Buddhist Viewers "Stunned" and Confused by Gibson's Film

May 12, 2004

Source: AsiaNews.it

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Passion-of-the-Christ-raises-questions-among-Buddhist-audiences-775.html

On May 12, 2004 AsiaNews.it reported, "The Passion of the Christ has left viewers stunned and questioning the religious meaning of Christ’s violent death since the blockbuster film directed by Mel Gibson was released April 29th in the overwhelmingly Buddhist country. More than 90 percent of Thailand’s population are Buddhist. Very few have read the Bible. The long episodes of violence and beatings in the Passion caused not a few in the audience to scratch their heads...Film critic Kong Rithdee offered an insight into the audiences’ reaction. 'Buddhists, as most citizens in this country are, carry a different baggage walking into the theater. People adhering to the religion founded on peace and meditation may wonder, judging from this film, why a more popular faith like Christianity had such a bloody, painful origin,' he wrote in 'Bangkok Post,' an English-language daily newspaper."