To watch the trailer for the upcoming film The Golden Compass, one would think it was going to be a great film. Sure there was that moment of weirdness when they talked about everyone having their own animal spirit guides, and a few other things that seemed a bit off, but hey, it’s Hollywood, right? Though usually I am a big fan of a film that stirs the imagination, this is one (or a series) that I can not endorse. Why, you might ask? Simply put, the author, Philip Pullman, in a 2003 interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, states rather candidly that “My books are about killing God.” The Golden Compass is the American name for the first book in the series (The Dark Materials Trilogy). Pullman is a strong atheist who says “I don’t profess any religion; I don’t think it’s possible that there is a God; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words ‘spiritual’ or ‘spirituality.'”
What Christians need to realize is simply this. According to Bill Donohoe of the Anti-Catholic League, the goal of this movie (which will supposedly be the tamest of the three) is this: “They [the studio] have dumbed down the worst elements in the movie because they don’t want to make Christians angry and they want to make money.” [Their hope is that] unsuspecting [and unthinking] Christian parents would take their kid to the movie and say, “Hey, that wasn’t so bad,” then go out and buy the books. “So the movie is the bait for the books which are profoundly anti-[Christian] and at the same time selling atheism.” SOURCE LINK
Naturally, Pullman denies much of this in a recent interview, as should be expected.
“Philip Pullman says that he is not the Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, but merely the first angel created in the Big Bang, bent on serving himself and withholding pleasure from man.” SOURCE LINK
Other articles of interest on this issue:
http://www.thirdway.org.uk/past/showpage.asp?page=3949
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/12/1071125644900.html
http://www.powells.com/authors/pullman.html
So when I read all of this, the verse that comes to my mind is the one that says, like a lion, the devil is very active – walking here and there about the earth looking for his next victim to devour. Many will be taken in by the slick special effects and the seemingly harmless kids story, but when the story’s creator comes out and says emphatically that his stories are about killing God, then that is a scary place to be.
Josh, I am so glad we had this conversation the other day. You are so much better than I am at getting the word out about things we just can not approve of. I’m glad you did all the research. You really helped me dialog this issue with Max. We must do whatever it takes to reveal truth to this upcoming generation. They are bombarded daily with deception cloaked as “entertainment”. Keep it up, my brother!
Speaking of cloaked. Anyone remember the movie “Cloak and Dagger”. I loved that movie as a kid. (I know nothing about the post but I saw that word and immediately went there, good post though and informative.)
I meant to say “I know this comment has nothing to do with the post”
the problem i’m having with the world today is this… it seems as though people do not realize that everyone has an agenda. some may be more hidden (like this movie), or others may be out there screaming from rooftops (fred phelps). it is only human nature to convince people that our way of thinking is the right way of thinking. it brings us comfort that we are not crazy, that we have a purpose, that a legacy will be left behind. i suppose the only thing to do is be aware of the dangers in our world, get what information we can, and decide for ourselves what is right- no matter how unpopular your choices are.
Thanks for the information! I used your article (Sorry I didn’t get permission- I did copyright it!) for my church bulletin in making my church aware of this movie.
You know what’s funny, I read this earlier but didn’t know give it much of a thought cause I didn’t know what Golden Compass was at the time – then I got interested in this movie and didn’t put the two together.
Thanks for the comment back to it!