Many people will be writing about The Passion of the Christ now that it has finally been released. I admit I am the last person who thought I’d be writing about the movie. It was nearly ½ year ago when I first heard about the film and how it was anti-Semitic. I remember saying to my husband that’s the last thing that the Jewish people need right now. Judaism is a very misunderstood religion. Israel has enough bad press. The war with terrorism wasn’t helping.

I also predicted I would not go see the movie. Although I believe in a higher power, I’ve never really felt like a true member of any religious sect. Attending the crucifixion would feel like dropping in on someone’s Aunt’s intimate birthday party (whom I never met) and finding out they needed an extra place setting to accommodate me, not to mention they were short on food. I would feel like I was imposing. This notion stems from being a person who doesn’t claim any particular faith and who is acutely aware that some believe in the notion that baptism is necessary for entrance to Heaven, the reward for having such a deep held belief in the idea of their Savior.

I came to the movie with a diverse religious sensibility. As an adult I have been involved with Reform Judaism more than any other religion. However, I am of mixed ancestry that includes Protestantism, Catholicism and Judaism, and I attended Catholic high school and college. Because my first husband was Jewish, my 13 year old will have his Bar Mitzvah in April. He has not had any personal experience with prejudice, for which I’m grateful, and he can claim membership to a religion. I’m sure for a majority of those of the Christian faith, this movie will serve to confirm or revive their faith in Jesus Christ their Lord. Perhaps the vision Mel Gibson presented on the screen will be powerful enough to sway non-believers to embrace religion. I watched the movie as a knowledgeable onlooker.

Flashbacks allowed a temporary degree of release as the movie propelled me to experience the progression of events that led up to this Holy Man dying for humanity’s sins. Over and over I found myself unable to reconcile the degree of animosity toward Jesus which was shown by his captors. It wasn’t enough to punish Him. They had to beat Him to an almost certain death. His accusers, all witnesses to His scourge, were still not satisfied…they demanded His crucifixion. All the while they seemed to take a macabre pleasure and seemed to find humor in the pain that this "man” endured.

Everyone whose life He had touched individually was destined to play a role which would lead to His certain death and resurrection. Some seemed transformed by the experience and able to see His greatness. Others were blind to His aura until the actual moment of His death. His message was simple enough: love your friends; love your enemies; and believe in Him. But throughout it all, whenever groups of people gathered together, a type of mob mentality surfaced and manifested in the cruel and inhumane treatment, which Christ had to endure. Still, he prevailed and forgave his enemies in his dying breath.

This same type of mob mentality seems to prevail today whenever unimaginably horrific acts of evil occur. Close to home I have had to witness school kids chanting other kids on to fight. But this behavior is more widespread. Think about the atrocities of the Powder Puff Football hazing that took place among high school students who attend Glenbrook North High School. Looming larger is when professional sports teams win and the neighborhoods in the vicinity of the stadium get looted. Anyone that doesn’t take a stand against this type of behavior can be thought of as being guilty by association. Eventually, this type of mentality is what leads to Holocausts and "intifadahs.”

Within the United States borders and all over the world this type of blind hatred is gaining momentum. There haven’t been many countries willing to take a stand in order to stop this type of evil. Since 9/11, the U.S. has led the fight against terrorism. This is because our country is fortunate to have a leader who fits the profile that the Framers envisioned when they mapped out the Constitution of the United States. They believed the leader of our government should be above politics or power grabbing. Our first president, George Washington, was that type of man and our 43rd president, George W. Bush is that type of man. He has proved through his actions to be a model of what most people can only strive to become. He is a man of principle, a man of compassion, and most of all, a man of honor. He has our country’s best interests at heart.

His job has been difficult, at best. He has endured a lot of hate and disbelief about his motives and what he knows to be right. At every crook and turn people distort his message and spin their untruths. Those who want him out of office twist his words and make up lies about him. Yet he prevails in the face of this adversity. He doesn’t hate back. He remains true to his vision and his faith. His vision is not lost on me.

The Passion of the Christ didn’t reek of anti-Semitism. Back then everyone was either Jewish or Roman. But there was a message for everyone in attendance. What Jesus Christ had to say is as relevant today as it was back then. He taught his disciples to love others and not to hate. He taught the people to forgive. And through it all he remained true to his beliefs. His message wasn’t lost on the Founders. His message wasn’t lost on our president. And his message wasn’t lost on me.

Nancy Salvato is a middle school teacher in Illinois and an independent contractor for Prism Educational Consulting. She is the Educational Liaison to IL Sen. Ray Soden and she works with national and local organizations furthering the cause of Civic Education. She is a columnist for American Daily, The Common Voice, GOP-USA, OpinionEditorials and The New Media Journal.us. Her writing has been recognized by the US Secretary of Education. She has been published in The Washington Times, The Washington Dispatch, Iconoclast, Free Republic Network & Townhall.com., as well as other nationally and internationally published media outlets.