Every once in a while, a movie comes along that, either because of the story it tells or way certain scenes are depicted - fuels a firestorm of controversy that sparks protests, campaigns to ban the movie - and sometimes even lawsuits against those responsible for making the movie. While I can remember a few movies that have sparked controversy in the past, none even come close to the amount of controversy caused by Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ.

Gibson's two hour and fifteen minute movie, which opens today, tells the story of the last twelve hours in the life of Jesus Christ, which is on the day of his crucifixion in Jerusalem. According to Gibson, who stated on many occasions that this film is based on the beliefs he was raised with, the film's script is based upon several sources, including the diaries of St. Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824) as collected in the book, The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, The Mystical City of God by St. Mary of Agreda - and The New Testament books of John, Luke, Mark and Matthew.

The reason for the enormous amount of controversy surrounding the movie is due to the fact that many Jewish leaders, who have attended advance screenings of the film, have voiced concerns that Gibson's portrayal of the role of the Jews in Christ's execution could stir up anti-Semitic feelings against people of Jewish faith. Some have commented, regarding a specific scene in the movie where there is an angry mob of Jews calling for Christ's crucifixion, while the Roman Emperor seems sympathetic toward Christ - that the scene could infer that the only people who wanted Jesus dead were the Jews.

If the contents of the film is not enough to drum up controversy among Jews, Mel Gibson's father, 85-year-old Hutton Gibson, in a telephone interview last week with New York radio talk show host Steve Feuerstein - claimed that the Holocaust was exaggerated. "It's all - maybe not all fiction - but most of it is," he said on WSNR radio's Speak Your Piece. He also added that the gas chambers and crematoria at camps like Auschwitz would not have been capable of exterminating so many people. "Do you know what it takes to get rid of a dead body? To cremate it?" he asked. "It takes a liter of petrol and 20 minutes. Now, six million of them? They [the Germans] did not have the gas to do it. That's why they lost the war." Considering the fact that Mel Gibson is trying very hard to avoid controversy regarding his movie, I am sure he did not appreciate his father's comments - and neither did the Jewish people who already dislike the film, calling it everything from "Blood Libel" to "Cruci-Fiction".

My take on this Holy Drama is that while I am sure this movie will offend some, if not many - it is just that - a movie, which last time I checked can be described as a work of fiction. Even if a movie is based on a true story, like The Passion Of The Christ and Schindler's List was, the writers of the movies will still take some dramatic license, either because of their own views and agendas, or to make the movie more dramatic. And considering the fact that neither Mel Gibson or anyone else alive today was at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ - than I am sure some of what is depicted in the movie is obviously fiction.

Bottom line - relax, it's just a movie...Jesus Christ!