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/
ping
Three more prooftexts?
We dealt with Ephesians 2:8, it speaks of works of social recognition, the same kind the Pharisees were noted for.
1 Peter 1:5 goes on to mention "the trial of your faith". This role of works, -- that works are to form and test out faith as well as be the base of our judgement -- is Catholic teaching.
1 John 5:4 likewise speaks of overcoming the world, keeping the commandments and goes on to warn against sin "unto death". This is another illustration of how faith cannot be separated from good works and righteousness.
Of course, if the Bible had nothing but "you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God" we would have to conclude that faith alone saves. But if we lift our gaze from the prooftext and read the gospel in its entirety, and a Catholic must do so, then we reach the correct conclusion, that works and faith build up each other in perseverance onto final salvation. "He that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22, 24:13).
Thanks for your exhortation.
Attributing motives has to be a personal sort of thing.
I'm talking about psychological factors, issues etc. vs personalities. I've also included myself and all faiths in the phenomena.
LOL.
Gag.
wretch.
It is PROTESTANTS doing evil IN GOD'S NAME.
= = = =
Which, of course, the popes, cardinals, bishops and magisterical have done
how many 100's of times in 2,000 years???
I never took 4 months out to count them up.
A Catholic has to take insults to saints personally. It is not the doctrine that was attacked, originally on this thread at 8207, it was the saints themselves that were grossly insulted. This is the same toxic behavior that you object to in Jack Chick posts.
Some ancient Hebrews were righteous and deserve veneration in their own right, but in relation to the Incarnation, none. Mary was the willing sacred tabernacle of God, no one else. It has nothing to do with ancestry. It has to do with the reverence of the Tabernacle of the Word and the reversal of the deception of Eve.
No, that is sophistry. What we have through Mary is the God in human form, but eternal Christ the Savior preexisted her.
Well, by that logic, "zontos" is a participle working as a an adjective, and it is not inflected. You are correct, that "tou" would be necessary as well. I think Blogger's reading is to Greek what Japanese appliance instructions are to English.
none of these have ever made abominable sins official church doctrine; protestantism has because protestantism is inspired by Satan and exist only to rebel against God's word.
We do not confess anyone else's sin, but we do pray, and may undertake offerings on behalf of others, not specially relatives. For example, one may dedicate a fast to the souls of those who died without a confession.
Harley, please.
So were do we go with the idea that we only know Jesus through Mary?
The redemption of souls comes from Christ. Oblations for the dead do not effect ransom; they release from purgatory after the soul has been redeemed.
" Well, by that logic, "zontos" is a participle working as a an adjective, and it is not inflected"
You know, you're right, but it modifies pillar, does it not? The real question is what does the entire clause modify.
Off to court!
In the process of redemption works are a secondary feature. They reveal the changed believer, they do not save the believer. It is only by Grace thru Faith that we are saved. I think any Christian Sect that demands works from believers is attempting to take on the role of the HOLY SPIRIT, or does not have enough FAITH in GOD to believe that the regenerate believer will change.
Justification by Faith Alone is not only theologically sound, but serves as a great tool to measure how much confidence any Christian sect has in the power of God Alone.
I think I missed something . . . perhaps a memo . . .
Has FR achieved a first . . .
a DSL with Heaven? Have the saints become FREEPERS???
sacred tabernacle of God
= = =
Jesus fits that bill, for me.
No one else . . . unless one is going with the Scripture about all believers being a temple a la Paul.
protestantism is inspired by Satan and exist only to rebel against God's word.
= = =
Holy Spirit clearly disagrees . . . performing lots of miracles through lots of protesties all over the world daily.
Thanks for this, Alex. We are the body of Christ, and an insult to a part of the body is an insult to us. I suspect it is quite difficult for the non-Catholic rulemakers to grasp this point.
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