Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/321711
ByJamesWilson 2014marksthe tenth anniversary of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, and of Mel Gibson's own pas- sion. Although a so- ber Christian for more than a decade before "The Pas- sion," Gibson's rep was as a hard living action figure until he made a film about Christ. The industry to which he brought billions of dollars has never for- given him for breaking the stereotype. His own outra- geous behavior — fueled by alcohol when he broke his own recovery justified the condemnation in the minds of those who condemned him. This top box office draw before Passion has not found employment with a major Hollywood studio since its release. There was his 2006 ar- rest for drunk driving when he shelled the arresting of- ficer with a torrent of anti- Semitic invective, and the tapes of abusive phone calls to the girlfriend for whom he left his wife and other children. That he was re- acting — as an alcoholic and not as a rational man — to the relentless attacks he received from the Jew- ish community over what they perceived as anti-Sem- itism in the Passion is no excuse. The film accurately depicts the Roman occupi- ers as the executioners of Christ. That the tapes of the calls — in their entirety — show an ongoing shake- down of a wealthy movie mogul by someone skilled at pushing the buttons of an alcoholic way off the wagon does not lessen the fact Gib- son has a violent temper — when he is drinking. But it has been ten years. He has held countless meetings with Jewish leaders and groups attempting to reconcile; he has donated millions to Jewish causes and concerns. He has been sober again these past seven years. Is forgive- ness and a second chance on the horizon, or is his the unforgivable sin? According to Allison Hope Weiner, a print jour- nalist who wrote some of the most vitriolic material against him before she got to know him, it is past time to forgive. I met Gibson a few weeks prior to the Passion's re- lease. I was part of a fo- cus group of about 70 peo- ple — one of many groups invited to a screening of a rough cut of the film in multiple cities — and Gib- son showed up, took ques- tions, and gave us a couple hours of his time over and above the screening time for the film. I saw a visibly shy man who had already absorbed massive amounts of criticism for a film no one had yet seen. Although we were all Christian lead- ers and expected to be at least sympathetic to his ef- forts, he seemed fearful that we too would open fire. I saw also a man who be- lieved — despite his clearly expressed faith in the Lord who had rescued him from alcohol and self-destruction 12 years earlier — that he could prevail over his per- sonal crises on personal strength alone. That is a recipe for disaster, and es- pecially in a recovering ad- dict. But I keep remembering that screening and picture a man so humble on the one hand and so committed to making a film that glorified his Lord on the other that he sought — and accepted — recommendations from the audience for improv- ing it. One strategic scene in particular was seriously modified for the theatri- cal release as a result of our input; there may have been others. At the same time his grim determina- tion to tough things out makes him more a slave to pride than he is to alcohol. But which one of us is free from that addictive de- mon? His fall should serve as a lesson. Mel Gibson is an amaz- ingly talented and commit- ted man. I love films like "Braveheart," "Signs" and "The Patriot" — where he portrays strong but con- flicted characters battling their personal demons and seeking the face of God as the only and ultimate solu- tion. I loved "Gallipoli" and I hate films like the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon franchises — because the latter are — to me — all ac- tion and no struggle for truth and abundant life. If Mel Gibson is anti-Se- mitic in his heart and not just a man who struck out blindly and stupidly in an alcoholic rage one night I am Santa Claus. And if he is anything but a flawed hu- man being who wants to be better than he is and often blows it, I am Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. He is certainly not the Phari- see in Luke 18 who thanks God he is not like other men and goes away self-satis- fied and self-congratulated. He is more like the tax col- lector who cries out for the mercy of the Lord and finds it in Jesus. And it has been ten years. JamesA.Wilsonistheau- thor of Living As Ambassa- dors of Relationships and The Holy Spirit and the End Times — available at local bookstores or by e-mailing him at praynorthstate@char- ter.net. GODTALK The passion of Mel Gibson Jim Wilson By Ishaan Tharoor The Washington Post Pope Francis carried out a headline-grabbing three-day tour of the Holy Land, visit- ing refugees, hugging clerics and honoring the victims of the Holocaust. But perhaps the most interesting mo- ment of the trip came dur- ing an exchange with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a meeting in Jerusalem. The Israeli pre- mier and the pope found oc- casion for a slight historical quibble. "Jesus was here, in this land. He spoke Hebrew," Netanyahu told the pope, through an interpreter. "Aramaic," the pontiff im- mediately corrected. "He spoke Aramaic, but he knew Hebrew," offered Netanyahu. Neither Netanyahu nor the pope was wrong, but the question is a matter of em- phasis. There's scholarly consen- sus that the historical Je- sus principally spoke Ara- maic, the ancient Semitic language which was the ev- eryday tongue in the lands of the Levant and Mesopo- tamia. Hebrew was more the preserve of clerics and religious scholars, a written language for holy scriptures. Even so, certain portions of the Old Testament are writ- ten in Aramaic, a sign of its prevalence in Jewish antiq- uity. (There remain those, particularly devout Chris- tians, who dispute Arama- ic's primacy at the time.) Aramaic and Hebrew are from the same family; the former's script likely informed both written He- brew and Arabic. Like most languages, Aramaic spread through centuries of con- quest, spurred by the inva- sions of the Assyrian and later Persian empires. A version of it is spoken by communities of Chaldaean Christians in Iraq and Syria. In the age of the histori- cal Jesus, Aramaic was con- fronted by new imperial re- alities: The whole of the Le- vant, including Judaea, the ancient province that con- tains Jerusalem and Bethle- hem, was part of the Roman empire. The historical Jesus prob- ably did not speak Latin. The lingua franca through much of the eastern Roman world was Greek, and he could have picked up a few words of that Mediterranean tongue from traders plying its caravan routes. The gos- pels carried down by tradi- tion were written in Greek — a crucial link that cemented Christianity's place in the Western world, via the east- ern Roman empire. Netanyahu's desire to link Jesus to Hebrew carries with it a very modern con- cern. It's a gesture attempt- ing to bridge Jesus to the modern Israeli state, where Hebrew has been made the dominant language, super- seding the polyglot dialects of the Jewish diaspora. Netanyahu likes to make historical allusions. In speeches, he frequently men- tions his possession of a near 3,000-year-old golden signet ring, found by archaeologists near the Western Wall. It is inscribed "Netan- yahu" — "That's my last name," he reminded every- one at a speech at the U.N. General Assembly in 2011. WORLD Pope,Israelprimeminister disagree on language Jesus spoke ALEXKOLOMOISKY—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Pope Francis in Jerusalem on Monday during the pope's three- day visit to Jordan, West Bank and Israel. Veterans, active military and military families are in- vited each Sunday in June to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Red Bluff for a Bible study called Warriors of Faith. Services will explore an- ger, guilt and forgiveness, grief and love. Services start 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Sunday at 455 Jef- ferson St. LUTHERAN Church to offer services for military TehamaCountyChurchDirectory RedBluff.... ABUNDANTLIFEFELLOWSHIP 21080LutherRd.•528-2499 Pastor J.E. Heitman • WORSHIP Sunday 11AM & 6PM ANTELOPE HOME FELLOWSHIP(SBC) Berrendos School 401 Chestnut St • 200-4112 • Pastor John Bohrer • WORSHIP • Sun. 10:30AM APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY 1321 Nelson Dr. • 527-8541 Pastor Rudy Cepeda • WORSHIP • Sunday 1:00PM & Friday 7PM BETHEL ASSEMBLY OF GOD 625 Luther Rd. • 527-0445 Pastor David Blythe • WORSHIP • Sunday 10AM CALVARY CHAPEL 12375 Paskenta Rd. • 527-8219 Pastor Gilbert DeLao Jr. • WORSHIP • Sunday 9:00 & 11:00 am CHURCH OF CHRIST 1605 Park Ave • 529-3063 • Evangelist Gary Den WORSHIP • Sun. 11AM & 6:30 PM • Bible Study • Sunday 10AM & Wed 7PM CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Antelope 545 Berrendos • 529-2506 • Bishop Phillip Smith • Sunday 11AM CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Red Bluff 545 Berrendos • 527-7012 • Bishop Jim Wilhite • Sunday 9:00AM CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS 12881 Baker Rd., Open Daily 9-11am Pastors Brad & Susan Harms•WORSHIP•Sunday 2PM•Bible Study Thur 2-4pm COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH 598 Round -Up Ave. 527-4203 Pastor Dr. Paul Wright • WORSHIP • Sunday 9AM • PRAYER • 6PM CORNERSTONE CHURCH OF GOD Hwy. 36, Jorgenson 527-9210 • Pastor Roy Duggins • WORSHIP • Sunday 10AM & 5PM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 501 Pine St. • 527-4361 Pastor Bruce Cloutier • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:15AM FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH Hickory & Madison • 527-4688 Pastor Dan Woolery • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30AM FIRST CHURCH OF GOD Jackson & Luther • 527-5717 Pastor Rod Thompson • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:15AM FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Johnson & Hickory • 527-3361 Pastor Jesse Morris • WORSHIP • 10:30 AM FIRST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH 585 Kimball Rd. • 527-5083 Tom Turner • WORSHIP • Sunday 11AM FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 525 David Ave. • 527-5754 Pastor Nancy Pharis-Cure • WORSHIP • Sunday 11:00AM FREEDOM CHURCH 601 Monroe St. • 355-2284 • Pastors Pete & Bev Williams • WORSHIP Sunday 10:30AM • YOUTH Thurs. 7PM GATEWAY BAPTIST CHURCH, IND. FUND. 12830 Glasgow Dr. 527-2964 • Pastor Jeff Eldred • WORSHIP • Sunday 11AM & 6PM GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF RED BLUFF 22630 Antelope Blvd. 530-727-7344 • Pastor Carl Miller • WORSHIP • Sun. 11:00AM • Antelope School LAKE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY CHURCH Lake Club • 347 6970 Jim Bredow, Pastor • WORSHIP • Sunday 8:30-10:15AM NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH 1625 Johnson St. • 527-8134 SERVICE • 10:00AM NEW HOPE FOURSQUARE CHURCH 645 Antelope Blvd, Suite 13 528-0642 • Pastor Christopher Church • WORSHIP • Sun.10AM • Youth, Thurs. 6 PM NORTH VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH (Ind.) 345 David Ave • 527-0543 Pastor Scott Camp • Sunday 11:00AM • northvalleyredbluff.com NUEVA VIDA 11841 Hyw 99W • Red Bluff • Spanish-speaking Pastor Freddie Villasenor • WORSHIP • Sunday 11:00AM OPEN VISTAS AWARENESS CENTER 900 Walnut St. • 529-9285 Rv. Tresha Wing • SERVICE • Sunday 10:00AM OUT OF THE BOX MINISTRIES-COWBOY CHURCH 585-3070 22812 Antelope Blvd. –– Wednesday 7:00PM –– Sunday 10:00AM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Jefferson & Hickory St. • 527-0372•Rev. Beth Hoyt 9:30 AM Sunday School • 11:00 AM Worship • Childcare Provided PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF GOD 370 Kimball Rd. • 527-6346 Pastor Mike Cox • WORSHIP • Sunday 11:00AM RED BLUFF COMMUNITY CHURCH 1920 Park St. Pastor Stan Kolbert • SERVICES • Sunday 9:30AM • 282-2248 SABBATH COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN 705 So. Jackson St. • 529-1890 Pastor Ron Largent • WORSHIP • Saturday 10:45AM SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH 515 Main St. • Father Joyle T. Martinez MASS • Saturday 5:15, Spanish 7PM • Sun. 8:30AM, 10:30AM, Spanish 12PM THE SALVATION ARMY 944 Walnut St. • 527-8530 Major Kit Wetter, Pastor • SERVICES • Sunday 10AM & 11AM SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRUCH 720 S. Jackson • 527-3733 Pastor Robert A. Clark • WORSHIP • Saturday 10:30AM ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH Jefferson & Elm • 527-3414 Pastor Dallas D. Dubke • WORSHIP • Sunday 8:30AM & 11AM ST. PETER'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH Jefferson & Elm • 527-5205 Rev. Maryly Adair • Sunday 9:30AM, Holy Eucharist Rite II SUNRISE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP GARBC Corner of Cedar & Jackson 529-6884 • Pastor Chris Hurton • WORSHIP • 10:50AM • Bible Study 9:30AM TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL 8529 Placer Rd., Redding 243-5726 • For service dates & times • 529-9246 TRINITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 20920 Hampton Rhodes Dr. 528-8668•Pastor Loren Browning • WORSHIP • Sun. 10:45AM - Wed. 7PM THE ROCK CHURCH OF RED BLUFF 285 Gilmore Road • 527-7234 Pastor Vik Hylen•WORSHIP • Sun. 10AM & 6:30PM - Wed. 7:30PM - Mens Prayer Sat. 9AM VINEYARD CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP 738 Walnut St. • 527-2449 Pastor Steve Igarta • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30AM WALNUT GROVE CHRISTIAN CENTER RHEMA Bible Church • 527-9065 435 Round Up Ave.• Pastor Michael Ragsdale • WORSHIP • Sun. 10:30AM ZION CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES 836 Washington St. 529-1836 • Pastor Joshua John McKim • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:15AM Bowman... COMMUNITY CHURCH Bowman Rd. & Landes • 347-6130 Pastor Mark Lugg • WORSHIP • Sunday 10AM Corning... BELIEVERS CHURCH OF GOD 783 Solano St. • 824-6502 Pastor Dan Steigmn • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:00AM CHURCH OF CHRIST 1418 South St. • 824-3603 WORSHIP • Sunday • 10:30AM CHURCH OF CHRIST 1440 Yolo St. • 824-4333 David King, Minister • WORSHIP • Sunday 11AM & 6PM CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Marguerite & Blackburn • Bishop Scott Davis • WORSHIP • Sunday 10AM CORNING FOURSQUARE 404 5 th St. • 824-5776 • Sr. Pastor John Gehrung WORSHIP • Sunday: adults 9:15, 10:30 AM • Tues.10AM prayer meeting FAMILY BIBLE CHURCH Marin & Pear Sts. • 824-0989 Pastor Joycel • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:45AM & 6PM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 506 Colusa St. • 824-3490 Pastor Chris Fissori • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:15AM • Sunday School 9AM FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 1421 Marin St. • 824-5739 WORSHIP • Sunday 11AM FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 824-5535 • Marguerite & McLane Pastor Howard Sanborn• WORSHIP • Sunday 11AM GOOD NEWS LIGHTHOUSE 1520 East St. • Pastor Ben Rorie WORSHIP • Sunday 11AM • Bible Study 10AM • 824-0175 , Cell 701-9292 HARVEST CHRISTIAN CENTER CHURCH OF GOD 1006 6th St. 824-2091 • Pastor Michael Sharp • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:00AM IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH 824-5879 814 Solano St. • Father Juan Manuel Ponce • MASS • Sun. 10AM, Spanish 12PM MT. OLIVE LUTHERAN CHURCH 341 Solano St. • 824-5530 Pastor Dallas D. Dubke • WORSHIP • Sunday 9AM NEIGHBORHOOD FULL GOSPEL CHURCH 901 South St. • 824-2323 Pastor Ken Killinger • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:50AM & 6PM NEW LIFE ASSEMBLY CHURCH 824-3426 • Pastor J.R. Gonzales WORSHIP • Sunday 10:00AM - Sunday School 9AM OLIVE BRANCH BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP 565 1st St. • 824-3661 • SERVICE • Sunday 10:30 AM SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH West & Butte • 824-2153 Pastor Robert A. Clark • WORSHIP • Saturday 11AM ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 820 Marin St. • 680-0353 Rev. Diana Lueckert • CHURCH • Sunday 11AM Capay... COMMUNITY FRIENDS CHURCH • 4th & Moller Ave. • 865-2806 Pastor Toni Brown • WORSHIP • Sunday 9:30AM Cottonwood... FOURSQUARE CHURCH 2400 Rhonda Rd. Rev. Paul Shrum • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30AM & 6PM Dairyville... CONE COMMUNITY METHODIST CHURCH 11220 Hwy. 99E • 527-2329 Coordinating Pastor Nancy Pharis-Cure • Clay M Pastor Chris Bauer • WORSHIP • Sun. 9AM El Camino... COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Hwy. 99W • 385-2314 Pastor Nancy Pharis-Cure • WORSHIP • Sunday 9:30AM SHADY REST FULL GOSPEL CHURCH 7211 Hwy. 99W 385-2155 • Pastor Andrew Dalson • WORSHIP • Saturday 7PM Gerber... BAHA'I FAITH OF TEHAMA COUNTY 385-1091 Prayer meetings Fridays 7:30PM Brickyard Creek Apartments FAITH HOPE LOVE MINISTRIES 21941 Chard Ave. 385-1431 • Pastor Ina Driggers • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30AM GERBER BIBLE FELLOWSHIP 301 Samson @ Ventura 385-1718 • WORSHIP • Sunday 10AM Los Molinos.... COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Sherwood & Josephine • 384-2656 Coordinating Pastor Nancy Pharis-Curie•CLayM Pastor Ray Watkins • WORSHIP 11AM MILL CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH HWY 99E and Taft St., 384-1564 Pastor Carl DeBiase • WORSHIP • Sunday 11AM & 6PM SPIRIT OF LIFE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF GOD • 25235 Orange St. 340-2873• Pastor Anthony Roman• WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30AM & 6PM Manton... MANTON COMMUNITY CHURCH Forward Rd. • 474-5156 Pastor Michael Stiener•WORSHIP•Sunday School 9:30 Sun. 10:45 Paskenta... PASKENTA FLOURNOY BIBLE CHURCH 13140 Round Valley Rd. Sunday 10:30AM • 833-0557 Platina... ST. HERMAN OF ALASKA MONASTERY Begum Gorge Rd. Abbot Herman • LITURGY • Sunday 8:30AM Rancho Tehama... COMMUNITY CHURCH (Non-Den.) • 585-2526 WORSHIP • Sunday 11AM CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRIES 585-2975 Pastor Don Luke • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30AM/6:00PM Tehama... ASSEMBLY OF GOD Third St. • 384-2603 Pastor Walter Bright • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30AM ST. STANISLAUS CATHOLIC CHURCH • 824-5879 Corner of 4th & D • MASS • Sunday 8:00AM - English Vina... VINA COMMUNITY CHURCH 5th & D Street • 839-2340 Pastor Larry Peterson • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30AM & 6PM HOYT-COLE CHAPEL OF THE FLOWERS 816WalnutSt.-RedBluff FD 652 Thisdirectorysponsoredby: TEHAMA ESTATES A Retirement Community for the Active Senior Citizens 750 David Ave. - Red Bluff - 527-9193 Your Ad Could Be Here Call Daleen at 527-2151 ext.101 Hospice Gift and Thrift Store Thank you for ongoing support – M. – F. 9 – 5 • Sat. 10 – 4 Riverside Plaza Main Street 530.528.9430 FAITH » redbluffdailynews.com Saturday, May 31, 2014 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B3