Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

'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
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 14,861-14,88014,881-14,90014,901-14,920 ... 16,241-16,256 next last
To: Risky-Riskerdo
God has a court prepared for those who deny the sufficiency of Christ's Blood in which they can make their case for having atoned for the sins Christ did not cover.

Sometimes I imagine that in that final court, James may very well be called as a witness whereby he cites James 2:10, testifying that they are infinitely guilty and that it will take infinity to atone for just one sin.

lol. Now that's even more harsh than the Three Strikes law.

And yet it's all in the Bible in black and white so that none can say he is without excuse...

"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God." -- 1 Corinthians 4:1-5


14,881 posted on 05/21/2007 6:02:29 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14878 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg

I think that there is the fallacy, promoted by the Word of Faith false teachers that if one is not having miracles of healing, wealth and prosperity then one doesn’t truly have faith. But then, their definition of faith is a force in the universe that can be harnessed and attached to words, which when spoken with the force of faith one can create their own reality. Rather than faith being in God, the object of faith, it becomes faith in faith.


14,882 posted on 05/21/2007 6:03:32 PM PDT by Risky-Riskerdo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14879 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg
lol. Now that's even more harsh than the Three Strikes law.

"My ways are not man's ways"---God

No doubt the self righteous will think God's righteous and just convictions to be harsh, still thinking they know better than God.

14,883 posted on 05/21/2007 6:07:56 PM PDT by Risky-Riskerdo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14881 | View Replies]

To: adiaireton8; Risky-Riskerdo; HarleyD; Quix; Forest Keeper; blue-duncan

If, by some miracle, you met Paul today and he said to you, “I know whom I have believed,” I think you would question his assurance, too, and for the same reasons you question mine.


14,884 posted on 05/21/2007 6:26:46 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14834 | View Replies]

To: Risky-Riskerdo

We all think . . . we know a lot of things.

How do you interpret:

“These and Greater things shall you [believers] do!”
. . . . —Jesus The Christ


14,885 posted on 05/21/2007 6:32:51 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14876 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg

Holy Spirit woos, invites, encourages . . .

and even sets up situations to make folks hungry for God.

He doesn’t force anyone, in my observations and experiences,

to accept HIS leadings and instructions as though the person had no will in the matter.

I realize Calvinists have some interesting constructions on reality in general where free will is involved! LOL.


14,886 posted on 05/21/2007 6:34:37 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14879 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg

In other words, I used “force”

in the common . . . HEAVY COERCION/DEMANDING, BLACK BOOTED way.

That’s NOT Holy Spirit’s Nature, Character or SOP. And if anyone thinks so . . . I’d be concerned that they’d hooked up with a gross imposter from hell.


14,887 posted on 05/21/2007 6:35:59 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14879 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg; Alamo-Girl; .30Carbine; betty boop

PING TO THE 3 SPIRITUAL MUSKATEERS . . . for your wise comments because I value your perspectives on such things:

In other words, I used “force”

in the common . . . HEAVY COERCION/DEMANDING, BLACK BOOTED way.

That’s NOT Holy Spirit’s Nature, Character or SOP. And if anyone thinks so . . . I’d be concerned that they’d hooked up with a gross imposter from hell.


14,888 posted on 05/21/2007 6:36:56 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14879 | View Replies]

To: Quix
How do you interpret:

“These and Greater things shall you [believers] do!” . . . . —Jesus The Christ

In context, Jesus was speaking directly to the disciples, and for the Apostolic era when the Church was being established, and not to every believer as asserted.

However, lets run a simple test.

I assume you are a "believer".

How many paralytics have you healed?

How many dead people have you raised to life, particularly like Lazarus who had been dead for 4 days?

How many blind people have you restored their sight to?

How many people with withered hands have you made straight?

How many times have you fed crowds of over 5,000 with just a few fish and a couple of small loaves of bread?

14,889 posted on 05/21/2007 6:38:24 PM PDT by Risky-Riskerdo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14885 | View Replies]

To: Risky-Riskerdo

I suppose that’s a fair assertion . . .

Though I think it’s not quite accurate. Paul had been seeking to do God’s will fiercely and intensely all his life.

Holy Spirit finally broke through all the blindness with great drama. But it is not as though Paul was NOT seeking God’s will and Holy Spirit FORCED him to accept God’s will.


14,890 posted on 05/21/2007 6:38:26 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14880 | View Replies]

To: Quix
Please pardon me, I forgot a couple.

How many lepers have you cured of leprosy?

How many sliced off ears have you miraculously re-attached?

14,891 posted on 05/21/2007 6:41:06 PM PDT by Risky-Riskerdo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14885 | View Replies]

To: Quix
“These and Greater things shall you [believers] do!” . . . . —Jesus The Christ

If you are not doing the things I've just cited, which are on even par with Jesus and not greater, then why aren't you since you are to do greater things?

14,892 posted on 05/21/2007 6:42:31 PM PDT by Risky-Riskerdo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14885 | View Replies]

To: Risky-Riskerdo

Maybe the force of faith has yet to be harnessed well enough to perform miracles.


14,893 posted on 05/21/2007 6:45:09 PM PDT by Risky-Riskerdo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14892 | View Replies]

To: Risky-Riskerdo

I don’t find any of Kenneth Hagin’s tapes to really cross that line—certainly not significantly, in my view. But I think his son may and certainly many of his disciples do.

But there was the case where the great prayer warrior widow of an evangelist or some such was such a faith person and Hagin knew it. She ended up with heart trouble or some such. Hagin prayed for her personally several times. He KNEW she had great faith as great as Hagin’s. She died.

Hagin really sought God about it. God told him in no uncertain terms it was none of his business AND TO NEVER MENTION IT [at least to God] again. Closed subject.

None of his disciples like to talk about that case.

No one has it all figured out.

God is not a vending machine. He’s not going to be put into an always predictable box.

But Henry Wright is onto something accurate and Biblical. After seeking God intensely about why only 5% of those he prayed for got healed, God began to show him how ancestral sins; occult practices and a host of other sins, habits etc. will open folks up to the results of or the wages of sin in terms of mental and physical and relationship problems. That when folks will even just earnestly purpose in their hearts and begin to live differently as much as they can, with God’s help—then God will heal them virtually every time.

Now, his research is so extensive, he can identify the sin/relationship/ancestral problem often from just knowing the specifics of the disease—including various specific types of cancers.

His book: A MORE EXCELLENT WAY is a great resource of Biblical truth on such matters.

He’s often had cases such as the woman who showed up in an evening service with a big malignent tumor that was due to be surgically removed THE NEXT DAY. After a few questions, Henry was convinced/discerned that there were some relationship problems blocking her healing. He noted that she could not comply just to get healed—God didn’t play such games. But that if she would come to the honest place that she realized that the Bible way was the only way to live, then he would pray for her. She did and he prayed for her.

The next day—there was no tumor AT ALL. And, further, NO EVIDENCE THAT SHE HAD EVER HAD cancer AT ALL.

He has thousands of cases under his belt now of God’s miraculous healing when folks follow the Scriptural model.

I realize most folks of your perspective would like to deny such truths—but they are Biblical and factual and going on daily around the world.


14,894 posted on 05/21/2007 6:46:38 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14882 | View Replies]

To: Quix

I’ll check back tomorrow to see how the test is going.


14,895 posted on 05/21/2007 6:46:41 PM PDT by Risky-Riskerdo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14890 | View Replies]

To: Quix
I take it then that you are not personally doing very well in doing those things and greater as you said believers are to do.

Why not?

14,896 posted on 05/21/2007 6:48:31 PM PDT by Risky-Riskerdo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14894 | View Replies]

To: Risky-Riskerdo; All
In context, Jesus was speaking directly to the disciples, and for the Apostolic era when the Church was being established, and not to every believer as asserted.

That's a brazen ASSUMPTION, BALD FACED INFERENCE, EXTRAPOLATION NOT THE LEAST BIT SUPPORTED BY THAT TEXT OR ANY OTHER TEXT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

The Scripture does not say that every beleiver will have every gifting. I have prayed for folks who have been healed of a variety of things. I haven't routinely payed the price to walk continuously in such an anointing. I haven't been a channel of folks being raised from the dead or the lame walking or the blind seeing. I have known folks who have.

The more important BIBLICAL QUESTION IS why have those who claim to be believers NEVER had such anointing flow through them?

14,897 posted on 05/21/2007 6:50:53 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14889 | View Replies]

To: Risky-Riskerdo

The better question is

Why have you not been a channel for ANY such?


14,898 posted on 05/21/2007 6:52:03 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14892 | View Replies]

To: Risky-Riskerdo

I think God is going to arrange some very interesting experiences for you. I hope you can rise to the challenges presented.

I will pray so.


14,899 posted on 05/21/2007 6:52:55 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14895 | View Replies]

To: Quix; HarleyD; blue-duncan; Forest Keeper
I don't quite know what "black-booted way" means, but God certainly tossed Paul on his ear.

Only those whom God draws to Himself can and will come to Him. None of the rest will even want to come.

"Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee" -- Psalm 65:4

I know it all feels very transactional and contemporaneous to our own sensations, but God wrote your name in the Book of Life from before the foundation of the world, Q.

And at a time of God's choosing, the Holy Spirit made that fact plain to your new eyes, right about the same time he gave you new ears to hear and a new heart to understand and quickened your mind to His word.

It's exhilarating knowing everything in life is by the will of God. He's God, after all. It's all His show.

"So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." -- Luke 17:10

14,900 posted on 05/21/2007 6:53:14 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14887 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 14,861-14,88014,881-14,90014,901-14,920 ... 16,241-16,256 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson