'Passion' Prompts Confessions To Bombings, Murder, Burglary
POSTED: 11:59 am EST March 30,
2004
UPDATED: 12:50 pm EST March 30,
2004
"The Passion of The Christ" isn't just eliciting passions -- but confessions as well. A Norwegian neo-Nazi admitted he was behind the bombings of a youth group headquarters in the 1990s. Johnny Olsen turned himself in to police over the weekend after seeing Mel Gibson's movie and being moved by it. His lawyer told newspapers Olsen's confession hit like "a bolt of lightning."
The movie has pushed others to admit to crimes committed. A Texas man admitted killing his girlfriend, whose death initially was ruled a suicide. (Read that story here.) And in Arizona, a burglary suspect saw the light -- after seeing the movie. Officers in Mesa, Ariz., say 20-year-old Turner Lee Bingham walked up and confessed to about a half-dozen burglaries. The officers were checking a burglar alarm at a cell phone store at the time.They said Bingham told them that he had taken $80 from the cash register there. Bingham said he decided to fess up to his crimes after seeing the movie about the last hours of Christ's life. Bingham told police he threw the money from a highway overpass. But officers couldn't find any of the loot. Bingham's been booked into a Phoenix jail on suspicion of felony burglary.Meanwhile, a documentary filmmaker is collecting stories on his Web site about how the movie has changed people's lives."We are looking for all kinds of stories ... everything from simple, heart-warming stories to radical stories of transformation," Executive Producer Jody Eldred said. People are being encouraged to send in videotaped testimonials to the Web site. The special is scheduled to air on Easter.
A court in Paris has rejected a request by three Jewish brothers who wanted to ban the film.They said it would inspire anti-Semitism in France. But the court said the film won't threaten public order. It's scheduled for release in France on Wednesday. The brothers who tried to block the film plan to appeal. The film has earned more than $315 million at theater box offices since its U.S. release five weeks ago.
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French Court Won't Ban 'The Passion'
"The Passion of the Christ" won't be banned in France.
Movie A Blockbuster Among Arab Muslims, Christians
"The Passion of the Christ" is a big hit among Arab Muslims and Christians in the Middle East. The film has drawn large and enthusiastic crowds in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. And Arabs in other Mideast countries are eagerly awaiting its release. It seems that many viewers not only see a strong anti-Jewish message -- they think it's part of the film's appeal. A Jordanian Muslim woman said she was moved to tears when she saw the movie at an Amman theater. She said the movie "unmasked the Jews' lies." Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat saw the movie over the weekend in the West Bank. He compared the pain Jesus endured during the crucifixion to the suffering he said Israel has inflicted on Palestinians. Previous Stories:
- March 23, 2004: French Film Chain Refuses To Show 'Passion'
- March 22, 2004: Some Churches Using 'Passion' Clips For Easter Services
- March 19, 2004: 'Passion' Star Ponders 'Titanic'-Sized Returns
- March 16, 2004: Survey: 'The Passion' May Be Reducing Anti-Semitism
- March 8, 2004: Gibson Sues Company Over Alleged 'Passion' Piracy
- March 2, 2004: 'Passion' Opening Box Office Revised To $125M
- February 27, 2004: 'Passion' Fan Spends Life Savings On Movie Tickets
- February 27, 2004: Rabbi Seeks Pope's Help To Prevent 'Passion' Fallout
- February 25, 2004: Controversial 'Passion' Greeted By Long Lines
- February 25, 2004: Review: 'The Passion Of The Christ' Inspires Questions
- February 25, 2004: Commentary: 'Passion' Violence Is Not For Kids
- February 24, 2004: Groups Offer Lawmakers Free Tickets To 'Passion'
- February 20, 2004: 'Passion' Strife Swells With Gibson's Dad's Holocaust Dispute
- February 19, 2004: ADL Asks Vatican For Help In 'Passion' Debate
- February 17, 2004: 'Passion Of The Christ' Controversy Stretches Into NASCAR
- February 17, 2004: Biblical Center Official Fears 'Christ' Movie Will Traumatize
- February 4, 2004: Gibson Reportedly Cutting Controversial 'Passion' Scene
- October 23, 2003: Gibson Finds Distributor For Controversial Christ Movie
- October 16, 2003: Gibson Renames Movie About Christ
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