This is a comment from the Vatican's editorial:
"In Pullman's world, hope simply does not exist, because there is no salvation but only personal, individualistic capacity to control the situation and dominate events..."The Vatican's condemnation of the film is the icing on the cake. Their critique is so off-base that they make the very point Pullman makes. Christianity is spiraling downward into self-parody.
I saw the film a couple of weeks ago. First of all, it was mild. You had to search for any references to religion. It is not a complex philosophical or theological cinematic event. For what philosophy there was, I thought it was quite hopeful. It was about freedom of thought and being courageous. It is about standing up to bullies.
This film is critical, certainly. It is critical of those who confuse truth with power.
If the Vatican has trouble with this little film, then the film exposes the Vatican for what it is.
I agree. I think the Christian protest against this film is creating the very thing the protesters are protesting. If anything, the protests are making this movie look like a really big deal, and yet they're saying that it's really nothing.
ReplyDeleteAs it is, if this movie is enough to drive someone away from Christianity, then I really don't think the person's faith was that strong to begin with. Well, someone supposedly "firm" in the faith. I don't know what it would do for a very wavering faith.
I'll be seeing it on DVD and then after which I shall re-dedicate my life to the Dark One, Tiger Woods.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what Buddhists think of this film. Anyone?
ReplyDeleteI'm still completely missing the point here. Why am I supposed to be upset with this movie again, Your Holiness?
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I know what he thinks about Protestants, so I'm not that concerned about his opinion on this.
Well, I saw the movie, and loved it. I enjoy epic fantasy in general.
ReplyDeleteTo me, it had a very positive message. It was all about searching for truth, exposing corruption and lies, and not blindly accepting dogma, and then speaking truth to power.
Personally, I can't see what it had to do with Christianity at all, or why anyone would see this as a threat to the Christian faith. I don't get it.