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'Compass' in the crosshairs

Catholic Church shares information on controversial movie with parishioners
 
The Catholic Church is waging an informational campaign among parishioners against the new children's movie, "The Golden Compass."
 
Set for release Friday, the PG-13 film stars Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig (the latest actor to play James Bond). The fantasy tale centers on a young girl's quest to rescue children held captive by a mysterious organization.
 
The movie is based on the award-winning children's novel by Phillip Pullman, an atheist. The book is the first in the trilogy, "His Dark Materials," which has been attacked for its anti-religious themes.
 
The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights recently published a 23-page booklet detailing what it calls the film's hidden anti-Christian agenda. The league is urging Catholics to boycott the film and is warning parents against buying the books for their children.
 
According to the Catholic League, the evil organization in Pullman's books is a metaphor for the church and its "authority," represented as an old man, is God.
 
Andrew Walton, spokesman for the Camden Diocese, said the church has informed parishioners about the controversy through the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Star Herald. The diocese isn't calling for a boycott, Walton said, because they tend to generate more interest in a film.
 
"If Catholic parents' responsibility is to do their best to bring their children up in the faith," Walton added, "my guess is that they'll not want to provide this kind of material for their children."
 
Clayton resident Janice Rael, a board member of Atheist Alliance International, believes if parents don't make a big deal over the movie's background, their kids won't even know there is any controversy.
 
Her children, ages 12 and 9, are interested in seeing "The Golden Compass," just as they were in seeing "The Chronicles of Narnia." (The Narnia films are based on books by Christian author C.S. Lewis.)
 
"If the kids want to see it, it doesn't matter what the original book's intent was," said Rael, 38. "The kids didn't notice anything overtly religious in "Chronicles of Narnia.' They probably won't notice."
 
Atheist Alliance International is declaring Dec. 9 as "Follow-Your-Own-Compass Day."
 
"All those who seek to consider all points of view should see the movie and discuss its message, free from censorship and prejudices," the organization stated in a press release.
 
David Silverman, national spokesman for Cranford-based American Atheists, said Pullman's novel is a fun fantasy that makes "poignant points that are very valid."
 
He agreed the books have an "anti-religion tone." Hollywood watered down those themes, making the movie more palatable for a wider audience, he said.
 
"American Atheists would never tell people not to go see a movie that makes them question or rethink their theological beliefs," said Silverman, whose 10-year-old daughter is reading the book. "We want people to think. We want people to get other ideas."
 
There always will be those who criticize and question the Christian faith, said Walton.
 
"They do not represent a real threat to Christianity by any means," Walton said. "From our view point, the truth of the faith will always overcome those who attempt to question it."
 
Reach Kim Mulford at (856) 251-3342 or kmulford@courierpostonline.com
Published: December 01. 2007 3:10AM

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I'm baffled how they can be so up in arms about the "hidden anti-Christian" agenda and not even realize their own BLATANT anti-atheist agenda.  Why is their agenda more important and valid than ours?  Hypicrits.

I read those books back when I was in 6-8th grade or so. I loved them, I'm ganna watch the movie(s).

When I figured out about the movie a little while back I tried find a trailer online and all I would get was about the Catholic Church being all pissed off .

I really enjoyed the movie. I hope enough people see it to merit sequels.

Damn - its out already?  I'm either getting old or getting slow, I didn't even realize....

2 things about this film... although it does look good.

they changed the 'alethiometer' to 'the golden compass' << this is absurd. It is no way a compass.

Should be called 'His Dark Materials', phillip pullman shouldnt have sold so many rights.

The other thing is that the catholic church made the film makers edit out all the sacrilegious or atheist references. Cant believe it, such a shame!

the bears look pretty awesome though XD

Quote from: "0dan1"they changed the 'alethiometer' to 'the golden compass' << this is absurd. It is no way a compass.

It points you towards the truth. Also, in the movie, it's called the alethiometer.

Don't these dumb people realize that banning the book and advising parents not to ket their kids see this movie is going to guarantee its success? This is the movie/book kids are gonna make a special point of getting their noses in.
AYT

Okay, we saw the movie today... the kid (7yo) lost interest about half an hour into it but luckily, he had his HUGE Palkia (pokemon) to keep him occupied and the wiggles didn't get him until the last 10 minutes.

(SPOILERS BELOW, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK)

While I bought the trilogy a few weeks ago, I deliberately didn't read them before the movie because I wanted the movie to stand on its own after all of the hype and previews.  That said...

It was an excellent movie.  The first half was very... abrupt.  It was edited so the scenes just flew by.  They had a lot to cram in, I know.
The characters were perfectly cast and the girl playing Lyra was fascinating.  I love Daniel Craig... and from many of his comments about the movie, he's either a non-believer or a sympathisizer.  :-)   And I'm not a big Nicole Kidman fan but she was phenomenal in this role.

And Ebert gave it 4 stars... not a common thing for him.  His stance is basically:  For what it is, a fantasy with a very high level of suspension of disbelief, it's excellent.  If it were not marketed as a fantasy, he'd not give it 4 stars and that makes sense.

It did give me the willies quite often for the religious allegory, but I could see that if it weren't a preoccupation for you, it probably wouldn't be a big deal.  But I was reading into it what I felt was there... the Dust being scientific thought or education; the Intercision being an elimination of a child's innocence so they can be brainwashed to believe what they are told.  It's all a shade more sinister than just a basic good vs. evil, IMHO.

I do recommend it though, especially if you like fantasy.  

I wonder if I can turn my cat in my daemon... Hmmm....

I saw the movie and I really liked it. I don't think that kids are going to connect it with religion at all... Although *I* had fun doing it.

Supposedly if the succeeding movies are made they will edit less out---thats what I read anyhow...The sacreligious stuff that is. Er---sac-bullshit ?

I swear, the fucking Catholics would boycott the cure for cancer if they thought it came from an atheist.  :x

I really enjoyed the movie, although you could tell they were rushing to fit into a 2 hour running time.

I wish it was a little longer, but enjoyed it.

I'm going to watch it with my kids this Sunday... takes the Army theater a bit longer to get things, but hey, it's cheaper when they do!

Quote from: "McWogg"Don't these dumb people realize that banning the book and advising parents not to ket their kids see this movie is going to guarantee its success? This is the movie/book kids are gonna make a special point of getting their noses in.
AYT

Shhh...don't tell them! Their brain might hit a gear and work for once!

It's a bit late now. Our local bookshop has a whole stand devoted to Pullman's works (with the "book of the film" strapline) and they were flying off the shelves.

Certainly the church here never seems to learn... they did a fantastic marketing job for Harry Potter, Jerry Springer - The Opera, ...

My wife has two 9  year old cousins (twin boy and girl) who are like our kids.  They stay with us sometimes, and their parents and maternal grandparents have recently caught the religion bug big-time.  

We were watching TV when the Golden Compass commercial came on.  One of them said, "I hate that."  I asked why and his reply was, "the guy who wrote it is evil."  I asked him why he was evil.  "Because he doesn't believe in God."  I didn't ask them if I was evil, since they don't really know that I'm an atheist.  If they did, their parents would forbid them from seeing us.  

I was just stunned by this brainwashing effort.  None of them have read the books.  They're just spouting the lines put into their mouths by their parents and the Christians.  They are very bright children, and their family is attempting to turn them into little bigots.  They often make remarks about gays, which they get their support for from the bible.  We always jump onto them for that.

I already posted this in a similar thread, but I really enjoyed TGC movie. I have not read the books. In fact I never heard of it until the movie was announced.

Imaginative, and with strong female characters (good and bad). I think it would be great for kids.

Quote from: "Smarmy Of One"I already posted this in a similar thread, but I really enjoyed TGC movie. I have not read the books. In fact I never heard of it until the movie was announced.

Imaginative, and with strong female characters (good and bad). I think it would be great for kids.

The books are fantastic. Really good writing, and very creative.

The 'His Dark Materials' trilogy was an utterly engrossing, spellbinding set of books. Pullman is a Hero.

I actually thought the film did quite a good job at putting many underlying messages across. It will be interesting how the next two turn out.

The nutters calling for it to be banned sounded pathetic. Especially the nonsense that it depicts sexual relations between two 14 year-olds. They shared a kiss for fucks sake! Pullman described the two protagonist's relationship in such a flawless way because at that point in a persons life, just the simplest kiss can form the most powerful and beautiful emotions. I certainly remember that period of my  life with great fondness.

Just a bunch of weirdoes spreading heresay and grossly incorrect gossip to reinforce their own obnoxious agenda.

Quote from: "karadan"Especially the nonsense that it depicts sexual relations between two 14 year-olds. They shared a kiss for fucks sake! Pullman described the two protagonist's relationship in such a flawless way because at that point in a persons life, just the simplest kiss can form the most powerful and beautiful emotions. I certainly remember that period of my life with great fondness.

Yeah, that was a great time.  Too bad "nothing gold can stay", huh?

Hehe, when I was in 2nd grade I was once got kicked out of class, during a film, for kissing a girl --- she got kicked out with me, and we had to sit at our desks in the empty classroom while the rest got to continue watching the film in the other room.  If they actually thought there was something sexual going on, they probably shouldn't have left us alone together in a room    !  In all fairness, at the time, I wasn't sure if I was more horrified of getting kicked out of the class or that I had actually made lip contact with a girl.  It was one of those stupid kid things:  "I bet you wouldn't!  Sure I would, but I bet you wouldn't!".  Looking back at it, I can't remember her name or what she looked like, but I guess she'll always be cool to me: first girl who ever took a chance with me!  And she was cool - we didn't rat each other out (the rest of the class did that - bastards!) or dislike each other - just took our punishment and went back to life as usual.

Ah, the joys of childhood, when everything was new and exciting and your life changed on a daily basis.....  (still, it is sort of peaceful to be over the drama of it all).

And, I agree that protesting this point (even though I haven't seem the film) makes a person appear to be a "nutter" (Is that Aussie dialect, or UK?)

Quote from: "SteveS"And, I agree that protesting this point (even though I haven't seem the film) makes a person appear to be a "nutter" (Is that Aussie dialect, or UK?)

Tee hee, it is UK dialect although the Aussies use it too, i'm sure

You won't see the kiss in the first or second films, but the third.