Among the Catholics queried, more than three-quarters who said they don't plan on seeing the movie listed "do not go to movies" as the reason why. The film's violence — but not its R rating — was cited by the remaining Catholics as the reason they would not see the movie. And then there are Catholics like Phil Gaitan, who says he probably won't be buying a ticket. "It doesn't catch my interest," he says.

Lisa Kieda is Jewish and concerned that the movie might arouse anti-Jewish feelings but plans to see "The Passion of the Christ" all the same. "I'm neither incensed nor overly interested," she says, but wants to see it "because it's on everybody's radar." As a child growing up Jewish in Catholic Boston, she says, other children called her "Christ-killer" and threw pennies at her. "I would hate to see a resurgence of this 'Christ-killer' dialogue."

All totaled, 40 percent of Utahns surveyed said they definitely or probably would see the movie, which is not bad box-office odds. On the other hand, only 25 percent of people who list their religious affiliation as "none" plan on going.

The poll queried 404 Utahns on Feb. 19; the margin of error is plus or minus 5 percent.

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E-mail: jarvik@desnews.com