No one is denying that it's been billed as a fantasy story but with Pullman's own peculiar atheistic spin behind it. Imagine a PG 13 rating for blaspheming Christianity!

I say The Golden Compass is not for ANYONE.

So glad you don't have the ability to make entertainment choices for all American families.

Ha,ha, ha, I imagine you are!   

What?--you don't like my advice?

Well TW this comes from John the disciple when he said:

"Beloved, belive not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know you the Spirit of God; Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God; and this is that spirit of antichirst whereof you have heard that it should come and even now already is in the world."

John wrote this letter to the Christians (1 John) and in it (including the warning above) you can see his obvious affection for God's people, and his concern for their spiritual welfare. The letter is filled with contrasts...light and darkness.love of the world and love for God...children of God and children of the devil..the spirit of God and the spirit of Antichirst..and love and hate.

When you look at what Pullman said here....



the bitterness and hatred is a dead giveaway. It runs deep by his own admission. Bitterness and hatred never comes from God nor should it belong in a Christian's life. It is the spirit of anti-christ, not Christ. Remember what Christ said on the cross..."father forgive them for they know not what they do." If anyone had a right to hate and be bitter it would have been Christ...but it's not in his nature.

The problem with that is kids dont, yet, have the ability to understand what is a pure fantasy and what is based on reality. Especially regarding religion. They never seen a God in person, all they hear is ideas about Him. And at this age anything you tell them about that they will take seriously. It is ALL ideas, right?

And, please dont say Tv and movies dont leave impressions on viewers. If that was the case, the marketing empire would not spend billions on commercials. Kids, by nature, are impressionable creatures and this kind of movies confuse not guide them.

People who make movies about any religion have the responsibility of presenting it as it is in real life especially if it is directed at kids. Religion is not an Art form or a Philosophy that are open for different visions or imaginations. It is a divine system to live by and that is a serious matter and should not be played with.

when kids grow up and be able to make up their own minds, they can read and watch whatever they choose. Till then, they should not be exposed to things that confuse them or give them the wrong impression.

I don't know what LOTR is but there is a big diff in fantasy from the Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and The Golden Compass.

Satan as we know is the great imitator but with a twist and he shows his true colors here. He comes across as the angel of light but has no light in him.

There are many parallels to C.S. Lewis' classic in Golden Compass. We see Lyra instead of Lucy, we see talking animals, alernate worlds, a wardrobe, a final battle, witches but instead of witches being evil, they are on the side of good (sympathy for Satan perhaps?).

After you get pulled into the similarities if you're paying close attention you'll notice the contrasts between Pullman and Lewis. One example is this quote from one of the witches:

"There are churches there, believe me, that cut their children too, as the people of Bolvangar did—not in the same way, but just as horribly. They cut their sexual organs, yes, both boys and girls; they cut them with knives so that they shan't feel. That is what the church does, and every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling."

He constantly and without exception paints churches and Christians as wicked and as agents of oppression, torture and murder among other things.

And I fail to understand why "someone who does not have faith, and who's literary works don't condone religious teaching" leaves all the topics in the whole universe which are wide open to him and choose to write inaccurate things about things he doesnt believe in.

Why is he doing that?

Ran out of ideas? trying to discredit the topic he is writing about? Confuse kids?

There must be a reason why he chose that topic to write about. What is it?

Um . . .

Lord of the Rings. You know? Second-highest-grossing movie of all time, coming in a very close second to Titanic?

You don't get out much, do you, friend?

Uh oh...now I HAVE to see it. I hope it's good, because I want to ENJOY it. Nothing like watching sinful cinema.

~Zoo

duh! I had a duh moment. Thanks for setting me straight.

ThinkAloud said:

when kids grow up and be able to make up their own minds, they can read and watch whatever they choose. Till then, they should not be exposed to things that confuse them or give them the wrong impression.

While I know there are those who will argue that children below the cutoff age will find their way into theaters, I believe that's an issue of parental responsibility, so it's a red herring. The movie is rated PG-13. My point is this: at age 13, wouldn't you want your kids to have started thinking for themselves and starting to draw some of their own conclusions about issues of significance like this? If you want them to come by their faith honestly and not just to spout out what they've been taught by their parents through rote memorization, I would think that you would welcome the chance to allow them to evaluate alternative viewpoints. Exposing children or young adults to new ideas is part of growing up, in no small measure whether their parents like it or not.



Just thought those following this thread might be interested in this WWW link

Thanks for the link. Pretty much what has been already stated here but I pulled this out from your link:


The Pullman series follows the release of the first movie based on Christian author C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia." Both feature epic battles, talking animals, polar bears and a wardrobe. But from there, the works diverge.

I found this interesting since I remember "The DaVinci Code" following "The Passion." This happens all the time and just an example of the spiritual battle that is being waged for our souls.

Exactly. If you shelter them forever and only indoctrinate your viewpoints into them, they become little robots. Also, in that case I think it leads to something like a cult. Learning how to think for yourself is important.

~Zoo

Do you REALLY think that the only way to teach children contradictory values is to INDOCTRINATE them in contradictory values, zoologist?

Faith is called that for a reason. Because it is what we genuinely BELIEVE. You can believe anything you want, but to challenge my right to raise my children in my faith by comparing biblical instruction to cultic leadership is a pretty low blow.

What would you suggest? softcore porn at 13 so my daughters know a few enticing positions for their boyfriends when they start dating? Forced daily recitation of the Qu'Ran so they don't fall into a "cult like" belief in the Bible? Experimentation with drugs so they'll have a better understanding of their negative effects as well as positive effects?

I have a RESPONSIBILITY to raise my children properly, zoologist. I accept they won't always make decisions that I will like, but I will not be browbeaten by you or anyone else to think I MUST teach them positions contradictory to my own or risk being branded a cult.

That was shameful and uncharacteristically intolerant of you, zoo!

Warreni posts:

What other way is there for kids to be given and taught their faith if not honestly by the care of parents?



What? Like all religions, including in this case atheism, are equal?