Mel Gibson's a loon. Not because he made The Passion of the Christ, which I haven't seen. Not because he believes in a Latin-only mass and built his own church. Not because he opposes stem cell research. He's a loon because -- according to his acceptance speech upon winning a People's Choice Award for The Passion of the Christ it was too hard for him to get Hollywood to back his idea to do a movie in a dead language where everyone knows the ending.

While Gibson was criticizing Hollywood for being anti-Christian, he was a darling of the right. Now that Gibson has mildly praised Fahrenheit 9/11, the right is working to excommunicate him from the circle of Republican-approved artists.

Gibson's film career has hardly been an exemplar of traditional Catholicism. When turning the other cheek refers more often to gratuitous butt shots than forgiveness, I think you've strayed from the path suggested by scripture. I could be wrong; I'm not the theologian in the family.

In short, Gibson can portray any of the deadly sins on film (even sloth if you count Hamlet's depressive states). He can glorify vengeance, killing, and fornication. He can even be a fan of the Three Stooges. All that, and he's in good standing with the pro-family, pro-life, Hollywood-hating right. But if he "likes" a movie that highlights the close connection between the Bush family and the Saudi royals, he's an instant liberal to be boycotted.

And these people are winning elections.

From AP, January 10, 2005

Odd Couple Gibson, Moore Exchange Praise

Mel Gibson and Michael Moore have been used as shorthand for cultural and political divisions among Americans, but how do the filmmakers feel about each other? Cue the Hollywood ending - it's hugs all around.

"I saw the film. I liked it," Gibson told AP Radio Sunday at the 31st Annual People's Choice Awards, countering the contention that Fahrenheit 9/11 fans and The Passion of the Christ enthusiasts are mutually exclusive groups.

Moore's critique of President Bush's policies since the Sept. 11 attacks and Gibson's film about Jesus Christ's final hours were huge hits at the box office in 2004, and both won People's Choice awards Sunday. Fahrenheit 9/11 was named favorite movie and The Passion of the Christ was the favorite drama.

"I feel a kind of strange kinship with Michael," Gibson said. "I mean, they're trying to pit us against each other in the press, but this is all just a hologram, you know. They've really got nothing to do with one another. They were used as some kind of divisive left-right thing."

Moore said he saw Gibson's film twice, and even took his father to see it.

"I thought it was a powerful piece of filmmaking," Moore told AP Radio Sunday. "I'm a practicing Catholic, and you know I think Mel and I may be from different wings of the Catholic Church. My film might have been called The Compassion of the Christ."

Freepers weigh in:

He's a flaming liberal. I refuse to watch his movie too.

I never really bought that he was this great conservative like many here seemed to believe. This kinship comment does it for me. He's on my boycott list. He suckered a lot of people with Passion though.

See, folks, he liked Fahrenheit 9/11. Says it all. And he is not religious like he claims. I could understand a rational reason in being against the war but to praise Michael Moore and the film and attack the President's reason shows what kind of person Mel Gibson is. HE IS NO CONSERVATIVE AND HAS NEVER BEEN.

I totally agree. I'm hoping he was mis-quoted (afterall, the MSM is so good at doing that) But, if the quotes are accurate, he's on my boycott Hollyweird list !!

The thing is I don't buy that he lives his life in a religious way. And he apparently finds Michael Moore and his film to be acceptable. Nevermind Michael Moore saying our troops deserve their deaths because the terrorists in Iraq are the equivilent to our minutemen during the Revolutionary War.

It was amazing the world was able to see that Jesus Christ is the Risen Messiah of the world who loved everyone even the Michael Moore's and the insane followers of ISLAM

Well, he fought hard for a Christian film and I'm happy about that. However, his political opionions suck and so does he. I'm boycotting him.