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/
Amen. At their peril.
No problem here. The problem is with God the Father demanding sacrifice. I was assuming you were of the opinion that He did, hence my hilarity.
We don't "arrogate" sainthood
I know Paul and others used the word differently, but the historical usage was to canonize those whose life were an exceptional example of holiness, witnessed by miracles, and call saints them and only them.
We can't do anything to "attain" holiness.
Sure we can. Through Jesus, of course, but here is the program; it has a beginning and an end, and "you shall not sin at any time" comes in the end:
3 As all things of his divine power which appertain to life and godliness, are given us, through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own proper glory and virtue. 4 By whom he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature: flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world. 5 And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; 6 And in knowledge, abstinence; and in abstinence, patience; and in patience, godliness; 7 And in godliness, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity. 8 For if these things be with you and abound, they will make you to be neither empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he that hath not these things with him, is blind, and groping, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore, brethren, labour the more, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. For doing these things, you shall not sin at any time.(2 Peter 1))
I haven't seen anyone here ridiculing God or the Apostles
No, not Christ or Apostles, but the saints, presumably including the martyrs of the Church were dismissed as dead people not deserving of or not caring for our company.
Thanks. I, too, cannot answer most of your remarks addressed to me, but be assured that I do read them all.
We also follow all of 1st Corinthians,
= = =
That's a mighty all inclusive "we"
which I have observed to WHOLESALE NOT be the case.
Thankfully, there are overly isolated clusters within the RC edifice which follow I Cor 12-14 much above average--even for many Protestant groups . . .
however, they seem few and far between and looked askance at by lots of their RC bretheren . . .
perhaps because so many tend to more and more neglect the more hogwashy elements of the Roman edifice the more they get closer and closer to Holy Spirit and by Him Christ and DADDY.
INDEED.
Rome split from Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Constantinople.
All of which are still part of my church.
IMO the protestant schisms are a bunch of angry Europeons being jealous of what the Pope did prior to the 1054 schism. Unilaterally changing doctrine.
That said the Pope's change was very very small, and he arguably at least had a good reason.
Protestants make absurd major changes on the whim of uneducated folks proclaiming themselves as personally as infailable as they aledge Romans hold the Post Vatican II Pope to be!
...it distracts from God's Glory and Christ's intercessions for us
Amen. At their peril.
= = =
Sadly true. God can get quite fierce about that aspect. And, imho, is set to get much more fierce about it in coming months and years of this era.
So you are you saying protestants in the united states don't perform very many miracles?
if so that in itself is telling of protestantism.
Only because you arbitrarily place the beginning of the Catholic Church at the Decree of Theodosius, while we consider the Pentecost to be the moment the Chruch was born. The term was first used by St. Ignatius in 110 AD, in the same sense we use it today.
pass on by
Thanks. I, too, cannot answer most of your remarks addressed to me, but be assured that I do read them all.
= = =
Thanks for noting that.
I do realize that some of my points really have no viable, logical, Scriptural, factual response from within the RC construction on reality.
I am not Roman Catholic. Read the tag line!
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia follows 1st Corinthians. Plain and simple.
As for you're allegation of whoelsale 'not being the case' can you site one ROCOR parish you've been to which doesn't?
Evidently some very curious protestants have wandered overly close.
Sad. Sorry about that.
There are plenty within SOME GROUPS within the USA.
But Holy Spirit seems to flow much more freely where lots of eccleastical pontifications don't try and box Him into tidy little boxes.
As Christ said . . . He couldn't do much in Nazareth.
I'm quite familiar with overly curious protestants. Like the ones in Russia who swindled my wife's great grandmother out of all her belongings on her death bed so they could put one of the local baptist parishioners in her apartment at no cost.
Yeah. Some Protestants imagine all kinds of silly things,
place curious fantastical constructions on all kinds of historical stuff . . .
too.
Cottonwood AZ comes to mind.
Pecos NM, however, seems to do pretty well.
Oh, right, I don't keep all y'all straight on your associations. Sorry.
Take a certain side of an issue and that's how I tend to see folks, it seems. My fault.
I understand that your latest interpretation comes from this context, and don't disagree with it. However, in 5887 you said about John 5:38-40 "Jesus says it is through the scriptures that we have life, not tradition." This is not correct, and this is what I object to. John 5:38f does not say that we have eternal life through the scriptures.
So, folks of your and the RC persuasion are
NOW
contending that
NOW
ALLLLLL FOLKS OF YOUR PERSUASION ARE SAINTS
vs most of the Protestants who are wolves in sheep's clothing?
Nice to know where we stand.
There are not ROCOR parishes in Cottonwood Arizona, nor in Pecos New Mexico.
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