Posted on 12/04/2007 7:50:27 AM PST by NYer
On December 7, Gener8Xion Entertainment, a prominent Protestant film company, will release “Noëlle.” Catholic League president Bill Donohue disputes the claim that the movie is merely “a parable of forgiveness and grace”:
“We’ve seen the movie and it’s a gem. In the synopsis provided by Gener8Xion, it accurately describes Jonathan Keene as ‘a young Catholic priest seemingly devoid of genuine human emotion’; his job is ‘to do what he does best: shut down a failing parish.’ Then there is ‘the child-like Fr. Simeon Joyce, a faithful but disillusioned priest who blatantly disregards church regulations, uses church monies to pay an old fisherman’s medical bills and spends most of his time drinking at the local pub.’ Both priests are portrayed as losers.
“Viewers learn that the only reason Fr. Keene became a priest is because he felt guilty about getting a girl pregnant when he was in college; to top things off, he pressured her to have an abortion. Fr. Joyce, the alcoholic, has serious reservations about celibacy and his idea of heaven is a jolly good Christmas party. Fr. Joyce tells Fr. Keene he wants to marry a woman named Marjorie so he can help raise her illegitimate kid, saying he ‘made a vow to God not to the Church.’ But Fr. Keene, a first-class klutz, is also in love with the same woman: he is shown bolting in the middle of Midnight Mass to be with her, knocking over a filled chalice and ripping off his vestments.
“Throughout the film, confession is trivialized, celibacy is ridiculed, the Virgin Mary is disrespected, nuns are belittled, last rites are mocked, and priestly vocations are caricatured. In short, that which is uniquely Catholic is trashed. However, the plot and the acting are so deliriously absurd that it is impossible for us to get too worked up about this flick.
“It means nothing that the movie has a pro-life message. Stereotypes about Protestant ministers abound, raising the question, Why didn’t Gener8Xion choose to mock one of their own clergy? Similarly, given that the film’s writer, David Hall, has said that his primary interest was in ‘dealing with hypocrisy,’ why didn’t he consult with Sen. Charles Grassley about all those ‘prosperity church’ pastors being investigated for ripping off their flock? We know why, and that’s why the Catholic League exists.”
Thanks for the link - looks like a good film.
I just watched the trailor and it looks fascinating. Call me a sinner, but I would like to see it. (shaking head)
**“Throughout the film, confession is trivialized, celibacy is ridiculed, the Virgin Mary is disrespected, nuns are belittled, last rites are mocked, and priestly vocations are caricatured.**
Doesn’t look like something I would want to see.
It’s a great window into the soul of the folks who created it ... and the folks who think it’s a good film.
when are we going to see some good old fashion mohammed the child molester flix???
Those are some of the reasons I think it looks like a good film - traditions of man being revealed for what they are, not of the Bible.
Bump that thought.
I wondered, how would a “Catholic film company” treat Protestants in a film they made.
I’m sure they’d get fair treatment in a film about... let’s say someone made a film about Philip of Arundel. I’m sure there’d be nothing at all anti-Protestant in a movie featuring Queen Elizabeth.
http://marysdowryproductions.org/Philip_of_Arundel.html
Since the Church determined the canon of Scripture, I suppose you would have to toss out your Bible as a "tradition of man" as well. Sacred Tradition and the Scriptures are part and parcel of the same divine revelation by Our Lord to the apostles and handed down in the Church. They are not "traditions of man". And a Merry Christmas to you too... ( or perhaps you view it as a "Devil's holiday")
Geez, if I want to experience that, I can simply read the religion forum here on FR and save the ticket and popcorn price.
Gee - there are certain “Catholic” groups that will do that too.
"It's okay to support people who trash your neighbor, because you're just certain your neighbor would trash you if he had the chance" is not in my Bible. My Bible says, "Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you" and "Beloved, do not look for revenge".
We must have different Bibles.
To which "traditions" are you referring?
But what does the USCCB have to say about it? Too much religion in it for them?
It's not in my Bible either. You think my response is somehow worse or is different than the link to the "Protestants are guilty of sexual abuse too" in threads about guilty priests?
I see a claim about a film that I probably won't go to see, one that will probably have limited distribution, but it seems to me that in your book I "support" it.
The topic here to me is about claims of anti-(name your poison). Are all people who don't confirm what we'd like to believe about ourselves "anti"-us?
My Bible says, "Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you" and "Beloved, do not look for revenge".
Do you think the film makers had revenge against the Catholic Church in mind when they made this film?
You sound a lot like you're endorsing the film as an act of anticipated revenge for the wrongs you think Catholic film-makers would commit if they had the chance.
I wasn't & am not. My initial response was to say, "If you don't like the treatment that Catholics get in film, there may be a market opportunity that some of y'all may wanna try to tap." Didn't wanna suggest it if it was a reinvention of the wheel.
What's "Christian" about trashing other Christians?
The article doesn't describe a "Christian" film at all. It describes a demonic film.
If the article describes the film accurately, the producers have switched sides (if they were ever Christian in the first place.) They're working with the Evil One, and deceiving many.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.