About "The Passion of the Christ"...

Ebert said it was the most violent movie he had ever seen.

Eric Snider, who is LDS, gave it an A -- here's his movie review. I like what he said:

The idea of Jesus taking the sins of the world upon himself is abstract to me, because I don't know what that would feel like, or what natural force would cause one to feel it. It is spiritual, not tangible. But pain, I can relate to. The physical aspects of Christ's atonement are something I can understand -- and I understand them better, and am more grateful for them, after seeing their depiction in this film.

Now then -- I think this whole issue relates back to Jacob: "And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God... Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained [to] tell you the truth according to the plainness of the word of God..."

I take that as meaning, quite simply, that some folks don't need to hear the "awful truth" -- I believe that the Spirit can testify more powerfully about Christ's sacrifice than a movie can convey.

But I think a movie is certainly easier. You don't need to be righteous to see a movie.

I think a lot of Christians don't need to see the horrendous violence re-enacted to be humbled. And yet it can help so many Christians (and non-) to understand better what physical agony Christ went through.

In short, I think the movie is a good thing, and, frankly, I think God approves of it. "for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." But I don't think He necessarily expects his saints to see it -- the counsel is not to see it, and if you've been following all His other counsel, you probably don't need to. You might be better off spending those same hours praying.

I'm still not decided -- personally, I think I need the message it has to share, and seeing the movie is easier than praying for two hours. Maybe after seeing it, I WILL pray for two hours.