What percentage of children have become atheists after reading "The Golden Compass"?

Question

I assume the percentage must be greater than zero for some people to start an uproar, so I'm wondering what percentage of children have become atheists after reading the book (or seeing the movie).

Dude: You're right that the percentage would need to be greater than the percentage of naturally occurring atheists by a statistically significant amount. You're also right about needing to prove causation.

I think before we take those steps though, we need to determine what the percentage of children who convert to atheism is (because without that we can't do the other things).

Edward J: There's a difference between indoctrinating children and letting them watch a movie. I don't think Narnia indoctrinates children, just like I don't think the Golden compass does.

Answer 1

I don't know, but it would only mean something if the percentage were different than Christians who convert to atheism /without/ reading The Golden Compass. And even then, it's only correlation.

Answer 2

First of all Pullman is an agnostic and not an atheist. :) No, Pullman said himself(In an interview, visit his official website) that it is not an attack. I do find his depiction of the church to be very scathing and unfair however. The Golden Compass is a well written novel surely but it is difficult to determine a motive. I think personally that Pullman is surely expressing how he feels towards God but his agenda is not to turn people away from God. The world of the Golden Compass is confusing(God-wise) and the "God" in the novel has no apparent traits of He that Christians worship. If it is an attack it is a very poorly done attack. It is more of a critical review. I read this novel when I was younger(11 years old) and I thought it was a criticism of dogmatism or just his views. It did not cause me to come to any conclusions about God. I do not think that children will become atheists from reading the Golden Compass. Perhaps it will spark creativity instead? I only suspected him of having an agenda because I read a review written by someone who did!

Answer 3

Sorry, none have changed in my family yet...

Will go see it tonight, though and get back to you...lol


Man, people need to grow up or find a private island where they can get it all out with people of like minds...It is a story.

Harry Potter is read and loved by children and adults of all religions. Why can't people see that the Golden Compass is just as fictional and can be just as much fun?

Answer 4

i don't know the exact figure but i do know one fact that a lot of people are converting to atheism because they are not satisfied with the definition of the religion which they were given from the childhood. so its not entirely their fault. i wonder how what is the percentage and ratio of Christians, jews and Muslims converting to atheism.

Answer 5

What is odd is the atheists who complain regularly about not wanting their children to be indoctrinated now complain because theists don't want their children to be indoctrinated with their message. Edit: You don't think the Chronicles or Narnia indoctrinate but the the writer of the trilogy did and it was his response to the disgust of the Chronicles of Narnia that prompted him to write this series. Go figure.

Answer 6

Unfortunately, less than the % of children who read the book after seeing the film.

As for those other answerers, don't they know that you can't get more than 100% unless you are President Vladimir Putin?

Answer 7

From the sounds of things, just the act of merely seeing the concept art can result in contact atheism.

Answer 8

Lots of Jews have converted to Christianity

Answer 9

Probably the same percentage that became witches after reading Harry Potter.

Answer 10

What percentage of children even know what "atheist" means?