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Tradition is the hallmark of security in every belief system. This can best be illustrated in the realms of religion and religious doctrine. All of the world's major religions stand on the principles of their traditions. While many have endured for millennia, attacks upon them never cease. The most popular religions are Christianity, Islam, and Hindu respectively. Together their followers make up over four billion men, women and children, or roughly 67% of the world population. Rounding out the top six are Buddhism, Sikhism, and Judaism with a combined total of about 357 million according to a 2006 census printed in the Encyclopedia Britannica. Human beings do not adapt to change well in general, but challenging one's spiritual beliefs is especially unwelcome. What complicates matters further is the fact that no religion listed here is without its denominations, making even the longest taught and most respected traditions break down.

Twenty-first century America consists of followers of each of these religions as well as hundreds of others. Not surprisingly, the most common is also the most commonly discriminated. Christianity has remained the dominant religion in the United States for 331 years, yet has undergone more scrutiny in the past few decades than ever before. The core values and standards upon which our country was founded have been stripped away and replaced by a society that objects to anything capable of threatening or offending those of a different culture. A different culture, that is, that makes its home in America. By doing this, our perception and indeed pride of being a nation of immigrants goes right out the window. We begin to fight amongst ourselves about historical accuracies and how events should be portrayed in our art. Motion pictures are the most profitable form of artistic expression in the world simply because of their availability to such a wide and diverse audience. When stories that testify to or rebuke the claims of a given religion reach this medium, it makes sense that so many should become upset and even angry. After all, my God may not be your God.

Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ was released in 2004 and gave an absolutely brutal account of the final twelve hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians consider to be the Messiah. The film is based on the Gospels of the New Testament, and shows the extreme torture Jesus suffered as a result of refusing to disavow his authority. In spite of going so far as to

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