About Mel Gibson's Rage and Apology

From a comment by Judy Harrow about this post at GetReligion:

I feel like I need to point out a few inconvenient truths in this discussion, before Gibson’s image gets completely whitewashed.

1. The Gospel quote “his blood be upon us and our children” has provided the rationale for centuries of anti-semitic violence. Yes, it’s right there in the Book. It’s also an evil, murderous lie. Gibson claimed to have edited this statement out of the film, but actually only removed it from the English subtitle, not from the Aramaic soundtrack.

2. In medieval Germany, anti-semitism was so prevalent that they even actually had a name (schone Maria) for a Catholic chapel built over the ruins of a desecrated synagogue! From that cultural matrix came (just for a few examples) the Oberammergau passion plays (and the pogroms they generated), the writings of the “blessed” Anne Catherine Emmerich, and the writings and actions of Hitler. It’s a long tradition. Gibson claims Emmerich as an inspiration, and his work shows it!

3. Gibson’s father is a notorious holocaust denier. Whoever raises us deeply influences our thinking, before we begin to have the tools to research or reason for ourselves. Y’know, “give me a child before he is seven . . .” Gibson has never, not even now, publically disagreed with or distanced himself from his father.

4. Drinking loosens the tongue. It weakens all sorts of social restraint and discretion. But the words that come out of a drunkard’s mouth can only express ideas that were already there in his or her mind.

Repentance means “re-thinking.” So I agree with the previous poster that the right place for it to begin (after whatever religious rituals he may be engaging in privately) is with a trip to Auschwitz.

Another thing: Pope John 23 repudiated the blood libel two generations ago during Vatican II, but Gibson’s father is a leader of the faction that repudiated the Vatican in reaction to that council. And Gibson himself has been a major funder of their institutions.

So another indication of real metanoia might be a reconciliation with post-conciliar Catholicism. (Indeed, although Confession is, and should be, private, I admit that I wonder whether he is confessing with a mainstream priest or with one of his father’s regressive faction.)

I certainly wish Gibson well in his recovery from alcoholism. He has a much better chance of success with that than he does in outgrowing his deep-rooted anti-semitism — and it is a good think even if that’s as far as it goes.