What do you think about 'The Golden Compass'?

Question

I am personally not against the movie whatsoever. I'm not catholic but, I'm not atheist or agnostic either. I'm just a christian. But, I think it's silly that the Church is accusing this movie as anti-religious. I mean, come on, its a movie. It's fictional. I have no idea why some christians are taking some things to an extreme. But, thats my opinion. What are your views?

Answer 1

i haven't seen the movie, so i can't give an opinion. i probably won't see the movie, because it's just not something that interests me. i think, however, that the controversy will make people want to see it. i also think that the Catholic and fundamentalist groups should back off and let people think for themselves. Christians are called to have a personal relationship with Christ, not one through the priest, bishop, and everyone else.

cataliz: have you seen the movie? it's not out yet; so how can you judge? a person cannot lose their faith over a movie. they can only lose their faith if they choose to. our connection to God cannot ever be severed. once we take Christ in our hearts, he lives there always, no matter what we do. believe me, i've been there and He has pulled me back, i'm grateful to say. get some faith, will you?

Answer 2

The issue is not with the movie, per se. But rather with the idea the movie could inspire kids to read the books (oh the horror) which do have a decidedly anti-religion tone.

However, I believe if one is strong in their faith, they should not have any fear of influence from alternative ideas. Calling for boycotts of something that questions a particular way of thinking is an indication of fear. In this case, I assume it's fear their children might question their faith. If this is the case, then it begs the question of whether religion is a form of brainwashing.

EDIT:
I just got home from watching The Golden Compass. I really liked the movie, but I have to be very honest. The movie has a very anti-religion theme through out. The main crux of the movie is about destroying descent and preventing people from learning about anything that might challenge the ideology of the Magisterium which is a ruling body organized much like religion. The Magisterium are big on conformity and they kidnap children of other backgrounds/religion/ethnicity (I can't quite put my finger on the right word) and basically re-educate them.

I stand by what I said above and I'm actually happy a major Hollywood studio would make a movie like this. But the movie is not nearly as innocuous as the studio's spin would have you believe. And I think the religious groups who are basically endorsing the movie are probably trying to avoid giving the movie extra publicity that would come from controversy.

Answer 3

His Dark Materials is a Trilogy (The Golden Compass is the first book in that Trilogy) based on Gnostic Christian Beliefs.

The Gnostic Christians, however, believe a VERY different theology than Most Modern Christians and those two very different ideas are what is causing this controversy.

The Gnostics believed that the Deity that created this universe is not the True God. The True God is sometimes referred to as the Absolute. The false God, referred to as the Demiurge and sometimes The Authority, created this world and this Material world keeps us from reaching the enlightenment that would allow us to re-unite with the True God. The Demiurge is seen as a tyrannical dictator, with laws and rules that keep us in submission to him and away from the Absolute. In the Gnostic beliefs, destruction of the Demiurge would be a Good thing.

In "His Dark Materials" two children, Lyra and Will (His name is a play on words), are caught up in a final battle between heaven (Keep in mind that in Gnostic beliefs heaven is filled with bad guys... Not Jesus he was on the True Gods side) and earth. And Must fight the Demiurge and free the world from his control.

So It is definitely not a movie or series for Christians who can't see it, at least abstractly, from a Gnostic POV.

But I recommend it to anyone who likes different thought provoking ideas. But it is a good idea to study some of the Gnostic beliefs before hand so you can better understand the story. Otherwise you may end up going, "WTF?!"

Answer 4

Sadly, I'm not familiar with this movie, but I'm sure I'll hear some buzz about it fairly soon. What you're describing isn't a new phenomenon...there have been outcries against movies ever since I can remember for one reason or another. Ironically, it usually winds up making the movie more attractive to the public than dissuading them from viewing. And you're right (in my opinion), it is extreme. The easiest method to deal with a movie you find objectionable is to simply not pay to see it. Of course, on that point, many others disagree.

Answer 5

I think it's the same old song and dance. Anything that counteracts any major religions beliefs becomes anti-religious. But that's how major religions (and governments) keep their power, by censoring what they're followers see and even think. You can't have something (or someone) out in the world saying that this group is wrong, or there is another way of thinking, and not do anything because, it can form a "crack" in the beliefs. And then they lose power and that is completely unacceptable

Answer 6

It is atheistic in nature and it 'kills God.' When young, immature Christians watch this movie, their faith in God can end up 'killed,' or robbed. They may lose their faith in God after watching this movie, so why take this risk?

You can even say that 'it is a matter of life and death'! Without faith in a Saviour, there is no hope of eternal life.

This movie is one of the tools of satan to deceive mankind and makes them think that there is no God.

As Christians, we need to discipline ourselves, be discerning enough to know that the times that we are living in is evil, have the wisdom to 'choose the good and refuse the evil,' AND to 'abstain from all appearances of evil.'

Answer 7

While I have very little idea about the novels themselves, I think this is just plain overreaction on part of many religious people. If kids end up changing their faith because of the movie, chances are, their faith wasn't strong enough to begin with.

Answer 8

I'm not a catholic or Christian. I am going to see the movie.

Answer 9

Well it is anti-religious. It was meant to be. The author(who is agnostic) wrote it in response to "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis.

Do you think people just came up with this by themselves?

Answer 10

I saw the first 5 minutes on Yahoo's frontpage.... and I'm already pissed off at all the artistic license they've taken. Some things should be left as books.

Grrrr, I hate being a novel purist.