By:Nicole Falco and Karenlyn Barone
Bethlehem Assembly of God Church purchased more than 800 tickets for two Saturday showings of the film at the Lynbrook Movie Theatre. Tickets were sold to congregants the Sunday before 396 for the 4 p.m. showing and 436 for the 7 p.m. showing.
The movie theater even added a screen to accommodate the demand from the church and surrounding communities. Though the movie opened to mixed reviews, debate in households and among religious and political leaders, probably helped propel the film to the top spot at the box office last weekend. Between its release Feb. 25 and Feb. 29, the film brought in well over $117 million nationwide, according to early estimates. It was the second-best five-day figure for a movie opening on a Wednesday behind Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which sold more than $124 million worth of tickets when it was released last year.
There was a lot of hype and controversy surrounding it, but the reality is, it wasn-t very controversial it was so true to the Bible, said The Rev. Todd Bishop, youth pastor at the church.
Bishop said the church purchased the tickets and sold them to congregants to support the film. He and the church-s senior pastor, The Rev. Steve Milazzo called the movie life changing and powerful.
The story of Christ-s love was captivating, Bishop said. Hate wasn-t even there...It helped me to see with my eyes what I-ve been believing all these years.
Bishop-s wife, Mary, said controversy was inevitable given the subject matter. Anytime the Jesus Christ is brought up there is always controversy, she said. Ever since he was born there has always been controversy surrounding him. Why should it be different now ?
John Gibbone, a congregant of the church, said he had to see the movie after hearing so much about it. After seeing it, Gibbone said he considered the film accurate when compared to the Bible.
Many congregants, including Linda Currao, Mike Maccio, Joanna LoRe and Chris Campagna, shared Gibbone-s sentiments and considered the film an opportunity to see with their own eyes what they have been reading and studying their whole lives.
I cried through the whole thing, LoRe said. It was very graphic, but that-s the way it happened. You have to tell the story the way it happened. I definitely think everyone should go see it.
In neighboring East Rockaway, Deacon Rich LaRossa of St. Raymond Catholic Church took the parish youth group to see the movie on Sunday. He also arranged for a group discussion to take place afterward.
It was a good way to start the Lenten season, said LaRossa. The reaction of the young people was that they didn-t understand what the controversy was about. They realized that no one group should or could have the finger pointed at them. We are all to blame for Christ-s suffering.
LaRossa said that for all Christians the movie is a good meditative piece, especially during this most holy Christian season. He also said that the controversy was not evident to him, but rather the movie lends itself to a better understanding of differences.
Christians and Jews have to try and understand each other and our feelings, said LaRossa. As Christians, we have to understand why this movie would be a concern for Jewish people and Jewish people have to try and understand why this story is so sacred to us.
Rabbi Stanley Platek of Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Center has not seen The Passion of The Christ, and may not. He missed an opportunity to see it with other religious leaders, and does not feel compelled to see it now.
I would have seen it with others, but to just go and see it, I don-t feel any sense of need, said Platek.
Nevertheless, he has some definite opinions about the lack of reaction from other religious groups regarding Gibson-s controversial film.
I have read hundreds of articles and reviews on this movie and one thing surprises me, said Platek. I am surprised that there has not been more of a reaction from Catholic authorities, since the film is in direct negation of what the Catholic Church says happened.
Platek is even more surprised that area Catholic Schools are taking their students to see the movies as part of their school day.
I don-t understand how Catholic School children are being taken in droves to see this version of the gospel story, which is in direct contradiction to the way the Church has expressly said the story must be understood, said Platek.
