Actually, my The Passion conspiracy theory is that this movie was done by George W. Bush and company. Mel Gibson is a known political supporter of the Republican party. Is it any surprise that this movie comes out that arouses the Christian right strengthening their Christian rightist identity, same-sex debates come out of thin air and onto the front pages of all newspapers, and a Laci Peterson abortion bill gets major news all of a sudden after Bush signed it?

All of this is to strengthen Republican commitment to the Christian right and vice versa, and to arouse the collective identity of the Christian right just in time for the 2004 election.

But again, that's just my theory.