I have to preface these comments with the declaration that they only apply to me. I say this because (unlike some posts I have seen here) do not want to denigrate any other person's spiritual journey. Each is valid, in my view, and extremely personal. The ones I feel sad for are not those who have not arrived where I have, rather those who haven't arrived anywhere, haven't even begun the journey. It matters not a whit to me what you have found, be it Christianity or Wiccan or Buddhism or Islam or Kaballah orAgnosticism or even Atheism. All any of them need to be valid is that you have sought answers and arrived where you are by way of that quest. I will respect your beliefs, even if they don't concur with mine.

For a long while, I focused on the Passion. As was pointed out above, it is what was taught. Next, I rejected the religion of my upbringing and sought out other disciplines to deal with the mysteries of infinity, immortality, death and life. One of those that I "studied" was the ancient religious practices of my people. Ultimately I returned to the religion of my upbringing. Then, for a good long while, I focused on the Ressurection and rejected the Passion. My comments were similar to LH's. Later, I focused not so much on the religious aspects as the community aspects of my religion. At this point in my journey, I know that the importance of the man from Galilee's teaching must include the fact that he "suffered, died, and was buried" and then he rose from the dead. One cannot understand the resurrection without understanding that his whole life, including the Passion, were necessary to lead him to that all important act of resurrection. The Passion,the incredible suffering,was necessary to demonstrate how much love that the Most Important One has for the children.

Today, at this point in the quest, I know that there is a difference between religion and faith. My beliefs, my faith, include parts of all the rambles I have taken into spiritual expression. Like the early Celts, I see the Creator in all things, living and inanimate. Am I a practising Catholic? Sure, that is part of my religion. Do I believe the story of the Christ? Yep.

Gibson's movie? I haven't seen it, but based on the things I have read, I think he missed a chance. He probably could have shown the Passion with a third less graphic violence, and spent that time on the things that the Christ did that led him to that point. He could have devoted more time to the Resurrection and the Love. Too bad, really.

Mick