did this movie offened most christians??

I was in Catholic school at the time of its release and they took us on a school trip to a movie theatre to see this. I also remember them playing the Broadway album many times in school. The funniest part is I have NO recolection of this movie at all. I have seen the show twice on Broadway but as for the film I need to get the DVD to see if any of it strikes a memory.

I can't speak for "most Christians," but I do know that a good number of Christians are. I am not one of them, mind you. I loved this musical.

The sad part? One girl with whom I discussed this show said something along these lines: "Jesus Christ Superstar? Isn't that pretty anti-Christian? I mean, I've never seen it, but that's what I've heard."

Some Christians are just going to be put off by anything that depicts Jesus but doesn't shove down your throat how he is divine.

Here's a breif list of common complaints I've heard complete with my rebuttals:

1) Both Judas and Mary refer to Jesus as, "Just a man."
1a) Both are human characters and shouldn't be expected to know everything that is going on. Furthermore, Judas is the villain and Mary implicitly questions her own statement of such after she sees his prophecy of Peter's denial come true.

2)Jesus can't manage to heal a crowd of lepers.
2a) While incarnated, Jesus gave up his *independent* use of his divine powers. He only has them by faith in the Father. The leper scene is supposed to indicate the extreme stress through which he is going.

3)Judas is too sympathetic and he is thus made out to be the hero while Jesus is then the villain.
3a) Basically what they're saying is that nobody who does evil things can have a good reason for it. Screw understanding how people think and act! They're just evil for the heck of it!

4)There's no resurrection.
4a) Just because they didn't depict a resurrection doesn't automatically make it heretical. Bach didn't and he wasn't a heretic. The focal point of the story was Jesus' sacrifice. Hence, that was the ending. The musical isn't about what came afterwards. Besides, the shepherd wandering through the final shot implies resurrection.
4b) Yes, I am well aware that the shepherd thing was unintentional, but the fact that it was left in says something.

Regardless, I didn't find anything in this movie to make me label it heretical or detrimental to anyone's faith. To be fair, I disagree with their interpretation of Judas' motivation, but that is such an incredibly minor thing that I can let that slide.

"I'm the RA, and as the RA, I'm supposed to be the fun-sucker. I *beep* the sun."
-Abe Christiansen

I am a Christian, and I do not find the movie offensive. I think this film, more than most others, portrays the human emotions that the real life people felt, and it portrays them in a way that modern audiences can relate to. Also, seeing things like grenades and prostitutes being sold in the temple conveys to a modern audience how depraved it had become.

Another portrayal that I think is spot on is the disciples in "What's the Buzz" and "Last Supper." All they can do is focus on themselves - they keep coming back to singing the same chorus even after Jesus and Judas have their climactic argument!

I definitely do not think that Mary Magdalene was Jesus' wife or anything like that, but I don't think it is sacrilegious to portray her as being confused about her feelings toward Jesus.

There are a few things that muddle the gospel a little: Does Jesus know he is divine? Are we to infer that Judas is saved? etc.

I would recommend this movie to both Christians and non-Christians. For Christians who already know the gospel, I think it can help broaden your understanding of the human side of the gospel. For non-Christians, I would suggest you watch the film, understand that it is not an exact depiction, and ask yourself the same question Judas asks, "Who are you? What have you sacrificed?" The answer to that question is why people become Christians.

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It shouldn't. If it does, than perhaps those particular christians need to take another look at Jesus and his role as a king.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73SidPwuG78

Confound your lousy toll.. TROLL!

I'm a lot more offended by "The DaVinci Code" than I am by this movie. Why don't Opie and Forrest go make a movie about Mohammed instead.

When I was a teenager and taking classes for my confirmation (I'm catholic). Our teacher was putting on a 3 hour movie about a Jesus, so I said "Can't we just watch Jesus Christ Superstar instead?"

I got kicked out of the class.

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