Mel Gibson And The Maccabees

Even before Apocalypto came out, Mel Gibson was talking about doing a movie based on the Maccabean Revolt. Personally, I think that's a freaking awesome idea for a film. As we all know, Gibson's career got a bit side-tracked as he seemed to completely lose his mind. Even beyond the personal harm to him and his family, this was a shame because his Catholicity was well-known. It was pretty scandalous stuff. As I've said before, I'm not sure one can rule out some variety of demonic attack. It was that bad.

Now, reports are coming out that the Maccabees movie is back on. The screenwriter? Joe Eszterhas, another Catholic who did some bad things but came back to the Church. From a movie-making stand-point, this could be pretty promising.

Naturally, the Abe Foxman crowd is up in arms. I'm not sure why anyone should care. Nobody cared when Dan Brown was airing blasphemy. I hate to tell Abe & Co., but the stories of the Old Testament are just as much ours as theirs. Moreso even, but saying that definitively would probably get me branded as an anti-Semite. Really, this comes down to my inability to understand why (a) Abe Foxman can still get publicity and (b) the role of forgiveness in these people's minds. At least Gibson apologized. Has Dan Brown or any of his ilk ever apologized for their slights against Christianity? Joy Behar has her own show now. The New York Times editor can openly ridicule the Eucharist. Haven't heard any apologies from them. Have Foxman et al ever offered to pray for Mel Gibson?

I'm sure Hollywood will rise up in collective contempt for Gibson's new effort. This will be done in the same breath as the newest accolades heaped upon whatever Roman Polanski's latest film happens to be.

On a very side note, if it gets made, this movie will be an excellent way of introducing Protestants to some of the missing parts of their Bibles.