Hundreds at Mall Protest Screening of ‘Temptation’

Hundreds of evangelical Christians converged on the MainPlace/Santa Ana shopping mall Friday to protest the showing there of “The Last Temptation of Christ,” a controversial film they contend diminishes Jesus’ status as a deity.

Carrying signs--some of which predicted damnation for the producers, exhibitors and viewers of the film--the protesters marched through the nearly empty mall in the early afternoon, singing the chorus of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and threatening a Christmas season boycott of merchants who did not join their efforts.

Reaction from filmgoers ranged from bemusement to annoyance. But one protester claimed credit for dissuading two ticket holders from seeing the movie.

As the protesters marched in the enclosed mall, officials of the AMC theaters showing the Martin Scorsese film reported strong business, with 300 tickets sold for the 11:40 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. screenings. Evening showings were about 70% full, a theater manager said.

Protesters--some of whom said evangelical radio broadcasters had exhorted them to picket the theater--said they were motivated by concern for the souls of moviegoers.

Dan Fox, 30, of Costa Mesa, stood outside the theater distributing leaflets that read: “Warning! Please realize to see this movie carries with it eternal consequences. . . .”

He said those consequences could include damnation for those who accepted the picture’s portrayal of Jesus. Fox said he had not seen the picture.

A veteran of “Last Temptation” protests last week at theaters in Century City and Universal City, Fox described viewers of the film in those communities as “satanic people.”

“There were witches, warlocks, buddhas, all kinds of them,” said Fox, a painting contractor. “They’re going to face eternal consequences.”

Some patrons who came to see the picture, based on a 1955 novel by the Greek author Nikos Kazantzakis, scoffed at such suggestions.

“I don’t see how a movie can shatter your faith,” said Gary Krieker, 48, of Covina. A high school English teacher, Krieker said: “I read Kazantzakis’ novel when I was young. I thought it was a wonderful novel, and I want to see how Scorsese dealt with it.”

Marilyn Moriarty, 35, said she also had read the novel and was curious about how the director of such pictures as “Raging Bull” and “Taxi Driver” had adapted it. Placards, such as those reading “You May Laugh Now, but the Eternity Will Never End,” did not impress her, she said.

“It just makes me think they’re stupid,” said Moriarty, a UC Irvine graduate student in English.

Joining the protesters was Santa Ana City Councilman John Acosta, who compared the AMC chain to pornographic movie theaters and said the film makers had stepped outside the Constitution in making the picture.

“I really don’t think the First Amendment was meant to cover things like this,” said Acosta, who has not seen the film. “This is stepping over the line,” he said, adding that he would seek to pass a City Council resolution condemning the picture.

“I don’t think there is a place in Santa Ana for this sort of trash,” Acosta said.

“This community of Santa Ana has a lot of God-fearing Christians who live here. It’s only as a councilman that I’ve come to understand that,” said Acosta, who faces reelection in November.

The only elected official to attend the rally, Acosta linked the picture to what he said was a low state of morality in his city.

“We have many, many people in our community that, if they’re not atheist, they are near-atheist,” the councilman said. “That’s what’s wrong with our community today. We need to cleanse our souls a little more in this great city of Santa Ana.”

The protest was peaceful, but mall officials said they had tripled the number of security guards on hand in case of a disturbance. Moviegoers buying tickets faced a sign at the box office reading “For your safety, patrons seeing ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ may be subject to search.”

After the protest march through the mall, security guards began ejecting demonstrators who lingered in the walkways with their signs and leaflets. After some testy moments between the guards and the protesters, mall management relented and allowed those carrying signs to stand inside the building.

“The mall is trying to work with everybody and let them do their thing,” said David Longbine, MainPlace’s general manager.

The Rev. Wiley S. Drake, of First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, said he is trying to organize a boycott of MainPlace stores that would not post signs reading “We Support Our Customers Who Are Offended by the Film, ‘The Last Temptation of Christ.’ ”

“We’re pushing a slogan, ‘We’ll remember in December,’ ” the pastor said in reference to the Christmas shopping season.

By late afternoon, though, no mall stores were displaying the signs.

The protest sparked impromptu theological debates between the evangelicals and shoppers, many of whom disagreed with the picketers’ position that the film was an affront to God.

“There are a lot of people here with closed minds who go around pointing fingers,” said Larry Carlson, 19, of San Juan Capistrano. “I don’t believe I’m going to hell for watching a movie and trying to expand myself.” Carlson is a student at Orange Coast College.

Some mall patrons, though, agreed with the protesters.

“They’re destroying people’s beliefs. I hate what I’ve read about this movie,” said shopper Lisa Throckmorton, 22, of Tustin. Throckmorton, a student at the Mormon-run Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, said she generally did not attend pictures rated R by the Motion Picture Assn. of America. “The Last Temptation of Christ” carries an R rating.

A few protesters said they were enjoying the excitement of the affair.

“I hope we get arrested! I hope we get arrested for God!” said Shannon Creal, 16, of Fountain Valley. A student at Liberty Christian High School in Huntington Beach, Shannon said she and her friends from the evangelical academy were enjoying the chance to make a religious statement through the protest.

With AMC’s permission, about half a dozen protesters moved inside the theater’s lobby to hand out leaflets and carry signs during the afternoon. Some employees said they were annoyed with the protesters’ presence.

“I think it’s kind of stupid,” said usher Ignacio Salazar, 16, of Santa Ana. “People have a right to see what they want.” He said his parents, whom he described as religious Christians, would not let him see the film.

Times staff writer Mariann Hansen contributed to this article.