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/
Luther knew, as should we all, that the authority of Scripture comes from the Holy Spirit.
I will take your word for it. You have seen the movie, so I defer.
Both sola Scriptura and the Scripture/tradition position are objectively unprovable and thus, assuming the definition is valid, is superstition. Ultimately, it is a matter of which position (or for that matter, the position of Jews, Mormons, Muslims, Buddhists, atheists, etc.) comports with one's presuppositions and which position is more reasonable, that is, more in agreement with observation and reason.
No I haen't. I was going by the impressions and comments of others who have.
How's this one?
A resounding AMEN!
Do you know how many of us dreamed of being the only girl among a family of boys? 8~)
So trees and insects are not sinless? What about the angels Gabriel? Michael? Raphael?
-A8
Yes is it does.
But you often fall back on the Mormons to stabilize any point you're trying to make. Perhaps you should find a Mormon and argue it with him.
Those are ad hominems, since they are about *me*, instead of about the truth or falsity of what I said.
-A8
Me too.
Your tagline is wonderful. God bless and Godspeed your efforts.
Is a neener, neener, neener, allowed here? :)
I love my brothers fiercely ('cause that's how I love), and they love me too. It's good to be princess. :)
In the early Church, from an outsider's perspective it looked like Christians, in their Eucharist, were engaged in cannibalism.
So therefore, no one should take the Eucharist, or teach that we should take the Eucharist. Whenever outsiders misperceive what we are saying/doing, we must eliminate that doctrine/practice.
-A8
Not to be terribly difficult, but I'm not Lutheran. You assume an association that I don't.
Methodists trace through the Anglicans to the Old English Catholic Church which had its foot in the orthodox camp.
Most, however, when they say "C"atholic Church mean Roman Catholic.
Nonetheless, I still wouldn't say that they "wrote" it. Abingdon Press puts out a lot of books, but they don't write them.
I agree. But the claim in question is not whether she gave birth, but whether she gave birth "exactly like" your birth and mine. And the Bible does not say that Christ's birth was "exactly like" your birth and mine.
Virgins are virgins because they haven't engaged in sex. The aren't virgins because they have intact hymens.
The two are not mutually exclusive.
Will you agree that a horse-riding young girl whose hymen ruptures is a sexually experienced young lady?
Of course not. But I never claimed otherwise.
-A8
-A8
Do you believe our Lord Jesus passed out of Mary as "light through a window" keeping Mary's virginity in check or do you believe our Lord Jesus was born in the "natural" way? Where is the scriptures or the early church father's writing on this?
I'll stick with blue-duncan's and forest keeper's analysis.
Alright for at least the third time on as many threads, here is the scriptural listing of Jesus’ siblings.
At the foot of the cross there are four women mentioned (Matt. 27:56, Mark 15:40, John 19:25):
Mary, Jesus’ mother who had Jesus and four named sons (James, Joseph, Jude, Simon) and daughters (Matt. 13:55, Mark 6:3); James(Gal. 1:19, 2:9, Acts 15, 21:18, Jude 1:1) Jude(Jude1:1). His brothers are mentioned in Luke 8:19 and 1 Cor. 9:5.
Mary Cleopas (Alpheas) sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother. She had two sons James the less, son of Alpheas, and Joseph (Matt. 27:56, Mark 15:40).
Salome, wife of Zebedee who had two sons, John, James.
Mary Magdalene with no children mentioned.
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