In a random national survey of 1,003 adults conducted by Tobin's group March 5-9, nearly two weeks after the movie's premiere, 12 percent of the 146 people who had seen "The Passion" said it made them "less likely" to blame Jews today for the crucifixion, compared to 5 percent who said they were "more likely" to blame all Jews for killing Jesus.

....In Tobin's survey, 9 percent of those who either had seen the movie or were familiar with it due to the "buzz" surrounding it said the movie made them less likely to hold Jews responsible for Jesus's death; 2 percent said they were more likely to blame Jews; 83 percent said their opinions about Jews remained unchanged.

....Among the leading critics of the film was Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, who failed to convince Gibson to add a postscript to the movie saying that many Jews were crucified during the Roman occupation of ancient Israel, and that the Jews were not to blame for Jesus' death.

"I hope he's right," Foxman said of Tobin's survey, but "I think it's a little too early to come to any conclusions."

....For his part, Tobin said the ADL and others were right to focus attention on the movie. After seeing the movie Monday, Tobin said he found it "full of anti-Semitic images."

"The film blames Jews in ways that are associated with anti-Semitic beliefs," he said. "But that doesn't mean people are coming away from the movie with anti-Semitic views." [JTA] My guess is that the film is causing many people to examine their beliefs in general, perhaps for the first time, and while in that frame of mind sorting out the sources of some of those beliefs.