Talented actor and director Mel Gibson, discussed his faith and the challenges of making Christian films, in a recent episode of the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast this week. He also explained he believes Darwinian evolution is a flawed theory. The actor is well known for starring in the Oscar-winning “Braveheart” and directing “The Passion of the Christ.”
Gibson, 69, went into great detail describing the challenges he faced in making a 2004 film which followed the life of Christ. The movie became the highest-grossing R-rated film in U.S. history. “The Passion of the Christ” cost only $30 million to make, and brought in $370.8 million at the box office. He explained to Joe Rogan why so many found the film objectionable.
“There was a lot of opposition to it,” said Gibson. “I think if you ever hit on that subject matter, you’re going to get people going because, of course, it’s a big subject matter.” He went on to say” The idea was that we’re all responsible for this, that His sacrifice was for all mankind, and that for all our ills and all the things in our fallen nature,” he added. “It was a redemption, so you know, and I believe that.”
Self-described agnostic, Joe Rogan, agreed when Gibson said he thought Christianity, unlike other religions, is often subject to criticism, especially in secular Hollywood. Rogan, who was raised catholic, said “Christianity is the one religion that you’re allowed to disparage.” He also skewered Hollywood for its blatant hypocrisy when it came to matters of religion.
“Christianity is the one religion that you’re allowed to disparage,” he stated. He went on to say that while Hollywood is full of “progressive, open-minded leftist people” who might embrace various religions, Christianity, “for whatever reason that represents like white, male, colonialism, whatever it represents, it’s negative.” Gibson responded by saying it was “an honor” to make the film, despite opposition.
Gibson spoke about his faith, saying “I was born into a Catholic family. I’m very Christian in my beliefs,” he said. “I do actually believe this stuff to the full,” Rogan asked him about the historical veracity of the bible, specifically questioning the resurrection. Gibson considers the Gospels to be “verifiable history.” He drew attention to the nonbiblical sources which attest to the existence of Jesus.
He thinks that the apostles provide evidence for the existence of Jesus. He explained that they were willing to sacrifice their lives to spread the Gospel. “Every single one of those guys died rather than deny their belief,” explained Gibson, quipping that “nobody dies for a lie.” The resurrection, however, remains the most challenging part of the story for many to accept, as it “requires the most faith and the most belief.
He went on to say, “Who gets back up three days later after he gets murdered in public? … Buddha didn’t do that.” Gibson says he believes that the world has order and that “anything left to itself without some kind of intelligence behind it will devolve into chaos,” implying a need for a “big intelligence” which keeps the world on track. He concluded “I think we have a soul. We’re created with a soul.”