'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/

[Kolokotronis]

"Peter was not the Rock upon which Christ was to build His church. Peter's confession was."

This is the position of Orthodoxy and indeed even of several of the particular churches which are in communion with the Bishop of Rome. This is not to say that Orthodoxy does not recognize that, all things theological being equal, the Bishop of Rome is not the first among the equal bishops of The Church as +Peter was among the apostles.

[Mad Dawg]

primus inter pares - how do you say that in Greek. protoi en isoi?

Why would Orthodoxy think that about Rome? Real question.

[Kolokotronis]

"God doesn't ask permission.
Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone opens I will come in and sup with him and he with me." (Revelations 3:20)
There is a question in there? There is an asking of permission. No. There is a statement. Just like Whosoever will may come. But who will? Nobody, unless God draws them. Next."

"The Lord is always knocking at the doors of our hearts, that we may open to Him, that He may enter in and rest in Our souls, and we may wash and anoint His feet, and He may make His abode with us. The Lord in that passage reproaches the man who did not wash His feet; and again He says elsewhere, Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man will open unto Me, I shall come in unto him. To this end He endured to suffer many things, giving His own body unto death, and purchasing us out of bondage, in order that He might come to our soul and make His abode with it....His food and His drink, His clothing and shelter and rest is in our souls. Therefore He is always knocking, desiring to enter into us. Let us then receive Him, and bring Him within ourselves; because He is our food and our drink and our eternal life, and every soul that has not now received Him within and given Him rest, or rather found rest in Him, has no inheritance in the kingdom of heaven with the saints, and cannot enter into the heavenly city. But Thou, Lord Jesus Christ, bring us thereunto, glorifying Thy name, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever. Amen" +Macarius the Great

[Forest Keeper]

Harley: "The Church's position is total appeasement to the gay community."

Yes, the gay community just loves the Catholic Church. /s.

Actually, a lot of them DO:

National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries.

DignityUSA.

LGBT Catholic Organizations.

I'm not saying the RCC officially sanctions any of these groups, but there are TONS of them. This list doesn't even scratch the surface. Out of curiosity, I did an identical search for Southern Baptist gay organizations and came up with zip, zero, nada of them. I thought that was pretty interesting.

[Kolokotronis]

"primus inter pares - how do you say that in Greek. protoi en isoi?"

"Ο πρώτος μεταξύ των ίσων"

"Why would Orthodoxy think that about Rome? Real question." Because the canons of the Ecumenical Councils establish that the Bishop of Rome is the first in dignity among the Patriarchs of The Church.

[D-fendr]

I see your three links and raise you a million..

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&q=gay+activist+protests+catholic&btnG=Search

[D-fendr]

Rainbow Baptist

http://www.rainbowbaptists.org/abconcerned.htm

[D-fendr]

FWIW:

"While many Orthodox theologians would say that not only the Bishop of Rome but all bishops are successors of Peter, yet most of them admit that the Bishop of Rome is Peter's successor in a special sense... the see of Rome also owed its primacy to the positon occupied by the city of Rome in the empire.. When hard pressed in the struggle against heretics, people felt that they could turn with confidence to the Pope…"

Timothy Ware "The Orthodox Church"

[Mad Dawg]

I think using accents is showing off.

;-)

And thanks for your answer. It's been so long since anyone I was talking to cares about the canons of the Ecumenical Councils! I have to start all over again. It's like I'm a newbie!

I promised myself I'd read three books by the Pope - who writes like a German, you could use his sentences for ballast -- and then Damascene, and then I'm going to have some FUN! Should be summer by then.

[Blogger]

First, Kolo. As I stated before, God is not asking permission of anyone in that verse in Revelation 3. Second, there is a context to that verse. The context is the church of Laodicea. The verse preceding it reads"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." So again, you have Christ speaking to His church at Laodicea that was backslidden, lukewarm . They have cut off their fellowship with Christ because of being neither cold nor hot for him but lukewarm. He is telling them, if they repent that fellowship will be restored. Two verses later it reads" He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

The Audience is not the lost. The audience is the church. Christ is not asking permission. Christ is telling the church what will happen if they repent.

The verse is not one of evangelism, but of discipleship.

[Mad Dawg]

Christ is not asking permission. Christ is telling the church what will happen if they repent.

But His action depends on their action. IF they repent THEN he will come in and sup with them. It may not exactly be permission but it's not how a potter addresses His clay either, is it? What's the distinction?

[blue-duncan]

"Rainbow Baptist"

They are part of the American Baptist Church from which Evangelical, Fundamentalist and Independant Baptists withdrew fellowship during the early part of last century because of the modernist and liberal takeover of the denomination, much like your church did by excommunicating dissident sects.

[Marysecretary]

Actually, I throw up on Merry Go Rounds (LOL). I've been around and around with some of these folks and I'd rather find a friendlier bunch.

[D-fendr]

Ah, so they can't take communion then.

:)

But yeah, the situations similar. Gays don't like fundamental churches and Catholic Churches.

[D-fendr]

Found this, may be of interest.

SBC's Christian Life Commission publishes a pamphlet called Critical Issues: Homosexuality. It states that:

The many Bible passages that are commonly quoted as condemning homosexuality are valid.
People can change their sexual orientation.
Homosexual orientation is not "caused" by hormonal imbalance or genetic factors, but by an unhealthy relationship with one's parents.
People cannot be pigeonholed into two classifications: homosexual or heterosexual. A continuum exists which includes various degrees of bisexuality.
Although homosexual activity is a sin, it is not the unpardonable sin, or the most terrible of sins.
Homosexuals can only lead moral lives by remaining celibate....

[Blogger]

It's just like. Whosoever will may come. He isn't stopping them. He isn't asking permission for anything. Nobody will come. Romans 3 makes that abundantly clear. ALL have gone out of the way. There is NONE that seeks God. There is NONE that does good. There is NO FEAR of God before their eyes. Such is the state of the lost. They are slaves of sin. And the wages of sin being death, they are in a state of spiritual death.

When the Spirit makes one alive, suddenly things look differently. The desire changes from one of sin to one of seeking God. He draws them and everyone he draws comes. Of those who come to Christ, He will not lose a single one.

Now with our verse in Revelation 3, Christ is not being dependent upon humanity in order to accomplish His will. He is basically separating the sheep from the goats in the church of Laodicea. Look carefully at the verse again.

Revelation 3: 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Who is the one who hears Christ's voice????

Verse 22 He that hath an ear.

Who is Christ speaking to that has an ear to hear? The churches. It's the goat and the sheep. The true sheep WILL hear the voice of Christ. They WILL open the door. Why? Because they hear Him knocking and will follow Him. Those who don't open the door are goats. They may go to church, but they are the ones making the church lukewarm. They are not truly sheep, but just posing as sheep. They won't hear. They won't enter in.

John 10 has many parallels.

First, look at the imagery in the parable.

John 10

1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

Jesus is the door of the sheep. Through entering into that relationship with the Door, Jesus, one is saved. By the same respect through being our substitute and shepherd, Christ walks through the bounds of history and through and because of He himself, he joins up with His sheep.

The verses continue: 8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Again, we have the door, the way of salvation, which is Christ Jesus Himself in focus here. And again, the sheep will not listen to another. They will listen to Christ alone.

Further down He says:

27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30I and my Father are one.

So, who is it that hears? The sheep. Laodicia was a church which was a mixture of sheep and people trying to pretend to be sheep. The true sheep were apparently being influenced by the false sheep in all of this as well and their works were all self-serving. Christ is saying to His flock, repent. Turn from your self-satisfaction and back to me. Else, you, my sheep are about to get a scolding. And, as a reminder, here I am. I stand at the door knocking, sheep. If you open that door, things will be fine amongst us. If not, you're going to get a whipping. For those who overcome this current condition, there is great reward for you. But listen to what the Spirit is saying here to you, the churches.

[Blogger]

I prefer the roller coaster. You may have your ups and downs, but at least you are moving in a straight line and getting somewhere!

[kosta50]

I had never heard the term "particular judgment" before, so I looked it up

That is also the teaching of the Orthodox Church and is based on "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment..." [Heb 9:27]

The essence of the particular jugdment is the same as that of the Final (Terrible) Judgment. After the particular judgment, the sould is said to know if it is destined to heaven or to hell, a "foretaste" of what is to come.

You will be judged immediately upon your death, and based on what you have done with your talents, and what was in your heart. God gives us blessings; some people use them to bless others; other people use them to do evil with them. The meek, the pure in heart, the merciful, the suffering, etc., i.e. those who have attained the likness of Christ, will find their rewards in heaven.

[kosta50]

So we can speak of "Spirit" in two ways: As God and as in relationship to us now. "Everywhere present", yet "come and dwell in us"..

That's right.

I think when Contemplatives and Orthodox speak of "the Spirit" quite often we mean more accurately our 'conscious contact with the divine' or our current state of grace, lack thereof, or our current spiritual condition

I don't know if you are Orthodox or not, but your mindset is.

This can be a state of being or consciousness that we are aware of, and it may also include an almost bookkeeping accounting of our unrepented sins and the purity of our heart

You said it again. :)

Spiritual growth then is a more, I believe, tangible or intuitively known state of being or intention. It is, in large measure the condition of our heart - which is the perceptual organ, eye, that is used to know God. And through askesis and God's grace this develops over time into more constant conscious contact with God

Look inside!

This is different I believe than how I see others talk of the Holy Spirit

This is Orthodoxy.

[kosta50]

When hard pressed in the struggle against heretics, people felt that they could turn with confidence to the Pope…"

And the Popes in the first millennium professed the same Orthodox Faith we profess to this day, and many of them are Orthodox Saints.

Heresies reached, and most often sprang out of Constantinople, with the Imperial Patriarch as their chief architect. Satan managed to deceive the second only to the Pope, but the Popes never wavered (save for one possibly). We Orthodox have a lot to thank the Bishops of Rome.

For, such greats as +John Chrysostom and +Maximos the Confessor found refuge from heretical Patriarchs of Constantinople, and warm and brotherly welcome and encouragement among the Popes of Rome.