The Golden Compass

3rd December 2007 at 12:34:12 am

I have noticed lately on Facebook a surge of groups professing that “The Golden Compass” is an anti-Christian film.
I have this theory that more than half of the members of these groups have no idea that the film has been a book for a long time now, and I bet that half more of those left have never read it. This band wagoning disgusts me.
Some people see the words “anti-Christian,” and they’ll believe or do anything, claiming some kind of persecution or devil worship. As for myself, I have read “The Golden Compass,” and it was certainly not anti-Christian. Anyone who believes as such is so weak in their own beliefs that they probably don’t believe in the first place.

This book/series was an absolutely beautiful testament to the one constant in this whole shit-faced world: Love. Yes, I’m going to spoil the series by telling you it’s not about some damn anti-Christian plot, but is really a fantastic and gripping love story. It is the story of two people who lose themselves to find each other. It has all the elements that make a fantastic story: action, adventure, mystery, romance, and most importantly, plot.
Anyone who believes their beliefs are being attacked by a fantasy story never had solid beliefs to begin with and should leave the rest of us way the hell alone.
I can understand if someone has read the story, and didn’t like it, but pinning your dislike on something as childish and unfounded as anti-Christian is just spineless.

“The Golden Compass” was a fantastic novel, and if I could, I would be there this Friday right when the film opens.

Personally, I believe an open mind is the key to success in this world, and the sooner people realize that, the sooner we can move on as a species. Free your mind.

Posted by Tianon | Books, Entertainment, Movies

Author Bio: Tianon Gravi

Tianon is a programmer for a respectable software company.

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3 comments :D

  • 1) Secret-Whisp3r commented 8th December 2007 at 02:40:39 am:

    While you are right, and there is much more to “The Golden Compass” than anti-religious themes, the author does not hide the fact that his book, is in fact, anti-God.

    “Pullman has left little doubt about his books’ intended thrust in discussions of his works, such as noting in a 2003 interview that ‘My books are about killing God’ and in a 2001 interview that he was ‘trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief.’”

    If you do enough searching around you will find an LA Times interview with Pullman where it has more specific info of his rejection of organized religion.

    While this is true, I do think it is narrow minded to reject a story of any value just because of some of it’s religious undertones (that one is not required to agree with in the first place!).

    After all, it was John Taylor who said:
    “If there is any truth in heaven, earth, or hell, I want to embrace it, I care not what shape it comes in to me, who brings it, or who believes in it, whether it is popular or unpopular. Truth, eternal truth, I wish to float in and enjoy”

    So I do agree that people who reject these amazing books just because of the religious themes are narrow minded.

    Thanks-

    Secret-Whisp3r

    http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A23371-2001Feb18?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pullman

  • 2) PixelFish commented 9th December 2007 at 08:22:37 am:

    I really really wish that I could see the whole context of the “My books are about killing God” quote. All I keep finding are countless people using it as the headliner quote in Why The Movie Is Teh Evil.

    In any case, part of the novel I’m working on, features a scene where the predominant God creature of the world I’ve created gets killed AND eaten. (The eating is actually VERY important.) And technically, one of the main themes running through the story is how people relate to religion. There are characters that run the gamut from non-believers, to reluctant believers, to fanatic believers who use their beliefs to justify terrible behaviour, to good people who believe and find comfort, to people who wanted to believe but eventually came to realise that the culture around them was screwing them over. Much like the Pullman universe the powers that be have corrupted, but it’s a fantasy novel.

    And yes, God (or a god-like creature) does get killed/dies at the end of Pullman’s trilogy, but I think the important thing he was trying to say is that love, respect, free will, etc are all necessary….and that if a God-like being would try to contravene those in any way, it wasn’t worth worshipping just because it was God.

  • 3) Tianon commented 9th December 2007 at 12:17:49 pm:

    While I realize that Pullman himself may have been stabbing at God and Religion, I know how to enjoy a good story.
    My favorite painter, Jonathon Bowser (whose work, “Forest Mist” is currently hanging above me on the wall), believes certain things about the women he paints in his Mythic Naturalism series. What he believes, however, does not in any way hinder my enjoyment of his artistic work, since I have a thinking, reasoning brain of my own.

    What matters is what it means to me, because that is the interpretation I have to live with.