"The Golden Compass" movie is set to premier on December 7, during
the Christmas season, and will probably be heavily
advertised. This movie is based on a the first book of a
trilogy by atheist Philip Pullman. In the final book a boy
and girl kill God so they can do as they please. Pullman
left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a
2003 interview that "My books are about killing God."

The movie is a watered down version of the first book and is
designed to be very attractive in the hope
parents will take their children to see the movie and
that the children will want the books for Christmas.

The movie has a well known cast, including Nicole Kidman,
Kevin Bacon, and Sam Elliott.


You might find the following article from snopes.com interesting: http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp



Not tired of reading about the movie? Here's MORE DETAILS
---

The movie has been described as "atheism for kids" and is
based on the first book of a trilogy entitled "His Dark
Materials" that was written by Phillip Pullman. Pullman is
a militant atheist and secular humanist who despises C. S.
Lewis and the "Chronicles of Narnia". His motivation for
writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis'
symbolisms of Christ that are portrayed in the Narnia
series.

Pullman left little doubt about his
intentions when he said in a 2003 interview that "my books
are about killing God." He has even stated that he wants to
"kill God in the minds of children". It has been said of
Pullman that he is "the writer the atheists would be praying
for, if atheists prayed."

Thoughts?

hmm... Sounds kind of strange.

Personally, if Liam wants to watch it, we will. We don't practice organized religion in our home so I think exposing him to all views is the way to go.

Just curious what others had to say :)

Hmmm... whatever floats your boat I guess. People hide other agendas in children's stories.... in all fairness, there's not much I can say to complain. :shrug

EH, I could care less. Atheists have just as much of a right to spread their beliefs as Christians do when they serve missions, proselytize, and broadcast their religion in the media.

My problem is the fact that he has actually stated his books are about killing God. I don't care if someone doesn't want to believe in Him, but to want to "kill" Him? I prefer not to give my money to someone like that.

My problem is the fact that he has actually stated his books are about killing God. I don't care if someone doesn't want to believe in Him, but to want to "kill" Him? I prefer not to give my money to someone like that.

I was just thinking that same thing. I have no problem with anyone not believing in God, but that's a little messed up. Just the fact that the kids are "killing God" proves this man does believe in God IMO, but he doesn't agree with him. But this is just me reading an article, I have never heard of this series before. It could be a biased article. :dunno

:teehee I included the all-powerful snopes link just in case the article was biased(which I think it is). I got the article from myspace, but a little research recovered the same basic facts so my lazy butt copypasta'd it.

Personally, if Liam wants to watch it, we will. We don't practice organized religion in our home so I think exposing him to all views is the way to go.

Just curious what others had to say :)


I agree

I saw a couple of people talking about this on Glenn Beck last week. They hadn't seen the movie so it was all about the books. DD is too young to really grasp the concepts right now, but I would certainly wait and hear from other people about it before watching it with her. Plus, who knows how much of the book will feature in later movies. Once they're hooked on a series, it's hard to say "no you can't watch the last one" or whatever. I don't agree with the books on the "killing god" part. Isn't an athiest someone who doesn't believe there is a god? If that is so, how can you kill him? Just a question that popped into my head.

I agree, petsparkle. He wouldn't be a true atheist if he thought he could kill something that does not exist to him :giggle

Writing a book about it, though...it's fantasy. I don't think most authors write strictly from personal belief :dunno

I agree, petsparkle. He wouldn't be a true atheist if he thought he could kill something that does not exist to him :giggle

Writing a book about it, though...it's fantasy. I don't think most authors write strictly from personal belief :dunno

Well, that confused me! lol I thought that Agnostics were the ones that belive God doesn't exist and Atheists were the ones that just don't believe in Him. I guess I had them backwards! lol

I read the book, my son read the book. honestly I didn't "get" that out of it......not say it isn't there but it read like a typical fantasy type book to me. We both enjoyed it and are going to see it in the theater.

We have the box set of the books, I too didnt get that...

I have never heard of the series.

I looooved those books! I don't know if I'd want to see the movie, because the movies are always a letdown if you loved the book. But I don't remember an anti-religious theme at all, just a really great story! I don't know if that's cause I was just being dense, or if I don't remember (it's been about 4 years since I read them, probably), or what. But based on what I got out of the book, I don't know think that kids would get anything too negative out of the movie. It really is a great story. Not that I remember the details now, but I remember thinking that as far as supernatural-type kids' stories go, it was way better than Harry Potter.

I read the book, my son read the book. honestly I didn't "get" that out of it......not say it isn't there but it read like a typical fantasy type book to me. We both enjoyed it and are going to see it in the theater.

The author stated that the "god killing" occurs in the third book. Nothing of the sort in the first one.

I have read the books well before they were being turned into a movie and I did not pick up on that theme. So if thats what he had in mind it flew right over my head. i liked the series of books very much.

I have read the books well before they were being turned into a movie and I did not pick up on that theme. So if thats what he had in mind it flew right over my head. i liked the series of books very much.

:agree

I would never had known if it weren't for his recent comments, and I honestly don't care :lol

:agree

I would never had known if it weren't for his recent comments, and I honestly don't care :lol

Isn't that funny! I always thought the children had to sort of fix the foul up the grown ups had made of the universe. So in a sense he DID have the children kill G-d because mother & father ARE G-d in the eyes of a child. That is reading WAY into it though :)

I read these books a while ago, some parts of it made me a little uneasy because I could definitely see the themes, but I think as a little kid I would not have picked up on them. As far as the movie goes though, I definitely plan on going to see it.

I read the books and although I don't agree with all of his philosophies I really enjoyed them. I do not think that it's a good idea to boycott something simply because the creator's belief system differs from one's own, as it's hard to be open minded if you only listen to things that you agree with.

As for children, I very much doubt that they would realise the undertones of the book and if they did, it would make for an excellent discussion.

I loved the book. So we'll see.

I was just thinking that same thing. I have no problem with anyone not believing in God, but that's a little messed up. Just the fact that the kids are "killing God" proves this man does believe in God IMO, but he doesn't agree with him. But this is just me reading an article, I have never heard of this series before. It could be a biased article. :dunno

Good points.
Never heard of the author or the books, and I definately wont be reading them, and my ds wont be reading them. This line... In the final book a boy
and girl kill God so they can do as they please. sits very ILL with me. Even if they are not talking about my God I believe in, just the words written out, I cant do.

I watched the trailer for this movie on the website and I mean, YES it does seem to be based on anti religion themes.

I've been getting this forwarded to me via e-mail recently. I doubt I'll be watching it. But whatever floats people's boats :giggle

I read the books and although I don't agree with all of his philosophies I really enjoyed them. I do not think that it's a good idea to boycott something simply because the creator's belief system differs from one's own, as it's hard to be open minded if you only listen to things that you agree with.

As for children, I very much doubt that they would realise the undertones of the book and if they did, it would make for an excellent discussion.

I don't just not read/watch things because I don't agree with them but I'm not going to watch something that *I* feel is as sick and twisted as wanting to kill god. I will however NOT judge someone else for wanting to see/read those things just as I don't judge other people for what they believe. I tend to be open minded to a lot of things...this just isn't one of them. :shrug

That article seems soo biased!

I have never heard of it, but now I wil probably check it out. It seems to be fantasy to me.

militant atheists are just as bad as militant christians who are just as bad as militant muslims!

Militant ANYTHING, is bad. Militant RELIGION is the TRUE terrorist!

I will watch it first, as I do with other things, just to make sure there is no "brainwashing." If it is a good story that doesn't openly slam our beliefs, then we may see it.

:shrug I have honestly never heard of these books.. makes me want to go investigate and see what they are about.. :thinking

He is not an atheist though, he may be agnostic but he is not an atheist. Honestly I don't think he means G-d in the same sense people are taking it. Also the children don't do it so that they can be bad they do it to help all of the universe. (would take to long to explain the plot of three books) If you don't read (general) the books then you really don't have any idea what you are talking about. I don't know I guess one line in an interview that is perhaps taken out of context is not a very valid method of making ones mind up to me.

For those saying your children won't read it, it is a book they use in some of the grade school classes there are teacher syllabuses for it and everything, so will you fight to have the book banned from school's? How will you get around it if it is required reading in the class?

when you posted this I went back and dug the books out of my book chest and reliezed I never read the third one. I thought the first 2 were really good but I didn't know it lead up to the 2 kids killing God. I mean all for it if you don't believe in God but to kill Him. It just rubbes me the wrong way.

He is not an atheist though, he may be agnostic but he is not an atheist. Honestly I don't think he means G-d in the same sense people are taking it. Also the children don't do it so that they can be bad they do it to help all of the universe. (would take to long to explain the plot of three books) If you don't read (general) the books then you really don't have any idea what you are talking about. I don't know I guess one line in an interview that is perhaps taken out of context is not a very valid method of making ones mind up to me.

For those saying your children won't read it, it is a book they use in some of the grade school classes there are teacher syllabuses for it and everything, so will you fight to have the book banned from school's? How will you get around it if it is required reading in the class?


I think I will probably read all of the books in the syllabuses for every year my kids are in school, if not to monitor, then to have things to discuss with them. If I don't like something in the book, or it rubs me the wrong way then I would just tell my kids why, and leave it at that. Fighting to have it taken out of the school is IMO just the wrong way to go.

I am not going to watch it nor do I want any of the kids I know to watch it :(

I think I will probably read all of the books in the syllabuses for every year my kids are in school, if not to monitor, then to have things to discuss with them. If I don't like something in the book, or it rubs me the wrong way then I would just tell my kids why, and leave it at that. Fighting to have it taken out of the school is IMO just the wrong way to go.


Can I hug you for saying that! :lol I don't like banning books :)

Can I hug you for saying that! :lol I don't like banning books :)

me either. I think we shouldn't take away anyone's right to read what they want. even children.

He is not an atheist though, he may be agnostic but he is not an atheist. Honestly I don't think he means G-d in the same sense people are taking it. Also the children don't do it so that they can be bad they do it to help all of the universe. (would take to long to explain the plot of three books) If you don't read (general) the books then you really don't have any idea what you are talking about. I don't know I guess one line in an interview that is perhaps taken out of context is not a very valid method of making ones mind up to me.

For those saying your children won't read it, it is a book they use in some of the grade school classes there are teacher syllabuses for it and everything, so will you fight to have the book banned from school's? How will you get around it if it is required reading in the class?

From other interviews and from my understanding of the books, I took it to mean the Catholic church - they fight the church to save the world.

I agree with everything you have said.

I've seen the trailer for this and I think it looks good. As far as the message behind the movie.....eh. I watch movies for the pure value of entertainment. Any view point, good or bad in my eyes, I watch it to watch a movie. Not to get a new view on life. I've already taught my DS these things too. He knows Spiderman is just a guy in a costume....KWIM??

Can I hug you for saying that! :lol I don't like banning books :)

Sure! :)

I just think if I don't like something they are teaching in school it is my job to tell my kids why, not the curriculum. They don't have to believe what I do. Besides, reading is good.:D

So I just watched the trailer for the movie it actually looks pretty good. ( click here (http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/) if you wanna see it) I am def going to get the books to read them to see what they are all about.

I didn't get the whole underlying athiest thing from the trailer anyway. Looks too old for my kids, but I may watch it.

that looks awesome, now i want to go out and get the books!

it honestly doesn't look any worse than the chronicles of narnia :shrug i never pick up on those themes anyways, i must be pretty dense.

From other interviews and from my understanding of the books, I took it to mean the Catholic church - they fight the church to save the world.


:giggle Sounds like fun :rofl

Ok, ok, seriously, though...it does seem more like fighting an oirganization than a being. I totally agree.

well i am raised as a catholic so i'm not all for it, but i am open minded so i would not mind watching it. but i think that it's pretty intense when he said that he wanted to "kill God" and then someone pointed out that atheist do not believe that a God exists so it kind of contradicts itself.. :dunno

okay i just saw the trailor, it actually looks REALLY good. i think it might be a little too intense for kids to actually get it though

yeah from the trailer, they aren't talking about G-d in particular but more about a person.. as in bringing down the man. :giggle or an organization.

From other interviews and from my understanding of the books, I took it to mean the Catholic church - they fight the church to save the world.

I agree with everything you have said.

Yes that makes more sense because organized religion can foul up the relationship's between G-d & man. I thought the ending was very positive and uplifting. I want to reread the series now though.

well i am raised as a catholic so i'm not all for it, but i am open minded so i would not mind watching it. but i think that it's pretty intense when he said that he wanted to "kill God" and then someone pointed out that atheist do not believe that a God exists so it kind of contradicts itself.. :dunno

Atheists can still talk about God or make up stories that involve a deity. LOL. It's make believe, KWIM? Just cuz he doesn't believe it doesn't mean he can't write about someone who does. Although I do kinda think that shows that he isn't a "militant" atheist like that article claims. A militant atheist would never acknowledge the possible existence of any deity.

Yes that makes more sense because organized religion can foul up the relationship's between G-d & man. I thought the ending was very positive and uplifting. I want to reread the series now though.

That's exactly the point I thought he was making.

I just wanted to clarify a few things on my stance. I have no problem with the fact that his views are different from mine. I don't believe in Budda, but I also wouldn't write a book series about killing him. Views can be different without trying to destroy another's view. I don't want to support his work by paying to see the movie. He may be a very nice person, and I may enjoy talking to him. I just wouldn't pay to do that, either. :) I also would not say anything about anyone I know going to see the movie.

In regards to his books being in school curriculums, that's fine. I will let my kids know what the books are about and why I don't want to buy them, and that's that. I would never want to ban a book. That is ridiculous. I just won't use MY money to buy the book, or watch the movie. I'd feel like a hypocrite (sp?) to spend my money on something that completely trashes my beliefs, that's all.

I just wanted to clarify a few things on my stance. I have no problem with the fact that his views are different from mine. I don't believe in Budda, but I also wouldn't write a book series about killing him. Views can be different without trying to destroy another's view. I don't want to support his work by paying to see the movie. He may be a very nice person, and I may enjoy talking to him. I just wouldn't pay to do that, either. :) I also would not say anything about anyone I know going to see the movie.

In regards to his books being in school curriculums, that's fine. I will let my kids know what the books are about and why I don't want to buy them, and that's that. I would never want to ban a book. That is ridiculous. I just won't use MY money to buy the book, or watch the movie. I'd feel like a hypocrite (sp?) to spend my money on something that completely trashes my beliefs, that's all.

It doesn't trash your beliefs though, really the only thing the two children attack is organized religion. His quote is really taken out of context and was intended to rile people up. You would have to read the books in order to really know what they are about. You don't have to buy it just check it out of the library I hate to see something unfairly judged. :)

It doesn't trash your beliefs though, really the only thing the two children attack is organized religion. His quote is really taken out of context and was intended to rile people up. You would have to read the books in order to really know what they are about. You don't have to buy it just check it out of the library I hate to see something unfairly judged. :)

I may check it out later. Right now, I know I wouldn't give it a fair shot because I am just disgusted by some of his comments. Why people have to drum up publicity by overdramatizing their OWN work just amazes me. To each their own, I guess. :dunno

For those saying your children won't read it, it is a book they use in some of the grade school classes there are teacher syllabuses for it and everything, so will you fight to have the book banned from school's? How will you get around it if it is required reading in the class?

Well, I dont believe in banning things from schools, IE the whole allergic food debate :lol, but I will ask that he pick another book or series that is the equivalent in chapters and whatnot.
I HATE it when parents try to ban things just because of one child or their own beliefs, that really IRKS the shit out of me. So I wont be one of those BAN THE BOOK, BURN THE BOOK parents :lmao

Well, I dont believe in banning things from schools, IE the whole allergic food debate :lol, but I will ask that he pick another book or series that is the equivalent in chapters and whatnot.
I HATE it when parents try to ban things just because of one child or their own beliefs, that really IRKS the shit out of me. So I wont be one of those BAN THE BOOK, BURN THE BOOK parents :lmao

That's good to know but what I mean't was the whole class reads the same book and their is a lesson syllabus that goes along with the book so it would not be your child picking the book. They also do this with Charlotte's Web and a few other books. The whole class reads the same book KWIM.

Not all religious people are against the film...

"It undoubtedly makes people question, but inspires them to look harder for more authentic religion," said Craig Detweiler, co-director of Reel Spirituality, a pop culture and religion think tank at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif, according to FOX News. "Pullman takes license in pointing out the scary, false gods and destructive idols we've created. In that sense, I think he's doing a great service."

This is immediately what I thought when I heard about this. With all of the violence committed in the name of religion, why is a film that talks about killing a "religious" element that is evil a bad thing? The character in the book named "God" is a bad guy, a FALSE IDOL. Any religious parent could easily use this book to teach their children that people will use religion for bad and they should be careful of false prophets and people who use their religion to hurt others, and just because someone CLAIMS to be a man of God, or a religious leader, doesn't mean they are.

I have read the books well before they were being turned into a movie and I did not pick up on that theme. So if thats what he had in mind it flew right over my head. i liked the series of books very much.


I adored them- but I do not remember anything along those lines. :dunno

My problem is the fact that he has actually stated his books are about killing God. I don't care if someone doesn't want to believe in Him, but to want to "kill" Him? I prefer not to give my money to someone like that.

Bingo.

(Except I DO care if someone doesn't want to believe in God - makes me sad. But I'm not going to ram my beliefs down their throat or anything.) The point here is that I don't really want to take my kids to any movie with a theme of "killing" anyone, especially if you're just killing said person/people to get your way. Not exactly the message I'd like to give my kids :lol Sure some would say "it's not about killing a person, it's about killing God, that's different..." But it's really not different. These kids want their way, God says they can't do as they please, so they kill Him.

And I'm kinda bummed now because I saw the trailer for the movie and I thought it looked good.

Maybe I'll wait for some reviews before I decide for sure. Some of you say the killing God theme is not apparent in the books (much like Dumbledore's sexual preference). So :dunno I guess we'll see.

Bingo.

(Except I DO care if someone doesn't want to believe in God - makes me sad. But I'm not going to ram my beliefs down their throat or anything.) The point here is that I don't really want to take my kids to any movie with a theme of "killing" anyone, especially if you're just killing said person/people to get your way. Not exactly the message I'd like to give my kids :lol Sure some would say "it's not about killing a person, it's about killing God, that's different..." But it's really not different. These kids want their way, God says they can't do as they please, so they kill Him.

And I'm kinda bummed now because I saw the trailer for the movie and I thought it looked good.

Maybe I'll wait for some reviews before I decide for sure. Some of you say the killing God theme is not apparent in the books (much like Dumbledore's sexual preference). So :dunno I guess we'll see.

I don't recall many films where the 'bad guy' isn't killed or destroyed in some way. In Narnia the White Witch is killed because the kids wanted things their way - they wanted to abolish a dictatorship. The only difference is that Narnia was written by someone who favoured organised religion (particularly the Catholic church) whereas Pullman opposes organised religion.

The Golden Compass movie seems to be an exciting children's tale, sharing much with the Chronicles of Narnia. For example, both The Golden Compass and Narnia feature children facing adult moral choices, talking animals, religious allegories, parallel worlds, and concern the ultimate fate of those worlds. They even begin the same way, with a young girl hiding in a wardrobe.

The Dark Materials trilogy follows Lyra's journey. Her parents have opposing views on the worlds' fate and both are determined to take action in their own way. The lines between 'good' and 'evil' are very blurred and the take-home message is that people are human and not necessarily good or bad. They are able to do very bad things with the best of intentions. They truly are a very good set of books that provoke independant thought in children without being patronising.

I don't recall many films where the 'bad guy' isn't killed or destroyed in some way. In Narnia the White Witch is killed because the kids wanted things their way - they wanted to abolish a dictatorship. The only difference is that Narnia was written by someone who favoured organised religion (particularly the Catholic church) whereas Pullman opposes organised religion.




Yes you're right. Millions of parents took their kids to see Narnia, I'm sure. TOTALLY their prerogative...but I didn't.
I don't care what the background of the producer or the writer is, I'm not going to pick and choose what movie we see based on if the author of the story believed in God or organized religion or the like. Bottom line is, I'm not going to take my 3 year old to a movie where the kids kill the "big bad guy" just to get their way. It's just not the message I want to send. Narnia, Golden Compass, Harry Potter...none of the above. Maybe that makes me a sheltering parent, but it doesn't change the way I feel. It's bad enough killing the bad guy to get your way...the fact that it's "killing God" just amplifies my feelings - doesn't change them.

On the other hand, my daughter does get to see Disney movies...and quite often the villain in the Disney movies dies - so I guess I'm just full of it. :dunno

Yes you're right. Millions of parents took their kids to see Narnia, I'm sure. TOTALLY their prerogative...but I didn't.
I don't care what the background of the producer or the writer is, I'm not going to pick and choose what movie we see based on if the author of the story believed in God or organized religion or the like. Bottom line is, I'm not going to take my 3 year old to a movie where the kids kill the "big bad guy" just to get their way. It's just not the message I want to send. Narnia, Golden Compass, Harry Potter...none of the above. Maybe that makes me a sheltering parent, but it doesn't change the way I feel. It's bad enough killing the bad guy to get your way...the fact that it's "killing God" just amplifies my feelings - doesn't change them.

I agree with that. I dont think any 3 yd old should be taken to a film that features murder, and that includes certain Disney films.

I agree with that. I dont think any 3 yd old should be taken to a film that features murder, and that includes certain Disney films.

Agreed, that is why I said it looks too old for my kids. :)

That's good to know but what I mean't was the whole class reads the same book and their is a lesson syllabus that goes along with the book so it would not be your child picking the book. They also do this with Charlotte's Web and a few other books. The whole class reads the same book KWIM.

Oh no, I know what you meant. And its still the same answer for me. Questions can easily be changed on a piece of paper to fit whatever book is being read.
And if the class has discussions about it, then he will just have to deal with it :lol Maybe he will learn something about it that way, but he wont be able to read it (this coming from someone who hasnt read them either :rolleyes :lol). And luckily we havent encountered the whole reading a book as a class yet. And he is in the 5th grade.

Well we won't be seeing it. I love how people call Christians or people who believe in God hate mongers or hateful but well geez... Who looks like the hater here?

(Except I DO care if someone doesn't want to believe in God - makes me sad. But I'm not going to ram my beliefs down their throat or anything.)

Hey, I kinda feel the same way (in reverse). :yes

The point here is that I don't really want to take my kids to any movie with a theme of "killing" anyone, especially if you're just killing said person/people to get your way. Not exactly the message I'd like to give my kids :lol Sure some would say "it's not about killing a person, it's about killing God, that's different..." But it's really not different. These kids want their way, God says they can't do as they please, so they kill Him.

God is evil in the movie so that's why they kill God. Not because God says no sinning and they want to sin or anything. LOL. Just to clarify...

Yes you're right. Millions of parents took their kids to see Narnia, I'm sure. TOTALLY their prerogative...but I didn't.
I don't care what the background of the producer or the writer is, I'm not going to pick and choose what movie we see based on if the author of the story believed in God or organized religion or the like. Bottom line is, I'm not going to take my 3 year old to a movie where the kids kill the "big bad guy" just to get their way. It's just not the message I want to send. Narnia, Golden Compass, Harry Potter...none of the above. Maybe that makes me a sheltering parent, but it doesn't change the way I feel. It's bad enough killing the bad guy to get your way...the fact that it's "killing God" just amplifies my feelings - doesn't change them.

On the other hand, my daughter does get to see Disney movies...and quite often the villain in the Disney movies dies - so I guess I'm just full of it. :dunno

LOL, I get what you are saying. It's the violence, not the story behind it. I would feel the same way with small children.

Well we won't be seeing it. I love how people call Christians or people who believe in God hate mongers or hateful but well geez... Who looks like the hater here?

Who called anyone a hate monger or hateful?

I will not be letting my kids watch it. But that is me. I do not push my faith on them but as long as my kids keep thriving and wanting more of our religion then I will not subject them to this. I might watch it just so I can see what it's about but other then that I don't think so.

Who called anyone a hate monger or hateful?

I was just saying that quite often atheists like to label Christians as such but forget how hateful THEY can be. And some people who call themselves Christians are hateful, which is a shame because they're lying to themselves about who they follow.

Sure atheists have a right to push their own agenda. But does is it blatant that they are killing God in this movie and the books? Because nowhere in books like Narnia and Tolkien's works do I remember them saying, HEY, HEY LOOK HERE ASLAN IS GOD! It's never stated that they are Christian books and are pushing any Christian propaganda, they pretty much read like any other fantasy book. Good guy, bad guy, good guy wins. Heck I didn't really know C.S. Lewis was a Christian writer (or Tolkien for that matter) until I was in middle school and I didn't read his books because he was, I read them because I enjoyed the story.

My whole issue is that they say God is bad, they kill God so they can do what they want... Well, the fact is people can do what they want to anyhow. And why did they make God bad? Because he is an authoritarian figure?

The movie/books whatever don't bother me as much as the author who has a blatant agenda to kill God off in the minds of children, he sounds like a hateful person personally which is why I brought up the hate monger thought. It also goes back to the argument that if they are your children then teach them what you see fit, which of course is why I won't support the man in his endeavors.

I'm really rambling right now because I'm tired. My real point was that I don't care if they make the movie, my children won't be seeing it and neither will I because I don't want to fund the guy's ideas.

Tolkien is not about G-d it is about good & evil, the author was a linguist who used his skill to create several new languages which are used in the books.

Narnia is written BY a Christian author and you can quit easily see the similarities between Aslan & Jesus. He even has the resurrection in there and he WROTE it that way intentionally. He has written MANY MANY Christian novels and is very much beloved in the Christian sect.

Several people that have read the Golden Compass series have tried to explain that the quote is taken out of context/spun to be worse then it was. The books are not about killing G-d so that the children can do what they want. They are about two children going against the tide to save the universe and help the trapped souls go from purgatory/hell to heaven.

It is not so much G-d they are up against but the corruptions of their worlds (because they are not even ON earth as we know it but a parallel universe that has torn a whole into ours and their universes corruption is spilling out into the other universes. ) main organised religion. Their adults have fouled things up So badly that it threatens to destroy not only THEIR world but all of the worlds lying parallel to theirs. That is a brief plot synopsis. Sorry if I muddled anything I read the series last year.

If you want to judge something you should do it KNOWING what you are judging (general you). How can anyone judge anything off ONE sentence taken out of an interview?

I was just saying that quite often atheists like to label Christians as such but forget how hateful THEY can be. And some people who call themselves Christians are hateful, which is a shame because they're lying to themselves about who they follow.

Sure atheists have a right to push their own agenda. But does is it blatant that they are killing God in this movie and the books? Because nowhere in books like Narnia and Tolkien's works do I remember them saying, HEY, HEY LOOK HERE ASLAN IS GOD! It's never stated that they are Christian books and are pushing any Christian propaganda, they pretty much read like any other fantasy book. Good guy, bad guy, good guy wins. Heck I didn't really know C.S. Lewis was a Christian writer (or Tolkien for that matter) until I was in middle school and I didn't read his books because he was, I read them because I enjoyed the story.

My whole issue is that they say God is bad, they kill God so they can do what they want... Well, the fact is people can do what they want to anyhow. And why did they make God bad? Because he is an authoritarian figure?

The movie/books whatever don't bother me as much as the author who has a blatant agenda to kill God off in the minds of children, he sounds like a hateful person personally which is why I brought up the hate monger thought. It also goes back to the argument that if they are your children then teach them what you see fit, which of course is why I won't support the man in his endeavors.

I'm really rambling right now because I'm tired. My real point was that I don't care if they make the movie, my children won't be seeing it and neither will I because I don't want to fund the guy's ideas.

It does not state that they are about to kill god to get their own way in the books or film. It also in no way states that god is bad in the books. The books suggest that members of organised religion can sometimes do some very bad things, even if they have the best of intentions. To be honest, I think that's a very good point to make. However, if you want to prevent your children from having access to such material because it is not Christian, that's your perogative.

Just for the record, here is a quote from Phillip Pullman - I dont see how it could be construed that he said he hated god or wanted to kill god in reality or in the books:

His Dark Materials seems to be against organised religion. Do you believe in God?

I don't know whether there's a God or not. Nobody does, no matter what they say. I think it's perfectly possible to explain how the universe came about without bringing God into it, but I don't know everything, and there may well be a God somewhere, hiding away.

Actually, if he is keeping out of sight, it's because he's ashamed of his followers and all the cruelty and ignorance they're responsible for promoting in his name. If I were him, I'd want nothing to do with them.

Tolkien is not about G-d it is about good & evil, the author was a linguist who used his skill to create several new languages which are used in the books.

Narnia is written BY a Christian author and you can quit easily see the similarities between Aslan & Jesus. He even has the resurrection in there and he WROTE it that way intentionally. He has written MANY MANY Christian novels and is very much beloved in the Christian sect.

Several people that have read the Golden Compass series have tried to explain that the quote is taken out of context/spun to be worse then it was. The books are not about killing G-d so that the children can do what they want. They are about two children going against the tide to save the universe and help the trapped souls go from purgatory/hell to heaven.

It is not so much G-d they are up against but the corruptions of their worlds (because they are not even ON earth as we know it but a parallel universe that has torn a whole into ours and their universes corruption is spilling out into the other universes. ) main organised religion. Their adults have fouled things up So badly that it threatens to destroy not only THEIR world but all of the worlds lying parallel to theirs. That is a brief plot synopsis. Sorry if I muddled anything I read the series last year.

If you want to judge something you should do it KNOWING what you are judging (general you). How can anyone judge anything off ONE sentence taken out of an interview?

I agree.

Ya know I must really be stupid because I truly did not know that the Chronicles of Narnia had anything to do with God :duh

Ya know I must really be stupid because I truly did not know that the Chronicles of Narnia had anything to do with God :duh

Yeah, it was intended that way, but I think he (C.S. Lewis) left it vague on purpose.

Oh yeah, and you are not stupid!

I have never heard of or seen the books. It SOUNDS like his purpose is to try to kill God, and I am not for that, at all. BUT, i am not going to go off of one statement made when i know nothing about it, that's a little ignorant. I will have to wait for more reviews. I will not support something that deals with killing my God, or killing the church, or organized religion.


"His Dark Materials seems to be against organised religion. Do you believe in God?

I don't know whether there's a God or not. Nobody does, no matter what they say. I think it's perfectly possible to explain how the universe came about without bringing God into it, but I don't know everything, and there may well be a God somewhere, hiding away.

Actually, if he is keeping out of sight, it's because he's ashamed of his followers and all the cruelty and ignorance they're responsible for promoting in his name. If I were him, I'd want nothing to do with them. "

I dont like and agree with any of what he said...

I bet to differ about Tolkien though, he was a devout Catholic and his books have just as many religious themes as C.S. Lewis' books do. The fact that Tolkien was a linguist and made up new languages doesn't mean his books aren't religious in nature :lol

I did some researching this morning and read interviews and while I don't agree with everything that Pullman says and I wouldn't have my children reading the books until they are more confident in what THEY believe, I don't see yet as where he has said he wants to kill God. From what I read he is against religions with political power, any religion but he just uses the Catholic Church as his focus. I still don't think it's right to generalize like that because children don't always know how to make the distinction between oh this religion is bad because the people are corrupt and ALL religion/belief in God is bad.

Still, I don't think I am going to take my kids to see the movie since they are too young to understand things like that. I'd rather keep them watching Disney movies right now :P

Not all religious people are against the film...



This is immediately what I thought when I heard about this. With all of the violence committed in the name of religion, why is a film that talks about killing a "religious" element that is evil a bad thing? The character in the book named "God" is a bad guy, a FALSE IDOL. Any religious parent could easily use this book to teach their children that people will use religion for bad and they should be careful of false prophets and people who use their religion to hurt others, and just because someone CLAIMS to be a man of God, or a religious leader, doesn't mean they are.

What Wicked said really hit me. I've gotten these emails about the movie, and granted I don't have kids, I can't help but wonder about all the hype. I know, everyone has their own opinions and beliefs about 'things'. So do I. When the first Harry Potter came out and my former boss said her kids would NEVER be seeing that movie because magic is evil in the bible (her beliefs, not mine...) I was dumbstruck. I thougth back to all the stories I've had to read in school. Beowulf and Oedipus. Some of the greatest writers and thinkers of literary history that teachers sing praises about wrote some of the most twisted stories of all time.... FAR worse than the good vs. evil, good kills/defeats evil. And rarely can you see a movie that doesn't have sexual connotations and undertones that even a 3 year old can't miss. Me, I was sheltered as a kid. Only Disney movies (but no Bambi.... my mom was smart. I'd have lost it on that one). Only kids cartoons on Saturday morning. Church every Sunday. I was force fed one kind of religion in one frame of mind and with only one set of beliefs. Don't get me wrong, I'm Christian and I believe in God, but looking back.... Wow. I know, I know, as a young young child, say 5, 6, 7 or 8, it's too much. But when its vague, they aren't going to get it. It's fiction. Plain and simple. It's like 'no you can't watch HP but here, go sit on Santa's lap.' It makes ZERO sense to me. Again, I don't have kids, so please you mom's out there DO NOT harangue me or sting me up and beat me with a piniata stick.
My hunny has 3 kids. One is 15. I think she is old enough to make up her own mind about what is good/bad and what is religion vs. fiction. I think she should be allowed to see it. The next is 11 and I think she too is old enough. The youngest is 8. He, well, maybe, I don't know. As a boy, I doubt he'd pick up any undertones and only see the armor clad bear fighting aginst the whatever it is he fights against.... But it's not my decision.

I'm interested to see this one though.... I cry like a baby when Aslan is killed. Every single time. I couldn't read past that point for years as a child.... I just have a hard time with the idea that this could be 'worse'.

I don't know... I think in this day and age, society has become SO desensitized to blood, gore, death and pain as a whole that I am often shocked by what it is that people find 'offensive'. Granted, I'm not refering to kids watching SAW or The Hitcher or any other fantastically greusome move plot, or any of the 'romantic comedies' where inevitably someone goes after someone who is unavailable but ends up with them anyhow and some poor SO is left without because someone got greedy and overstepped those boundaries.

Sorry... I ranted. I just don't get how people can chant 'Down with Compass' yet I'm sure their movie collection at home includes a few hypocritical titles.

Please don't attack me. It's just my opinion and my personal feelings that I'm voicing since this whole thing has been drummed up. I'm entitled to think differently.

I was just saying that quite often atheists like to label Christians as such but forget how hateful THEY can be. And some people who call themselves Christians are hateful, which is a shame because they're lying to themselves about who they follow.

You already addressed everything I would have said to you about the rest of this post, but I still want to quote and respond to this part...

I actually totally agree with this, and I think it comes from both sides. I have been called a heathen Satan worshiper, I have been compared to pedophiles and drug addicts, I have been painted as a bestiality loving anarchist... Not because of anything I actually believe or anything I actually support or how I actually live. ALL because I am ATHEIST. I am treated like a criminal and talked down to like I am unintelligent as soon as people find out I am Atheist all the time. I never knew how bad the stigma is with Atheists until I started telling people that I am one. I can see how it could make someone more aggressive when their beliefs are questioned. But, with all of the god fearing people using God to commit horrible acts of violence and hate (middle east, Fred Phelps, etc), I can see how moderate, loving, peaceful Christians can feel the same way sometime.

I think that it comes down to not all religious people are fanatics and not all Atheists are heathens. People need to stop taking someone's else's religious belief (or lack of religious belief) so personally. Learning about Atheism or watching a movie made from an Atheist point of view isn't going to turn all kids into raging Atheists. LOL. Just like letting kids watch Narnia isn't going to make them fanatic religious zealots.

Ya know I must really be stupid because I truly did not know that the Chronicles of Narnia had anything to do with God :duh

You are NOT stupid. LOL. He masks them pretty well.


"His Dark Materials seems to be against organised religion. Do you believe in God?

I don't know whether there's a God or not. Nobody does, no matter what they say. I think it's perfectly possible to explain how the universe came about without bringing God into it, but I don't know everything, and there may well be a God somewhere, hiding away.

Actually, if he is keeping out of sight, it's because he's ashamed of his followers and all the cruelty and ignorance they're responsible for promoting in his name. If I were him, I'd want nothing to do with them. "

I dont like and agree with any of what he said...

Why don't you like what he said? I think God would be pretty ashamed of the people who promote cruelty and ignorance in His name. Somehow I doubt that God would feel too much pride in people like Fred Phelps and Osama bin Laden.

Still, I don't think I am going to take my kids to see the movie since they are too young to understand things like that. I'd rather keep them watching Disney movies right now :P

That I can respect. :tu

Please don't attack me. It's just my opinion and my personal feelings that I'm voicing since this whole thing has been drummed up. I'm entitled to think differently.

No attack coming from me. :hugs Thanks for sharing, girl. :D

I saw that they are also not calling religion in the movie a church, or the church... They gave it another name. I'm kind of on the fence now about this after doing more research because I fully believe that huge religions can become corrupted and that awful things have been done in God's name that probably make him weep with shame. Just as there are some really great things that are done every day by those who are religious and in the name of God. In fact Pullman said that in an interview. I wonder if he wouldn't advertise the fact that he's an atheist if people would have made any fuss at all.

I saw that they are also not calling religion in the movie a church, or the church... They gave it another name. I'm kind of on the fence now about this after doing more research because I fully believe that huge religions can become corrupted and that awful things have been done in God's name that probably make him weep with shame. Just as there are some really great things that are done every day by those who are religious and in the name of God. In fact Pullman said that in an interview. I wonder if he wouldn't advertise the fact that he's an atheist if people would have made any fuss at all.

I think you TOTALLY hit the nail on the head there. I bet if he didn't admit to being Atheist there wouldn't be a big stink. People would have probably praised it in our post-911 world.

I think it's dangerous to shelter kids from different beliefs. The best way to make sure your kid runs right out and does whatever it is that you do NOT want them to do is to forbid it and refuse to talk about it. That just makes them even more curious.

I think it's ridiculous to get that crazy over someone being Atheist. Maybe it's because I had friends who are/were (haven't seen them in years). I'm going off of statements the author made. Maybe it's because I AM a Catholic that it bothers me so much. People say so much about Catholicism because of the scandal. They forget (general) that in the midst of the religion are people. Human, sinning, people. What those "priests" (I use that term loosely) did absolutely disgusts me. I believe the church did what it did to try and diffuse the situation. I don't agree with it, but they are human. Flawed humans. People attack ME and MY religion because of what some have done. Maybe the fact that this is directed at my religion is making it hard for me to be objective, I don't know. I still don't want to see it. But to not see it just because he is Atheist boggles my mind. What if the story was about a little bunny, would people not see it then?

Anyway, I'm rambling, so I'll stop there. I hope I was able to make some sense through all of that. I had to stop a few times to keep the kids from hitting one another lol

don't care i'm not going to see it, doesn't look entertaining

Well, I didn't see this and put up a post, so I will comment here...hehe.
Freedom of speech is what it is and that is fine. The guy has a right to write what he wants to and movies can be made about it, but as a parent and a Christian, I am glad to have been made aware of it since I have not read the books and it is a hyped movie for the holidays. We will not be seeing it and my kids will not be reading the books.

Ya know I must really be stupid because I truly did not know that the Chronicles of Narnia had anything to do with God :duh

C.S. Lewis was a big Christian and has some good Christian/moral themes in the books (good v. evil, etc etc)

I was just saying that quite often atheists like to label Christians as such but forget how hateful THEY can be. And some people who call themselves Christians are hateful, which is a shame because they're lying to themselves about who they follow.

Sure atheists have a right to push their own agenda. But does is it blatant that they are killing God in this movie and the books? Because nowhere in books like Narnia and Tolkien's works do I remember them saying, HEY, HEY LOOK HERE ASLAN IS GOD! It's never stated that they are Christian books and are pushing any Christian propaganda, they pretty much read like any other fantasy book. Good guy, bad guy, good guy wins. Heck I didn't really know C.S. Lewis was a Christian writer (or Tolkien for that matter) until I was in middle school and I didn't read his books because he was, I read them because I enjoyed the story.

My whole issue is that they say God is bad, they kill God so they can do what they want... Well, the fact is people can do what they want to anyhow. And why did they make God bad? Because he is an authoritarian figure?

The movie/books whatever don't bother me as much as the author who has a blatant agenda to kill God off in the minds of children, he sounds like a hateful person personally which is why I brought up the hate monger thought. It also goes back to the argument that if they are your children then teach them what you see fit, which of course is why I won't support the man in his endeavors.

I'm really rambling right now because I'm tired. My real point was that I don't care if they make the movie, my children won't be seeing it and neither will I because I don't want to fund the guy's ideas.


Have you even seen the trailer for this movie? Do you know who "god" is in the movie? NICOLE KIDMAN. They don't come right out and say they are killing god. I have gone to the site and seen the trailer, did some research and the movie looks very good quite honestly.

The more the bible beaters tell everyone to NOT go see the film, the more there will be people wanting to see it. This is just another reason I don't believe in any type of organized religion, who are they to tell me I should not take my family to a movie because of the writers beliefs?

I don't remember any Atheist or Agnostic groups telling people not to see Narnia because of the religious undertones. Where there? This is just like when Harry Potter first came out. :rolleyes

And as far as Disney movies go..have you ever really thought of the plot of those? That is a whole other debate. They are not as "wholesome" as some would like to think.