Pope asked to rebuke Gibson film

Mel Gibson has been defending The Passion

A prominent Jewish leader has called on the Pope to tell Catholics the controversial Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ is not truthful.

Abraham Foxman of the Jewish pressure group The Anti-Defamation League met with Vatican officials to protest.

"It's Mel Gibson's version of the gospel, it's Mel's gospel. He's entitled but he's promoting it as the gospel truth," said Mr Foxman.

There was no comment from the Vatican as to the Pope's response to Mr Foxman.

Jewish group's have expressed concern that The Passion of the Christ could ignite anti-Semitism, saying the crucifixion in the film is blamed entirely on Jews.

The Second Vatican Council of 1962-65 saw a reconciliation of the relationship between Catholics and Jews, as Christians were taught not to blame all Jews for the crucifixion.

Mr Foxman said The Passion of the Christ, directed and produced by Gibson, portrayed Jews as bloodthirsty and vengeful, although the Hollywood star has denied it is anti-Semitic.

I would hope that the Vatican and the Catholic Church would stand up to defend its teachings because in fact what the film is an interpretation that challenges what the church has been teaching for the past 40 years Abraham Foxman

Speaking after his meeting at the Vatican, Mr Foxman said: "He (Gibson) is promoting it as biblical, historical truth and I believe the church has a responsibility to its teachings, its interpretation, and this is at variance with what the church is all about."

He called upon the Vatican to instruct bishops to issue statements that the film is not a pure portrayal of gospel accounts.

Inoculate

"That would be an important message to vaccinate against what I believe may be the result of this film. This film shows the Jews as bloodthirsty throughout, vengeful, angry and the Romans (as people) who really don't want to do it (kill Christ)," said Mr Foxman.

"If the church reminds those viewers of its interpretation of history, its interpretation of the Gospel, its understanding of Biblical history - it will act in a large measure to inoculate against the possibility of anti-Semitism."

The film opens in the US on 25 February, Ash Wednesday.