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'The Nativity Story' Movie Problematic for Catholics, "Unsuitable" for Young Children
LifeSiteNews.com ^ | 12/4/2006 | John-Henry Westen

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/


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; catholics; christmas; mary; movie; nativity; nativitystory; thenativitystory
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To: Forest Keeper; jo kus
We do know that God Himself is very busy in Heaven

God finished His work by the 7th day. God does not exist in time. We don't know what God "does" in heaven. He is perfect and His work is perfect. Perfect means finished, complete. What is there 'left' for God to do. And, after the End of Times, with the new earth and the new heaven (why new heaven?), what will God do "then?"

Your anthropomorphism placeses a necessity on God to "do" something.

13,741 posted on 04/30/2007 7:24:35 AM PDT by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: kosta50
The entire Bible is an "if-then" (either-or) proposition, betty boop. :)

Not to me, kosta.

13,742 posted on 04/30/2007 7:35:22 AM PDT by betty boop ("Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." -- A. Einstein.)
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To: kosta50; betty boop
[.. He(Paul) is verbose and pompous and his language is inaccurate; to me he(Paul) sounds like a used car salesmen. You never know what exactly he is saying because he could be saying all sorts of thing, and he is saying different things to different audiences. ..]

Sometimes Kosta you sound like a Used Jesus Salesman yourself.. How did you get so smart?.. Your humility seems to be lacking.. if only in demeanor.. How did you get so smart?.. I've follow this/these conversation(s) for a good while.. Seems like almost whatever Betty Boop or Alamo-Girl say you have a problem with.. and not with humility either..

What little old Lady pre-owned your Jesus.. putting so few miles on the odometer that YOU would know so much about him.. AND Alamo-Girl, Betty Boop and myself know so little?.. ;) Do you detail that Jesus upon making a deal.. or must we clean him up ourself?.. How did you learn so much about Jesus and the Holy Spirit?..

13,743 posted on 04/30/2007 7:56:55 AM PDT by hosepipe (CAUTION: This propaganda is laced with hyperbole....)
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To: kosta50
Maybe you could write a better song, kosta. I’d love to hear it if and when you do!
13,744 posted on 04/30/2007 11:33:57 AM PDT by .30Carbine
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To: betty boop
Not to me, kosta

Countless examples where God says "if...then." You will have to find them yourself. :)

13,745 posted on 04/30/2007 11:45:43 AM PDT by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: hosepipe

You don’t like what I have to say? I am not forcing you to read this. You want me not to ping you? Fine, you’ve been erased. Good bye.


13,746 posted on 04/30/2007 11:53:34 AM PDT by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: kosta50
Countless examples where God says "if...then." You will have to find them yourself. :)

Plenty of times He does NOT use "if/then" formulae. The sensitive reader ought to know which is which...and what is called for in response.

13,747 posted on 04/30/2007 12:10:37 PM PDT by betty boop ("Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." -- A. Einstein.)
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To: .30Carbine
Maybe you could write a better song, kosta. I’d love to hear it if and when you do!

God the Father did not create baby Jesus as the song implies. I am sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear. Such songs may be well intented, but they send a wrong message.

13,748 posted on 04/30/2007 12:38:57 PM PDT by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: fortheDeclaration
The local churches were not 'Catholic'

Sure they were. The Church was described as "catholic" by St. Ignatius in late 1c -- yearly 2c at the latest.

As soon as the concept of a canon existed, it was the Catholic Canon; prior to that, they simply had whatever books came their way.

13,749 posted on 04/30/2007 1:36:11 PM PDT by annalex
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To: wmfights; Forest Keeper; fortheDeclaration; Dr. Eckleburg; HarleyD; jo kus
This is so "RC".

Why is it surprising?

13,750 posted on 04/30/2007 1:37:30 PM PDT by annalex
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To: Forest Keeper
Hi FK. Founding Fathers were an unequaled gift. Truly renaissance men. I would include Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt in that list too.

I don't believe Abraham Lincoln has an historical peer. He clearly saw the tragedy and savagery that was the status quo and that which also lied ahead, but he was brilliantly heroic and he paid the ultimate price. Teddy said the following and we should take heed:

"It is more important that we should show ourselves honest, brave, truthful, and intelligent than that we should own all the railways and grain elevators in the world. We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received and each of us must do his part if we wish to show that this nation is worthy of its good fortune."

It was said of Franklin and Teddy that Franklin had a first rate temperament and that Teddy had a first-rate mind, and I think that's true.

When I try to find equal men in the history of Italy, I'm not so fortunate.

Some of the Roman Emperors were really very impressive, Augustus, Trajan, etc., but the beastliness of the Roman Empire, best exemplified by their practice of crucifixion (though I think inherited from the Carthaginians) gives enormous pause, regardless of rationale. All that said, I think much of the population in the areas the Roman Empire had made its own, preferred to be under the yoke of Rome than under the yoke of their own leaders, and that says a lot too. St. Paul doesn't seem to despise his own Roman citizenship. I won't go so far as to say he seems proud of it, but he seems to value it, and I don't think that's solely because he could appeal to it when they were hot to hang him.

During one of my more recent trips to Italy, my cousin (a lawyer, like you, FK) was whirling me around every possible nook and cranny of Rome, remarking on the prowess of the Romans and then ending his tour-guide like summary with erano delinquente, pero. The best part of Rome -outside the ruins- was the Jewish quarter. I was hoping to find a bagel there. :)

All I wanted was some toast. Regular English-like toast with sweet butter, good English jam and good English tea. I'd been hitting the espresso hard, and I was having a really hard time sleeping. Thought the Jewish quarter was the most likely place I might be able to get close to a slice or facsimile of that species of civilized. No such luck or any points for historical perspicuity.

Got a great hair-cut, some really good shoes and clothes, excellent food and table wine. Got to see this wonderful map room that I think was part of the Vatican. Went to the opera and sat their thinking, my own life story is a lot better than this; why am I here? That's why I don't like opera, it's a garish underachiever.

But who was the Italian Jefferson? Who was the Italian Lincoln? Who was the Italian Roosevelt? I could summon up no name, with the exception of Machiavelli. I don't think him an equal to the American greats, but I believe him to be a man of influence in political thought.

In Italy, at one time, Machiavelli symbolism was expressed with a two-faced head. Think Bill Clinton. Though I think Machiavelli would have despised the man, because he would have found him unforgivably vulgar. He probably would have liked Hillary more, if he could have forgiven her dull wit.

Anyway, we are blessed here. All 'religions' and sects and communions are not only tolerated, they are accepted without rancor.

It is as Paul Johnson (Historian and all-around truthful fellow) says:

"The U.S. is the nearest thing to a microcosm of world society, with every people represented in its vast democracy. This is why I regard anti-Americanism as racism; it, in effect, amounts to a hatred of humanity itself."

Blessings, FK.

13,751 posted on 04/30/2007 2:08:03 PM PDT by AlbionGirl
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To: AlbionGirl

“Got a great hair-cut, some really good shoes and clothes, excellent food and table wine.”

The foregoing being among the many very good reasons to visit Roma! :)

Hi, AG!


13,752 posted on 04/30/2007 3:22:20 PM PDT by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
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To: Kolokotronis
No. The Greek Fathers always explained election in terms of divine foreknowledge. What I was demonstrating is what one can do applying logic to divine mystery.

OK, thanks. I get it.

13,753 posted on 04/30/2007 4:02:36 PM PDT by Forest Keeper
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To: Kolokotronis
Hi, K!

The foregoing being among the many very good reasons to visit Roma! :)

So true. I haven't had a good hair-cut or table wine since '00. :)

I'd like to visit again, soon. Roma anche e terra mia.

13,754 posted on 04/30/2007 4:53:44 PM PDT by AlbionGirl
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To: kosta50
[.. You don’t like what I have to say? I am not forcing you to read this. You want me not to ping you? ..]

Oh! stop.. don't be so sensitive.. You don't have see what I see.. and I don't have to see what you see.. You are not as smart as you look and neither am I..

13,755 posted on 04/30/2007 5:14:22 PM PDT by hosepipe (CAUTION: This propaganda is laced with hyperbole....)
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To: kosta50; Quix; betty boop; Alamo-Girl; marron; Kolokotronis
FK: "I see "perfect" as being a very relative term ..."

Oh, that makes God a "relative term," FK. Brilliant.

I was saying that "perfect" is relative from the human perspective. In football, some say that any TD pass is "perfect", while others would say some such passes are not perfect because the receiver had to make an unnecessary diving catch. There is no relative "perfect" as applied to God because He defines what it is. That includes all the things we don't know about Him. Whatever those things are, they are also "perfect".

13,756 posted on 04/30/2007 5:38:41 PM PDT by Forest Keeper
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To: Forest Keeper
I was saying that "perfect" is relative from the human perspective. In football...

FK, we are talking about God, not football (that's another thread...hello).

There is no relative "perfect" as applied to God because He defines what it is. That includes all the things we don't know about Him. Whatever those things are, they are also "perfect"

Thank you. :)

13,757 posted on 04/30/2007 8:40:27 PM PDT by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: AlbionGirl
Interesting comments on your trip. i hope you don't mind if I show my curiosity.

But who was the Italian Jefferson?

try Garibaldi for starters, and dozens of others...

At least no one there used a phrase such as a "more perfect union" (a "more better" would have done just the same).

With all the European pastry, you want a toast? Why do people go to Europe? To eat in McDonald's?

A-G, opera is art. It's not a reality show. I don't watch Hollywood movies and say "My life is not as exciting as that."

Anyway, welcome back. :)

13,758 posted on 04/30/2007 8:52:08 PM PDT by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: annalex
The local churches were not 'Catholic' Sure they were. The Church was described as "catholic" by St. Ignatius in late 1c -- yearly 2c at the latest. As soon as the concept of a canon existed, it was the Catholic Canon; prior to that, they simply had whatever books came their way.

Stop your nonsense. Ignatius used the word 'Catholic' in the sense of the church being 'universal', which is what the mystical church is, all believers being part of Christ's body.

The early churches had nothing that could identify them with the Roman Catholic Church today, including a 'Priest class'.

Peter stated that all believers were priests (1Pet.2:9)

As for the Canon, it was the Jewish Old Testament Canon, the same one used by Christ and the Apostles.

No Apocyrypha books were ever part of it.

13,759 posted on 05/01/2007 12:04:49 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (For what saith the scripture? (Rom.4:3))
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To: kosta50
Christ was a Second Adam in the sense that he was perfect man as well as God

Adam was neither perfect nor God. There is no comparison.

Ofcourse Adam was created perfect and the comparsion is made in Romans 5.

No, Christ had free will and could have rejected the Cross

Christ is perfect God and perfect Man. Therefore His human nature is perfectly united with the Divine nature. Adam's nature was potentially perfect and potentially fallen. Christ was never in that predicament.

Christ had two natures and two wills, thus His human will just as able to fall as was the first Adam, that is to reject the Father's Plan to go to the Cross as an obedient son.

The temptation was for Christ to use His own Deity and not to depend on the Father

Christ's deity is not "His" own. The Godhead has only one divine essence, shared equally, and eternally by all Three Hypostases.

The Trinity is made up of three persons who share the same divine essence.

Christ did not use His own Deity when on Earth but depended on the Father. (Jn.6:57, Phil.2:4-8)

That was a mystery revealed to the church (Col.2:9)

As much as it is tempting to agree with +Paul's statement, I believe he did not mean it the way it is often interpreted.

Well ofcourse not, you have your own personal theological system going, that rejects what the Bible says and what your own Church teaches.

As I said in the beginning, you are a god in your own mind (Gen.3)

13,760 posted on 05/01/2007 12:20:36 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (For what saith the scripture? (Rom.4:3))
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