Gibson: Attacks Taught Him Tolerance

Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ" is a story of the struggle between good and evil, Gibson told Bill O'Reilly Tuesday night. And the barrage of attacks fired at him from all sides for making the film taught him that he needed to learn tolerance and to love his enemies.

Appearing on "The O'Reilly Factor," Gibson explained that in the opening scenes he introduced conflict between Jesus and Satan to show that the story of the Passion was the story of the age-old struggle between good and evil. And he himself has been forced to endure that struggle, targeted for doing what his conscience and divine inspiration moved him to do.

Gibson spoke movingly about the ordeal he has endured for having made this film, the intensity of which surprised him.

"I found it staggering," he recalled. "Every morning I opened up the newspaper and expected to find a digitally altered photograph of myself sharing a cigarette with a handsome farm animal - it's like mud slinging - nasty editorials, etc. But hey, it's been character-building. You have to suffer for anything worthwhile."

Gibson said that the experience taught him an important lesson: "What I did need to learn was tolerance," he said, noting that "I've been given a daily opportunity to practice it. I haven't been successful at it every day - some days I'm pissed off - it's just the injustice of some of the stuff, but that's part of it, you have to take the good with the bad."

As a result, he said, "I went back and filmed a scene way after [the film was completed] and inserted it in the film showing Christ on the mountain saying you have to love everybody - you can't just like people that like you, you have to like people that hate you too."

"Otherwise, what's the use? And I put that in the film relating it to a lesson I had to learn." As far as those who hate him, Gibson said: "I don't like them but I love them. You have to do that; otherwise it will eat you alive."

The viciousness of the attacks on Gibson, however, are not what will be remembered.

Also appearing on "The O'Reilly Factor," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich summed up what will be seen as Gibson's accomplishment in making his film: "What Mel Gibson has done will turn out to be truly historic."

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