Religious nuts and the movie "The golden compass".?

Question

For anyone that's read the books, did you find anything in there that was particularly 'anti God'? I didn't. (Excellent books btw.)

For people who believe in God it won't change their minds.

For people who don't currently believe in God - it'll open a world to them filled with angels, Gods and daemons. Impressionable types may confuse this with reality and open their minds to the possibility of God existing...

I.e. If anything, won't it turn more people towards religion? What are the God squad frightened of? Do they feel like they're letting God down by questioning his existence?

If God exists, he's a big boy. He can handle it. Why not question his existence and believe in him all the more afterwards...?

JC is the man. There's not really a question for you as you haven't read the books or seen the movie.

But out of interest - *if* there was a book that described God in a way that may turn an aetheist to religion (e.g. cause a non believing child to question whether God exists), is it 'anti religious'?

Dewcoons - no offence taken. Just happy there's a debate!

Answer 1

"For people who believe in God it won't change their minds." Exactly. Thank you. I'm a Christian, and I happen to really enjoy these books -- very well written, very interesting. I always thought that just the Catholic Church would have issues with them. Oh well.

Have a great day!

Answer 2

It is definitely anti-god in terms of the main religions' definition of God.

It is definitely anti-church, with the church performing the same sort of cruelty and inhumanities that it has done in reality, in the name of doctrine and dogma.


SPOILER ALERT: Do not read this if you want to wait for the books/movies.







In the book the universe exists. Nothing is said how it got there. Angels are formed from shadows/dust/dark matter. The first angel that coalesced out of the stuff of the universe decide to claim that he created the universe, rather than the other way around, and so set himself up as god. The mythology of the book then follows a somewhat biblical format, with a group of subsequent angels rebelling against this lie, but being defeated. The heir apparent to the 'god' angel is not even Jesus, but Enoch.

The third book covers part of the second war in heaven, with Lyra and Will allowing the first angel to die and return to the universe. They also release the souls of the dead, allowing them to escape from the hades like world the Authority has forced them into.

Answer 3

I have the books but have never read them, and have only recently been hearing the buzz over them and their anti-god stance. What I find funny is people get up-in-arms over something like this or Harry Potter, but voice not a single objection concerning a book that has religious themes or was written by a Christian such as Lord of the Rings or the Chronicles of Narnia.

I wonder why the double standard? And then I remember it concerns religion, and I answer my own question.

Answer 4

I'm only on the first book,

but as a general rule I think fantasy generally promotes the idea of spirituality and would open minds to at least considering the origins of the mysterious things in life.

Answer 5

Ok, I am a Christian so I guess you might call me a "religious" nut and I am aware of the movie but have not read the book and I probably will see the movie. So is there a question in here for me?

***UPDATE***
No, in that case I do not think it could in any means be considered "anti-religious". That reminds me of those that say postmodernism is "anti-religious" when postmodernism admits the possibility of God existing.

Answer 6

Well, you could find some things in them that were anti-god, but so what. They aren't dangerous. The first book was good, the second excellent, I thought the third was a serious let down.

Answer 7

I agree, but I think I can chanel the other side for you.

The book features:
1)A corrupt and politically motivated church, loosely based on the catholic church.
2)A priest/assasin.
3)Pre-penance for sins you plan to commit in the future, very blasphemous.
4)Angels and a God that are really, basically, aliens.
5)The death of a feeble "God", as he dissolves in a breeze.

I think it's pretty clear how the sensitivities of beleivers might get tweaked.


I agree, excellent books. I hope the movie isn't a crap interpretation.

Answer 8

The Golden Compass is written by an atheist and he claims that the books are about killing God. I have provided the Snopes link for you to read the article for yourself.

I have not read the books myself so I don't know if they would turn more people towards religion or not... I have too many other books to read.

Answer 9

You did not find anything anti-God? Are you blind?! THEY KILLED GOD! They said God was senile and deserved to die, based on their own moral judgements of what they saw in the land.

As for your statements of whether this may convince anyone of anything, you are mistaken. People are impressionable, and you know it. People are convinced of many things, just because they are on the screen. The viewpoint of the protesters is not really to stop the movie. The goal is to warn those who see it what is the true message of the movie.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Answer 10

The message of atheism is very clear within the books, and frequently stated by the author as the reason for writting the books. Think I will accept the author's interpretation over yours.

(No insult intended)