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/
I'm somewhat familiar with the doctrine of kenosis, as it pertains to Christ in hypostatic union, but not as fluent in the language of theosis. Does it touch upon the indwelling of different persons of the Godhead in Catholic doctrines?
GREAT answer, AG. xxxMxxx
Excellent list of Scriptures and commentary. Thanks for God's faithfulness through your fingers.
My takeaway, which I've never forgotten: Put all your trust in Jesus Christ and all will be well. For truly as you say, Alamo-Girl: "The life is in Christ, and in Him alone."
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Amen! AMEN! AMEN!
Some imperial trappings of modern papacy might be off-putting to the outsiders, but they are not the essence of the Papacy.
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I hope not. But one would not always know that given the behavior of those under the Pope.
And, I contend that such trappings are indeed part and parcel of what set up the Roman Bishop as THE POPE to begin with--a political imperial mindset and the troops and political clout to make it stick.
Had nothing to do with Peter. Had nothing to do with any line of baton passing. Had nothing to do with the passing of any keys to The Kingdom. Had nothing to do with the Roman Bishop being more righteous, holy, humble, sanctified, anointed than any of the other Bishops.
Only had to do with political power mongering and clout.
History, at least, is rather clear on that point.
Thankfully.
I believe Scripture gives to all earnest Holy Spirit led Christians the authority . . .
whatsoever you loose shall be loosed; bind, shall be bound; forgive shall be forgiven . . .
I don't know how God calculates the interactions of that set of rules with all His others but somehow, HE DOES.
Excellent points about THE ROCK CHRIST JESUS; THE CHIEF CORNER STONE; THE STONE THE BUILDERS REJECTED.
The latter . . . BTW, another bit of evidence that God is not exactly thrilled with organized religion whether in the older Old Testament times nor at Jesus' earthly ministry times . . . and by extention . . . nor today.
it makes the naming of Peter so much more significant.
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Uhhhh, no, it pulls the rugh out from under it.
The pebble has no suitable comparable standing with any shred of merit to warrant any greater keys to The Kingdom than anyone else with the sort of Faith Holy Spirit infects all believers with.
A leveling statement and interpretation is not a foundation for lofting one Apostle above all others.
Kind of like saying that equal voting rights are the justification for only a black male Pentecostal between the ages of 35 and 45 from Arizona has a right to be President.
Those who believe in the eternal security of the believer are usually more biblically aware than that and will take the WHOLE of Scripture as a rule of faith and practice.
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Sadly, that's not been my observation. If anything, there really ARE a somewhat significantly greater number of Calvinist folks who seem to feel excused, safe, something to go on doing whatever the blazes they jolly well feel like doing and thinking of their decision for Christ as a 'GET OUT OF THE FIRE FOREVER' FREE CARD with few or no strings, oughts, shoulds, absolutely prescribed behaviors attached.
Faith.. The currency of God in this paradigm for humans IS FAITH..
Faith buys a lot.. Counterfeit faith buys nothing.. fools nobody(that counts)..
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INDEED! And very well put, imho.
What else can HEBREWS MEAN???!
Even thinking about it is a sin in God's eyes.
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The old 'Can't keep a bird from flying over--but can from building a nest in one's hair' comes to mind.
A homosexual or playboy heterosexual for that matter, can have the enemy seed the thought--
Hey--isn't that a great looking body--wouldn't it feel REALLY GOOD TO . . .
and respond with: AWAY FROM ME SATAN, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
Taking each thought captive with the aid of Scripture and Spirit when confronted with a homosexual thought
would NOT be sin, imho.
If you are called, you HAVE to go, whether you are a man or a woman. If you don't, you will be miserable until you decide to obey God. It all comes down to obedience, doesn't it?
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INDEED.
And I think one of the reasons so many fail to understand such truths and principles is that the spiritual leaders in soooooo many denominations and congregations--including Pentecostal/Charismatic ones . . . have neglected--even TAUGHT AGAINST
MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE--and learning to listen accurately to and obey THE VOICE OF GOD in HIS STILL SMALL VOICE TO EACH BELIVER PERSONALLY.
Christ died to restore that level of fellowship lost in the Garden. And it is successfully neutered sooooooo often
BY SPIRITUAL LEADERS TEACHING AMISS or just neglecting it.
no clue what liturgy is?
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I wonder how many papal monarchists have much of a clue about
HOLY SPIRIT LED WORSHIP DEVOID OF SCRIPTED LITURGY???
We truly have different experience then. I have been around Calvinists all of my life and they are the most pious (in a good way) people I know.
Believing in eternal security and being a Calvinist are not necessarily the same thing. Many Baptists believe in E.S. but are not Calvinists.
Was reminded a few years ago by a precious saint in India of something I've somewhat experienced . . .
The more Father conforms me to the image of His Son, the more even my dreams are kosher.
May God always bless you, dear brother in Christ!
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I heartily receive all such blessings. And you, too, dear heart.
I prefer to call the various confessions and churches "assemblies." Of course, every time we get together and talk about Christ on the forum, that too is an assembly.
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Indeed--and a much more powerful assembly than a LOT of local congregations.
Which SHOULD encourage us to behave more like I Cor 12-14 . . . alas, we fall far short of the mark far too often.
Luther was like a newborn baby coming out of the womb. He still had the products of what he came through on him. He still retained a bit of the Roman service. But on the essentials, he "got it".
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Thankfully, he got the point of Hebrews exceedingly correct--JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH.
What else can his narrative from Abraham on be about!
"it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified." (Rom 2:13)
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A true Scripture. A true statement.
But considering the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD IN SCRIPTURE . . .
WHY?
Hebrews and other verses answer that question rather conclusively.
The DOERS OF THE WORD are those with well exercised FAITH INVESTED IN CHRIST'S COVERING; LOVE, SPIRIT TOWARD THE FATHER.
God wants us to trust in him. The Holy Spirit guided the creation of the Canon so that we would always have a sure foundation to find the truth and not be misguided by the social, or political pressures, of the day.
I think it's interesting that the merger between State and Religion occurred after the Canon was recognized. It could well be that the Holy Spirit was ensuring that when the pressures of the State began to try and change how we would understand God there would always be SCRIPTURE to testify to the truth.
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Great points, imho.
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