'The Nativity Story' Movie Problematic for Catholics, "Unsuitable" for Young Children

LifeSiteNews.com ^ | 12/4/2006 | John-Henry Westen

[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/

[adiaireton8]

You said that, not me

True. But when I asked you,"But who made you an authority over me? Why assume that your Holy Spirit leading is superior to mine?", you replied, "Good question.. Because YOU are a slave to Roman Catholic dogma.. at least some of it.. thats why."

When you reply to a 'Why is X the case?' question with "because ..." you imply that X is indeed the case.

Hearing the Holy Spirit is not a given.. He speaks you can miss it(what he says).. or me.. Who has ears to hear?

So, regarding the interpretation of "This is my body", how do we know who has ears to hear?

-A8

[Quix]

The Day of The Lord is somewhat interchangeable.

It has been used for the day of The Rapture, catching away of The Church . . .

as well as His overt and very obvious return for Armageddon when it will be very triumphant for His Kingdom and horrendously horrible for those in rebellion against Him and in support of satan.

Interestingly, the globalist puppet masters have bought into satan’s lie that satan and company will WIN at Armageddon. Evidently a host of “ET’s” [Biblical fallen Watchers, evidently] have facilitated that conviction on the idiot globalist’s parts.

[hosepipe]

[.. So, regarding the interpretation of "This is my body", how do we know who has ears to hear? ..]

What is Christs body, "the bread" or his body(the church)?..
Much metaphor here.. including "ears to hear"..
Christ's body and the church are both metaphor's of the same thing..
The bread and blood are additional metaphors...
Three metaphors with the same message and good news..

[adiaireton8]

What is Christs body, "the bread" or his body(the church)?.. Much metaphor here.. including "ears to hear".. Christ's body and the church are both metaphor's of the same thing.. The bread and blood are additional metaphors... Three metaphors with the same message and good news..

How does that show us "who has ears to hear" regarding what Jesus meant by "This is My Body"?

-A8

[hosepipe]

[.. How does that show us "who has ears to hear" regarding what Jesus meant by "This is My Body"? ..]

If you CAN hear the metaphor then you have ears to hear.. silly..
Otherwise you cannot hear it(the metaphor) YOU HEAR WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR..

[fortheDeclaration]

All churches have people in it who are not truly saved-even Baptist ones! 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.

Amen.

Belonging to a particular church doesn't mean one is saved, one has to be part of the real Church, the spiritual church, the Body of Christ.

And that only occurs with the New Birth at which point the Holy Spirit takes the individual and unites him forever with Christ (1Cor.12:13)

Those are the 'wheat' all the rest are the 'chaff'.

[adiaireton8]

YOU HEAR WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR..

So you are saying that even if the Bible teaches Catholicism, you would only see Protestantism in it, because you hear what you want to hear, and see what you want to see. Is that what you are saying?

-A8

[hosepipe]

[.. So you are saying that even if the Bible teaches Catholicism, you would only see Protestantism in it, because you hear what you want to hear, and see what you want to see. Is that what you are saying? ..]

The Bible teachs neither.. It teaches what it teaches..
The Bible is worthless without the Holy Spirit..

The Holy Spirit can take you as far as you are willing to go..
If you are limited by dogma then you can only go that far..
Which is better than nothing, I'd say.. Except that just a taste can be a tease..
The Holy Spirit is bound by no 501c tax free organization.. -OR- clergy..
The Holy Spirit is an element of very God.. subject to no one..

[HarleyD]

“HD, the animals are exactly the way God made them. They move by necessity”

I'm glad you didn't tell that to Daniel before he entered the lions' den.

bd-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?

LOLOL!!!

[Ping-Pong]

While I hold a covenant view, I tell people that I believe we’re devolving. I believe the church is simply here to call out God’s chosen people and, once that’s done, boom! Somewhat like the countdown in Independence Day.... No one believe me... ;O)

I believe you, I agree with you......Ping

[Ping-Pong]

And here I was under the impression that the "Day of the Lord" is the day of His grace and mercy!

11Peter 3:8....one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. I believe the "Day of the Lord" is the millennium. Of course that is also a time of "His grace and mercy".

..Ping

[kosta50]

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?

Dogs can be housebrokrn by people who know what they are doing. :)

[blue-duncan]

“Dogs can be housebrokrn by people who know what they are doing. :)”

Yeah, but that brings us back to the “day of the Lord” and K becomes the “lord”.

[kosta50]

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

Thank you, BD, but the angry vengeful God is alien to Orthodoxy.

[kosta50]

We Orthodox speak of Final Judgment. That’s when the wheat will be separated from the chaff. The rest is...rather alien.

[kosta50]

I believe the "Day of the Lord" is the millennium. Of course that is also a time of "His grace and mercy".

Every day is Lord's day of grace and mercy.

[Quix]

What do you do with that interesting Scripture about the saints being taken out to avoid the wrath of God whilst the observers are characterized as more or less clueless about that fact/perspective?

[my paraphrase but not too far off]

[Quix]

I think I have a list somewhere of the Scriptures such as

The Day of The Lord etc.

Will try and post them within a month.

[Quix]

BTW, they—the lists do NOT indicate that it’s the millenium.

I think I have a list somewhere of the Scriptures such as

The Day of The Lord etc.

Will try and post them within a month.

[kosta50]

Yeah, but that brings us back to the “day of the Lord” and K becomes the “lord”

Lucky you! :)