The Golden Compass

My family and I are all Agnostic. My cousins and Aunt and Uncle anonymously subscribed us to a ridiculously Christian magazine. We get it every month and laugh.

Last month it said that the movie isn't too bad but they don't want people to see it becuase they might like the movie and go out and buy the book, which, according to them, is "The real danger."

I've read the Golden Compass, and it isn't only against Christianity, it's against all organized religion, but Christians are the only ones taking it personally. I think that the fact that there is no religion in the book makes it better. I also think that the Christians need to get over themselves and realize that everything that says something bad about religion is not a personal attack on them. The book may seem bad, but if you don't like what it presents, don't read it. But don't try and stop other people from reading something they could have enjoyed. It's your opinion, not theirs, so don't try and force them to do something.

Movies have the freedom to present whatever religious message they want. They are not trying to turn children against god or do anything of the sort.
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Well... Now I'm upset, a good friend of mine who I've known for years blocked me when I told her to see it.

It's just... Stupid. They haven't even seen the movie yet are thinking that the movie should be banned and that society is going to burn in hell for making a movie like this. Reading the Yahoo reviews like that makes me wonder who really is making this country/world worse.

These kids are impressionable, yes... But does it really make these kids better putting them in such a pov where only what is approved by the church is fine and the rest is the devil?

This reminds me of so many times past in history it makes me wonder.

Have we really changed or learned from history? Or are we just in a cycle that will never end?

 

Firstly the book was originally called Northern Lights, it is just the American film which is called The Golden Compass. Also, the film is a massively watered down version of the book as the producers were probably trying to attract too much controversy, but then again this is religion we are talking about here so of course there will be controversy.

Philip Pullman wrote these books to directly counter The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as these were written with Christian under-tones he wrote his with Atheist undertones.

I believe that children should be allowed to see and experience all sides of the belief thing. Pullman is just allowing them a glimpse of the atheist life. But no, the Catholic Church is so scared that its followers faith is not strong enough that it calls for outright bans of the film. Suppressing the competition before it can get a foothold, as it has done throughout history (although a lot of that history is locked away in the Vatican vaults, never to see the light of day).

Also, as has been mentioned, this film does not directly target Christianity, it is 'attacking' organised religion as a whole (which I believe to be the true evil >_>). The book itself supports the idea of spirituality and individual worship and belief systems. But it shows organised religion as what I believe it to be only in a more exaggerated form. I see it as what the world would be like if the Catholic Church had never lost its power.

 

Well, I have to say your friend is stupid. Blocking you just because you recommended a movie is outrageous in my view. For crying out loud, it's just a movie! Most things in movies don't actually happen in real life. I hope he/she knows that.

Honestly, Christians are really starting to piss me off. It's hard to hear the word 'God' without shaking your head with a snort. If religion's really pushing people to the point of bursting over a movie which apparently "kills" a "God" then...

 

I personally think the movie looks pretty darn good and the books were great to me. Of course, being as I am not a religious sort at all, the religious intonations are something I often 'ignore' or just pay attention to but don't let them get to me.

The reason "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" wasn't dissed is because the author was a Christian and the book had strong Christian tones in it when you look for them. It's not hard to see at all, so it is a movie with 'faith' involved that no one disses on when Christian.

However, we've seen the notoriety that Harry Potter received because it had witchcraft in it. Several people raised a stink about it and also some felt it was their civic ethical duty to steal books and burn them, as well as ban their children from it.

This movie is going to face scrutiny for it but anyone not a die-hard Christian and is let to see the movie may just enjoy it. Some die-hard Christians may actually like it too if their parents don't try to say 'no' to them going. I will go see it once it's out and know of Christians that want to go see it too and do not care about the 'warnings' that some spout because it's a movie that is geared to action and adventure and we all highly doubt it's going to be 'that' controversial. If anything, the churches that condemn the movie may help it along. After all, I didn't think "The Da Vinci Code" was that good a movie but it certainly did better in the box office than it might have if people didn't rally so much against it.

 

I've read all three books, and I saw the movie yesterday. After having to do a speech on the entire thing in my Literature class, I had already known that the Magesterium had been changed, and any direct references to God or religion had been taken out of the movie. In fact, I only noticed two things that could have told you that the Magesterium was a religious organization besides reading the books: the wall of the Magesterium's outpost in the North had a mural of what appeared to be saints, and the attire of the Magesterium's workers reflected that of people in the Vatican. These details probably could have been overlooked by someone who didn't know what they were looking for or hadn't read at least one of the books.

One of the things that really bothered me, however, was the reception I got when I announced to my parish that I was going to see the film. I'm Roman Catholic, and we supposedly have a boycott on The Golden Compass. I was actually chased out of the church and threatened for announcing it, as well as asked not to come to our youth group outing. I think that the way people are acting about this is ridiculous and wrong...if they've stooped to terrorizing highschool Freshmen, then society has hit an all-time low.

 

I agree. Any movie that has any undertones of anti-religious anything at all is going to be boycotted against which is really ridiculous. People are overreacting. Seeing this movie will not turn their children against Christianity, and they might even like it if they weren't so worried about the nonexistent "hidden message" it is supposedly giving.
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I think people are more worried that their faith isn't strong enough to stand up against any sort of pressure. I mean, if you were a true believer, even if you did see the film it shouldn't have any effect on you?

That's another thing I hate about theists, they think they can tell people how to live their lives. If other people want to see the film and in their eyes burn in hell let them. Don't make their lives a misery just because you think you are right. Forcing your beliefs on others is or at least should be a sin =_=

 

I believe people are entitled to their own opinions and how they want to raise their children. If you don't want your kids to see it, then it is your right as a parent to tell them no. However, I don't believe you should publicly denounce a book or movie as evil because of its themes.

I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but I thought The Golden Compass was a pretty large chapter book, unless the thick book I saw at the store was just a compilation of kids short stories?

The kids reading that kind of book can't be too young. Perhaps 10-15 is the age group? These kids can't be influenced THAT easily if they were brought up with he right values and were taught to recognize truth and reality in movies. I don't know how todays kids are raised, but even as young as 4 I remember seeing movies and knowing what happened in them wasn't real, and at that young I didn't really care about the morals or themes of the movies, I just liked all the action.

As I stated before, parents are entitled to however they want their kids raised, but do they have that little faith in the values they instilled on their children that they're afraid they'll be influence and scarred for life by an "evil" movie?

 

Another thing that bothers me about it is not just the fact they're banning the children. It's HOW they're doing it.

I remember during the 1960's of the Civil Rights movement. I saw a lot of videos of not the kids starting the problems, but the PARENTS being angry and throwing fits and rioting and throwing things at black kids or adults as they try to integrate into the white society. The kids followed a short time later, for a while, it seemed like the kids were actually trying to be nice to the new change and helping them, but it looked like their parents basically showed it wasn't okay, or that it was okay to do what they did.

Here I see in a lot of reviews of kids posting: "Well... My mom said I couldn't go because it's the devil." *trying not to give spoilers* Or: "My mom brought me and told me in the beginning that they hate God and it's against God."

These parents are talking about IMPRESSIONABLE kids. These kids will take something away from this, whether or not their parents know it. They're throwing fits, and quoting the bible, and saying how this is how society becomes morally corrupt from this and saying that this is the thing that will destroy society in a place where kids will read those replies. They're not hiding the fact that they're religious, have kids, and don't believe in any of this kind of stuff, either.

It's not just the movie in this case, it's what... *thinks for a moment* It's what overall you bring away for these kids that are important.

Whether or not it's religious or not.

 

Well, I believe the damage parents do by fighting this and their kids knowing it and seeing how they do it is worse than actually going and seeing the movie itself, but thats just me. Because I would rather take my child to see the movie and ask what they thought of it or if they had any questions or if there was something they didn't quite understand, even if maybe there was something in it that could have confused their religious beliefs rather than teach them how to discriminate and hate that which they do not know or understand.

How many parents have actually seen the movie or read the books? How many are just forming opinions on the reviews? How many are following their religious leaders who probably formed opinions on reviews?

Then again, I am only 19 and I am not yet a mother. However, I want to raise my kids to be aware of the world around them both good and bad. You shelter children too much and it actually makes things worse for them.

I know this is a little off subject, but for example today's generation. We are afraid of germs. We won't eat anything if it even has one bad spot or one speckle of dirt. We go to the doctor even if we sneeze just once and look what its done to us... we have weakened immune systems and get sick so easily because we're afraid of cooties, because as children and babies we weren't allowed normal contact with bacteria and other things so we aren't used to them.

They're basically doing the same things to their kids' minds. Trying to keep them so "pure" and away from the "virus". I think one day all this persecuting and "protecting" of children's minds will be our undoing. If we clutch them and cover their eyes too much they won't be able to handle all of life's struggles.

 

A little off-topic...

My mom always told me what I wanted to know. If I asked about how babies are born, even at four, she'd tell me. She wouldn't tell me as an adult, but she would tell me at the age that it's appropriate at. My dad, who's a blind follower Evangelical Christian, never told me what I asked about. He talked a lot about God, and he talked a lot about the church and it's beliefs. God always came up no matter what we talked about.

My mom gave me a lot more to impress from, and I learned more from her. She never imposed her point of view unless it was something that was morally wrong. My dad basically tried to impose his POV at every chance.

And yes, my dad is a health freak, doesn't go to the doc's even if he's dying, though. He takes about 5,000 vitamins. (I kid you not.)

I think the movie itself isn't the problem, it's what the reaction is to it. My mom told me after seeing it last night that it is free will, God gives us free will. And I believe that. And yes, she believes you can take the wrong path from reading the books or seeing the movies, but it's up to you to decide that.

First you have to see it, and talk to the kids about it.

 

I've never actually seen the movie, and I'm not a die-hard Christian but I do believe in God, simply because without anything to believe in the world seems like a pretty bleak and bruised place to be. However, just because I've seen multiple times throughout the thread that "God is killed." It doesn't alter my desire to see the movie.

If they really thought about it, if God was killed in this movie then technically despite the views of the author and what he would claim, this clearly is not the same God if though those were his intentions, because the God I know cannot be killed.

I agree totally with you Sara =]

But there will always be people who remain ignorant and blind. Its a fact of life. They've been around since the beginning of time.

 

You know this is ticking me off. people have to be able to express their own veiws. If you don't want to go and see it, then fine, we won't rub its awsomnessnessness in your face but if we want to than don't go and say "It's the devil and it's not natural and bla bla bla". We ddin't rub it in your face so why should you in ours.

Also, this is weird. I go to a catholic High School (although I'm Athest) and they are advertising the movie in the Library!!!

This reminds me of what happened to the Da Vinci code but you know what? When His Dark Materials or The Da Vinci Code came out as books, the church wasn't complaining! Why is it that they only take notice if something is out in pictures? Are they unable to read!!! Seriously tho I think that these people need to be stopped, There people are the same sort of people who said Dulce et Decorum est Pro Partria Mori.

 

To answer your question, clawtooth...

I don't think not nearly as many people realize that there's a book about it. About half of the books I end up reading now was from not knowing there was one before the movie.

When it comes to the movie, even people have heard about the book might think that people who see the movie will read the book. It's just one of those publicity/promotion things.

EDIT: Also, if you read some of the reviews for the Dark Materials Series, specially the last one, there's a lot of protests in it, but not nearly as much now.

 

I can't believe It has taken me almost a year to discover this section.

Anyway, what is the Golden Compass? It's a movie, it's a book, IT'S FICTION!!!!!! It's not reality. Do polar bears wear armor and talk or whatever in our society, no.

This is like the DaVinci Code all over again.

It's not reality, it's one man or womans imagination taking shape and we are aloud to choose whether or not to partake.

And because there is such a big debate about this, I plan to sit down this winter holiday and read this series to find out why everyone is so anti right now.

 

from what ive heard the author's point of this book/movie was to make an opisite of the chroniculs of narnia(which has alot of religion in it) because he felt people need to turn away from god :\

 

I guess it's already well been pointed out that the problem of some people basically comes down to 'fear' that those who are believers in Christianity and wayward at the time might be corrupted to becoming atheists or some agnostic, or agnostics will yet become atheists from the movie. Really, boycotting and speaking out against a movie always seems to just give it more prestige so it would help if those who don't want their own children to see it, they just make that choice themselves.

A movie, TV show or book shouldn't be something 'strong' enough to sway someone's mind from a religion. It's a personal choice to take the 'leap of faith' and believe, or to not believe. I see quite a few Christian groups, not just Catholics, doing this act of Churches speaking out against it and calling for a boycott, so I wouldn't just target one group. Some church groups also seem to care less than others. It always makes me rather leery to see that people fear so much that others will lose their faith over something so trivial. There are those who are Christian here and posted saying they'd watch the movie and it of course isn't going to sway them. After all, they realize it's a fictional story to just watch and enjoy. Those who do these rallies against fiction really should take a look at these other 'non fearing' Christians and take a lesson from them. Sadly, they won't and instead might even call them heretics.

What annoys me is that I have sat through a number of Christian shows, movies etc, and the news constantly at this time of year caters to Christians due to the holiday, and yet I can and will do so because it is a part of culture, though I don't believe in it at all. I hear Christian references constantly and am not going to turn off a movie for the word 'God' or stop reading X-Men because Professor X is a die-hard Christian. I am very glad to see there are Christians out there that can accept others are not all the same in thoughts etc. I accept this too and I wish we all could learn more tolerance and acceptance of differences and no one should have to live with 'fear' of what others think or feel. It is not the same as what people -do-.

My apologies for going somewhat off target with this, but it is just one of those things that gets to me. Fear is such a deadly thing that often spirals into hate and people do such idiotic things when in these two emotional states. Hopefully those of us who do not can remain strong in such times of adversity.

 

Well, I didn't think of it saying the church was evil. All I got was that, their souls live on the outside, like ours on the inside, but theirs takes a physical shape. They call them demons, so what?? Just a name. Also, I think it should have been rated like PG-13, inless it already was, I can't remember though, but yeah it was horribly violent for a kid's movie. Ugh I mean when the 'war' bear hit the other one's jaw off, eww, I still thought it was kick *** though.