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/
And before I ran sheep I planted and tended, on my knees, acres and acres of grapes. I wasn't an especially good laborer in the Vineyard, but I planted, tended, nurtured, tied up, pruned, and harvested in a Vineyard, so I know a little something about that as well.
I was ordained in the Episcopal Church. I labored in the Vineyard, and worked as a Pastor. I renounced my orders to become a Catholic. I "renounced", as we say, because after study of the Scriptures and prayer, I reached a conclusion which you do not find admirable.
I really am beyond caring if any human finds me admirable. I'm too tired. I know how foul I am without Christ. I know what beauty Christ offers.
The Church of Christ existed for a few centuries before it decided what was "canonical", what was the New Testament. The Church which wrestled with what belongs in the Bible which you hold against her is the Church I joined.
As a Catholic layman and a deputy, I have prayed with prisoners after I searched them invasively, after I shackled, cuffed, and chained them. I have tried to convey something of the love of God to someone who put one of my colleagues in the hospital - as we drove this particular individual to the prison where he would spend the next 20 or so years.
And all I can say is that however the Church looks from the outside, what I have found within is Jesus.
From the outside, you all talk about weird psychological unresolved issues with our Mommies to explain our devotion to Mary. You (not you personally) say things you simply cannot know (because they aren't true, and I know because I was there) about incense, tradition, and pagan rites.
But I, despite my viciousness and sins, and although I am on my knees, keep finding myself smiling because I hear the rustle of angelic wings and the shouts of triumph of the people of God, and when I look around I see some tired father holding his 8 month old baby at a Friday evening Mass and a frumpy old lady dressed completely inappropriately, for the situation or for her age -- but it is for these, the ones dragged in from the highways and byways with scarecly a clue as to what is going on, it is for these that Jesus came.
And by His grace I am permitted to be among them.
I am not admirable. I am old and fat and weak. I have more than my share of chins. But I have seen the Lord, and He is beautiful and, just the memory brings a smile to my lips.
If the choice is between Jesus and the Bible, I'm going with Jesus.
I would not want to hinder anything Biblical and healthy which brought folks closer to Jesus.
Praise God--upwards and onwards as far as I'm concerned. I have no trouble finding YOU admirable in your pursuit of God.
I think I was clear about what I could not label admirable, personally.
Scripture has been given time and time again and you choose to not see it.
= = =
No. Not my reality.
Scripture has been posted ostensibly having to do with the 'doctrine of men' inferred, extrapolated, rationalized and blamed on it but logically which has little at best and usually absolutely nothing to do with the Scripture posted.
Of course I won't buy into such . . . stuff.
I think it came about through an initially biblical understanding.
1. The dear departed are alive and with the Lord.
2. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
3. There is a conversation between Abraham and the Rich Man who hadn't helped Lazarus.
4. John is guided through the vision by one he starts to worshp who tells him not to do so, because he is numbered among John's brethren.
5. Revelation depicts souls under the altar who speak out to God.
6. Revelation 8 "Re 8:3 - Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne."
This understanding of believers alive with the Lord led to the notion that perhaps they could lobby the Almighty.
It never hurt to know someone who had the ear of the King.
This falls apart because these departed believers are not omniscient.
"Paragraphs are our friends.
I just usually refuse to read text that is massed in more than 7-12 lines."
I doubt you'd enjoy reading The Fathers then.
There is only one middleman (mediator) between God and Man, the man Christ Jesus.
Fortunately, this middleman is omniscient.
Okay. Don't buy into it. Stick with your man-made religion. I find peace and comfort with God and all His gifts to us in the Catholic Church. Nothing would take me away from Jesus in the Eucharist. No, I'm not trying to start another line of debate! I'll pray for you and would never turn down prayers from another. God's will be done!
The Communion of Saints was not formed and their veneration established till the canon was closed. For scripture and reasoning supporting saint veneration in general, see Communion of Saints, a recent thread. Or just explain when, in your view, why intercession by Timothy on behalf od a king, commended by St. Paul in 1 Timothy 2, should stop should Timothy die.
is forbidden
Necromancy is forbidden, indeed, because the Church forbids it. Veneration of saints is encouraged because the Church encourages it.
Oh, c'mon, we had the Holy Napkin in Constantinople until your bad boys stole it in 1204. It was in Paris until the French Revolutionaries burned it in the name of 'Reason'.
. True. Prayer is all a saint does. He is free from any other concern than for the children of God on earth.
Great Post!
Amen, Amen, Amen!
This is an exhortation from Hebrews which encourages believers to boldly seek God's face himself. Christ paid the price and gave us the access to the Father.
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested* as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
"God became man, that man might become God." Anastasius
Heaven is surely not subject to laws of physics. What other purpose does a life of a saint have but to listen and pray?
I'm not having it both ways. I'm cutting off the objection you could raise on behalf of the completeness of Scripture, that St. John was engaging in hyperbole, and we should know this from his 'I suppose'.
St. John's conclusion shows that as a record of Our Lord's deeds, Scripture is incomplete. (Unless one hold that verse to be false, or open up a big problem for sola scriptura hermeneutics by allowing rhetorical devices like hyperbole into the text.)
So which is it? Does Scripture contain a falsehood, or is it not a complete record? If the latter, and I trust you prefer the latter--to return to the original point of this thread--if incomplete in its record of Our Lord's doings, which are its main focus, why should there be an objection to it being incomplete as regards the details of the life of the Virgin Mary?
The Apostles did not appoint the next generation of leaders, the individual churches picked their leaders based on the qualities and gifts they exhibited. There really is no direct linkage between current leaders and the Apostles.
He mentions six in various places: Christ, His Apostles, bishops, priests and deacons, and lay people.
Would you pray for me?
Omniscience and omnipresence, however, reside solely with God.
Ya done good.
'Specially for an old and fat and weak dude.
Thanks for your post.
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