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/
My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand. – John 10:29
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4:2
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. – 2 Tim 1:12
[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. – Hebrews 13:5
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world – 1 John 4:4
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18
However, it is possible to quench the Spirit (I Th 5:19) and therefore, we must choose to walk in His Light (1 John 1:7) to follow Him (Romans 8) to believe Him. We become at risk the very moment we fail to believe God.
The flight of the Israelis is an example. There they were, standing next to the Red Sea, quaking in fear of the mighty Egyptians who were pursuing them – even though God had just performed ten mighty miracles in having them released. They didn’t trust Him. Again, despite all that He had done in caring for them in their journey – the scouts returning from the promised land – all except for Caleb – quaked in fear of the occupants and their fear spread throughout the camp. They didn’t trust God and thus every single one of them died in the wilderness save Caleb and Joshua.
If we believe any thing or any one – our own senses and reasoning included - over Him, we will sink – or worse:
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. – Hebrews 3:16-19
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. – Heb 4:11
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. – Rev 21:8
“The realm of God”
I think you have what the meaning of the word is in the context of Eph. 1:20.
Alas, Some children of God do fear the monster under the bed, in a closet or as shadows on the walls..
Thank God for giving us the time and the circumstances in this life - whether hungry lions, dark imaginings of demons under the bed, empty bellies, false prophets, opportunities to witness or demonstrate love of God and neighbor etc.
Praise God because all of these things teach us to trust Him!
Count it all joy.
[And pray to learn the lessons quickly (LOL!)]
i feel pretty close with God in the eucharist.
LoL... ;)
Hardly, A-G. It would mean that our faith makes us righteous, blameless and sinless, immune to any temptation. It would mean we are as perfect as He is, for only He could not be tempted by the devil.
Spiritual pride is a dangerous delusion. Apostle Paul warns [my ephases]:
No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. [2 Cor 11:13-15]
I don’t know how to handle this in the religion forum where it belongs. It’s from a thread in News/Activism:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1819478/posts?page=52#52
But, kosta50, what’s your perspective on such as this:
“They said, ‘What do you mean that you’ve accepted Christ – you mean you don’t believe in our gods [Catholic saints]?’” Mendez told Compass. “And I said, ‘Well, those were just apostles, and now I belong to Christ.’”
The town leaders threatened to jail Mendez, and the following day they summoned him again after consulting with villagers, including other catechists. Mendez verified to them that he had heard the gospel in another community and now wanted to become part of an Alas de Aguila (Eagle’s Wings) church in Pasté, he said.
Home Burned, Family Tortured
Vasquez, whose church has grown to 60 to 80 mainly Tzotzil- or Tzeltal-speaking people since he began it in 1996, is no stranger to area persecution from traditionalist Catholics.
In 1998, local political bosses (caciques) put him in jail for 24 hours without food. In 2000, he was released from jail only after the intervention of Chiapas Religious Affairs officials – who promptly demanded that he contribute to and participate in the traditionalist Catholic religious festivals, which the pastor said amounted to a denial of his faith.
“An attorney from the government told me, ‘You know what? I’m a Christian, but you have to do what we say,’” Pastor Vasquez recalled. “And I told her, ‘As an authority you cannot obligate me to deny my faith, because, as you know very well, that goes against the constitution. Secondly, as a Christian, you cannot obligate me to deny my faith and all the things that my faith requires.’ So she was left something ashamed.”
The state religious affairs ministry had more success forcing his congregation to commit to participating in the traditionalist Catholic rites, which bring caciques not only festival fees but alcohol sales income. The congregation subsequently abandoned him, Pastor Vasquez said.
“They said to me, ‘You like to get into trouble, and we don’t want trouble, so we’ve signed the agreement with the government,’” Pastor Vasquez said. He was going to leave the area, but he said God told him two things: “Cowards flee,” and “Cowards have no part in me.”
Hence he signed the government agreement, which allowed him to continue preaching as long as he contributed to and participated in the traditionalist Catholic festivals – something “very painful,” he said. The church grew so much, however, that by August 20, 2000, the caciques again jailed him, his father and his two brothers – and burned down his house.
I’m incredulous.
That's obvious.
The Creed is a precise expression of the Christian faith
No argument there.
Yes, this is exactly right. The NT is clear that while the Lord's Prayer is ALWAYS right and proper, in no way are these the only words God is interested in hearing in prayer. For example:
1 John 5:13-15 : 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.
This necessarily expands the parameters of approved prayer beyond the four corners of the Lord's Prayer.
INDEED.
Thanks thanks.
“dark imaginings of demons under the bed,....”
AG, do you think that demons are “dark imaginings” under the bed?
Don't lose the context.. else dark imaginings may trick you..
“Don’t lose the context.. else dark imaginings may trick you...”
My people haven’t “lost the context”, hp, for the past 17-1800 years. We’ve been what you might call consistent in our beliefs.
Do you think demons are “dark imaginings, hp?
I don't know much about demons, if demons exist at all..
Spirits/spirits could cause imaginings both dark and/or light.. to a human or each other..
The Spiritual Dimension could be and probably is more real this/these dimensions..
Little creepy spiritual beings I don't know about..
My sense is humans are(would be) more creepy to spiritual beings than they are to us..
Could be we know they are real "BY" imaginings.. both corrupt and perverse and high and utopian..
The Bible is a book of imaginings.. Jesus metaphors/parables are imaginings in essence..
Its possible demons are creatures and not the imaginings themselves.. I don't care either way.. To me its the imaginings I see.. and deal with.. both good and bad..
Good question actually..
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