By Moristotle
The 2016 French-language film Ils sont partout, directed by Yvan Attal, struck me the other night, when we watched it on Netflix, as a comedy – despite being about the very serious topic antisemitism. Nominally it’s antisemitism in France, but, like the Jews, antisemitism is everywhere.
For example, the film addresses the historic source of antisemitism – the understanding that the Jews killed the Messiah.
In the film, some Paris intellectuals concoct a scheme to exploit time travel and send a long-haired man named Norbert back two thousand years to impregnate Mary so she can’t give virgin-birth to Jesus. Unfortunately, she and Norbert find they can’t betray her husband, Joseph, whom she loves, so Norbert returns to Now, only to be sent back to try again.
This time, however, he arrives to find Mary an old woman, and Jesus already carrying his cross toward Golgotha. Norbert happens to be almost a dead-ringer for Jesus, so when a near-riot flares up (fomented by Jesus’ followers), Norbert is co-opted and ends up being the one crucified. He has, after all, prevented the Jews from killing Jesus.
At least, that’s what I think happened; I was really tired and slept through most of the film – which didn’t deserve it, and I promise to watch it again, if I don’t just ask my wife what happened. But I am nevertheless able to observe a couple of theological points that the film throws into relief:
First, Norbert provides a naturalistic explanation for Jesus’ resurrection: since Jesus was‘t killed, no miracle had to be performed in order for him to emerge from the tomb.
Second, Norbert’s mission to prevent Jesus’ killing should have been unnecessary. Christianity’s historic condemnation (and torturing and killing) of Jews was self-contradictory – unsupportable and ridiculous. Someone HAD to kill Jesus; the human sacrifice HAD to take place in order for Christianity to have a foundation. The logical (and brotherly loving) thing for Christians to do would have been to celebrate the Jews for playing an essential role in their religion.
Oh, and wasn’t Jesus a Jew?
| Copyright © 2018 by Moristotle |
Interesting, back in I believe it was 1976 I went to Europe and coming back had an overnight stay in England. There was a book that people were trying to ban in England at the time. I think the title was "The Life Of Jesus Christ". It began: "I who was known as the Christ, write this to set the record straight about my so called death." I found a book store and bought the book.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the killing of the Jews. While, the church, and its followers used Jesus' death for the reason, in fact it was about money. At that time, Christians couldn't load money and change interest to other Christians, so the Jews became money lenders. At some point, the debt of the village would become too great and they would chase off or kill the Jews, Germany was the only country that gave the Jews citizenship. That didn't turn out too good for them--but it has always been about money.
OMG,that should be "charge interest" not change.
DeleteEd, thanks for reminding us of the money motive (Christians weren’t allowed to lend money and charge interest, but Jews could and did). I am familiar with that view, which makes more sense than the “ridiculous” reason I cite in the “review.”
DeleteHistory is replete with such behavior by people in power, like the white European settlers of North America vis-a-vis the natives. As Tommy Orange writes in the opening chapter of his debut novel, There There, “In 1637, anywhere from four to seven hundred Pequot were gathered for their annual green corn dance. Colonists surrounded the Pequot village, set it on fire, and shot any Pequot who tried to escape. The next day the Massachusetts Bay Colony had a feast in celebration, and the governor declared it a day of thanksgiving. Thanksgivings like these happened everywhere, whenever there were, what we have to call: successful massacres. At one such celebration in Manhattan, people were said to have celebrated by kicking the heads of Pequot people through the streets like soccer balls.”
As an adolescent I dreamed of going back in time and saving Jesus-I even imagined myself sitting in the turret of a WWII tank (such was the shape of my hero worship at the time, Jesus and soldiers). In time I came to understand that indeed, His sacrifice was necessary for Christianity to make any sense. I have admired the Cathars of France, who viewed the cross as a pre-Medieval torture device, and the crucifixion as a brutal murder. Yet again, without it, how does the Blood wash away sin? Finally, I have come to believe, if He exists, God may be all-powerful but not necessarily infallible. Is it not possible He came to earth to experience what it was like to live and die as one of His own creations? And maybe learn a little compassion of His own? For surely, ids not the God of love in the New Testament a far cry from the bloodthirsty tribal terrorist of the Old?
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to get my mind around a youngster's considering Jesus a "hero" along the lines of an Allied soldier! I may have gone up to the front of the tent as a 12-year-old to "accept Christ as my savior," but I'm pretty sure my concept of the man was of a haggard, beat-upon sort of a guy that you commonly see in a Walmart store now. I'm with you on the far-cry distinction between the "tribal terrorist" of the Old Testament and the relatively compassionate God of the New Testament.
DeleteInteresting point about the latter God's maybe wanting to become flesh in order to experience as a human, sort of like Tiresias's wanting to experience what it was like to be a woman.
Ah, but did not Jesus die for His cause? The very definition of a hero, and at the time I saw no contradiction in his statement "I come not to send peace, but a sword..." I admit the image of myself taking on the Romans with good American steel brings a smile to my face these days!
DeleteWell, when you put it like that ("died for His cause"), I guess "hero" does apply! And a lot of soldiers who have died in American wars came from the crowd of haggard, beat-upon guys at Walmart.
DeleteAnd I realized after leaving my earlier comment that my concept of Jesus as of that sort almost certainly came from my experiencing such people among the members of my own extended family. I, but for my education and life experiences, am one of that sort myself. And, in fact, I shop at Walmart frequently!
As to antisemitism, i have long seen Europe as a hotbed thereof, which continues to this day. And Ed is right that money played a big role-it was kings and dukes who borrowed heavily, then roused the people to pogroms by the claim the Jews killed Jesus, so they didn't have to pay them back. As usual, the average citizen was a pawn in the big game, with little idea of the rules. Can we say anything has changed?
ReplyDelete