Golden Compass Controversy
POSTED BY: bluesuncompanyman
UPDATED: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 04:16
VIEWED: 11365
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While working today I was listening to a particular radio show I like and the subject of the film The Golden Compass was raised.
As I understand it, this film (which opens tonight) is based upon a fantasy series of books by the author Philip Pullman, a self described "militant atheist". The book series itself is the "His Dark Materials" trilogy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Dark_Materials
As I understand it, Pullman has made it his life's work to undermine and destroy organized religion across the world. He wrote the fantasy series as a means to convey his belief system (athiesm) to children, who he rightly assumes will be the means to change belief patterns in the future. The books themselves aren't the issue. Every bookstore I've been in (and I've been in quite a few) possess shelves of books espousing belief systems as varied as Wash's hawaiian shirts. The controversy is that a major hollywood film has been made and is targeting the Harry Potter kids.
The way I heard it, this film is subtle in it's attack on religion. The intent is to interest children into reading the book series which doesn't hold back. So as the radio host described it "You entice children with the athiest equivlent of a wine cooler to get them intrested in reading the 90-proof material later" The books attack a religion that is clearly an alternate reality's version of Christianty. Pullman describes his work as the opposite of the world of Narnia, where a theocracy poisons humanity. Here's a link about it on fox news(sorry to you fox haters. I watch it daily):
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,300737,00.html
I was curious to know what my fellow browncoats thought of all this. I myself am an engineer and a student of the sciences. I watch the history channel on a regular baisis. I watch discovery too. I believe that evolution is a fact and can be proven with no doubts. I hobnob with plenty of atheist scientists and friends, most of whom love sci-fi and play D&D. I also go to church. I'm not afraid of taking kids to this movie.
Am I wrong?
Do not fear me. Our's is a peaceful race and we must live in harmony.
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I have read the first book in the trilogy and really cannot see what the fuss is about. It is a marvelous, rich and imaginative tale and the main character is a strong little girl. I loved the first book, I'm going to see the movie tonight and I can't wait to read the rest of the books. It appears to me to be less 'anti-religion' and more 'think for yourself' which a large number of people (and organized groups) cannot handle.
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I'm no more worried about the golden compass than I am the passion of the christ.
More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.
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I do not know if the author is out to destroy religion... but I do think he is opposed to having religion be so powerful and intetwined with politics; which is something the early church definitely did and something that many ppl feel is happening too much these days...
I have read the books. I love them. I love that they question authority and encourage others to do so as well.
I have a skepticism of organized religion. Not religion per se; not God; but organized religion... so this works for me...
Chindi
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I also heard this movie and the "issues" surrounding it being discussed on a national radio program, the Michael Medved show.
All I know of this movie is what I've seen in trailers and what I've heard in the media. I had never read the books or even heard of the author, before now.
This first movie is suppose to be fairly tame w/ any anti-religious messages. The plan is that there will be a trilogy ( sound familiar ? ) and that movies 2 and 3 will really get controversial.
It looks like a interesting movie, but my only concern is that the story suffers for any hidden/ overt agenda trying to be promoted here.
"Hillary tried to get a million dollars for the Woodstock museum. I understand it was a major cultural and pharmaceutical event. I couldn't attend. I was tied up at the time." - John McCain
It is not those who use the term "Islamo-Fascism" who are sullying the name of Islam; it is the Islamo-Fascists. - Dennis Prager
" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "
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Quote:They kind of kill god. But really, I have no more problem with a pro Atheism film, than I do a pro Christian one.
Originally posted by AURaptor:
It looks like a interesting movie, but my only concern is that the story suffers for any hidden/ overt agenda trying to be promoted here.
More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.
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Pullman may be an atheist, and his books may question giving the church too much power, but when I read them I got the strong impression that he was stressing the importance of the human soul coming before ideals of 'purity'. In the books, a church-like organization is quite literally cutting people off from their souls to eliminate the effect of what they call 'dust' which is likened to 'original sin' (and is the dark material, I think, that the trilogy name comes from)
I don't see what's so wrong with the message of souls being important, necessary for an actual productive life, etc. Before you get uppity about what the story stands for, you should look at it for yourself. And ironically, I'd say that's exactly what the story stands for.
I am selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes. I am out of control. And sometimes I'm a little hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.
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I have heard of Pullman and his works and have a passing knowledge of what they are about although I haven't read His Dark Materials.
I welcome the movie taking this stance, and I hope they don't 'dumb it down'. It's no different to a pro-religion movie being released.
And I welcome the fact that it is aimed at children. If this gets them to question religion and their beliefs then it's good. As long as it doesn't force it onto them. Everyone should have the opportunity to question and make a decision based on that at the right time of their life.
As for a hidden agenda you might be surprised to find out how many movies have one. It may be more than you think.
I will be watching the movie and if I had kids I'd let them see the movie and I'd explain to them what it was about.
I'm sure the 'usual suspects' will be outraged at the themes in the movie, but then they always are.
"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."
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Saw an advance screening. The anti-authority stuff in the movie is standard fare (or maybe I'm just jaded). It basically treats the Magisterium the same way Serenity treats the Alliance.
Of course, I have to point out that "anti-Church" is not "anti-religion." The Church, like any government, is a body of men --usually notably ungoverned.
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We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.
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1) I don't think there's an atheist alive that would describe themselves, or actually qualify as, militant.
2) "Pullman has made it his life's work to undermine and destroy organized religion across the world."
That is one of the stupidest thing I've ever read in my life. No offense - if anyone I knew had written that, it would still be stupid.
3) Atheism is not a belief system. Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is simply a lack of belief in gods (or, for the hardcore atheists, it's a belief that there are no gods). Buddhists qualify as atheists, by the way.
4) The way I heard it, they stripped all the religious references from the film so not to offend the people that it's offending anyway (despite the fact that not a one of them has seen it).
5) This is what happens when you get your information from Fox News. It's not that they're uber-conservative, it's that they twist everything (and I know, because they've done it to an issue I followed where I live).
6) Go see the movie. I hear there's a really magnificent armored bear fight.
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