Christians should not make seeing The Passion of The Christ their Easter Treat.

If the Christian west thought it was losing socially and economically, as well as its 'world view', to Islam - or any other more successful philosophy, in desperation, it too would resort to horrendous, self-justified brutality. The crusades may have happened almost a millennium ago, but history tells us that human nature does not change that much. Just look at Serbia, Northern Ireand, Indonesia and Rwanda.

I am astounded that the Rev Veronica James said 'It is a fair representation of what happened! The Gospels were written between 70 and 100 AD at a time of great difficulty for the small sect 'Followers of the Way' (which is what Christians were then called). There were no camcorders around at that time nor any surviving eye witnesses.

The version of Jesus's trial that appears in the New Testament (which puts most of the blame for his death on the Jews and away from Pontius Pilate who was a sadistic tyrant), was 'spun' in order to appease the Roman Authorities who were threatening the burgeoning church at that time. Unfortunately, politics hasn't changed much either.

Anyone involved in Biblical scholarship - and that includes ordained clergy and many others - knows this, which is why I am saddened that, as far as I am aware, they have not come out in sufficient numbers to condemn this brutal and savage film.

It reflects the skewed excesses of a rich person and as one church-going, media commentator said recently, 'There is more Christianity in The Shawshank Redemption than there is in this film'.

What Mel Gibson will do with his profits I do not know - that they may go toward further promotion of his particular brand of religion - and that many ordinary people will be complicity in this is an appalling prospect.

Sheila Kinsella

Stratton St Margaret