The golden compass

[Mave]

I'm usually open to not-so-Christian-friendly stuff but I think I'll skip this one.

Has this dude openly bashed other monotheistic religions such as Islam? I mean, if he hates religion and the idea of God so much, he might as well go all the way...

[Tenshi no Ai]

Has this dude openly bashed other monotheistic religions such as Islam? I mean, if he hates religion and the idea of God so much, he might as well go all the way...

Nah, they just like to pick on us :/

Some of his statements are sure hypocritical from what I read, I'd actually love to hear CS Lewis debate against him, but too bad Pullman gets the upperhand cause he's arguing with a dead man :/

First off, he calls Narnia 'religious propaganda'. Oh no, someone wants to share their faith in a story in a positive light. What does an atheist like him do to share his belief? Show the other guys in a negative light -_-

Also, I read something where he calls CS Lewis racist and didn't think highly of women. Ummm wait a sec... when was Lewis alive? Wasn't it an era when many many people WERE still racist and women didn't have all the rights they have today? Sheesh...

It's not the stories, but his attitude that's annoying. Some atheists have the attitude 'people can believe what they want, I just don't believe in it myself' but for him to go to the lengths to basically say 'you suck', well, thank you and I wonder why people find you offensive -_-' In my mind, I personally don't think anyone should make a judgment a belief until they've attempted to fully understand what it's about, and I do not think many people make that effort. I mean, a tyrannical God? Did he even BOTHER ever trying to read NT?

By all means, atheists can create fantasies with their ideas in it, it's just not nice to put others down in the process :/

[bigsleepj]

I'm usually open to not-so-Christian-friendly stuff but I think I'll skip this one.

I usually am too, but Pullman is too blatant.

Has this dude openly bashed other monotheistic religions such as Islam? I mean, if he hates religion and the idea of God so much, he might as well go all the way...

He has stated in an interview I once read of him that he puts all monotheistic religions in the same basket (my words). But basically, since he comes more directly in contact with Christianity and came from an Anglican family he attacks what he better.

[uc pseudonym]

What does an atheist like him do to share his belief? Show the other guys in a negative light -_-

Pullman is far from my favorite person, but in his defense: wouldn't any promotion of his brand of militant atheism essentially be Christianity in a negative light?

[~darkelfgirl~]

Wow, thanks for mentioning that. I never would have known. Very eye-opening.

[Danderson]

Their just advertized the trailer on myspace today....and I'm so annoyed with it.....I mean not only does it look like a cool adventure but they just had to use one of the greatest tracks off of the Lady in the Water soundtrack!!! WHY!!!!!! Why Couldn't it have been for another movie?!!!! I really hate it when great music is misused and/or abused.

[Alexander]

Sadly, considering I always read the book before seeing the film, and because the books are no good for you if you're a Christian, this is a double bad situation for me.

Ah well, such is how it is. I'll politely skip this series and read something else.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Sadly, considering I always read the book before seeing the film, and because the books are no good for you if you're a Christian, this is a double bad situation for me.

Ah well, such is how it is. I'll politely skip this series and read something else.

Really, it's just an issue of what you feel your limits are, or what you can take. I'm sure there are Christians out there who can read the whole thing, filter the message of the story out, and be just fine. I wouldn't say it's bad for christians to read in the sense that smoking is bad for humans, but it's inadvisable for many christians in the same way Peanut butter is inadvisable for some humans.

[the_wolfs_howl]

I have a problem with getting very overheated about some issues - not the right way to deal with them, but there you are. For example, when my dad read The Da Vinci Code and told me about it, explaining what all the fuss was about, I got so angry I was nearly seeing red - and I hadn't even read the book! I mean, if I had read the book, I'd probably try to burn it or something - unlike Harry Potter, some people who don't know any better believe it to be the truth about Christianity, which is wrong, wrong wrong!

It was the same way for me with these books. A friend of my brother's recommended them to us, so I read them. I really liked the first book; I thought it was written well, and the slight anti-Christian themes just made me sigh at the inevitability of it. I read the second book, and was still able to enjoy it, though I frowned more and more at the anti-Christian stuff. But then the third book came around, and I started getting really angry at the increasing anti-Christian themes. About a fourth of the way through the book, I came to a part where someone (I think it's one of the angels, though I could be wrong) says something to the effect of, "That's right. There is no God." At that point I threw the book down and didn't pick it up again for a long time. I got so angry that I was breathing heavily and my hands were shaking. I know that's the wrong approach to it, but that was my reaction. After I got over the initial shock or whatever at seeing such a blatant denial of God (and after I stopped repeating under my breath, "The fool says in his heart there is no God."), I picked up the book again just to see what would happen to the characters. But then I discovered that I didn't even care anymore. I mean, as they continued and as things just got even worse in my mind, I found I didn't even care if Will and Lyra survived or not. So, way to go, Pullman. You've discovered the perfect way to make a reader apathetic I finished the book just because I don't like knowing I didn't finish a book I started, but I could have cared less if the world had ended and everyone had died right there.

So I'm not going to watch the movie, for three reasons: 1) I'll get so angry that I might start screaming and trying to tear the movie theater down. 2) The reasons specified in this article we're talking about. 3) The trailer didn't make the movie seem that appealing anyway; it looked nothing like what I imagined - too cartoony and colorful and just overall unrealistic.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Atheists are funny. And kinda stupid. But whatever.

My cousin lent me the books. I guess she didn't notice the anti-Christian themes.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

The Da Vinci Code's success has made Hollywood more daring. Where's a thunderbolt when we need one?

I think Hollywood NEEDS to be more daring. Try watching foreign cinema and you'll see stuff that Hollywood would not even dare to try.

I'd say that Oldboy is a prime example of this.

That being said, I hope that the Watchmen movie will retain the same ending that occurred in the novel. Hollywood needs to step up and take bigger risks and express new ideas without having to be worried of what "the masses" will think.

Although I'm speaking in terms of general information being given to an audience, not specifically in terms of just theology. But I'm a tad bit off topic, aren't I?

Anyway, for my two cents. I have never heard of this trilogy nor have I heard of the author. But what people are saying about the books (Namely the third one), I got to say that I'm pretty astonished. I'll probably skip this movie; mainly because I tend to not watch them in theaters a lot.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Old Boy was extremely good and very well done but just a little too dark and disturbing for my liking.

[rocklobster]

BTW, the Catholic League is boycotting this movie. Perhaps we should join them.

[uc pseudonym]

That being said, I hope that the Watchmen movie will retain the same ending that occurred in the novel. Hollywood needs to step up and take bigger risks and express new ideas without having to be worried of what "the masses" will think.

It would be a terrible, terrible thing if they changed the ending of Watchmen. Making a change like that would be exploiting the coincidental things that make it worthwhile but robbing the story of its real meaning and value. Which is to say that I essentially agree with you.

[heero yuy 95]

I've read an artucle about the author and he seemed pretty anti-Christian. I saw the trailers and i'll admit, the movie looks pretty cool, but i'll skip it if just to keep from helping this jerk's agenda.

[bakura_fan]

http://www.pluggedinonline.com/thisweekonly/a0003516.cfm
this is a description about the whole series of his dark materials.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Plugged In Online is a bit too conservative, so while you should be discerning with the series, they will pick up on the trivial things and condemn them - 'oh noes, they drink wine' etc.

[bakura_fan]

well plugged in online i believe is there to tell all. Especially for parents who may not want their little one's exposed to that sort of stuff (drinking, smoking, sex inuendo, etc). Yes they do go a tad overboard sometimes, but I find them quite informative.

[heero yuy 95]

well plugged in online i believe is there to tell all. Especially for parents who may not want their little one's exposed to that sort of stuff (drinking, smoking, sex inuendo, etc). Yes they do go a tad overboard sometimes, but I find them quite informative.

Ditto, i'd rather them be too conservative then too liberal and just leave random stuff out or be like, "Well, if you just look away at this and that, it's still pretty entertaining.." @__@ I read them alot, and like their reviews.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

But they don't review realistically. They review as if your family is made up of mum and dad and really young kids, like 5 year olds. At movies like Lord of the Rings get weighed against this? Ridiculous.

As for The Golden Compass, have the movie makers even read the novel? It's not for kids, more for mature teens and up. It's too philosophical, to psychological, too deep and dark for most kids. They just wouldn't understand it.

[Nate]

Trust me, you haven't seen unrealistic, far too conservative reviews. XD I won't share the site on here, to avoid unnecessary arguments, but man. It's absolutely ridiculous.

Let me put it this way. They marked down a movie about Jesus's life because young Jesus wandered away from His parents to go to the temple, if you all remember. They said it could inspire rebellion in children.

YEAH. Wrap your head around THAT one.

[ADXC]

As you guys have said about the start of the Compass trailer from the makers of the Chronicles of Narnia... Really and then I wait at the end of the promo and in little tiny letters it says PG-13. And Chronicles was PG. Now how they can compare that to Chronicles is beyond me.(Sure maybe the adventure part, but what about its content? Society today is forgetting the word content.) Sometimes people don't think much of these tiny letters, but really there is most certainly something to fuss about. Can you really take the same audience from Chronicles and put them into Compass and get the same result?(With the same mind set that they got from after watching Chronicles. I doubt it.) And are Compass books(Sorry I don't know the name of the series.) really as much a classic as Chronicles books?

[Fish and Chips]

Let me put it this way. They marked down a movie about Jesus's life because young Jesus wandered away from His parents to go to the temple, if you all remember. They said it could inspire rebellion in children.

YEAH. Wrap your head around THAT one.

All while infamously rating the Lord of the Rings, the Lion King, and the Parent Trap as less suitable for family watching than the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Yeah, what.

Oh right, and drinking wine in the Passion of the Christ. Nearly forgot about that one.

[mitsuki lover]

First you shouldn't bash the studio making the movie.It's part of their buisness to create movies from various sources.Some of them will be agreeable to some people and others will be agreeable to other people.
They can't please everyone all the time.If you sit down and think about it
the scriptwriters who worked on the film had to have a general knoweldge of the books in order to do a good job.
I think Pullman might have had something about it on his website the last time I looked it up.
Second,yes it might have a message that we might not agree with,but on the other hand there is no such thing as a messageless movie these days.
Third,the movie has to be judged on it's own merits and from the trailers they have shown in the tv ads it looks pretty good.I would say that it is
a step ahead of 'Beowulf' or '300' at least it is something you can take the family to.
Fourth,I think the same movie company as another movie out called
'The Water Horse'.

[Danderson]

But they don't review realistically. They review as if your family is made up of mum and dad and really young kids, like 5 year olds.

Actually, from how I see it, I think they (Pluggedinonline) do a good job with what they do. Here's why:
They show you what content is in the movie so that THE VIEWER can determine for himself whether or not this is a movie he or she should be watching.
Sure they have their opinions about films...their reviewers...DUH!.....But they at least show thier opinions at the end of the review and from a perspective that is definetly What Would Jesus Watch....
I'd like to say that it's becuase of the reviews from this site that I've been able to both watch movies knowing I can handle what'll come on screen...and to avoid movies that I might not have known had certain things in it that I'd rather avoid.....

Anywho, that's my opinion on that....Let's get back on subject....I thought their review of the books was pretty straightforward and definetly makes u think twice before going to see the movie.....

[Mr. SmartyPants]

First you shouldn't bash the studio making the movie.It's part of their buisness to create movies from various sources.Some of them will be agreeable to some people and others will be agreeable to other people.
They can't please everyone all the time.If you sit down and think about it
the scriptwriters who worked on the film had to have a general knoweldge of the books in order to do a good job.
I think Pullman might have had something about it on his website the last time I looked it up.
Second,yes it might have a message that we might not agree with,but on the other hand there is no such thing as a messageless movie these days.
Third,the movie has to be judged on it's own merits and from the trailers they have shown in the tv ads it looks pretty good.I would say that it is
a step ahead of 'Beowulf' or '300' at least it is something you can take the family to.
Fourth,I think the same movie company as another movie out called
'The Water Horse'.

I don't think anyone is bashing the studio that made the movie... the only bashing/flaming (If there is any) is directed towards Pullman and his works of literature.

[uc pseudonym]

Or even his works of literature. I was a much younger reader when I read his series, but it struck me as competent fiction at the time. My only objection is to the manner in which he promotes his agenda (even there he has a right to do so, I just have a right to object).

[Nate]

from a perspective that is definetly What Would Jesus Watch....

Jesus wouldn't be watching movies/TV shows or playing video games. He'd be out helping in soup kitchens, building homes with Habitat for Humanity, and preaching on street corners. So to claim it's done in the style of "What would Jesus watch" is ridiculous.

I thought their review of the books was pretty straightforward and definetly makes u think twice before going to see the movie.....

Didn't make me think twice. I'm still going to go see the movie, because as I said earlier, polar bears in armor, man. That is epic winrar.

i'll skip it if just to keep from helping this jerk's agenda.

Skipping it won't hurt his agenda. The movie studios have already paid money for the rights to the series]why[/i] you're not going to go see it. To them you not seeing it because of its atheist undertones, is no different from the guy who didn't go see it because they think fantasy stories are for wimps. In fact they are MORE likely to interpret it as "Fantasy genre movies are not profitable" than they are to interpret it as having anything to do with the religious beliefs presented (or attacked) in the movie.

And by the way. To everyone, I just want to say something. None of us have seen the movie. How do we know the atheist undertones are even still prevalent in it? You can say "It's based on this book!" all you like. But the new Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe movie was based on a movie with Christian undertones, and a lot of them were removed from the movie, weren't they? Jurassic Park had a lot of "man playing God" undertones and the implication that science cannot control or predict everything. This was dumbed down to a horrible extent in the movie so that it was just "LOOK DINOSAURS ATTACKING PEOPLE."

Lots of things are dumbed down when they're put to film, and this movie may not be any different. Like Jurassic Park they may have dumbed down the atheism to the point where it's just "LOOK POLAR BEARS WEARING PLATE MAIL." Sorry to keep mentioning those polar bears, but man, they're just too awesome.

[termyt]

I haven’t seen too much flaming controversy surrounding this film. I think the Christian culture has learned a thing or two about how to handle things we don’t like. I don’t expect to see a lot of picketing except, perhaps, from the same type of loons that picket funerals with “God hates you” signs.

What I have seen is a lot of folks raising warning signs designed to simply inform folks what the movie and – more to the point – the books are really about. That’s a good thing. We don’t need to picket or petition or demand this movie or the books be banned. We simply need to stay informed and vote with our wallets. When Christians decide to not buy things en mass, those things tend to do rather poorly and fade from pop culture.

[Mave]

I'm generally fine with the extreme conservative approach PluggedInOnline is taking. That doesn't mean I agree with them or take notes from them. I may even have a quick laugh or two over some statements or opinions I totally cannot relate to/find amusing but I take all reviews (yeah even those **secular** ones) with a grain of salt.

What?

What do you mean you don't read any other reviews apart from PluggedInOnline?



The point Nate made: Fair enough. I'm going to wait for someone here to watch the movie and give us feedback on it. Until then, I'll happily go do something else. I always do this for all movies (i.e. wait for my friends to comment on it before deciding to watch it hehehehe), so why should it be any different from this particular movie?

If the books are as UC describes them, I don't want to read them. But neither am I flaming Pullman to hell.

As for Narnia or Jurassic Park, I don't think they were dumbed down as much as you described them, Nate, but this is just my opinion. From the movie, I still got the gist that Jurassic Park was about man trying to play God and the implication that science cannot control or predict anything. Narnia was a little bit more vague but then again, I didn't think the Christian tones were that blaringly obvious in the book either.