True Light® | Views - February 2004

The Passion of The Christ or the anti-Christ?

25 February 2004 / 3 Adar 5764

Updated: 9 December 2008 / 12 Kislev 5769

Today is the Roman Catholic "holy day" of Ash Wednesday, and the motion picture of "The Passion of The Christ" was released to the general public on this day. It was directed by Mel Gibson. Produced by: Mel Gibson, Bruce Davey, and Stephen McEveety. It was rated R. And the Distributor was Newmarket Film Group.

God has led me to post my response to "The Passion of The Christ," after a fellow Christian emailed me his "review" of Gibson's movie, and requested my feedback. There are many different opinions out there, and I appreciate that he would want to know mine. The following is my response, and I sincerely hope others will benefit from my message.

7 Adar 5764/ 28 February 2004

Dear Seeker of the Truth,

Only what God thinks really matters, and my relationship with Him plays an important part in what I think. I will try to explain my perspective on the movie, The Passion of The Christ, and the issues surrounding it. I hope you will prayerfully contemplate what I Am led to say.

I have not seen this movie, nor has the Lord led me to go and see it, but I have read over three hundred reviews on it—for and against. It would seem that the overwhelming majority have rated it an A plus or an A. Most everyone says that it was extremely violent, but that it was a great movie. Some even recommend that you take the children, but most advise caution as far as the children are concerned. They say the parents should go see it first and then decide if you want to take your children. Would you allow a child to see this extremely violent movie? Would you want their little minds tainted by the violence?

Moreover, do you like the fact that your mind now plays flashbacks of those horrible images? What about what God says about violence? I wonder why Franco Zeffirelli’s “Jesus of Nazareth” was not in your list of movies that “have had a significant effect on you in a positive and profound way?” That movie does not focus on the violence but it tells about the Life and death of Jesus Christ in a much more profound and inspiring way...

Consider these passages in regard to what God thinks about violence.

Genesis 6:11-13 "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth."

Ezekiel 8:16-18 "And He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house, and, behold, at the door of the Temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the Temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.

Then He said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence, and returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them."

Obviously violence was one of the reasons why God initially chose to destroy the earth and everything in it except for Noah and his family. And due to the violence of men, and their rejection of Him and His Son, God will destroy the earth a second time, but next time with fire!

Did you know that Ms. Bellucci, the woman who plays Mary Magdalene, is "the subject of numerous fan sites and men's magazine articles," as stated on Yahoo! Movies? In other words she in involved in pornography. And if you were able to see from God's View you would see that some of the other cast of players in this movie are not such Godly people either.

Mel Gibson is a man that has made, and continues to make, millions in the Motion Picture Industry—an industry of people that for the most part hates God. Moreover, when you consider that Hollywood and the Movie Industry is the very instrument that Satan uses to condition people into believing his lies is another major reason why you should not trust their "works." Look at the way they reward those who are popular or excel in this industry—they receive a little statue/idol of a “man” that I Am sure many actors and actresses have sold their soul to the Devil in order to obtain one of those golden objects.

I ask you, do you love the Lord more for having watched this man’s portrayal of Christ’s crucifixion? On the other hand, do you feel that you would have loved Him less if you had not viewed this “manmade” presentation? If you say yes, you have given a "man" power over you and your relationship with God.

And what about the fact that Mr. Gibson is devoted to a false religion? I was raised Catholic, and three of my children were baptized Catholic, so I Am very much aware of the sacrilegious aspects of this religion. Yes, I believe that many sincere people have been brought up in the Catholic Church and are still there, but to trust a man that believes truth mixed with lies is very dangerous.

My children and I do not go to movie theaters and I don’t have Cable TV in my home, but we do have a VCR. I seldom view a movie, and if I do I Am usually very disappointed that I wasted my time. The seeds of lies and deception are in older shows and movies, but many times they can only be seen with spiritual eyes, so most people don't see anything wrong with them. The seeds were planted in order to condition people to be accepting of things that God considers sin, and even though these seeds are full grown today, many people, even Christians are still willing to contribute to this Industry.

Therein lies the whole problem—our society has been slowly brainwashed into believing the lies and deceptions of the master deceiver—the Devil, which accounts for why the world is in such a despicable state. Thus, most Churches and many of God's people do not follow the “true” Christ, but the anti-Christ.

It’s just like what the Lord said to the Bible Study group that was gathered in my home on the night of 28 February 1993 as noted in my Testimony. And please realize that what was spoken on that night was not for just us.

“Many things you have been taught here has been done in secrecy and in Darkness. You have been taught truth mixed with lies, and the Lord says it will go on no longer!

…Everything you have learned here has been tainted with evil, and you cannot hold on to any of it. The only thing that you can hold on to is the fact that Jesus Christ died for you, and by His mighty power, God raised Him from the dead. If you believe that in your heart, and claim Him as Lord, He will put the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead inside of you, to lead you and guide you into the Truth…”

How can you say the Holy Spirit deserves credit for this movie? Even though I have not seen it with my own eyes, I Am certain that it is not of God because of the Holy Spirit inside of me. I have learned to trust His Voice, and He has told me to stay away. What is even more revealing is the fact that some of the same "men" who support the "Pensacola Revival," the "Toronto Blessing," and the "Promise Keepers Movement" are encouraging others to see this movie. If you are unaware of the deceptive practices of these particular movements please contact me and I will send you some information.

Please read the following Scripture that God has brought to my attention from Matthew 24:23-24.

“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

How can you honestly believe that you would be capable of “holding the whip” to beat the Lord—the One you say you love? Or how could you believe that you would actually spit in His face, or laugh at Him as He was dying? And do you truly believe you could put the crown of thorns on His head?

Do you honestly believe that His disciples were laughing at Him as He hung on the Cross? Of course they weren’t! And if you claim to be a disciple of Christ you wouldn’t be doing any of those things either. Even before I was born again I could not fathom doing something like that to a man, especially Jesus Christ.

Yes, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and we desperately need Christ to save us, but after we commit our lives to Him we should not go on sinning, at least not willingly. Jesus saved us from sin, death, and Hell and His blood is not on our hands, it is on our hearts if we love and belong to Him.

Satan can put evil thoughts in your head, but you don’t have to accept them. The Evil One can influence us, especially if we blindly trust those who have been deceived by him too. I Am not judging Mr. Gibson's heart because he may be very sincere in his beliefs about his faith and this film, but sincerity doesn't make you righteous before Almighty God.

Please consider the following passage from Corinthians regarding false doctrine and thoughts that come to your mind.

“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” II Corinthians 10:4-6

When I was Walking With The Enemy I was very deceived and under the influence of the Devil, but praise God I Am no longer! I learned some very valuable lesson while Walking With The Enemy and I thank the Lord God that He gave me a Testimony to share with whomsoever will receive it.

I don't know if you read “Walking With The Enemy," but it is a wonderful book that will help you to know and understand the ways in which Satan secretly tries to get into our hearts and our minds. You may think you can never be influenced by him, but that is exactly what "cults" and false teachers are all about. They seek to lead you into sin and deception without your knowledge.

Regretfully many in the Churches are influenced by the Wicked One, yet they are not able to see it. In essence they are walking in Darkness, and don't know where they are going or where they have been.

The Lord led me to write a newsletter entitled The Grand Delusion in 1997. And even though some of the words in it were written in 1993, they are just as relevant Today, and even more so when you consider the Times we are in.

I have presented many questions, and I realize many of my views are different than yours, but I honestly believe that you are a man that loves the Lord and are seeking His Truth. Before you make any judgments please prayerfully consider what I have written and allow the Lord to confirm it to you.

It is my sincere hope that those who truly love God will come to the True Light before it's too late. And then they will see the Darkness of "The Passion" as presented by a man who cannot be trusted.

Another passage I hope you seriously consider from the book Hebrews.

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame." Hebrews 6:4-6

Don't you think that the Devil takes such great pleasure in the fact that a man that claims to be a devout follower of Jesus Christ is "crucifying the Son of God afresh and putting Him to an open shame" for all the world to see?

Wasn't the reality of Jesus' crucifixion enough to endure the first time? What Christ had to go through because of our sins was a great shame--the glory came when His Father raised Him from the dead. That is where the Victory is!

Satan is very pleased with Gibson and His movie, along with the many "Christians" who have promoted it as a work inspired by the Holy Spirit; but who are they really led by, "The Christ" or the anti-Christ?

May Almighty God have mercy on us all, especially the innocent ones. You and all God's People will continue to be in my prayers to the Lord.

Sincerely,

C. Read

PS: I have also included some excerpts from my books that are relevant to this discussion that I hope you will prayerfully contemplate.

Passage from Walking With The Enemy by C. Read

"I would like to address those who have rejected the Lord or have fallen away from Him for whatever the reason. Whether it’s based on a misunderstanding because of your own perceptions, or that of another; either way, the end result is the same: You Need the Lord!

Or, you may even possibly be someone that was also deceived, deluded, or misled into believing lies in place of the Truth; either way, the end result is the same: You need the Lord!

Or, maybe you are one that has rejected the Church altogether due to an encounter with an improper representative of Jesus Christ; either way, the end result is the same: You need the Lord!

Regardless of your individual circumstances, if you have never experienced the grace of God, and His incredible forgiveness, the end result is the same: You need the Lord! And I hope you have come to that same conclusion.

I have made many mistakes during my walk with God; and even now I still have times that I feel so unworthy to be called a servant of the Most High God, but it just reminds me of how much I need the Lord!

If you ever meet up with the one, true, and only living God, He can, and He will, fill the void in your life if you call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ from a sincere and repentant heart.

God will replace despair with hope; emptiness with purpose and meaning; hatred and bitterness with love and joy; discontentment with satisfaction; along with an abiding peace that nothing or nobody in this world could ever give you—Only Him!

All of us have an inner desire to love and to be loved, and only “True Love” that will last forever comes from Almighty God. He purposefully meant it to be that way, so that if we ever left Him out of our lives we would realize that something was missing; and hopefully we would go searching for Him.

But I Am so sorry to say that most people are looking for the love and joy that only God can give in all the wrong places.

God sent His Son to this earth to reveal the Truth about Him, His kingdom, and eternity, but so many people are too busy to even pursue a relationship with God, or they just outright reject Him.

God has begun to allow me to understand more fully what took place as He watched His Son live out His time on earth, and one of the hardest things for me to deal with, is the pain and anguish that I Am sure my Heavenly Father went through while He stood by and watched as they made a mockery of His beloved Son.

Could you imagine what it must have been like? Which of us would even consider giving up our only son with the knowledge that he was going to be ridiculed and laughed at by the entire world, beaten almost to the point of death, and nailed to a cross as a criminal, even though He was totally innocent!

But God knew it all! In fact He planned it all! He knew His supreme sacrifice was the only way to win the ultimate victory over sin, death, and Satan. That’s what His love is all about—to love someone so much that you are willing to give up everything you are, everything you own, even your own life, so as to prove your love to the whole world. What an awesome God He is!

And you must know that has to be the most heartbreaking of experiences for a Father to stand by and watch the misuse, the abuse, and the eventual murder of His only begotten Son; unless of course the same was to happen to His wife. And I Am here to tell you that He has experienced that sorrow as well.

But just as the horrible death of His only begotten Son was not in vain, because Almighty God was able to raise Him up again; so too shall He bring back to eternal life His glorious bride that shall rule and reign with Him forever and ever, world without end. Amen!

My Lord and My God has most certainly endured great pain, suffering, and sorrow for all of mankind; and if you have not yet begun to understand why He would do all that He has done, then you really don’t know Him very well.

Nonetheless, the most important thing for you to consider is whether or not you will be allowed entry into His glorious kingdom. It all hinges on what you do while it is still called Today.

Who are you going to follow? There are only two choices. There is no middle ground in this battle for your soul. Satan would love for you to continue in his kingdom, but my dear Father would rather that you joined Him in His.

And He proved it by giving you a way to be reunited back to Him through His Son Jesus Christ the Lord. And you must come through that Door! There is no other way to God and His Holy City.

God will forgive you for any rejection of Him because of your ignorance of the Truth, but if you purposefully reject the voice of God, and blaspheme His Holy name, you will not be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come. Please consider what I Am saying.

It would be such an honor if God would use my Testimony to show the world that they need to be saved from Hell and death, and only until you receive the free Gift of Christ will it ever happen.

I will never forget the most wonderful gift that I was given by a young Marine in Yuma, Arizona. Even though I was a complete stranger, he just came up to me, handed me a Bible, and said, “Here, I think you need to read this.” And praise God, I did!

I have told my children that the greatest gift I could ever receive from them, is if they would truly love, honor, and obey the Lord God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to love their neighbors as themselves—It would please me immensely.

And the same holds true for you! If you were to willingly give your allegiance to the one, true and only living God, and sincerely worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, due to the Testimony of Jesus Christ in my life, that would bring such a tremendous joy to my heart; and not to my heart only, but more importantly, to the heart of God!"