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/
Seeing as how he's a major prophet it is a little disingenius to say there's no prophecy in his words, especially when the chapter ends with a prophecy about Sidon.
Note to AlamoGirl: Tyre also means "rock" and I noticed reading Hannah's song in the Hebrew that she also calls God "our"Rock". I'll check the other songs in the bible later today
When you finish, if you wouldn't mind, would you please post your findings on the Research Thread?
Yes, and unless you want to accuse Jewish believers of some strange conspiracy, wherein the texts they publish today for their own congregations are just a "ruse" to throw off Christians, the Hebrew text is consistent with our English translations. Reading them just adds to a deeper understanding of the scripture. All the prophecies that we claim prove Christ are contained therein and I'd say even clearer than in the English.
Yes, thanks for the link AG
Lol, I'm waiting now for the Greek OT
You responded to a poster who is claiming that the work of the HS is the work of the devil, wow, I don't even want to be in the vicinity
Yea, and the Gospels, as well, FK... Is that who you are going to follow?
You're comparing apples and oranges. Of course non-Christian Jews reject the NT. So what? We're not talking about that. We're talking about their historical texts, the ones they had used for centuries. I think their view deserves some weight. I have heard it argued that the Jews at Jamnia were very anti-Christian, so they took out the "Christian" books of the OT. That doesn't make any sense to me because if it was possible to edit out Christianity from the OT, then there would be no OT.
Good in God's eyes is that which is of God.
Isn't selfless love 'of God'. Whether we have properly indentified it or know by name yet, isn't this love God's love through us?
It was a very wierd exchange.
I quit responding to the poster several days ago and I thank the Lord, lest I be accused in any way, of causing him to sin.
Yeah, when people like kawaii, assume your beliefs are the spawn of the devil, it's kinda hard to find any ground for serious discussion. It's times like that to "shake the dust from your sandals" and move on. (Mark 6:11)
Sincerely
If I help an old lady across the street, I sincerely doubt if people will praise God over it. However, that old lady might be grateful in such a way as God is glorified. It's difficult to tell since God is glorified in many ways.
It can be difficult, indeed. One thing that occurred to me is that when I observe others, whom I have reason to believe are Christians, do good, then I think it must be that God is glorified because I am inspired. I figure a similar thing must happen when our lost friends and acquaintances watch us, knowing we are Christian.
Picking up from my last post, one question is what does it mean in terms of God's glory, when a lost person does a deed that would be good if done by a saved person.
Matthew 12:31-32,
Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come"
Acts 10:25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 10:26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
Yes, it is absolutely there. I just couldn't resist posting Morris' picture given the phrasing. :)
It's fun watching you traveling the thread behind.. I figure you are a couple of days from this reply.
So, when you get here.. "Hi!"
This gets into what is the "blaspheme against the Holy Spirit?" I would say that it is dieing without asking for forgiveness of your sins. After you're dead, it's too late and therefore can't be forgiven. All sins can be forgiven, if we ask prior to death.
You and I may disagree slightly on this, and that's fine. I think we would both agree that God will be the final decider on that.
Sincerely
I agree with you to a point but out of an abundance of caution, I heed your always good advice and walk away.
I don't know of any Protestants "rejecting" any of the word of God. Some have interpretations. Some may even find excuses. But I can't say that any Protestants reject God's word.
There is a significant difference in my mind of saying, "We interpret the scriptures in such a way." than to simply, flat out call the word of God full of errors and mistakes, discarding it for what people tell you and relegating it to any other type of writing. At least the Catholics go back to a bit of the scripture, however tiny that is. While you may believe in an error-ridden bible, it was never the view of the early Church fathers as much as you would like to discount and discredit that possibility. These men sat aside the portion of scripture they deemed "inspired", deliniating it from the rest. The Orthodox would like to counter those fathers by saying it's not so. Tradition says otherwise.
What you are discribing, and is verified, is that Orthodox is nothing more that a philosophy, not theology. What's the difference from Orthodox and Mormonism? Mormonism has their fathers who tells them all sorts of things as well. If the Orthodox can't base their theology on the inspired word of God, then IMO it's nothing more than a made up religion based and ground in nothing but people's opinions of what they think God is like.
Frankly, my veiws of Orthodox has greatly slipped. I should have know as this is where synergism usually leads.
All Protestantism and all personal leading by the Holy Spirit are "inspired by Satan?" That's astounding. At least this candor puts the lie of ecumenicism in its rightful place.
Some people prefer to bow to other men, to "church fathers" and to assorted priests and wooden saints rather than to Jesus Christ alone, the only mediator between God and man. These people tend to be authoritarian by nature.
What you call "satanic" I call God-given and God-ordained because the word of God is perfect and will accomplish everything it was sent to do. Part of its mission is to separate the wheat from the tares...
"For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you." -- 1 Corinthians 11:19
No man can stop the reformation of God's church. As Calvin, a man blessed by the same grace as all believers, wrote...
"...the restoration of the church is the work of God, and no more depends on the hopes and opinions of men, than the resurrection of the dead, or any other miracle of that description. Here, therefore, we are not to wait for facility of action, either from the will of men, or the temper of the times, but must rush forward through the midst of despair. It is the will of our Master that his gospel be preached. Let us obey his command, and follow whithersoever he calls. What the success will be it is not ours to inquire. Our only duty is to wish for what is best, and beseech it of the Lord in prayer; to strive with all zeal, solicitude, and diligence, to bring about the desired result, and, at the same time, to submit with patience to whatever that result may be." -- John Calvin
Absolutely. I might add that FK unjustly flatters me. FK is far more knowledgeable and certainly more persistent than I. While our friend D-fendr would like to think there is some inconsistencies between our views, he should find very little disagreements on the substantive issues. What's more we have the Protestant confessions for clarification. They tend to be very clear.
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