One of the concerns about Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion" was that it might encourage antisemitism by promoting the belief that Jews, as a group, still bear the responsibility for the death of Jesus. A poll from the Pew Research Center indicates that exactly that belief has increased since 1997, although it's not clear if Gibson's movie is related or if it is an independent development.

The Washington Post reports:

In the March 17 to 21 telephone survey of 1,703 randomly selected adults, 26 percent said Jews were responsible for Christ's death, up from 19 percent in an ABC News poll that asked the same question in 1997. The increase was especially pronounced among two groups. The portion of people younger than 30 who say Jews were responsible for killing Jesus has approximately tripled, from 10 percent in 1997 to 34 percent today. The portion of African Americans who hold that view has doubled, from 21 percent to 42 percent.

The Pew poll found a statistical link between Gibson's movie and belief that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus. But the correlation is not simply that a relatively large proportion of those who have seen the movie -- 36 percent -- hold Jews responsible. That view is also somewhat more common among those who plan to see the movie -- 29 percent -- than in the general public. Thus, researchers said, it is unclear whether the movie and its attendant publicity are causing a change in attitudes, reflecting a change, or both.

Blaming the Jews for the death of Jesus isn't the same as antisemitism, but it is a traditional maker for it and a sign of future antisemitism. The growth in this belief may or may not lead to a growth in antisemitic beliefs and acts, but it is serious enough to merit observation and paying attention to. Even if Mel Gibson's movie hasn't contributed at all to this, it seems unlikely that it would help matters, either.

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• Roman Catholicism
• Antisemitism
• News and Commentary on Mel Gibson's The Passion