I just saw the movie last night as well, and my thoughts
pretty much echo yours exactly. Only substitute "Scott
Carroll" for my name. Makes shivers run down my spine.
Before I saw it, I figured this film would be great for
evangelism. But now I'm reconsidering -- while it likely is,
it speaks much more powerfully to those who are already
believers. I personally haven't done this much soul-
searching in a long time.

Of course, lest I turn this movie or Mel Gibson or Jim
Caviezel into idols, I recognize that the movie by itself does
nothing. Only the Holy Spirit can convict me in the way He
has. That said, I believe the Spirit is really moving WITH this
movie, and the movie is a great tool that is currently being
used for God's glory. Mel Gibson has shown himself to be a
servant of the Lord by making such a politically incorrect
movie, despite what others have said about him. I don't
want to promote Gibson-worship, but what he has done is
certainly admirable, and he deserves due recognition for
that.

I hate the hype machine. It makes the actual crucifixion
seem commercialized in light of the film, to some some
extent. Not to mention the (totally unfounded) claims of
anti-Semitism and accusations that the violence is simply
gratuitous. And then there are the Christians all over the
place who are positively gushing that the movie is the
"greatest motion picture event of all time" and a
"miraculous call to revival" and similar lines. Frankly, after
seeing the film, I *almost* agree. It was a great movie, and
touched me deeply. But extreme language like this builds
hype that most likely does more harm than good. I keep
reminding myself that only God can change hearts, not a
movie. People need to stop treating it like it's the end of
atheism all of a sudden. I mean, if the secular movie
reviews I've read are any indication, few nonbelievers are
being affected in the way that I and other Christians are.
Let's be realistic.

Regardless, I will strongly recommend "The Passion of the
Christ" to my friends, while carefully avoiding
sensationalism. There's enough of that surrounding the
movie already.

-useless"And yeah, I'll probably get it on DVD"ness