SUBMITTED BY Timbo

February 27, 2004 — Mel Gibson appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and discussed his movie "The Passion of the Christ".

Gibson told Jay Leno on NBC's "The Tonight Show" that he would try to adopt a loving attitude "even for those who persecute you."

"For a year, it's been nothing but nasty editorials and name-calling," he said.

The movie, which grossed $23.6 million on its opening day Wednesday, is based on Gospel accounts of the last hours of the life of Jesus. Some have praised Gibson's commitment to his subject while others have called the movie excessively bloody, obsessed with cruelty and unfair in its portrayal of Jews.

Gibson acknowledged the movie is violent and said it was R-rated for a reason.

"The Bible is R-rated. I mean, look at that book. ... That's a hot book," he joked.

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