The Nativity Story

[Lupinus]

Anyone here seen it and have opinions on it?

It's newer having been made in 2006 and actually seems to be getting decent attention on HBO.

[CaliforniaJosiah]

I've seen it and think it's very well done.

I especially like the casting of Mary. She is exactly as I have invisioned....

The Catholics don't like it, however. It conflicts with a few Catholic Traditions, including that Joseph was a very old man.



Thank you!


Pax


- Josiah




.

[latebloomer]

There was a cover story about it in The Lutheran Witness last December. If I remember right, the only criticism was something about the wise men, but I think it was minor. Just a little Scripturally off about where & when they visited baby Jesus. I got it on DVD a couple weeks ago but haven't had time to watch it yet.

[DaRev]

There was a cover story about it in The Lutheran Witness last December. If I remember right, the only criticism was something about the wise men, but I think it was minor. Just a little Scripturally off about where & when they visited baby Jesus. I got it on DVD a couple weeks ago but haven't had time to watch it yet.

I read that article, but I found no crticism concerning the wise men. Perhaps I missed it. But Scripture doesn't really say a whole lot about them, anyway.

[Tofferer]

I still want to see that one.

[DaSeminarian]

The wise men only show up in Matthew 2:1-12. This is the Epiphany Gospel. Gibbs says that they were not necessarily "wise" because that is an idea that came up centuries later. The "Kings" bent didn't come up until the 19th century.

[DaRev]

This is true. A "magus" was a Persian priest. When and where they arrived is not precisely known.

[synger]

We have the dvd, and we watched it yesterday. Gem pulled out her Bible (with its very-pink cover, of course) and I helped her find the parts that it referenced. She'd studied Zechariah and Elizabeth and John the Baptist earlier this month, so we brought that back up in our discussion.

I think it does a fascinating job of showing the political climate at the time, with Herod so suspicious of even his own son, and the tax collectors and Roman soldiers despised by the populace.

My husband really loves the portrayal of Joseph. Here is a pious, good man, who sought a virtuous wife. When she returns from her visit to Elizabeth and she's obviously pregnant, he had a number of options, from turning her over to be stoned, to repudiating her, to divorcing her. He chose the most gentle option... until the angel told him to keep her as his wife. The trip to Bethlehem shows how the two of them begin to bond as a family. He takes good care of her during the trip. The question 'Will I even be able to teach Him anything?" really hit home for my husband. Every parent has their fears and their inadequacies, but for these two it must have been even more. The movie touches on that without dwelling on it.

Some of it is definitely artistic license. It has to be. The Scriptures don't give a lot of details, really. Some parts are very funny... the interaction among the kings is hilarious at times. Some parts show the tension in the country -- Herod's soldiers are looking for an adult man coming to Bethlehem, seeking the Messiah (before he realizes he should be looking for a child), and they search Joseph as he goes past the checkpoint.

All in all, it's been a very useful tool for bringing the nativity story home to us and our family. Especially if you look at the Scripture first, and can relate it to what you see in the movie, it's pretty good.

[BreadAlone]

Shoot I've got to watch it. We've got the DVD sitting on a shelf somewhere. My brothers saw it at school last year, but I didn't because they were both at a different school than me..maybe we'll watch it tonight.

[RadMan]

I went to a Christmas Eve pageant at some charismatic church that my son invited me to and they played excerpts from The Nativity Story in the background on the overhead. They sure knew how to ruin it with their loud music and overbearing contemporary play. UGH! Then the pastor had a short sermon on "living abundantly". Should have stayed home. I would have gotten more by listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on TV.

[Lupinus]

I know that feeling Rad.

Friends keep inviting me to the church they attend.

Something about sermons from a coffin and faked wrenching into a microphone rigged toilet doesn't do it for me.

[DaSeminarian]

I went to a Christmas Eve pageant at some charismatic church that my son invited me to and they played excerpts from The Nativity Story in the background on the overhead. They sure knew how to ruin it with their loud music and overbearing contemporary play. UGH! Then the pastor had a short sermon on "living abundantly". Should have stayed home. I would have gotten more by listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on TV.

Hey Rad,

If you haven't already commented to him your true opinion of this you might want to just stay quiet. I think it probably meant a lot to him that you went to this. I know from what you have said before that you and he have some difficulty in relating to him based on this particular issue of religion. If you ever want to win him over it might be a good idea to keep this to yourself.

Scott

[RadMan]

This is my second oldest boy and not my oldest and he's in the process of looking. He even mentioned that it was overdone. He said that a couple of times also. I only mentioned what I thought of it once and left it at that. I said that I didn't see too much of Jesus and he didn't care for the statement so I just left it alone.

[Jim47]

My son bought it for us for Christmas and we just got through watching it, very good in my opinion. There were only minor errors that I caught. All in all it was very good and very humbling to see on screen how our Savior was born into such a lowly estate.

[Radiata]

I read a few reviews, but they all said the same thing. The nonchristian folk said that it was horrible, and the Christian folk said that the exact same movie could be made in 1950. The effects and lighting as well the mood just seemed dull. I have never seen it, and this is not my opinions on it, but rather the revewers thoughts.

[Radiata]

Found the reviews. Here it is.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nativity_story/

[Jim47]

Actually I thought the effects were done really good. For those who were looking for high intensity props, lighting and glamour then they would be disappointed, just as were those who were looking for an earthly King. I liked it much better then Mel Gibson's movie just because it was more realistic.

[DaSeminarian]

Actually I thought the effects were done really good. For those who were looking for high intensity props, lighting and glamour then they would be disappointed, just as were those who were looking for an earthly King. I liked it much better then Mel Gibson's movie just because it was more realistic.

For me it was the opposite. "The Passion" by Gibson was more realistic in terms of story. "The Nativity Story" showed the Magi getting to the Manger at the same time as the birth and based on Matthew's gospel they most likely didn't get there for at least 2-years. Special FX don't bother me, but story content and context does.

[Radiata]

Just out of curiosity, why wasn't the Passion realistic? Was it because they didn't beat Jesus enough? In real life, they didn't avoid hitting the face.

[Tonks]

The Catholics don't like it, however. It conflicts with a few Catholic Traditions, including that Joseph was a very old man.


You really need to get over your whole Catholic bugaboo, CJ.

As the USCCB indicated (http://www.usccb.org/movies/n/thenativitystory.shtml):


In an effort to reach as wide a market as possible, most Christmas-themed movies come gift-wrapped in a secular brand of sentimentality that completely misses the true meaning of the holiday. But Hollywood finally gets it right with "The Nativity Story" (New Line).
From the opening strains of the soundtrack -- hints of the Advent hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" -- you know you're in good hands...

[Melethiel]

I read a few reviews, but they all said the same thing. The nonchristian folk said that it was horrible, and the Christian folk said that the exact same movie could be made in 1950. The effects and lighting as well the mood just seemed dull. I have never seen it, and this is not my opinions on it, but rather the revewers thoughts.
I haven't seen the movie, but wanted to comment on this...special FX aren't everything. All the epic classics made during the 50s (ie., Ben Hur, Spartacus, Quo Vadis, etc) range among my favorite films.

[Jim47]

I haven't seen the movie, but wanted to comment on this...special FX aren't everything. All the epic classics made during the 50s (ie., Ben Hur, Spartacus, Quo Vadis, etc) range among my favorite films.



My thoughts as well. The Passion was nothing more then a big movie production from my perspective, this was more of a bible story without the glamour.

[DaRev]

For me it was the opposite. "The Passion" by Gibson was more realistic in terms of story. "The Nativity Story" showed the Magi getting to the Manger at the same time as the birth and based on Matthew's gospel they most likely didn't get there for at least 2-years. Special FX don't bother me, but story content and context does.

Scott, read my blog article on "Where was Jesus Born?".

[DaSeminarian]

Scott, read my blog article on "Where was Jesus Born?".


I would if I knew the web address of your blog.
:D

[DaRev]

At the top of each of my posts is a little word "blog". Click on in it.

[DaSeminarian]

At the top of each of my posts is a little word "blog". Click on in it.


This is the same thing you had on your Church website Pastors Page.

[DaRev]

This is the same thing you had on your Church website Pastors Page.

Das ist wahr.

[DaSeminarian]

Das ist wahr.


I read it. It is good stuff.