The title of this post is a sampling of the wisdom circulating by e-mail and from comments on the Fandango website about a movie called The Golden Compass. I saw the previews for this film when I went to watch the touching and Christmassy, "American Gangster."
The Golden Compass is really bad because...
IN THIS MOVIE THERE ARE CHILDREN KILLING GOD!!!
Holy crap! Do you have to scream in my ear? I haven't seen the movie, of course. It isn't out yet. I haven't read the books.
I'm thinking if those crazy kids can kill god, then maybe god had it comin', ya know?
Sounds like a movie for our church youth group. It opens December 7th.
Some people are athier than others. The ones with the most athi are the athiest.
ReplyDeleteAuthor Philip Pullman did at one point say he considers these books, the His Dark Materials trilogy, to be the atheist response to Chronicles of Narnia. So there's no point in reading an average athi response to Narnia: Pullman's is the athiest there is.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a refreshing point of view. I am so sick of getting into with people who condemn this movie. I have been talking about in real life with people, and they have never heard of it. It looks a good movie to me. I plan on taking my child to see it, I am very curious to hear what she has to say about it. She loves fantasy.
ReplyDeleteI didn't much care for the book, ok I admit I didn't finish the first one, but I'll be seeng this just to piss off the reich wingers.
ReplyDeleteViola, for Orthodox Christians, this time of year is the Nativity Fast. When Christ is born on Nativity we say Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Right now we greet each other with: Christ is in our midst! He is and ever shall be!
ReplyDeleteDr. Monkey, why would you see a movie just to anger someone else? I wouldn't recommend that. See it on its own virtue or don't see it at all I say. I want to see it because it looks intriguing.
Monkey see what reich wing do.
ReplyDeleteMonkey do opposite.
Welcome Olympiada to the Shuck and Jive menagerie.
Some are athier than others.
Some of us are most athiest.
Some of us think God died 1975 years ago.
Some think it is Easter.
It's hard to keep up.
Hi John, thanks for the welcome. I have been on Blogger since April 2005. Its nice to find a nice new blog. I am also quite left wing. I grew up in SF. I was a radical environmental activist and animal rights activist before I became an Eastern Orthodox Christian. I am glad you are aware of the Eastern Orthodox Paschal greeting. [grin] I have to admit, that was funny. I definitely think of myself as a Progressive Christian even though I am Eastern Orthodox! Incidentally, my church is right across the street from the Presbyterian Seminary in San Anselmo, CA. Anyways, I do feel the same as Mr. Monkey. I am chagrined by all this negative talk about this movie amongst my own. I have yet to see one Orthodox Christian say anything positive about it, and the people I mention it to have never heard of it... I even though about removing from priest from my friends on Facebook because of this group he joined, Do not support the golden compass
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13663055161
Are you on Facebook?
I don’t know why everyone is so worked up about the movie; I still doubt Hollywood will deliver a faithful adaptation of the book anyway, though I hope they can pull it off. I wrote a paper on Pullman a few years back, here’s a bit of what I said about Pullman and the book(s):
ReplyDeleteHis Dark Materials is a trilogy of books named from a phrase originating from Milton’s Paradise Lost. Author Philip Pullman conceived of the series as a follow-up to Milton’s epic poem. The critical acclaim and popularity the His Dark Materials books have enjoyed have cemented Pullman’s stature as a major young adult author.
Involving a fast-paced narrative, The Golden Compass centers on a secret scientific facility, where children are being permanently removed from their daemons. In a fantastic way, people in the reality of The Golden Compass bear their souls in an outward appearance; daemons. These daemons have personalities of their own, and have intimate relationships with their human counterparts. The heroine of the book is Lyra, and her daemon is Pantalaimon, who can change shapes at will, ranging from an ermine to a tiger. Children’s daemons have the ability to change shape, while the daemons of adults have settled into a permanent form. The concept of the soul given form by daemons lends an immediate fantastical edge to the narrative, and is a brilliant and intriguing way for the author to reveal aspects of the character’s nature. For example, Ms. Coulter, a complex villain of the book, had a frightening daemon in the form of a sinister orange-furred monkey. Pullman has said he feels fantasy generally doesn’t address our own world and basic humanity enough; the Daemons meet Pullman’s criteria for realism by enabling him to comment and explore the human soul.
The Golden Compass is filled with warring factions; witch clans; incredible sentient bears who wear sophisticated armor, including the bear king Iorik Byrnison, who bonds with Lyra; and more. It is apparent that the future of the world and its inhabitants is dependent upon the prophesized actions of the heroine Lyra, though she is unaware in large part of her importance. The His Dark Materials trilogy is best viewed as one work. In the first book, Pullman establishes overall themes that run through the work; themes referred by Pullman as "a myth of creation and rebellion, of development and strife," conflict between "the old forces of control and ritual and authority."
So Stushie, did atheists kill Jesus or was it the Jews or was it the Romans? The Gospels more or less rule out the first.
ReplyDeletehey flyguy, who cares? They killed him..and death couldn't contian Him.
ReplyDeleteGlory be to the Resurrected Christ
BTW Shuckie, every Sunday is a little Easter!
"Who cares" who killed Jesus???
ReplyDeleteIt's a reasonably important question and one that has caused an AWFUL lot of drama over the years (see the Oberammergau Passion Play and its political ramifications).
Again, the whole issue over "Golden Compass" is just stupid. When C.S. Lewis writes a series of fantastical novels with religious undertones, it's brilliant. When it's an atheist, call out the spiritual troops. This is the "who cares" bit. Why are Christians so hysterical about this damn movie?
I am a Christian and not only am I not hysterical, I am offended by the hysteria! I fully intend to take my 7 year old daughter to see it, I want to hear what she has to say about it.
ReplyDeleteWhat's hysterical is that Pullman can only re-inforce a theistic viewpoint. The god that is killed off in the series is the worldly institutional god - an idol. Not much to be afraid of really, unless a straw man scares you.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIT'S A BLOODY FANTASY NOVEL. GET OVER IT.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, did that come across as shrill?
I think it also depends on the maturity of the child. I'm definitely going to see the movie. I love fantasy.
ReplyDeleteBut, it could serve as a good springboard for discussion with our young people.
I think we should never let someone else's view control our own reaction and moral or spiritual choice. As Christians we need to be discerning, and evaluate everything on it's own merit, and based on the mind of Christ.
Personally, sometimes I agree with conservatives, and then in other issues I might agree with a more progressive perspective. It depends on the matter at hand.
The Golden Compass is the film of the first of the trilogy, so to that extent the Fandago website contains a fundamental inaccuracy (whoops, I almost said "lie").
ReplyDeleteGod (a enfeebled old being kept alive as a virtual prisoner by a controlling Church) doesn't die until the third book, which also contains heroic gay angels, by the way.
Can't WAIT to see which studio dares to tackle The Amber Spyglass!
Welcome Prag!
ReplyDeleteNow I guess I need to read the books and see the film.
"God (a enfeebled old being kept alive as a virtual prisoner by a controlling Church)..."
Isn't that the truth...