USCCB on The Golden Compass

[CuriousInIL]

Any thoughts on the USCCB review of The Golden Compass?
http://www.usccb.org/movies/g/thegoldencompass.shtml

Despite the professed atheism of its author, and the more overt church connotation of this Magisterium in the novels, director Chris Weitz's film, taken purely on its own cinematic terms, can be viewed as an exciting adventure story with a traditional struggle between good and evil, and a generalized rejection of authoritarianism. Intense but bloodless fantasy violence, anti-clerical subtext, standard genre occult elements, character born out of wedlock, a whiskey-guzzling bear. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG-13) 2007

 

[wiggsfly]

Thankfully they used their brain when reviewing it and didn't just bash it as it is written by an atheist.

 

[Voegelin]

The religious themes of the later books may be more prominent in the follow-up films which Weitz has vowed will be less watered down . . .

You can take that to the bank if this one makes money.

 

[AMDG]

As I understood it, the objection was not that it was written by an atheist. The objection was that it was watered down to make it interesting for the movies (and more palateable for children who would be enraptured by it) and parents would not realize the "darker" elements of the books and fall into the trap of getting those books which were written specifically to destroy children's Faith in God.

 

[QuantaCura]

From what I have read about this series, the first book is the tamest and the movie made it even more tame. It is a fact professed by the author himself that this series is designed to provide an atheistic counter to CS Lewis' Narnia series which is a Christian allegory.

So yes, the movie taken on its own may not be too, too terrible (if you can get by the evil entity being called the Magisterium), but taken in its greater context its very anti-Christian.

 

[Antigone]

From what I have read about this series, the first book is the tamest and the movie made it even more tame. It is a fact professed by the author himself that this series is designed to provide an atheistic counter to CS Lewis' Narnia series which is a Christian allegory.

I've read the first book, and although it is pretty creepy, the anti-Christian angle didn't stick out for me when I read it (although I'm not particularly observant, so I might have missed it). Then again, I've never read Narnia, so it's hard to compare.

 

[Axion]

I too have read the first book. Apparently it is the least offensive! I hate to think of what's in the others...

The most subversive and intended effect of the book on children, is that it intentionally makes the "Church", (or magesterium,) into a frightening evil institution. A secretive oppressive "Church" rules the world, and among its practices are the kidnapping, surgical experimentation and torture of children - to remove their "daemons".

"Daemons" are familars, creatures that every "normal" person has, but the church wants to remove.

The above are the main themes of the book, namely a search for the heroine's kidnapped friend.

The book is not very good, but is promoted I think largely because it is seen as an antidote to pro-christian works likie Narnia or LOTR. It of course includes "good" witches among its characters.

DANGERS OF THE BOOK/FILM: Particularly to children, trying to raise hatred/fear of of the church. The "good" nature of familiar demons, also has a danger of leading towards occultism. If the first film is successful, the even more anti-christian 2nd and 3rd chapters will be made, in which apparently "God" is killed and found to be an impostor evil angel...

So lets pray the first film is not successful.

 

[wiggsfly]

As I understood it, the objection was not that it was written by an atheist. The objection was that it was watered down to make it interesting for the movies (and more palateable for children who would be enraptured by it) and parents would not realize the "darker" elements of the books and fall into the trap of getting those books which were written specifically to destroy children's Faith in God.

I think this depends on where you look. I've seen quite a few speak against it based on it's author as well.

 

[Fish and Bread]

A whiskey guzzling bear? Awesome!

 

[stivvy]

The intensions of the author should be taken into account when he clearly speaks of his intentions to counter christianity. According to what I have read this is simply the bait to suck the public into the next couple movies to follow that in the end glorifies the distruction of God.

This is a direct attack on our children and an attempt to influence them. We who spread the word to not only not support this junk, but to discredit the author and make everyone aware of his intentions and past representations, see this as a battle to win in the name of Christianity and in defense of our heavenly Father.

 

[Fantine]

Yes, the Catholic Digest had a cautionary review of the movie, but it attempted to balance the good and bad elements and fell short of advising people not to see it.

It did say that the movie was less anti-Catholic and anti-religion than the books, and recommended that children not read the books.

I got one of them out of the library to see what all the hoopla was about....it's "The Amber Spyglass."

Pretty long for a children's book--over 400 pages. I will probably just skim it to satisfy my curiosity.

Each of the books in the trilogy has a list of awards and commendations about a mile long! Any parent who saw the jacket references to all the awards and commendations would probably think they were wonderful young adult literature.

 

[Amylisa]

I too have read the first book. Apparently it is the least offensive! I hate to think of what's in the others...

The most subversive and intended effect of the book on children, is that it intentionally makes the "Church", (or magesterium,) into a frightening evil institution. A secretive oppressive "Church" rules the world, and among its practices are the kidnapping, surgical experimentation and torture of children - to remove their "daemons".

"Daemons" are familars, creatures that every "normal" person has, but the church wants to remove.

The above are the main themes of the book, namely a search for the heroine's kidnapped friend.

The book is not very good, but is promoted I think largely because it is seen as an antidote to pro-christian works likie Narnia or LOTR. It of course includes "good" witches among its characters.

DANGERS OF THE BOOK/FILM: Particularly to children, trying to raise hatred/fear of of the church. The "good" nature of familiar demons, also has a danger of leading towards occultism. If the first film is successful, the even more anti-christian 2nd and 3rd chapters will be made, in which apparently "God" is killed and found to be an impostor evil angel...

So lets pray the first film is not successful.

We have a video at home that has a preview of Golden Compass on it.
Just yesterday, for the first time I noticed the voice-over of the narrator, describing those animal spirits as demons. I hadn't noticed it before, and I've seen this several times.

I have to say, the more I even just see the preview, the more this movie gives me the creeps. There's so much about it that is so wrong.
I've talked with my younger kids and explained what the points of this movie are. We definitely won't be seeing it.

The attacks on the Church grow more and more obvious, don't they? Signs of the times I guess.

 

[Voegelin]

Marc Newman essay at Catholic Exchange:

The Golden Compass Brings Nietzsche to Narnia: The Philosophical Underpinnings of His Dark Materials

. . .What Pullman's promoters desperately hope is that parents will not get beyond the colorful covers, which appear to depict nothing more than an action/fantasy series filled with talking animals, exciting battles, and a child protagonist. What they desperately fear is that parents will discover the dark and sinister philosophy that unfolds within the pages of Pullman's work — a philosophy that condones the killing of children to advance knowledge; disparages virtue and glorifies cunning; and which poses the idea that the solution to humanity's problems is the killing of God. In short, the philosophy that underlies much of Pullman's fiction is Friedrich Nietzsche's . . .

[Watch for the Next Article The Golden Compass: Sexualizing Children in the World of His Dark Materials]

 

[Fish and Bread]

You all are completely missing the point -- WHISKEY GUZZLING BEAR! Come on, how can this movie not be great?

I'm just kidding. Actually, I don't think I'd let young children watch this movie, were I charged with their care. I don't think it's good to implicitly allow young children to be taught disrespect for any religion at such an impressionable age, or to allow them to view materials where the conclusion of the written trilogy has such a distinctively sexual theme involving young people.

However, in the defense of the bishops' conference, let's remember that they did not recommend this movie for young children -- they simply said it was acceptable for adolescents (Presumably meaning folks aged 13 and up) and adults. For someone 13 or older, I think this, like most filmed material, is alright, because people ought to have taught their children some level of discernment and reasoning skills by that point to where they understand the message the film is trying to convey and don't just soak it right up as "the truth" -- and if children haven't been taught that by their teenage years, high school is going to present a lot more problems to them than a fantasy movie with anti-religious undertones will!

 

[WarriorAngel]

I didnt see this thread....
I made another one. Oops.

http://christianforums.com/t6527241-the-golden-compass.html

There is my thread.

 

[Fish and Bread]

I didnt see this thread....
I made another one. Oops.

I like this thread better. Your thread fails to mention the whiskey-guzzling bear.

 

[Voegelin]

Update:

Baltimore Sun
By Chris Kaltenbach | Sun Reporter
December 12, 2007

Days after its publication, a largely positive review of The Golden Compass that appeared in Catholic newspapers across the country was retracted this week by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The bishops, who could not be reached for comment, offered no explanation for the decision. But Catholic groups, including the conservative Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, have urged moviegoers to boycott the film, saying the film and the book on which it is based are anti-Catholic.

"Certainly, there was all kinds of speculation from the day it went up [on the Web site] as to whether or not something like this would happen," said Jim Lackey, general news editor for the Catholic News Service, a wire service run by the bishops' conference. He was told Monday to remove the review from the service's Web site . . .

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/news/bal-to.compass12dec12,0,5178851.story

 

[CuriousInIL]

Too late and too little, I think.

 

[Michie]

"In fact, maybe the most cynical and insulting thing about “The Golden Compass” is that its makers would offer this cold, angry, anti-religious fable as “holiday fare” in the midst of a season built around the birth of Jesus Christ. "

-Archbishop Chaput

Continued- http://www.catholic.org/clife/advent/story.php?id=26181

 

[Michie]

More for those interested.

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, NOV. 15, 2007 (Zenit) -

The film "The Golden Compass" isn't simply about using fairy-tale magic to tell a good story, it corrupts the imagery of Lewis and Tolkien to undermine children's faith in God and the Church, says Catholic author Pete Vere.

Continued- http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=5232