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/
Yes we do.In the above, I would say that the one child God feeds IS His child, but the other 4 are not His children.
Wow, and yet He created them! That's like saying God has 'illegitimate' children that He wants nothing to do with! (I know that's what the Reformed believe)
Who gave them life?
In the above, I would say that the one child God feeds IS His child, but the other 4 are not His children
Why not? No one but God created them. No one but God gave them life. And now he doesn't want them? What message does that send?
Out of the five, God loves the one child who is truly His
And HE decided whop will be His and who won't, correct?
The other children are not His responsibility
He created them!
God accepts the "responsibility" of Fatherhood for those who actually are His children, not everybody
All mankind are His creation. Man was made in His image and Likeness.
Indeed. What makes you think he was right removing the Deuterocanonicals then?
To: 1000 silverlings; Dr. Eckleburg; HarleyD; Forest Keeper; Quix
:
on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost
:
Of course. The Church ministers to the Gentiles also. You did not know that?
:
9,876 posted on 02/09/2007 4:48:21 PM MST by annalex To 9836
I replied:
I assume you knew about gentiles being outside the RC edifice--and still born again authentic Believers--part of CHRIST'S CHURCH UNIVERSAL?
:
9,891 posted on 02/09/2007 7:52:02 PM MST by Quix To 9876
It just seemed fitting . . . that given your response to silverlings . . . that someone should take care to be certain that you were aware
1. That not all the gentile authentic born again earnest Believers who's Lord is The Lord Jesus The Christ are within the Roman edifice.
:
2. I'd assumed you knew that. But you took so much care to be certain that fingerlings knew such things--I thought someone ought to show similar caring toward you.
I hope it's clearer now. If not, please ask a differently worded question and perhaps I can rise better to the occasion the next try.
Blessings,
PING to my ref'd post.
I see. The Catholic teaching is that everyone properly baptized (once, with proper disposition of the sponsor, in the name of the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit, and with water touching the forehead) is Catholic at that point. Batpism does not have to be given by a priest.
The Protestants typically fall away form the Church as they do not partake of the sacraments and do not keep the commandments of the Church. Sadly, many of those baptized in the Catohlic Church and who call themselves Catholic fall away similarly.
The Church is always ready to receive her fallen away children. A fallen away Catholic needs a sacramental confession; adults who never knew the teachings of the Church has to participate in the Rites of Christian Initiation of adults.
In short, the perimeter of the Church is baptism.
Thank you so much for sharing that!
Thank you so much for your insights!
Ahhhh.
Thanks for the clarification.
Tolerable, I suppose. Though, personally, given the root meaning of the word for baptism . . .
I'm still an immersion guy, myself.
Call no man your father.
Christ->Holy Spirit->Truth->Scripture.
Sorry, that is not what it says. Interpreting scripture is not distorting scripture.
Just like the rest of us.
Col. Mustard?
Lol. I think totaled up it's something like 2,270,369, and that's just in the bible up to Acts.
lol
Uh, no, just the opposite. We're making the point that because something is free, it cannot be bought.
There is no need whatsoever to call it free, or a gift. In fact, it's just plain wrong and misleading.
God's grace is the predestined mercy He has chosen to bestow upon some men through the sacrifice of His Son. If you think it is wrong to call grace a "gift," then your argument is, again, with Paul.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." -- Ephesians 2:8-9
"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." -- Isaiah 45:7
Mathew 20:28
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Mr 10:45
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
He killed most of them He said, because their hearts were evil and they did evil all the day long. Actually there's no telling how many perished in the flood or how many will perish in the future if they don't repent of their evil.
That sounds very Gnostic. Knowing good and striving to do it.
It's the formation of conscience. Dunno about the gnostic view, but I don't think it violates Christianity. On the contrary it is: "the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness."
Sin isn't a state that one is in and out of. It is a condition.
It's also an action. This is the sense of the word I was using.
Clearly non-saved Christians can do good things.
I think that's a 'yes' of what I was so ineptly trying to ask.
However, note their condition…
I wasn't referring to their sum or condition or salvation, just whether only non-saved Christians could choose to do good.
thanks very much for your reply. I feel like I overly drew out the discussion and took more of you time than necessary by not communicating as clearly as I needed to. For that, my apologies..
But as I understand it, as a practical matter you all pray for intercession on an everyday basis for all things down to the minutia. This does not appear to be what you are describing.
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