Perspective on the Passion

Some of my friends on the religious right are all excited by the financial success of the Passion. Kevin Smith puts some perspective on the hype:

CURTIS You made a controversial movie about Catholicism, "Dogma." What did you think about "The Passion of the Christ"?

SMITH I haven't seen it yet. I think it's funny, though, that people bring it up and ask me, "What do you think of the controversy?" I'm like, "What controversy?" The dude made a movie about Jesus in a country that's largely Christian — a very traditional movie — and it's made over $200 million in two weeks. There ain't no controversy, people. That's a hit. They took one or two Jewish leaders in the beginning and said, "This may be construed as anti-Semitic," and then spun it into a must-see movie for hard-core Christians. You've got to go see it if you love Jesus. I wish to God I had thought to do that when I was making "Dogma."

By no means do I have anything against the Passion - it's just getting a little tiresome to see the right-wingers work themselves into a tizzy, as if pandering to the "Left Behind" crowd is a brilliant achievement.