Posted on 12/04/2006 7:52:47 PM PST by Pyro7480
'The Nativity Story' Movie Problematic for Catholics, "Unsuitable" for Young Children
By John-Henry Westen
NEW YORK, December 4, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A review of New Line Cinema's The Nativity story by Fr. Angelo Mary Geiger of the Franciscans of the Immaculate in the United States, points out that the film, which opened December 1, misinterprets scripture from a Catholic perspective.
While Fr. Geiger admits that he found the film is "in general, to be a pious and reverential presentation of the Christmas mystery." He adds however, that "not only does the movie get the Virgin Birth wrong, it thoroughly Protestantizes its portrayal of Our Lady."
In Isaiah 7:14 the Bible predicts the coming of the Messiah saying: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel." Fr. Geiger, in an video blog post, explains that the Catholic Church has taught for over 2000 years that the referenced Scripture showed that Mary would not only conceive the child miraculously, but would give birth to the child miraculously - keeping her physical virginity intact during the birth.
The film, he suggests, in portraying a natural, painful birth of Christ, thus denies the truth of the virginal and miraculous birth of Christ, which, he notes, the Fathers of the Church compared to light passing through glass without breaking it. Fr. Geiger quoted the fourth century St. Augustine on the matter saying. "That same power which brought the body of the young man through closed doors, brought the body of the infant forth from the inviolate womb of the mother."
Fr. Geiger contrasts The Nativity Story with The Passion of the Christ, noting that with the latter, Catholics and Protestants could agree to support it. He suggests, however, that the latter is "a virtual coup against Catholic Mariology".
The characterization of Mary further debases her as Fr. Geiger relates in his review. "Mary in The Nativity lacks depth and stature, and becomes the subject of a treatment on teenage psychology."
Beyond the non-miraculous birth, the biggest let-down for Catholics comes from Director Catherine Hardwicke's own words. Hardwicke explains her rationale in an interview: "We wanted her [Mary] to feel accessible to a young teenager, so she wouldn't seem so far away from their life that it had no meaning for them. I wanted them to see Mary as a girl, as a teenager at first, not perfectly pious from the very first moment. So you see Mary going through stuff with her parents where they say, 'You're going to marry this guy, and these are the rules you have to follow.' Her father is telling her that she's not to have sex with Joseph for a year-and Joseph is standing right there."
Comments Fr. Geiger, "it is rather disconcerting to see Our Blessed Mother portrayed with 'attitude;' asserting herself in a rather anachronistic rebellion against an arranged marriage, choosing her words carefully with her parents, and posing meaningful silences toward those who do not understand her."
Fr. Geiger adds that the film also contains "an overly graphic scene of St. Elizabeth giving birth," which is "just not suitable, in my opinion, for young children to view."
Despite its flaws Fr. Geiger, after viewing the film, also has some good things to say about it. "Today, one must commend any sincere attempt to put Christ back into Christmas, and this film is certainly one of them," he says. "The Nativity Story in no way compares to the masterpiece which is The Passion of the Christ, but it is at least sincere, untainted by cynicism, and a worthy effort by Hollywood to end the prejudice against Christianity in the public square."
And, in addition to a good portrait of St. Joseph, the film offers "at least one cinematic and spiritual triumph" in portraying the Visitation of Mary to St. Elizabeth. "Although the Magnificat is relegated to a kind of epilogue at the movie's end, the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth is otherwise faithful to the scriptures and quite poignant. In a separate scene, the two women experience the concurrent movement of their children in utero and share deeply in each other's joy. I can't think of another piece of celluloid that illustrates the dignity of the unborn child better than this."
See Fr. Geiger's full review here:
http://airmaria.com/
Context: if someone comes to you telling you that something fulfills a prophecy in Scripture, one would be a fool to do anything other than search the Scriptures to see if it was so. This is what the Bereans did. In as much as the Scriptures at that time were only the Old Covenant Scriptures, if they had taken the attitude evinced by the advocates of 'sola scriptura'--that only what discursive reason could prove from Scripture was true--they would not have been commended for their action, but condemned for falling into a Judaizing heresy.
It does not follow from Paul's approval of the sensible course the Bereans took when presented with his claim that the prophecies of old had been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, that the Scriptures are a complete exposition of all that is true about God, Christ and our salvation (indeed St. John's Gospel makes a point of declaring them to be incomplete as an account of all Christ has done), still less that they give a complete account of His family's life (the original point of this thread), nor that all things salutory to salvation are recorded in them, nor does it speak against the need to interpret the Scriptures--which interpretation can only be done rightly in the context of the Church which Christ founded, and in the context of which the Christian part of the canon was written, and the canon of Scripture fixed.
Christ.
This thread has been instructive. I was unaware the Eastern Orthodox do not believe Christ's sacrifice was "foreshadowed" in the Old Testament.
What does the word "sacrifice" mean and why is Jesus Christ called "the lamb slain from the foundation of the world?" (Rev. 13:8).
Perhaps the disbelief in the predestined, completed sacrifice of Christ is what leads to your church's lack of assurance and why "being saved is a life-long process" instead of the "once for all time" redemption of Christ's sheep.
It's this kind of material that doesn't allow even a five-year-old to read and understand the Bible. I submit that NO ONE understands the Bible, let alone logically comprehend it.
No one?
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." -- 2 Timothy 3:16-17"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
It seems to me that God did not want us to 'understand' Him very well at all.
What a diabolical method of keeping people ignorant of the truth -- tell them it's indecipherable.
Read Hebrews, Kosta. It's all there and it's knowable.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin." -- Hebrews 10:9-18"Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Now we may debate whether the "for all" means all men everywhere or all believers, but that does not negate the fact Christ died once to pay for all the sins of His sheep, and thus according to God's promise He will remember them no more.
We have been redeemed.
"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." -- 1 Corinthians 6:20
This is what I taught my five-year-olds -- that they were bought with a heavenly price and that their minds and hearts and bodies belong to God.
By the grace of God, they understood.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word with God, and the Word was God... and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Gee, that tells me that the Word (scripture) is Jesus, the Christ.
Amen.
I should have proofread better. This is Kosta's line in my post above.
If the Hebrew scriptures were Christ then they wouldn't have prophesized his coming.
The fact is Scripture has been copied down by men, and translated by men and frankly biased men.
Scripture cannot be interpreted without the Holy Spirit the comforter the Spirit of Truth which Christ promised to send the church.
I happen to beleive that 330+ bishops from everywhere from England to Persia along with thousands of laity and priests accompanying them could not have gathered absent the Holy Spirit.
I think it's quite easy for a handful of protestants at a 'Bible Reading' to do so completely absent the Holy Spirit.
You may wish to change your tagline to read, "Orthodox Chrisitianity-Proclaiming the bias truth since 33AD".
If the scriptures are not understandable by individuals, then there is no benefit for individuals to read them.
All things considered, I would really rather be a biblical christian. If I have to choose between following religious leaders removed from Christ by time and distance or following the words of the Apostles, I'd rather follow the Apostles who lived with Jesus and were commissioned by Him.
can you name an orthodox english-translation?
the only one i'm aware of is still a work in progress.
we go by the greek originals not biased translations, or 8th century 'now with vowels' translations of hebrew scriptures.
most of the writers of the new testament never lived with Christ physically.
Joshua 1:8. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
John 8:31
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Do you doubt the Holy Spirit is sent to individuals? Was Jesus speaking only to the Apostles or is He giving comfort and instruction to you and me personally?
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." John 14:15-18 "If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Does Jesus only come to you through your church or does He come to you directly?
Amen. We are to come to Him as trusting little children, so it can't be all that difficult to understand. Ping to 10,113.
Then kindly tell me who the cherub in the garden of Eden was
Ezekiel 28:12
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
28:13
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
28:14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
Where two or more are gathered, there am I, also.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you." -- John 16:13-15"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
The Holy Spirit is either "the spirit of Truth," or He isn't.
i doubt sincerely that every joe who says he's guided by the Holy Spirit is. having seen protestant parishes split over differences in interpretation i doubt it doubly so if theres a 'bible study group' involved.
So what? To use that fact as support for disbelieving Scripture is to deny the work of the Holy Spirit.
John 5:46
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
5:47
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
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