Posted on 11/29/2006 8:22:47 PM PST by paulat
Pregnant star misses Vatican gala
Keisha Castle-Hughes has said she is too busy to attend the premiere The teenage star of a film about the Nativity is missing its Vatican premiere because she is expecting a baby with her 19-year-old partner. New Zealander Keisha Castle-Hughes, 16, who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Whale Rider, plays Mary.
Pope Benedict XVI will also be unable to attend the Vatican's first premiere due to his forthcoming visit to Turkey.
A member for the Papal Council for Culture said the actress was expected to play her part well, not be a saint.
The actress, who is expecting a child in spring, said that she was "thrilled" at the news and had made the film "in a state of grace".
Biblical tale
The premiere of The Nativity Story, expected to be attended by 7,000 people, will take place in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, which is used for Sunday masses when they are not held outside in St Peter's Square.
The film was shot in southern Italy and Morocco
The film was shot partly in Matera, Italy, the same location used for Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ.
It recounts the Biblical tale from the Angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary that she will give birth to Jesus, to the visit of the three wise men to the new baby.
It has been produced by the US-based production company New Line Cinema, which was also involved in the Lord of The Rings trilogy, and will open in the US and Italy next month.
Oscar Isaac, a 30-year-old US actor, plays Joseph opposite Castle-Hughes.
Born in Australia, Castle-Hughes moved to New Zealand aged four with her Maori mother and Australian father. She became a New Zealand citizen in 2001.
Proceeds of the premiere will go towards the building of a school in the northern Israeli village of Mughar which Druze, Muslim and Christian children will attend
There is something to the argument that perhaps we should bring back the idea of stigma and shame, but I don't believe it is appropriate. One problem is that women, who are certainly not alone in the act that creates a pregnancy, bear the brunt of the stigma as they bear their child. The father is often free of this stigma, and the shame might drive a woman to consider abortion as a way out of public humiliation and disdain. Often, a parent will repent of the sin that lead to an illegimate pregnancy -- do we continue to throw stones even then? I prefer the forgiving, loving, "go, and sin no more" attitude that Jesus demonstrated. I believe people respond better to love than to shame.
I do feel it is mean-spirited to attach an insulting, derogatory name to an infant or child. It was not his or her sin that caused the illegitimacy. Life will be tough enough without society heaping shame on an defenseless child.
Not at all.
It's the name-calling and bad attitude. The CHILD is not at fault, here, and we should be thankful that she didn't abort it.
Calling the child a bastard might be gramatically correct, but doesn't help the kid.
For another example, calling a whore a whore, gramatically correct as it may be, doesn't help guide her in the right direction, either.
Please note the context in which I used the term "bastard" (post #6 -- in response to the silliness of post #4).
I'm not being harsh, and I don't have a bad attitude; I'm actually being quite sympathetic to the poor child. May the mother's bad choices serve as a warning to others.
I am sorry, I just cannot countenance nagging outside of marriage.
ping
"Strange thinking...."
Premeates FR as of late.
Should be "Permeates"
My best friend's parents married when her mom was sixteen. They eloped. They're still married after 54 years. I'm sure she was preggers soon thereafter.
Calling a child a bastard is sympathetic? I'd hate to hear you when you're harsh.
You obviously have been culturally conditioned to believe that 16 is not a good time to become a mommy. And from most of your self-centered comments, I would agree that it is true in your case. You stated earlier that you didn't know what to say. My recommendation for such occasions: Don't Say Anything.
As I've said before on related topics, shame is a powerful motivator.
Good would-be parents want to spare their children embarrassment and humiliation, which is why so much less open illegitimacy occurred back in the day.
The person committing an immoral act should be the one to bear the shame, if shame is to be borne. The child is an innocent victim, yet the recipient of the shame of the word bastard.
Back in the day, it was shameful for unmarried people of the opposite sex to be together unchaperoned. I'm sure that helped matters greatly. But in the throes of passion, people ignore the possibility of consequences like pregnancy and life-threatening illnesses -- I doubt the fear that any resulting child might be called a bastard will do much to curb the activity.
Do you have any idea what youre talking about?
MM
What part of my post didn't you understand? I can perhaps type it more slowly and in shorter words.
Or if you just wish to insult me, go ahead, and I won't waste my time.
(BTW, unlike your post, this is a context in which using the term "bastard" doesn't actually refer to the child, but to the pejorative term you used.)
Unfortunately, I actually did understand your post. Instead of typing it more slowly or in shorter words, you should think much longer before you post something.. save me the trouble of insulting you.
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