dys· phem· is· tic Huh?

First, let me get the irresistibly easy cliche out of the way: "What Would Jesus Rip?"

The Passion of the Christ is the current cultural phenomenon (along with gay marriages): lives are being transformed, 2000-year-old controversies swirl, people that would normally rather be crucified themselves than talk about Jesus engage in heated debate: "It's a beautiful depiction of God's love for humanity." "No, it's a two-hour Jesus snuff film."

Here's what I noticed: In my office, many of my fellow co-workers are so enthusiastic about getting everyone to see this film that they're selling bootleg DVD's (bad ones!) to their friends. With deep religious fervor.

Granted Hollywood is a monolithic, bloated, impossibly rich, self-obsessed, plutocratic, money-making machine, and Jesus tended to be for the little guy -- prostitutes, adulteresses, tax collectors and the like. But I can't help feeling there might be a slight disconnect in here somewhere.

Would Jesus steal... anything? Even from, say, Caesar -- because "He won't miss it anyway?"