Confession time: I’ve never watched Mel Gibson’s Passion. Most people are surprised to hear that since it was such a media sensation a few years ago. I could never really articulate why I avoided it until now (in Tell It Slant:).

Sexual pornography is sex without relationship, the intimacy of sexuality reduced and debased into an object to be looked at or used. Spiritual pornography is prayer and faith without relationship, intimacy with Jesus reduced and debased into an idea or cause to be argued and used.

It was the footnote on this passage that brought it home:

The Mel Gibson movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” was a conspicuous instance of this on the American scene in 2004.

Thoughts?