Paul Verhoeven is no stranger to controversy and he’s certain to kick up quite a bit more if he goes ahead with his plans to develop a movie about Jesus Christ just being an ordinary mortal:
WENN via Cinema Blend reports that Verhoeven is rumoured to be developing “Christ, the Man” which explores the idea that Jesus Christ was merely a mortal.
Much of the story will be based on Verhoeven’s work as a member of the Jesus Seminar, a research team of several hundred academic New Testament scholars whose purpose is to use historical methods to determine what Jesus, as a historical figure, may or may not have said or done.
Their findings portrayed him as a wandering sage who did not found a religion or rise from the dead, but preached in startling parables and aphorisms, often turning common ideas upside down and confounding the expectations of his audience.
I can hear the gnashing of teeth and sharpening of blades by the Religious Right already. Verhoeven isn’t an idiot and realizes he could be asking for a lot of trouble:
Of course some extreme Christian fundamentalist groups might get upset with the project, something Verhoeven himself is keenly aware of - “My scriptwriter told me not to do the movie in the United States because they (Christians) might shoot me. It’s not a joke at all. I took that very seriously. So I took his advice and decided to write a book about it first”.
Verhoeven, no stranger to controversy, expects some fall out - “I think he’s going to be getting a lot of focus and heat over this, if it’s true, and there will be groups who will be protesting quite heavily against this”.
Personally I hope he goes through with it as I’d happily go see a movie like that and I think alternative viewpoints are important. You can bet your sweet ass that the RR and Vatican will be doing everything they can to stop that project before it ever gets started.
Link sent in by Hairboy.
ducks, runs…
Ya it wouldn’t surprise me if the pope sent out his assassins…
But I would definitely pay to see this film as well.