The Golden Compass

[PreachersWife2004]

No, I'm pointing out the problem with saying that God dies in the His Dark Materials series. He doesn't. Because God is not in the His Dark Materials series. If you say that he is, you are tacitly accepting the warped Satanic figure in those books as the Christian God. And he is not.

Try telling that to the author then.

 

[DailyBlessings]

Try telling that to the author then.

Well, if the Christian community would spend their time pointing this out, it would do a lot more good than boycotting a movie that everyone will see anyway while simply accepting Pullman's criticism as though it is so accurate and valid that the only way to keep Christianity from crumbling is to suppress it. Simply put, his argument is not that good.

 

[Confess]

Well, if the Christian community would spend their time pointing this out, it would do a lot more good than boycotting a movie that everyone will see anyway while simply accepting Pullman's criticism as though it is so accurate and valid that the only way to keep Christianity from crumbling is to suppress it. Simply put, his argument is not that good.

Tis true

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Try googling Philip Pullman or His Dark Materials or Golden Compass and you'll see how many Christians are out there disputing his charges. Problem is, there are actually some Christians who see his books as an attack not on Christianity itself, but on the faults of Christianity...and the author took that and ran with it. He says he is trying to undermind the basis of Christian belief. Why would anyone want to read anything by a guy who says something like this?

I find it somewhat ironic, too, that when The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was scheduled for release, Pullman attacked it, and said that Disney would have to lie about Christianity then. He then went on to claim that LWW was misogynistic and racist - I mean, he really let loose when asked about CS Lewis. I think he is almost as anti-CS Lewis as he is anti-God.

 

[Confess]

I don't think anyone has been questioning his disdain on the faith.

 

[DaRev]

I don't think anyone has been questioning his disdain on the faith.

But that's the purpose of his books, all wrapped up in a child-friendly wrapper.

 

[Ukrainia]

Hey Confess

I’ve read a lot of your posts and do agree with you that our God isn’t the one Pullman has being killed off in his book. Imagine how silly it would be if he wrote that the God of love was killed off.

But I think from some of the quotes I’ve seen from him, his idea was to equate the God we know as the our Savour and a God of love with something bad. Storytelling can be a powerful tool. You’re probably aware that CS Lewis was trying to show the Christian God through storytelling with his Chronicles of Narnia. However, he didn’t say “triune God” in any of his books either. He used a lion, and I believe his books are an effective tool for children to get at least a little idea about Christian beliefs.

Storytelling can get a certain message across to children that can be positive or negative and in Pullman’s case he an athiest that is trying to get his view across. He has said that, so if you won’t take us at our word, than look at what he has said.

Remember some of Jesus’ most effective lessons were parables; through storytelling Jesus got a positive message through to his followers. Stories can have a powerful affect, and in Pullman’s case, he is trying to send an anti-Christian message through to children. That’s reason enough to explain to children too young to understand by themselves, why this book is dangerous.

 

[Confess]

Hey Confess

I’ve read a lot of your posts and do agree with you that our God isn’t the one Pullman has being killed off in his book. Imagine how silly it would be if he wrote that the God of love was killed off.

But I think from some of the quotes I’ve seen from him, his idea was to equate the God we know as the our Savour and a God of love with something bad. Storytelling can be a powerful tool. You’re probably aware that CS Lewis was trying to show the Christian God through storytelling with his Chronicles of Narnia. However, he didn’t say “triune God” in any of his books either. He used a lion, and I believe his books are an effective tool for children to get at least a little idea about Christian beliefs.

Storytelling can get a certain message across to children that can be positive or negative and in Pullman’s case he an athiest that is trying to get his view across. He has said that, so if you won’t take us at our word, than look at what he has said.

Remember some of Jesus’ most effective lessons were parables; through storytelling Jesus got a positive message through to his followers. Stories can have a powerful affect, and in Pullman’s case, he is trying to send an anti-Christian message through to children. That’s reason enough to explain to children too young to understand by themselves, why this book is dangerous.

Very sensible comment. Thank you.

I am editing this post to add more comments:
While I appreciate all of you and your comments. I must tell you that this post above just is right on the money. I wanted a reasoned response as to why a fake god in a story could be considered harmful to the Christian faith. It didn't make sense to me why a fake god created by a anti-Christian atheist could be a force against the Christian faith if he wasn't specifically speaking about the Triune God. But I see with this comment above where we should see the relationship.

Thank you again. Well done.

 

[Confess]

But that's the purpose of his books, all wrapped up in a child-friendly wrapper.

Yes, I understand this. Almost everything now-a-days are that way.

 

[Studeclunker]

Well, this thread went much further than I had expected, I must say!

Yes, story or parable telling are a very powerful tool. This is something that Lewis and Pullman both recognize. The issue here is what message is being told by the author. If that message is destructive to the fragile faith of children, then they shouldn't be subjected to it. As to an adult... I would hope they have a much firmer faith than that would be damaged by the common claptrap we see in the media nowdays. Claptrap such as this movie (the Golden Compass) seems to be.

I suppose that one might compare Pullman to Lewis as the antithesis of the other.

Thank you all for your opinions and observations.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

IIRC, I read somewhere that part of the main goal of the His Dark Materials series was to counter Lewis. It is quite obvious in Pullman's quotes that he has much disdain for the author. Several reviewers of the series indeed called him the anti-Lewis.

Well, this thread went much further than I had expected, I must say!

Yes, story or parable telling are a very powerful tool. This is something that Lewis and Pullman both recognize. The issue here is what message is being told by the author. If that message is destructive to the fragile faith of children, then they shouldn't be subjected to it. As to an adult... I would hope they have a much firmer faith than that would be damaged by the common claptrap we see in the media nowdays. Claptrap such as this movie (the Golden Compass) seems to be.

I suppose that one might compare Pullman to Lewis as the antithesis of the other.

Thank you all for your opinions and observations.

 

[DaSeminarian]

I'm going to say something that maybe many of you many not agree with in regards to this movie or other movies like it. I think that it would be good for some adults to go see it and then have a good discussion about what the message of the movie is. It also gives you the ability to say exactly why movies like this are not good for children to see. I realize that in going you are giving people like Philip Pullman or Dan Brown money, but by having the knowledge to dispute the movie and show others how bad it truly is can prevent them from making a lot of money.

I truly think that Pastors should go see it because then they have the ability give a proper Christian critique of such movies to their congregations. I would rather know my enemy and what he is doing rather than be ignorant or apathetic to his activities.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

I'm going to say something that maybe many of you many not agree with in regards to this movie or other movies like it. I think that it would be good for some adults to go see it and then have a good discussion about what the message of the movie is. It also gives you the ability to say exactly why movies like this are not good for children to see. I realize that in going you are giving people like Philip Pullman or Dan Brown money, but by having the knowledge to dispute the movie and show others how bad it truly is can prevent them from making a lot of money.

I truly think that Pastors should go see it because then they have the ability give a proper Christian critique of such movies to their congregations. I would rather know my enemy and what he is doing rather than be ignorant or apathetic to his activities.

There are ways to see the movie without paying for it. No, not like THAT! I'm just not sure how to go about doing it, but you can request to do a review or something like that. Many of our fellow pastors were able to do this with the Da Vinci Code and The Passion, for the very reason that they wanted to be informed about the movies for when people asked them.

In writing, they say the best way to defend your position is to know the weakness of your opponents position, and the only way you can do that is by viewing, observing and reading the opposition.