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/
"but the saints, presumably including the martyrs of the Church were dismissed as dead people not deserving of or not caring for our company."
I have not been able to follow all of the posts on this thread so I am not familiar with this. Is this from the praying to the saints debate?
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.
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I think the point was missed. The poster was not asserting John 5:38f meant that.
I've liked him ever since I saw and heard his reaction to 9/11 when so many were making excuses for a cursed religion.
John MacArthur is another on TV who speaks the truth in love so clearly only a fool could miss it.
No I contending that all protestant doctrines are flawed and designed to sway beleivers of the true faith away from it. It has nothing to do with individual parishioners and everything to do with the official doctrine of the church being based solidly on Holy Scripture.
Proestant's ain't, ours is; and it's evidenced.
We can pray to the Father, yes. But Christ said many other things we need to do before we end up with Him. Baptism, Eucharist, works of charity are necessary as well, according to the scripture the Church gave us.
Proestant's ain't, ours is; and it's evidenced.
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Methinks "evidence" has just been referenced to that curious rubber dictionary.
Sounds like those insisting
And don't forget circumcision!!!
Mutilation of the faith and the faithful, indeed.
It does vary. The Catholic Church traditionally teaches, as a rule of thumb, that the age of reason is attained at 7 and recommends the first confession and first communion at about that age, generally.
Indeed it has, you cannot name a single ROCOR parish which doesn't follow 1 Corinthians but I can name thousands of Protestant ones that do not.
What you mention are only gross perversions because you don't know the Gospel very well. However, gay marriage and abortion are outside the pale in any serious religion, yet, some Protestant groups condone them.
What about circumcision now?
The key given St. Peter is given not him personally but to the future Church that Christ intended to build, and that Church, He said, shall not fail. So here you go, words of Christ against your spin.
Was there something about
Cottonwood, AZ which was obscure?
Perhaps I misunderstood.
I don't think I have the ability to sufficiently make my point clearer to the point where it would bear fruit. My lack.
Hint . . . the point seems to have been missed ENTIRELY.
There are no ROCOR parishes in Cottonwood. The only ROCOR parishes in the entire state are in Phoenix and in Tucson.
If you have some evidence please post it, it's much preferable to lying by saying there's a ROCOR parish somewhere there is not.
Big smile. We understand each other.
Ahhhhhh . . .
I'm not aware of any great Holy Spirit demonstrations and confirmations in the Phoenix group either. But I really haven't conversed with anyone in that group for quite a long time.
yes.
Are you trying to change the subject? We're talking about whether given churches head Paul's words in 1 Corinthians.
No, circumcision is not necessary, as the Church rescinded the requirement, as we read in Acts and in Galatians.
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