Just looked it up...and apparently it's some boring crap about a pregnant Mexican waitress. I'd rather see fighting polar bears than that any day of the week.

As SanCho said:


My question was, "Why isn't there an atheist league out there urging people to boycott Jesus flicks?" As far as I'm concerned religious movies and nonreligious movies have the same right to be shown...all I care about is if they're entertaining.

~Zoo

"Check and see how many markets are grabbing a hold of "The Golden Compass" and compare with the markets that are showing the inspirational movie, also coming out about the same time, called "Bella." Have you even heard of "Bella?"

Golden Compass had a production budget of $150 million, whereas Bella, had a production budget of $4 million dollars. That doesn't say anything about the content of either movie, only that in the marketplace a lot more people have to see Golden Compass to recoup the money invested to create it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_(film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Compass_(film)

"Just looked it up...and apparently it's some boring crap about a pregnant Mexican waitress. I'd rather see fighting polar bears than that any day of the week."

Movies do best, when they pull you away from real life, I don't know much about pregnant waitresses but I can take a stab at the idea that a polar bear wearing armor is probably more fantastic than a pregnant waitress. I'd guess a pregnant waitress is closer to reality than polar bears wearing armor too. LOL.

"Why isn't there an atheist league out there urging people to boycott Jesus flicks?"

What would be the point? Atheists don't feel the need to come under attack for not having a "faith". I think most Catholics and other religious folks, don't feel the need to defend against fantasy movies. It is only the extremists in societies, C league, Al Qaeda, the Islmaic jihad, peoples and nations punishing or attempting to punish others for expressing an idea.

In the Islamic world naming a teddy bear the wrong name, gets you caned, deported, possibly killed, in the Catholic world, expressing the idea that organized religion is B.S. or fake or possibly wrong, gets you attacked and boycotted in the media.

Luckily we've moved passed the burning at the stake phase.

~Zoo

For now lol.

Well, when push comes to shove, dan, and the next time we have a knock down drag out, I want it remembered for the record that I DO have your back when I agree with you...lol!

Mel Gibson got quite the roasting for producing Passion of the Christ.

Dan Greene:





Dan,
Calling the Catholic League extremists..as Al Qaeda, Islamic Jihadists, c'mon? And the Catholic League has attacked no one...

But apparently it's OK for Pullman to attack God and denigrate Christianity...to kids through a fantasy movie?

And please, all the C. League has done is simply warned of the nature of Pullman's ideas and of his own stated agenda...it's a free market of ideas...Pullman's pushing his own and the Catholic League is countering them.

Probably because of his vile hatred for Jews. Also the fact that they beat the hell out of a guy for quite sometime. Torture! For Jesus.

~Zoo

because they are kind of busy protesting things like the Pledge, Separation of Church and State and the 10 Commandments printed in Public buildings etc. Ever hear of Michael Newdow or Madelyn Murry O'Hair?

I agree with you actually Zoo. I also believe these movies have a right to be shown. But the religious leaders, who are supposed to be shepherding their flocks also have a right to warn their flock against these movies they deem harmful. They shouldn't be made out to be some hate monger or ignorant in doing so.

I have a right to say..."as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" and one way to do this is to not spend our money on things that promote evil or denouce good.



exactly.



Yes, that's basically what I said in #114 by quoting a non biased review there.

I suppose a warning wouldn't bother me at all. I just think a boycott is blowing it out of proportion.

As an aside, I really hate the sheep comparison. Sheep are stupid and die if left alone in the wild. I prefer to be a goat- they know how to survive.

~Zoo

i went and saw this movie on Friday.


there is nothing in this movie to suggest lack of a god. in fact i got a sort of religious feeling from this movie.

the girl in the movie turns out to be the Saviour of her planet. and it is fantasy.


i would recommend that parents go and see the movie if they are scared of the content(which is a good idea for any pg rated movie). i would also recommend everyone without kids go and see this movie it is very good.

Ever read Terry Pratchett? I'm guessing yes, but I suppose I could be wrong. He gives a great analogy in his book 'Small Gods', where he explains the origins of religion based on what flock the shepherd happens to be herding.

There's a great line there, something along the lines of "Sheep are obedient and servile; they have to be driven. Goats are independent; they have to be led."

You really have to wonder what kind of religion Christianity and others would have been if they were founded by goatherds rather than shepherds (speaking metaphorically of course).

As for the movie, I think Oscar Wilde said it all:

"There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book (movie). Books (movies) are well written, or badly written. That is all."

So long as it's good, who cares if it makes people question God? If a god is to have any meaning in anyone's life then it must be able to survive a little questioning.

PS: Danny, that was rational and reasonable advice. I'm surprised, but impressed nonetheless.

"Well, when push comes to shove, dan, and the next time we have a knock down drag out, I want it remembered for the record that I DO have your back when I agree with you...lol!"

I would rather you be my friend, I am totally willing and able to have a discussion or debate without "the winning or losing" I do enough winning and losing outside of JU, in life, to more then make up for a need to feel like I went rounds with someone. (Unforunately that's not true for all who comment here, not naming names ) I do appreciate you looking to connect with others when you have disagreed in the past.

This issue here is a good example of many of the issues that exist about religion, it is much less about the actual facts, but of the perception of fact, and of faith, and the perception of faith. Having no belief in God, and taking a position of faith in that, is much more dangerous and isolating than taking the position in the middle of the pack blindly believing, in the absences of fact. What is more and more apparent about religions when people discuss them, is that there a trend for people to need to be right or wrong rather than just "I don't know". It is quiet clear if we did really know, what we say is right or wrong, rather than what we say "I don't know" to, there would be much more acceptance of differing opinions.

A lot of people believed the world was flat, and that sailing over the edge, would be letting your ship, fall over the edge, just like a pencil off the edge of a table. Everybody thought Columbus was crazy sailing over the edge to find a route to the new world. Nobody thought the edge existed because of scientific proof, how could they, there was none, yet, it was a common belief, just as the Earth was commonly believed to be the center of the universe.

We know today, and people knew, whether or not they believed it or understood it, that there was indeed a way to go around the world, using the opposite direction to reach next land. Today, we have GPS satellites in orbit, which further prove, perhaps beyond a reasonable doubt that the Earth is indeed round and not flat. I have no interest in reproving how the world is round rather than flat, but I would entertain someone's right and perspective, should they choose to find a reason to believe it was flat.

Pullman in this case, is not really the Columbus of our time, he is not forcing a worldwide debate on organized religion. The Catholic church is not forcing the debate. A middle aged, media unsavvy, man who looks dangerously like Karl Rove, is forcing it from a chair in an office shouting into a webcam, for a poorly edited presentation on why they are "going to win" against an idea, which is different than their own. They are not going to work to discuss it, or debate it, or engage it, but to boycott it and therefore censor it and suppress it.

It is very simple folks.

"Dan,
Calling the Catholic League extremists..as Al Qaeda, Islamic Jihadists, c'mon? And the Catholic League has attacked no one.. But apparently it's OK for Pullman to attack God and denigrate Christianity...to kids through a fantasy movie? "

Watch the video clip I posted, it is an attack on free speech by the C league. Pullman, has every "inalienable right given to him by their creator" (I'm not sure what the British tag line is for Declaration of Independence) to say whatever he wishes, In what way does the movie Golden Compass denigrate Christianity specifically? There is no mention of the pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, nuns, the sex scandal, no mention of Catholics, Chuch officials, none of that, if you will concede that is it merely against organized religion in general, then I'll point out, that none of the other organized religions, have made statements in support of boycotting the event. I would expect you to agree, that the C league, who does not speak for the Church, the pope does, would be acting in an oversensitive and out of bounds manner.

If all fantasies that don't support Christianity are off limits, where was the call for a boycott, of the Home Alone movies, or Tim Allen's Santa Clause debacles, or the concept of "Santa Clause". I mean come on, you cannot have it both ways. The creator has atheists views, again I say so what?

"And please, all the C. League has done is simply warned of the nature of Pullman's ideas and of his own stated agenda...it's a free market of ideas...Pullman's pushing his own and the Catholic League is countering them."

The C league is calling for a boycott, and selling a webpage/pdf file to make money. If their only goal was to spread information they'd open up a wiki page and be done, but that's incorrect. It is a not a free market, when they charge you for access to information and then urge a censorship action. Of which has succeeded in a library already. Please read my posts before you comment. Thanks.

Actually, no...and I had no idea that quote existed. I was just pulling stuff together I saw at one point and time(probably on the discovery channel). Might give it a read though.

~Zoo

On a non faith point.....I read the plot is a bit hard to follow...and the characters are introduced but not truly developed in this one (like its the corner stone for the movies to follow)....has anyone seen it? Any comments about these areas?

Dan Greene Posts:

Dan,
Please get your facts straight before launching charges. The Catholic League warned Catholics across the country through email to bishops and through Church bulletin inserts of the dangers of this movie long before they produced this helpful booklet which people of all religious stripes are free to purchase or not.



KFC posts:


Excellent point.

Besides, calling a boycott of Christian films is small fish to atheists. They are busily working in tandem in furthering their agenda of irradicating all semblances of Christianity from the public, be it the workplace, in traditions, schools, our coinage and they are agitating that all of the crosses be removed from Arlington Cemetary. It started full force in 1963, with taking a prayer out of school and now again, another attempt to remove God from the Pledge is before the courts.


Atheists are fully behind Pullman. Dan, you say as much in your main article quote.



Americans are allowing themselves to be as frogs slowly boiled in water when it comes to following these English atheists.

lula posts:


Dan Greene posts:

The movie Golden Compass is based upon 3 books written by Pullman, a self described atheist who said in interviews, "My books are about killing God" and that he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief" and "I am all for the death of God."

Atheists denigrate Christianity by attacking Christian religious beliefs. Pullman's fiction presents evil as good and good as evil. He portrays the evil of darkness, demonic forces that battle God and ultimately kill Him. The film ultimately invites us to join forces against God.

Chronicles of Narnia are fantasy that represent the battle between God and His followers and Satan and his devils. In Lord of the Rings, Tolkien shows the power of God and readers join Him while Pullman promotes the lie that evil can ultimately defeat God. Christians know that Christ death has already won the ultimate victory.

Dan,

why hasn't Pullman exercised his inalienable right to write a book denigrating Allah (Islam) and publically denunciate Mohammed and have that made into a children's fantasy movie. You think a few Catholics calling for a simple boycott is bad....what would the reaction to that be?