Golden Compass Movie
Gerry Mattix-Wand
Walt Jones, DD76 sent out this notice about the Movie "The Golden Compass" set to be released Dec 7.
"This movie is based on a the first book of a trilogy by atheist Philip Pullman. In the final book a boy and girl kill God so they can do as they please. Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview that "My books are about killing God." The movie is a watered down version of the first book and is designed to be very attractive in the hope unsuspecting parents will take their children to see the movie and that the children will want the books for Christmas. The movie has a well known cast, including Nicole Kidman, Kevin Bacon, and Sam Elliott. It will probably be advertised extensively, so it is crucial that we get the word out to warn parents to avoid this movie."
I had heard about Philip Pullman and his decidedly anti-Christian views, but I wanted to know more. It is clear that we need to spread the word about this movie. This is not a movie (nor an author) that is writing fantasy fiction for entertainment value. It's author has carefully crafted spledid worlds and eye-candy to spread a message that religion is a foolish waste of time and that God should be killed. If you want to read more for yourself, an article about Philip Puillman, published in the "New Yorker" can be found here http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/12/26/051226fa_fact
I also checked to see what snopes (the site that attempts to debunk urban legends) had to say about it the following is what I found at: http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp
The Golden Compass, a fantasy film starring Nicole Kidman that is scheduled to be released into theaters on 7 December 2007, has been drawing fire from concerned Christians. The film is based on "Northern Lights" (released in the U.S. as "The Golden Compass"), the first offering in Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy of children's books, a series that follows the adventures of a streetwise girl who travels through multiple worlds populated by witches, armor-plated bears, and sinister ecclesiastical assassins to defeat the oppressive forces of a senile God.
Books of the trilogy have sold more than 15 million copies around the world, with "Northern Lights" winning the Carnegie Medal for Children's Literature in 1995 and in 2007 being awarded the 'Carnegie of Carnegies' for the best children's book of the past 70 years. "The Amber Spyglass", the final book of the series, won The Whitbread Prize in 2001, making it the first children's book to do so.
The series' author, Philip Pullman, is an avowed atheist who has averred that "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.'" Critics of Pullman's books point to the strong anti-religion and anti-God themes they incorporate, and although literary works are subject to a variety of interpretations, Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald that "My books are about killing God." (Conservative British columnist Peter Hitchens labeled Pullman "The Most Dangerous Author in Britain" and described him as the writer "the atheists would have been praying for, if atheists prayed.")
Please avoid this movie (and the books) and encourage the good Christian people that you know to do the same.
-gerry