the scenes of Jesus' scourging and crucifixion were depicted that way for a reason, Gibson said.
"It's hard to watch, but somehow it's inspiring," he explained. "There's something about the experience of it, the violence of it, the humiliations and the torture of it [that] relays the enormity of the sacrifice."
