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/
The Islamists do not accept John 1:1 for starters, and since Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh, there is no differnce between Christ alone or the Word alone.
lol. Works for me.
Time is a moving stream created by God into which He has immersed us.
8~)
they share reformers iconoclascism however
. . . suicide bombing the "Protesty apostates"
. . . welllllllllllll, not exactly . . . and not in this century, anyway.
Just so I'm forever immersed in His ETERNAL LIFE RIVER.
AMEN!
Thanks. I just sent you one on Kim Clement via e-mail. Interesting. Says we'll have three Christian presidents in a row. That would be loverly. Mxxx
THANKS.
I love his spirit when worshipping. My jury is still out on how accurate he is prophetically. SEEMS like his heart is in the right place. We shall see.
Would love that to be true. Color me skeptical but happy to pray toward it.
The similarity with Islam is in the beleive that all things necessary for salvation are contained in a certain sacred text. The said text is, of course different for the Protestants and for the Muslim, but the faulty principle is shared.
Lots of folks may differ with Christ's assertions about THE SCRIPTURES as well as Paul's and the rest of them.
But a high value on Scripture has served me exceedingly well in my life . . . and is certainly seeing me well toward eternal life with THE LIVING WORD.
Submitting my Holy Spirit led understanding of THE LIVING WORD to the magesterical
WOULD REALLY BE hysterically stupid, imho.
Do not make it personal. I asked the question assuming your point of view was correct in the beginning. "Blogger's reading" was an inquiry.
In other words,
NO FAULTY principle involved AT ALL.
Just a Biblical principle Biblically applied.
Christ is the Word of God, but that is distinct from the Holy Scripture, which itself states so (John 14:26, 21:25).
I know the Islam does not accept the Gospels, but the superstitious beleif that a certain book is alone sufficient is shared.
Other than belief in the Lord, nothing is necessary for our salvation
Actually, problems in my life surfaced for
lack of a lofty enough construction on Scripture and/or a flawed, sloppy, loose, partial adherence to Scripture's principles, truths and standards.
2nd most frequent disasters probably came from paying too much attention to the local substitute for the magesterical.
But, The Lord slapped my rear quite severaly a number of times for that and I got better at sifting, sorting and TRUSTING GOD ALONE . . .
to such degrees.
There's NOTHING SUPERSTITIOUS
about TRUSTING SCRIPTURE to say what it means; mean what it says and to be applicable accordingly.
And propensity for vandalism that rivals the KLA.
They whitewashed over colourful wall paintings, removed many statues and stained glass windows, and destroyed all the shrines and saints' relics which had attracted pilgrims to many cathedrals, abbeys and monasteriesIn the reformation the church decorations were whitewashed but 1961 the church was restored to its Catholic appearance including a fresco of the Archangel Gabriel weighing souls.
Like most dooms, it was whitewashed over at the Reformation. It was discovered by accident in 1892 when the boards were taken out to be burnt, and rain washed the whitewash off.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 21:25
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
2Ti 3:16
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
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