PETA to Use Movie About Christ's Death for Vegetarian Pitch
By David Thibault CNSNews.com Managing Editor
February 24, 2004

(CNSNews.com) - America's most aggressive animal rights organization plans to use Wednesday's premiere of the Mel Gibson-produced "The Passion of the Christ" to urge movie-goers to stop eating meat.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will stage its own mini-dramas outside movie theaters in New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Seattle, Stamford, Conn., and Lynchburg, Va. Wednesday, complete with characters imitating Jesus and urging people to try vegetarian or vegan diets.

The PETA actor playing Christ in New York City will stand on stilts in order to "rise above the crowd," according to a press release issued by the group Tuesday afternoon.

"Our goal is to point out to people, especially people who are trying to lead more merciful and compassionate lives that we have an opportunity to live our faith every time we sit down to eat, simply by refusing to pay other people to put animals through the torment and agony of factory farms and slaughterhouses," Bruce Friedrich, director of vegan campaigns for PETA, told CNSNews.com.

The highly anticipated film, "The Passion of the Christ", produced by Gibson, opens across the country on Ash Wednesday, depicting in brutal terms the crucifixion of Jesus. The movie has produced controversy on its own with many Jewish groups fearing that it will cause a wave of anti-Semitism.

Louis Giovino, director of communications for the New York City-based Catholic League, blasted PETA for using the movie's premier to promote its cause.

"Nobody has succeeded in making PETA look more ridiculous than PETA … We're actually grateful for this because this is another example of … the ridiculous stunts that they pull in the name of vegetarianism. So now it's even more so for people to see that they're off their rocker," Giovino said.

Despite PETA's plans to use actors to portray a vegetarian-minded Christ on the same day the Gibson-produced movie is being released to the public, Friedrich denied his group was comparing Jesus' crucifixion to the slaughter of animals for food.

"That's certainly not the intention. The intention is to speak to people who are attempting to follow the Prince of Peace and to point out that these other animals are made of flesh and blood and bone just like we are," he said.

"They have the same five senses that we do. And they experience pain in exactly the same way. And yet they have no legal protection from even the most egregious cruelties," Friedrich said.

He also criticized Gibson for allowing animals to be raised and killed on his Montana ranch. "We're asking him to extend a bit of Christian compassion to all animals, including the animals on his ranches by not allowing them to be slaughtered."

Friedrich was asked about biblical passages, including in the New Testament, describing how Jesus and his followers ate fish.

"I think we can have a scholarly … biblical analysis that will include the fact that the prophets denounced animal sacrifice," Friedrich said.

In fact, the New Testament does include Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth, in which he warns people that "if someone says to you, 'This was offered in sacrifice,' do not eat it."

However, immediately preceding that portion of the letter, the Apostle Paul addresses the issue of eating meat.

"Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question about it on the ground of conscience, for 'the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.' If an unbeliever invites you to his house and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you, raising no question on the ground of conscience."

Giovino said PETA has tried similar tactics in the past. "They've equated themselves with Christ plenty of other times and used Catholic images so here's more of the same," he said.
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