The Golden Compass: Anti-Religion or Anti-Anti-Religion?

[KingVoyeur]

For a movie that hasn't even come out yet, there sure is a lot of uproar from both the religious and atheist camps.

Be warned about the below story, they give away several major spoilers from the entire book trilogy.

Pro-Atheist 'stealth campaign' in 'The Golden Compass'? (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,305487,00.html)

I've only read the first book, so I can't really comment on the themes of the later novels, but I didn't really see it as "pro-atheist." I saw it being less against religion itself and more against the way some people try to use religion as a tool to control people and politics (or change the plot of a movie!). For people who have read the entire trilogy, what else pops up that people would have a problem with?

I do have a sidenote about the above "news" article. I've heard about this issue with the film before, but man! Whoever wrote this article seems to have not actually read the story yet at the same time has a well-founded dislike of it. The summary is pretty incorrect ("demons" instead of "daemons", two different things) and the writer seems to be bashing it in places instead of just describing it. Granted, it does come from Foxnews.com, which usually leans more conservative, so I guess I really shouldn't be surprised. More liberal sites use spin too though, I just wish news agencies would just report instead of trying to influence the way we think. :mad:

[neglet]

Well, there are a few things in the last two books that fundamentalists have a problem with, the least of which are the two male angels who are soulmates. I don't want to give any other plot points away, but suffice it to say that the trilogy is a retelling of "Paradise Lost" and deals with concepts such as free will, challenging authority (especially church authority), and the nature of good and evil (did a "fall" make humans inherently evil?). Needless to say, many of the author's conclusions are not what many religious authorities would like you to believe.

Pullman has made no effort to hide that he is an atheist, and that he dislikes so-called religious authorities who think they should dictate how we live our lives, so I'm not sure why they're calling the movie a "Stealth campaign" against Christianity. You didn't see atheists up in arms against the first Narnia film for its "stealth campaign" to proselytize children into Christianity. Idiots like this should keep their preaching in churches and leave books and movies the hell alone.

[DarkJedi]

Not sure why there's even an up-roar here...After all, Nicole Kidman, who grew up in the Catholic faith has already said New Line is taking out the Anti-Religion tones of the story for their films.

As reported in August:

http://www.mania.com/55786.html

A little bit of news for all you fans of Phillip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIAL trilogy. The first movie adaptation for the series, THE GOLDEN COMPASS, is hitting theaters this December and a lot of people have been wondering how New Line is planning on covering the "Anti-Catholic" tones involved with the story. Easy solution, says actress Nicole Kidman who stars in the film and was raised as a Catholic .. Take the references out of the equation.

"It has been watered down a little. ... I was raised Catholic. The Catholic Church is part of my essence. I wouldn't be able to do this film if I thought it were at all anti-Catholic."


The EW magazine goes on to state New Line has taken out any reference to Catholicism. Instead, the malevolent organization that snatches children to surgically remove their souls is referred to in the movie only as the Magisterium.

[omicron]

"It has been watered down a little. ... I was raised Catholic. The Catholic Church is part of my essence. I wouldn't be able to do this film if I thought it were at all anti-Catholic."

Yeah, I'm sure the 17M she got for the role wouldn't have made a difference either.:rolleyes:

[Johnzilla]

I don't understand why some Christians can't separate fiction from reality. If they have such a great faith in God, fictional books and movies shouldn't be a threat to them or their family. It all seems ridiculous to me!

[Jakester]

Why? Becasue if they could separate fiction from reality, then they'd be athiests.

[Bark]

Don't blame just the Christians. The Jews started it. Hey-ooooo! :D

(For those clueless, Judaism is the Old Testament to Christianity's New Testament. Get it? I knew you would. :wink: )

[WhiteKnight]

Why? Becasue if they could separate fiction from reality, then they'd be athiests.

That was cynical and snyde as hell. I love it! :D

[Jakester]

Clearly you've never read any of my other posts...

[Tricksterson]

I actually have more contempt for Hollywood than for the fundies. If they didn't want to offend people then they shouldn't have opted the series in the first place. It should be plain by now that no matter what they do the religious loons will object. Why ruin the series by trying to appease people who are going to hate you anyway. Having read the series I'm not sure it's really atheistic as anti-religion. It's more a gnostic take on Christianity than an atheistic one. I suspect this movie will suffer the fate of most attempts at moderation, namely everyone will hate it.

[Still Crazy]

I blame the flying spaghetti monster.

[omicron]

Ramen!

[Queen Mae]

I blame the flying spaghetti monster.

Have you been touched by his noodley appendage?

Was it al dente?