With all of the huzzah regarding "The Passion", many evangelical Christians, ecumenical 'Christians', and Catholics are all promoting one movie, talking favorably about it, and all three sides extolling on and on about how it helps them visualize what Christ went through.

First off, anytime three major groups can agree that something can be embraced unreservedly should sound the alarm bells.  When two of those groups can knowingly overlook the fact that it was made from the religious perspective of the third, then that is even more alarming.  Granted, I am not saying that this means the evangelicals or ecumenicals will start teaching Catholicism, but chances are they will not start preaching against or discussing the errors of Catholicism.  They will for the sake of friendship and agreement, overlook those differences and not bring them up.  Also, in the minds of the unsaved, they will equate the two together.  What difference is being portrayed to them?  None!  The religion of Catholicism, and the beliefs of evangelical Christianity and even ecumenicalism become the same thing!

As Christians, we are to stand distinct from incorrect teachings and associations, especially if it will cause someone else to stumble!  II Corinthians 6:3-4 says, "Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God..." 

Can't going to this movie be used for evangelism?
To be honest, about two weeks before the movie came out, I might have agreed with you.

What will be a result of this movie?
Of all the groups that watch this movie, the Catholic church will benefit the most. Every Catholic even vaguely familiar with Catholic doctrine will be watching a movie that visually reinforces what they have been taught. For example: that Mary is co-sufferer with Jesus (and also co-Redeemer), calls into question the concept of substitutionary atonement (the Garden scene), portrays Mary as able to forgive sin (after Peter denied Christ), admittedly (by Gibson) was created as a way to juxtapose the crucifixion and the Mass/Eucharist, portrays Christ as weak yet gains resolution from Mary (whipping & prison scene), portrays the Catholic Seven stations of the Cross, and justifies the Catholic doctrine of the scapula relic (repentant thief). There are several other examples, but even the most 'backslidden' of Catholics who see this will mentally conclude (after visually burning it in their minds) that what the Catholic church teaches must be 'correct', and will then 'click' in their minds. After all, everyone (even the evangelical leaders) keeps touting how accurate the movie is. It may make it even harder to witness to Catholics. (examples pointed out by cuttingedge.org) 

I just watched a video by James G. McCarthy, Catholicism: Crisis of Faith, produced several years ago.  One of the points that really caught my attention is that he remarked that the main reason people are leaving the Catholic Church is that they are starting to read the Bible and question the theology and doctrine of the Catholic Church.  Now, with the Passion, any Catholic who was thinking of leaving because of theology, is now told by the evangelicals/Protestants that the movie is Biblically accurate, and they lend their full support to the movie!  This compounds the problem, because now the ones who were rumored to know true doctrine and the truth (Protestants),  are now saying that the doctrines in this movie are accurate!!

Is the church flirting with Jezebel?
Revelation 2:18-25
"And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
But that which ye have already hold fast till I come."
 

One World Religion?
In his book "Satan's Evangelistic Strategy for This New Age", by Erwin W. Lutzer, he remarks that "although a universal theology is not possible, a universal experience is possible-indeed, the religions of the world must unite on experience alone."  That book was written back in 1989.  Now, what are we hearing?  "I need to experience this movie to revive my faith", "Let's just get away from theology and enjoy the Lord", and "Let's not study a creed but experience Christ."

I can almost guarantee you that church services esp. in churches that attended the showing of the movie en-mass will start dabbling with some of the following:

	Shorter preaching/teaching times (less emphasis on the "sticky" points of doctrine)
	More contemplative/meditative moods in the church.  More vague, broad ideas.
	Increased use of 'relics' and imagery in worship (probably touted as reminders). And possible, more liturgy (ceremony, ritual). There are also additional reasons relating to the use of images/icons of Christ from a Biblical standpoint, but the article by Berit Kjos covers that subject.

Lutzer goes on to say that "it is theological debate and hard study that has kept the church from being blown away by every wind of doctrine.  It is safe to say that we cannot recover the spiritual dimension of the church unless we also recover the intellectual dimension."

These are just some of the reasons why this movie (unlike any other event/movie/book to date) will strengthen the Catholic Church, and (by default) get evangelical Christians to compromise on doctrine in order to 'reach out'. Also, all of those churches that use it will be sending a message that 'we agree wholeheartedly with the doctrines portrayed in this movie', even though most of the people in those churches would not recognize the Catholic overtones. The Bible calls us to take stands on doctrine partly because it does not lead to confusion and compromise.

Misc.
Well, perhaps you are not aware of the Catholic beliefs/imagery used in the movie.  Here are some brief notes and points that I have gathered together.

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/04/passion.htm

"Whether imagined or real, events and stories that stir strong emotions build persuasive mental models.  When people are caught up in the emotional plot of The Passion, all the extra-biblical additions -- each step along the Catholic "Sations of the Cross" -- become as real to the viewer's virtual experience as the factual (but less dramatic) framework from the four gospels."

"We need to remember that the last time dramatic presentations replaced preaching as the main vehicle by which the truth of the Bible was communicated was during the medieval times when the church refused to allow the translation of the Bible into common languages and when in place of the preaching and teaching of God's word, the common people were given visual presentations such a Passion Plays, statues, relics, and icons.
"These things were designed, like most visual imagery, to play upon the emotions and stimulate a response; but the ability to evoke an emotional response via imagery or drama is not the same as successfully transmitting the Gospel." - Pastor Andrew J. Webb

"...the foundations for learning and for understanding reality (our worldview) has shifted from absolute truth to changeable impressions and peer consensus -- and the stronger the emotional stimuli (shock value), the weaker our rational resistance to change."

"God knew well the power of the imagination to create false mental models in the minds of His people.  Maybe that explains why none of Jesus' disciples or friends were led to describe the physical features of their beloved Master.  "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7-8)"

"Jesus Himself was introduced by John as the Word -- the living Word of God" (John 1:1-5, 14)

"What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." Deut. 12:32

Romans 10:17  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  Read all of ch. 10

"...unbelievers cannot be 'born again' unless they actually read or hear the gospel.  Since they will not hear it in Mel Gibson's movie, multitudes will walk away with their own unbiblical interpretation."

Deut. 4:15-16  "Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:  Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female"

"Protestants traditionally rejected the Apocrypha precisely because these books were fabricated and contained inauthentic material despite the fact that these books might have been used for evangelism."

"The script of The Passion of Christ was specifically intended to link the crucifixion on Christ with what Roman Catholics believe is the re-sacrificing of Christ that occurs in the mass."

"...His once for all propitiation of God's wrath (1 John 4:10)" - absent from the movie, along with the idea of justification, and that his greatest suffering was "being made 'sin for us'"

"...exaggeration of the role of Mary"

"Although we may intend for them only to have a role in teaching, they inevitably become part of our worship and adoration...  James Caviezel... will become the figure countless thousands if not millions of people think of when they worship Jesus Christ."

Romans 1:22-23 "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."

II Corinthians 11:3-4  "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him."

http://bereanbeacon.org/articles/mel_gibsons_vivid_deception.htm

"Will history reveal this day as the time when Evangelicalism, on a popular level, merged with the Roman Catholic Church?"

"The visual works of a man's devising, for all their emotional power, are too dull a tool to bring to the individual conviction of sin and the explicit Gospel of grace that the Written Word and the truth preached bring."

"As we have seen, Catholic Church claims authority to make images of the Lord.  Since the Bible absolutely forbids this practice, where shall Evangelicals find authority for using such images?  Under what handier shelter can they hide than the umbrella of the Catholic church?"

"Scripture makes clear that the meaning of Christ's Crucifixion lay not in His physical suffering, but in His propitiation of the wrath of God."

"Rather than the physical torture He suffered, the absolute horror that Christ endured was separation from His Father."

"It is of extreme importance that this entire biblical Gospel message [justification] is missing from the movie."

"The Christ portrayed, however, is not the Christ of the Bible.  The sufferings are not those of the One who was 'made sin' because the sings of His people.  It does depict horrendous sufferings, however, undergone in a heroic manner, and these are juxtaposed with the Catholic sacrifice of the Mass."

http://cuttingedgeministries.net/news/n1893.cfm

"In fact, this film was made by theologians who place Jesus on the Cross every day, since the Mass is a recrucifixion of our Lord daily.  Listen to Catholic teaching: 'The Mass continues the Sacrifice of the Cross.  Each time the Mass is offered, the Sacrifice of Christ is repeated.  A new sacrifice is not offered, but by divine power, one and the same sacrifice is repeated.'"

Hebrews 6:6 "If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

"Therefore, this movie is going to depict the point of view of theologians who daily put Jesus back on the Cross to crucify Him again, who daily believe they are eating His flesh and drinking His blood through the Communion because to the miraculous power of Transubstantiation.  Further, these theologians force their adherents to focus on Jesus hanging in agony on the Cross instead of Jesus gloriously raised from the dead!  The great emphasis on this movie will be on the crucifixion, with very little emphasis upon His glorious Resurrection!"

I Corinthians 15:13-15  "But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not."

"Mel said Jesus fell down... You see, when you want your parishioners to worship a dying Savior every single day, you will want to increase the suffering perception."

http://www.informedchristians.com/articles/ART-why_i_will_not_see_2.htm