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/
Whew! That's profound. ;O)
Isn't there a verse somewhere that say, "Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God."?
Is that the Boy Scout sign?
Looks like a lily, and if so, I think France, and the Bourbon lily, and so the Scouts.
Speaking of bourbon, is it that time yet? Been a long week.
I will research the lily. I notice a lot of these images are French.
Brethren refers to the Jews. Paul's mission was to the Gentiles.
No argument, but in my Bible "Church" is spelled "church". And, quite coincidentally, so is it in my Catholic version.
together with the Tradition (2 Thess. 2:14)
Compare:
AMEN! Great post, Harley.
I'd like to take credit for it but actually I didn't write most of it. ;O)
The lilies is a reference to his chastity. No relation to the Bourbon Lily.
He is, of course, often depicted with carpenter tools as well. Among other things, he is the patron saint of fighting communism and of the New World.
"For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth." -- Psalm 33:4
No kidding.
It wasn't the flowers, it was the boy scout sign.
This is your naked opinion only. There is nothing in context to suggest that.
"Church" is spelled "church".
Capitalization in Bibles generally differs form lay discourse. Pronouns referring to Christ are not capitalized either.
We don't learn tradition through men
Not what St. Paul said in 2Th 2:15, as you helpfully quoted. It is true, of course, that not all traditions of all men are helpful. This is why one should avoid traditions of Messrs. Luther and the rest.
Joh 20:30
Fine, the gospel is written "so that we may believe". It is not a claim of completeness, as Evangelist St. John himself stated in the next chapter. If there existed such a claim, sola scriptura would have been proven from scripture, but of course we both know that it cannot be proven.
You're trying to do it again.
Why don't you guys and gals start a new thread??
Christmas was a month ago and it is going to be Lent soon.
Maybe something like the NeverEnding Story that you had before??
Would a little respect kill ya?
What it is, in one of our apocryphal texts, Joseph was a carpenter, yeah, but he did a little Real Estate on the side. It was kind of, like, you know, a pyramid marketing scheme. Yeah, tht's it. And I think he got the idea from when the Holy Family was in exile.
This is all conjecture you understand.
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