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 if my
1. behavior
2. attitude
3. words
4. use of time, energy and words
. . .
indicates that I have begun to love my spouse's relatives and friends
MORE THAN MY SPOUSE,
THEN, HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
And no Amorite shall enter the temple of God.
I'm not going to search either. I imagine that since Jesus was born of Mary then you are saying that we couldn't know Him without her. Therefore we know Him through her.
Perhaps, dear therapist, you are projecting.
:)
I think you got it, professor!
Please show me then that he is not the Great High Priest, that his mother is! That her, by being His Mother, overshadows His work on the cross!
= = = =
Of course it's not Scriptural or Christian . . .
but it has EVOLVED with great help from the pontificators and the magesterical.
Sorry, no Ammonite
certainly the women who insult God in droves at protestant churches might ponder the ramifications...
One ritual performed on an unsuspecting gets one into Heaven? That sounds pretty cheap. :) Southern Baptists and Reformers believe that it was Christ's blood that washed away our sins, not a ritual with water. It is blood that redeems:
Lev 17:11 : 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. KJV
Heb 9:22 : 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. KJV
In addition, we are justified by faith:
Rom 5:1 : 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: KJV
Gal 3:8-9 : 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. KJV
So, grace is not had by anything we do, because:
Rom 11:6 : 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. KJV
---------------
FK: "Paul is correcting all those who believe that ritual is required to enter Heaven."
Right, he was re-inventing Judaism in the eyes of those present. I have news for you: Judaism was a liturgical religion with "rituals." If that is what +Paul was saying, then he is clearly in conflict with the Church, because these "rituals" are considered sacraments.
I actually agree with you that Paul is fully in conflict with the Church. I knew we could agree on something. :)
Of course, you can say they are only rituals, and I can say the Bible is only a book. The Jews followed the Law (of Moses given to him by God). The Law required "rituals."
Yes, the Law required rituals, but are we saved by rituals now? Do you think that the OT Jews were actually saved through rituals?
And God gave the Law to Moses. Please don't tell me Christ personally told +Paul to break the Law God gave to Moses.
No, Christ wouldn't say that. :) But Paul doesn't teach to break the Law. He confirms what was always true, that it is by grace we are saved through faith.
not to mention all those in shorts and t-shirts at Saturday nite mass.
Praying to the mother of Jesus Christ is not part of Trinitarian Christianity.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." -- Matthew 6:6-8"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
To elevate a mother is to devalue the Father.
Glow in the Dark Statuette with Lourdes Water
On the backside is a sticker that reads:
"Eau de La Grotte de Lourdes, Garantie d'Origine."
The Statuette is 2.25 inches tall and has a 1 inch diameter -
Our Lady of Lourdes luminous Statuette
with Lourdes water (water cannot be removed).
Just $4.50
Available now in the "statue" section at TotallyCatholic.com
So this is showing respect?
And were you here for the "Mother of God" conversation? We've gone 'round the houses on what led to Ephesus and Chalcedon, and how the Fathers saw the title as essential to orthodox Christology, but now it's because of unresolved mother issues?
"A Freudian slip is when you say one thing and mean your mother." (rimshot.)
(How'd I do?)
YOu remember Totem and Taboo? Why is it we have cultural norms against incest? Because there's a drive to commit incest. SO why are some Protestants unable to pass a group of RCs or EO discussing their beliefs without coming in and accusing them of everything from neurosis to idolatry?
Hey! I'm getting better at it! But I'd like to stop now. I don't like it.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
St Paul didn't mention tshirts and shorts he did explicitly mention women covering their heads while praying. he also iterates that the things he writes in Corinthians are the commandments of God and writes that only false prophets would say otherwise...
hmmm....
Where is the mention of His mother?
Oh, dear me . . . which tower was that in? Which basement?
Which chorus of early church traditionalists and customs experts can we collect together?
Oh, dear me . . . oh, I know, let's wind up the magesterical . . . they are ever read to lend a hand toward a new tradition or a new intensification on an old tradition . . . let's call on them . . .
Since he couldn't foresee tshirts and shorts, he surely was a false prophet.
we could always ask some irritable 14th century west europeon peasants with poor reading skills what they think of the matter.
Are you sure that
FIRST GO GET THE KEY FROM MY MAMA
was not from
III Stephen 4:6?
Or maybe II Magesterical 6:66?
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