Content Warning: This blog discusses the film The Passion of the Christ and religious trauma. Take care when reading if this could be triggering.
When The Passion of the Christ came out, it made waves in religious circles. For many, it was hailed as a “necessary” and “powerful” depiction of Christ’s suffering. A literal portrayal of what Jesus endured to save humanity. Churches rented out entire theatres and encouraged congregations, including children and teens, to witness this cinematic “sacrifice.” But, as we look back, it’s worth asking: was this appropriate? Or did the religious community unknowingly expose vulnerable minds to violence that borders on psychological abuse?
The Normalisation of Violence in the Name of Faith
The Passion of the Christ is an incredibly violent film. It’s not just suggestive or abstract violence; it’s graphic, visceral, and relentless. The film focuses heavily on the torture and crucifixion of Jesus, sparing no detail in showing the brutality of the ordeal. And it’s shown through a lens of righteousness. Framing the violence as something holy, something necessary, something children should witness to understand the gravity of their sins.
Let’s pause here. When did we decide it was okay to expose young minds to this kind of brutality?
As a society, we generally recognise the harm in letting kids watch graphic violence. We know it can desensitise them, cause trauma, or confuse them about what’s normal. Yet, somehow, this same rule doesn’t seem to apply when the violence is packaged as religious education.
Many parents and church leaders justified showing the film to children by saying it would deepen their faith, help them appreciate Jesus’s sacrifice, or even scare them into obedience. But that’s exactly where the problem lies. This isn’t education or enlightenment; it’s fear-based indoctrination, using violence as a tool for control. And when we subject children to this under the guise of religion, we are crossing a line.
The Psychological Impact on Children & Teens
There’s no sugar-coating it. Exposing children and teens to a film like The Passion of the Christ can have damaging psychological effects.
Children’s brains are still developing, and they don’t have the same capacity as adults to process intense trauma or violence. When they see these brutal depictions, especially in a religious context, it can warp their understanding of spirituality, sacrifice, and love. Instead of learning about compassion and kindness, they are learning that suffering, agony, and torture are central to their faith. They might start to associate God with fear and pain, rather than love and grace.
For some, watching the film as children or teens left long-lasting scars. Fear of punishment, constant guilt, or even nightmares about hellfire and crucifixion. For others, it became part of the foundation of their religious trauma. Where violent imagery was paired with messaging about their own inherent unworthiness. That’s a lot for a child to carry, and it can lead to anxiety, depression, and a fractured sense of self-worth.
In some ways, forcing children to witness these scenes borders on a form of spiritual abuse. It manipulates them through fear, threatening their eternal soul if they don’t fall in line with the faith. Fear-based religion rarely results in genuine spiritual connection or understanding. It often creates shame, anxiety, and obedience based on coercion, not love.
My Own Experience: Trauma in the Name of God
I remember the first time I watched The Passion of the Christ. I was a teenager, fairly new in my faith, and I was not prepared for the onslaught of violence. The blood, the whipping, the nails—it was brutal, unrelenting, and horrifying. The message I took away wasn’t one of love or hope. It was that God’s love was conditional and that I was expected to accept violence and suffering in exchange for salvation.
In the days after, I found myself plagued with guilt. Guilt for “putting Jesus through that” and guilt for even questioning why a loving God would require such a violent sacrifice. It contributed to years of faith-based anxiety, confusion, and, ultimately, religious trauma. I know my story isn’t unique.
Looking back, I recognise that showing children films like The Passion of the Christ is a form of psychological manipulation. It provokes guilt and fear, pushing kids into a relationship with God based on their terror of eternal punishment, not on an understanding of grace or love.
What are we Teaching our Young People?
When we show children films like The Passion of the Christ, we need to ask: what is the actual lesson here? Are we teaching them about love, kindness, and compassion? Or are we teaching them that violence and suffering are holy, that their faith is rooted in fear, and that they are responsible for a brutality they didn’t ask for?
We might think we’re instilling reverence for God’s sacrifice, but the reality is that we’re grooming children to accept violence as a part of faith—and that’s dangerous. We’re shaping their understanding of the world in ways that can have long-term emotional and psychological consequences. We have a responsibility to protect young, impressionable minds from harm. Even when that harm is cloaked in religious “truth.”
So is it Child Abuse?
While some may argue it’s too strong a statement to call showing The Passion of the Christ to children “child abuse,” I would counter that abuse doesn’t have to be intentional to be harmful. When we expose children to graphic depictions of torture and violence in the name of faith, we are contributing to their emotional and psychological trauma.
Religious trauma is real, and for many of us who grew up in the church, films like The Passion of the Christ were one of the many tools used to keep us obedient through fear. It’s time we reevaluate the impact this kind of “spiritual education” has on young minds. Instead of forcing children to witness brutality as a means of “saving” their souls, we should be offering them a faith that’s rooted in love, understanding, and acceptance.
Let’s stop justifying trauma in the name of religion. And let’s stop subjecting children to violence they don’t have the capacity to process.
What are your thoughts? Have you experienced religious trauma from films like The Passion of the Christ? How do we balance faith and the protection of our kids from harm? I’d love to hear your stories.
I’ll be chatting about it over on Instagram, would love for you to join the conversation – @anchoredcounsellingservices
If you would like to chat about processing your own trauma in therapy – Reach Out!