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/
Some things God will sort out in His time.
I don’t think that it is good faith heartedness about arguable things that will get people in great trouble.
When did all creation start to die?
“What kind of wacky theology is that!!!”
When did all creation start to die? Time is linear and there is a terminus, “the day of the Lord”, so the clock started running down when man sinned.
Yes.. As do you.. The observer follows what he observes. The answers to many questions are qualia driven.. An observers vista can be limited.. Thats why the Holy Spirit allows heretics.. but dogma identifies them.. Jesus spoke mainly in metaphor, eating his body and drinking his blood, was just one of them.. What you see as non sequiter isn't.. Maybe you have a blind spot..
Amen my friend! :) And you are right that ALL of God's children are saints. God said it (through Paul), so we believe it.
Sorry, but it is a non sequitur. Here's your argument:
(1) YOU are a slave to Roman Catholic dogma.. at least some of it
Therefore:
(2) My Holy Spirit leading is superior to yours.
Since (2) does not logically follow from (1) therefore the conclusion is a non sequitur.
-A8
I was joking. I agree with you.
As far as when creatures started to die, I have a radical theory that I don't share with anyone for fear of being stoned. However, one should noticed that in order for God to have told Adam that "In the day you eat the fruit, you shall surely die.", Adam must have know what "dying" meant. Eve, not plopping over when she took a bite (at least not at that moment), probably encouraged Adam to take a bite. (this is all another story)
I believe it is possible that animals and vegetation "dying" could have went on for hundreds, if not thousand of year prior to the fall. The only one immune to this process was Adam and Eve. I don't get into creation discussions because there is no biblical evidence and people tend to be very defensive of their positions. Mine is pure speculation so don't stone me.
And here I was under the impression that the "Day of the Lord" is the day of His grace and mercy!
Scripture teaches time and again that man corrupts things that he touches. The early church fathers recognize this and this is the reason we have the Bible. While the Holy Spirit now endwells Christians to assist us in living our lives (not a small issue), we are still under a curse until we're redeemed through death or Christ's return.
LOL!!! LOL!!! LOL!!!
H. sapiens goes back anout 10 times that far back, HD. Unless, of course, you believe that the devil plants those bones for us to be deceived...LOL!
However, one should noticed that in order for God to have told Adam that "In the day you eat the fruit, you shall surely die.", Adam must have know what "dying" meant
That is a very valid observation, HD! Kind of, like that line in the Lord's prayer "and do not lead us into temptation" [does God lead people into temptation?!?].
And the "day" Adam would die would be 900 years later. Why don't we just call our whole lifetime "a day in the life of ..."?
How would Adam know what dying is?
I should add, that I believe every Christian and Christ’s church remains victorious. Our mission is to call out God’s elect.
“And here I was under the impression that the “Day of the Lord” is the day of His grace and mercy!”
I don’t think so, but I have been wrong before.
Isa 2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts [shall be] upon every [one that is] proud and lofty, and upon every [one that is] lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
Isa 13:6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD [is] at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Isa 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Jer 46:10 For this [is] the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
Eze 13:5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.
Eze 30:3 For the day [is] near, even the day of the LORD [is] near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.
Joe 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD [is] at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Joe 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for [it is] nigh at hand;
Joe 2:11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp [is] very great: for [he is] strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD [is] great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
Joe 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Joe 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision.
Amo 5:18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end [is] it for you? the day of the LORD [is] darkness, and not light.
Amo 5:20 [Shall] not the day of the LORD [be] darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
Oba 1:15 For the day of the LORD [is] near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.
Zep 1:7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD [is] at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.
Zep 1:14 The great day of the LORD [is] near, [it is] near, and hasteth greatly, [even] the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
Zep 2:2 Before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.
Zep 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.
Zec 14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Act 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
1Cr 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
HD, the animals are exactly the way God made them. They move by necessity and not by free will as we do. So, they could not have corrupted that which God created.
Hold it, just hold it!! You mean to tell me that an all loving God made my stupid dog to poo- on my rug by necessity and its’s not his lousy character? If that’s the case, who is cleaning it up in heaven?
Do you think that what happens to you will be merciful or that you deserve your ticket to heaven because you are without sin? Of course, if you reject God's mercy, you will receive none. But that will be none of God's doing. No matter how you look at it, the Day of the Lord will be the day of His mercy and grace.
Amen, brother! To this day, my most vivid memory of being a counselor at a Billy Graham crusade (here in St. Louis '99) was at his altar call, when he specifically reached out to pastors who might not be saved. I was blown away. :) At that time I had not even considered that possibility, but he was absolutely right. A person can have absolutely any station in life and yet not be saved. The Spirit really grew me in sanctification that day, and I am forever thankful.
“No matter how you look at it, the Day of the Lord will be the day of His mercy and grace.”
Kosta, old friend, neither you nor I will be around for the “day of the Lord”. That’s reserved for His wrath and we have escaped that by trusting in Christ.
You said that, not me.. Hearing the Holy Spirit is not a given.. He speaks you can miss it(what he says).. or me.. Who has ears to hear?.. <<- Now theres a concept..
You said that, not me.. Hearing the Holy Spirit is not a given.. He speaks you can miss it(what he says).. or me.. Who has ears to hear?.. <<- Now theres a concept..
imho,
Your assertion is certainly far more true, than not.
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