Catholic League condemns 'The Golden Compass'
Movies News
By Mary McSweeney Oct 13, 2007, 23:22 GMT
Talkback
Add your comment (no registration required)
page: 1 2
Nicole Kidman made the comment that they watered down the religious tone of Golden Compass for the movie and that she would never have done it if the movie were anti-Catholic. She obviously hasn't read the entire serious of books. If they are going to water down the religious tone of the third book, there won't be a movie. When I read these books, I had no idea what they would involve. I had no idea about Pullman's views. After barely being able to finish the third book, it was perfectly clear what Pullman's views are. It's not something I would recommend to kids. How this book has won children's literature awards, I will never understand.
Children thinking for themselves? So, I take it that you will allow them to decide about whether it is OK to rape, steal and murder. Also, if they decide that they do not want to go to the dentist and the doctor, that is fine as well. How far open does your mind have to be until your brains fall out? Parents are there to give their young ones guidance in all things, especially spiritual ones. Giving them the license to choose any system of belief they might come into contact with is a recipe for disaster, you can see the evidence of that in our society. We have fostered a generation of latchkey kids who have no one at home to turn to when the tragedies of life hit them like a tidal wave, and we have given them no God, no morality of any kind, only a cold and brutal relativism. We as adults have stood by while they are aborted, abused, and murdered at will, many times by those who should protect them most.Our Divine Creator gave us free will, but He also gave us ten commandments and the Bible. God help us if atheism is the best we can do for these innocents, who deserve the very, very best.
Well theres always plenty of paedophile priests who go around dioceses unpunished, because the Slush Fund buys off the parents, and prevents the satanic perverts from going to jail........
Once again, we are judged by the PC crowd (which is quite SMALL), assuming that we are all going to think like them, because they have all tried SO HARD to make us think that they are 'normal' and we, who are Christians (maybe even evangelical) are not. Well, Hollywood, we are not going to buy your attempt to pervert reality by using your biggest voice, the movies, to tell us that we all believe a lie. If you don't accept that there is a God, it's YOUR LOSS! We do care that you might burn in Hell for not accepting Christ, but we certainly can't MAKE you do it! Just don't think that you can con US into questioning our God, by using your closed-minded standards to cast judgement on our judgement.
Don't even worry about understanding all that, you might get it later. Try praying, it might help.
To 'VRuskin', who seems to be trying to equate teaching children critical thinking with rape, theft and murder - please stop with the tired old strawman arguments. That poor horse died a long time ago.
If you want to subject your children to a wishful-thinking, violent Medieval worldview that ignores things like observable reality and actively subverts any attempt at free enquiry - I'm saddened to say that is, currently, your perogative. I can only hope that in the coming years, as religion becomes even less relevant and our knowledge of the universe even more detailed, that your child does not suffer too much humiliation and can eventually learn to think for him/herself despite your efforts to prevent that.
'His Dark Materials' is a well-written work of _fiction_ that doesn't pretend to be anything else. 'The Bible' is a badly written, ill-informed, mis-translated work of fiction that attempts to tell people things about the nature of the universe that it has not one scrap of evidence for. It is simply a tool of control, based on fear of the unknown.
To 'Objectively Christian' - I love the oxymoronic name. You speak of perverting reality, and of atheists being closed-minded. I suggest you consult a dictionary for the definition of 'irony'.
I find it both amusing and saddening when I see grown human beings getting so worked up over people questioning god/allah/brahman/L. Ron Hubbard* (delete as applicable to your particular delusion). It only serves to prove further how shaky the foundations of unfounded belief are, when presented with something as horribly scary as independent thought.
I don't see what the big deal is. If you are raising your kids right they will know that this is fantasy and not reality. If my kids want to see this movie, I will take them. What ever happened to teaching your kids morals and values. My children know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, and they also know what the word fiction means. Children are not babies, take them off the teat and have a real discussions with them.
It's odd that the series is considered anti-Catholic. In Pullman's parallel universe, Calvin reigns as Pope. If anything, the book shows the negative aspects of Calvinism. As I understand, Pullman's own grandfather was an Anglican priest. No doubt he grew up seeing hypocrisy in the religious denomination to which he was exposed, whether it was Church of England or the streak of Calvinism that exists in some forms of Protestantism. Those raised Catholic or Baptist or Lutheran could easily tell like stories of behavior exhibited by co-religionists that was contrary to the Gospel message of Jesus. Please, God and Mr. Pullman, save us from the santimonious and self-righteous who worship at your altars!
I am of the protestant faith and I believe that this movie is disgusting. Is it the right of Hollywood to tell our children that God does not exist? When are we as Christians going to say enough is enough? God will prove himself to these atheists and the truth is, if they do not accept Jesus Christ as their savior they will go to hell. We as parents are to protect our children from the world and keep their minds innocent as long as we can. They are Gods precious gifts to us. Churches of all Christian denominations need to ban together and boycott this movie.
Churches of all Christian denominations need to ban together and boycott this movie.
I could not have said it better. We have to start taking responsibility for allowing this to go on as long has it has and some point stop supporting this trash. If in music or movies it's time to starting telling these kids NO IT'S NOT OK TO SEE THIS OR LISTEN TO THAT. We are the parents and not their friend trying to make them happy at the same time supporting this trash that is in our faces.
To many on this thread:
I offer an apology for when Christians have acted like they are perfect and spoken as if atheists are idiots... both things are clearly not the truth.
There are more apologies to give, but too many to list.
JesusFollower has it right. And the person screaming that those who do not accept God (meaning her version of a monster God who kills those who do not accept Him) has it completely wrong (these are the same ones who claim Catholics are not Christian). Truth be told, I've met many fine atheists and agnostics who act as though they know the Lord, even though they may not. These are the ones who'll have the first invitation to Paradise. As for threatening Christian fundamentalists, these ideological extremists cannot be allowed to speak for everyone, anymore than Islamic terrorists speak for the average Muslim.
Pullman you are great! I do not understand why catholics try so hard to defend their ideias, i think they are scared of losing the money thay people gives them every year. They are a bunch of liers and do not care about the destiny of our sould or all that crap. All they want is your noney! If Catholic league wanted to help us, they would not been charging 5 dolars for their booklet that explains why this books are wrong, they could just simply put it in their site.
I really enjoyed this book series. It was very imaginative. I will definatly be seeing this movie and taking my 2 older boys. This make believe story is very fun and entertaining. The authors personal beliefs do not change mine. And my children can understand fiction. They saw Transformers but they don't believe in robots taking over earth.
Luingirl, the Catholic League does not speak for all Catholics. So your comments are off the mark. But the real idiocy of the complaints is that Pullman's 'church' in his story is a Protestant one with Nicole Kidman playing a highly influential churchwoman, much the kind one would suspect might be active in British Anglican circles. Hmm, maybe this means that Protestants, particularly those of the Calvinist stripe, might be getting upset about the series. It seems, at the moment, the only ones screaming are evangelical Prots and ultra-conservative Catholics (and then the occasional anti-Catholic bigot like yourself).
Really, what is with all these people who r so nonchalant about such an important issue? We as a society need to open our eyes and stop being so ignorant and desensitized to the media and what they throw out to us, more specifically our children. We can be part of the solution-- or the problem for that matter. There is much more than you know in these movies. Ex. Did you know Harry Potter was based on homosexuality? KNOW what your kids are watching! This one is even worse! Not saying good or bad, but enough is enough, right? :)
mskate8Oct 30th, 2007 - 06:26:17 writes:
> We as a society need to open our eyes and stop being so ignorant and desensitized to the media and what they throw out to us, more specifically our children.
It seems to me the 'media' has nothing to do with 'throwing anything out at us' but in reporting objections by religious groups (i.e. ultra conservative Catholics and evangelical Christians) to a story written by someone who obviously is utilizing and reacting to hypocrisy he experienced growing up in a Christian/Anglican/Calvinist Protestant family.
>We can be part of the solution-- or the problem for that matter. There >is much more than you know in these movies. Ex. Did you know Harry >Potter was based on homosexuality?
Utter stupidity. From a an author's admission that a character was gay to your claim that Harry Potter is based on homosexualtiy is a far stretch and shows you are in dire need of perspective and critical thinking skills.
And what is wrong about Homosexuality?
The books and the films are for those who want to watch and read them, and everyone should be free to choose what they want. If some people think it is bad or wrong they should respect the others who like it.
And this trilogy is just great, i learned to look at the universe with diferent eyes, i can now stand alone and face the truth of being and insignificant being in a insignificant planet in this imense universe.
To Elf- You could not have said it better. Heidi, quick, remove all televisions, newspapers, computers and books from your house. For the love of Pete, your children just might run into reality.
As a Catholic my big problem with Pullman is that unlike Hitchinns,Hariss or Dawkins he single's Christanity out. At a time where historical evidence is Solidifying the reliability of the Gospel's and subsequently the historicy of the Resurection, it is sad to see that Athiests have to resort to back-door tactics like producing this film.
You've lots Athiests, admit it, people are comming back to Rome from a lifetime of misery propogated by Hitchins,Dawkins and Harris, you can know forgiveness to if you'll just come of you high horse and admit your wrong.
page: 1 2
Latest Headlines in Movies
- 1. Jason Sudeikis to go the 'Distance'
- 2. 'T.J. Hooker' to hit the bigscreen
- 3. 'Transformers' beats out 'Ice Age'
- 4. In Pictures: 'Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilary Swank Filming The Resident in Brooklyn'
- 5. The Beaches of Agnes (Les plages d'Agnès) - Movie Review
Marilyn LaCourtOct 14th, 2007 - 00:35:41
Why is it okay for Christians to proselytize but it's not okay for atheists, freethinkers and humanists to encourage kids to question and to doubt?
I sure would rather my grandchildren be offered something that encourages them to think critically than to be spoon fed dogma and expected to accept it without question.
It's never too early to teach kids to think for themselves.
To be honest with you, I didn't know about the atheist agenda of the author. But now that you've informed me, I can't wait to buy the box set of books for my grandchildren.
They will undoubtedly offer more than the Jesus dolls in stores for Christmas giving.
Report this comment