IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY SAW THE PASSION OVER THE WEEKEND: And suggests to you, in a somewhat non-value-neutral way, that it really makes you think about what Jesus went through and how it strengthens one's belief, I think I had the right to reply that from what I heard of it that it sounded cinematically unimpressive (two hours of a guy getting beaten up) and unfaithful to scripture (no dead rising, no curtain-rending, no impressed centurions) as well as historically inaccurate (crucifications were done through the wrists, not the hands; nobody would've been speaking Latin in Judea). That is to say: given that she was hinting that she found it inspiring, I think I was within my rights to say that from what I knew of the movie it sounded kinda stinky.

I mean.....maybe I faux pased it big time by not just nodding in assent--it's supposed to best to avoid discussing religion with people you don't know that well, which was the case here. But I think the discussion was kept to reasonable levels of non-value neutrality--it didn't veer into a value-charged conversation. And it was short. I just hate the idea that because millions of believers are into this thing that it somehow makes it critic-proof.

All from a stupid Mel Gibson movie that I am still not planning on seeing. Gawd, that guy peaked in Road Warrior.