The Nativity Story
Deborah Venable
11/18/06
My
sixteen-year-old son and I had a date last week to see the newly released
movie, “The Nativity Story.” It
was his idea to see it in the theater instead of waiting for it to come out on
DVD. I didn’t go to see it with the
intention of writing a review about it, so I made no notes on the particulars.
It
was very pleasant to see a modern depiction of the Immaculate Conception handled so well and with a very believable
backdrop to the issues not usually associated with the telling of this
story. The cruelty of the times was not
downplayed, nor was the positive aspect of the human spirit. Establishing families and nurturing the idea
of extended family has always been the backbone of moral society, while
weakness of the human flesh has always lead to societal downfall. That was the message of this historical
moment in time. That is the wellspring
of the Christian faith, and that is why the story endures.
The
symbolism of Jesus Christ is the only thing that makes sense in a world turned
upside down. That one human being could
be born without the sin of the flesh to a worthy couple, entrusted with his
care through adulthood so that he could fulfill the prophecy of the salvation
of mankind is positively uplifting for all of humanity. It is also the biggest threat to the evil in
men’s hearts.
In
today’s world – not unlike any times in the past – there have always been those
who strive for complete understanding and proof for everything around
them. They reject faith in anything
that is out of their tactual range and threaten anyone who tries to “spread the
faith” about powers greater than they can understand or accept. They are and have been answered all too
often by those who insist on “cornering the market” on faith, insisting on
narrow acceptance of unsubstantiated “facts” and condemning anyone not toeing
the thin line of their religiosity.
While the obvious answer lies within each and every human spirit, the
real truth is obscured by bitter argument.
Religious
controversy has always been more political than anything else, and now we see
all-out assaults on everything connected to the truth and good in Christianity
specifically. Of course Christianity,
just like all other religion, is not perfect, so it takes the blows in various
ways. When I say that Christianity is
not perfect, I mean that human perception of what it takes to be a Christian
strays from the real truth.
We
marvel at how the religion of Islam can be so divided among the millions of
people that profess true belief in Islamic law – how the Sunnis and Shias can
kill thousands of their own religion indiscriminately and refuse to live in
peace with anyone not of their own narrow interpretation of their faith. Yet, Christians answer the assaults on their
own religion with little better reason.
They split their church into tiny splinters over semantics and are far
more tolerant of other religions than they are of other sects of their own
belief! It is no wonder that Christianity
is in trouble!
Then
there is the exclusionary quality of the Jewish faith, which some Christians
and Muslims alike find so intolerant.
And all the other major religions of the world that have rationalized
their superior ability to determine truth in their chosen faiths, have
polarized the very ideas of believing in goodness over evil. Personally, I think an awful lot of humanity
has a rude awakening in store for them when they are reduced to the only common
denominator of all humans – death of life as we know it.
So,
getting back to the season – The Nativity
Story provides such a positive, uplifting stimulus to the human soul, why
should anyone anywhere find fault with the telling of the story and the
humility that is conveyed by it? Allow
yourself to be touched by the most beautiful and perfect part of the Christian
faith – salvation and rebirth of good over evil, innocence over cruelty, and
courage over weakness. We can choose to
flounder forever in bickering and fear, or we can embrace the light in the
human spirit and take heart at the fact that even in today’s Hollywood, once in
awhile the storytellers do the job right.
The Nativity Story - make it a part of your holiday celebration, no matter what
your faith. Jesus Christ needs no
exoneration from the narrow-minded exploits of religious leaders and nay Sayers
who would attempt to cloud the story of His birth with the negative, suspicious
side of human nature. Discover what the
true Christian attitude is supposed to be all about. That is, after all, what made America great and has continued to
be her salvation.
Merry
Christmas and a wonderful holiday season to all!