What I would like to understand on this Golden Compass movie?

Question

Is that most Christians are complaining and Atheists are uplifting, but are not Atheists contradicting themselves by basicly promoting a film or a set of books that supposedly kill God?
I mean after all Atheists believe there is NO God. But in this story or set of books, it is saying that there is a higher being that is killed or destroyed according to the story.

So how do you destroy something that is not there or that is not in existance
Thanks to all who answer, this is not to rile or ruffle any feathers, but to be able to understand the thoughts of others.
Have a Great Day

Jeez, eveyone please take a breath, this is just a question!
not to cause offense, but I guess many are offended

Tardis Girl
Atheists=One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/atheists
There is no in between Atheists, your either one or your Agnostic

Thank You Tardis Girl
Have a Great One...=)

and I mean that in all due respect TG

Answer 1

It's because it is work of laudable blasphemy in its depiction of an incompetent and mortal God, and does well in perverting the traditional images of religious concepts. Although doing that is not a new idea, I find that it is a perfectly viable one. Also, Pullman is an atheist himself...and that is the main reason why these protests are occuring, and the main reason why we find it disgusting (aside from the fact that it is ridiculous to protest a movie that actually watered down the very content you protest it for).

Answer 2

From what I understand its not the story that the Christians are upset about but the idea behind the story that they are upset about. The idea that religion is full of corruption.

I have been told from Christians that the author said that he wanted to destroy god in the minds of children in an interview. I have not been able to find the interview anywhere so I think its a lie but that is what they are thinking.

An atheist can kill god the same way a classmate can kill Santa. By making you believe he doesn't exist. I don't think its possible for a fictional story to do that and if you have strong enough faith, no words can take that away.

Answer 3

"I mean after all Atheists believe there is NO God."

Not all atheists believe there is no god. It's not so proactive. Most of us lack belief in gods, in the plural. Meaning over 2,000 deities.

As for the Golden Compass movie, I've neither read the book nor seen the film, but I think the author may have been commenting on the idea of god itself and the negativity of organized religious belief. Simply remember that it's a fictional movie, and equating the Golden Compass to an atheist rant is like assuming Harry Potter is advocating witchcraft. Neither a real god nor real witchcraft exists in my point of view, so why would I take a fictional movie so seriously? The same goes with Chronicles of Narnia. If the second movie gets better ratings, I will see it too. Heck, I even saw the Passion of the Christ, though the blood lust and cruelty of the entire film turned me off, but that tends to be how Mel Gibson's movies are directed.

It's silly to suggest that movies are wrong or liberal agendas to turn the most radical Christians into atheists. Simply enjoy the movie for what it is -- if there are interesting ideas beneath a work, then fine, but don't let the extreme Christians get riled up and promote censorship -- art must be free to look at all sorts of opinions.

Edit: Michelle, here's a definition of disbelief:

American Heritage Dictionary -
dis·be·lief (dĭs'bĭ-lēf') Pronunciation Key
n. Refusal or reluctance to believe.

Both a belief that there are no gods and a lack of belief, defined in this case as a "reluctance to believe" in gods are defined under the branch of atheism. The majority of atheists I know lack belief, and consider the possibility of gods to be very unlikely.

I disagree with many dictionary definitions of atheism, which are written from a monotheistic point of view, and consider atheism as the "denial of god" and so forth. I don't think it's an accurate appraisal.

Here's more food for thought.

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Weak_and_strong_atheism

"Strong atheism is a term generally used to describe atheists who accept as true the proposition, "gods do not exist". Weak atheism refers to any type of non-theism which falls short of this standard. Because of flexibility in the term "god", it is understood that a person could be a strong atheist in terms of certain portrayals of gods, while remaining a weak atheist in terms of others. Historically, the terms negative and positive atheism have been used to denote this distinction. "

Answer 4

I don't believe in Darth Vader, but I enjoyed watching Luke Skywalker fight him in Star Wars.

It is fiction, meant to be entertaining.

It just so happens that Christians actually believe some fiction is real, so they have taken offense to this movie.

I actually started writing a novel about angels having a war in heaven, several years ago. I don't believe in angels. But I thought the idea was entertaining.

This is not rocket science.


(I also remember a similar outcry when one of those Star Trek movies killed a character claiming to be "god". And word got out that ZOMG!! Captain Kirk kills GOD in this movie!" and the Christians were up in arms about it.

The sane people in the world can only look at these Christians in amazement, and wonder how they manage to operate machinery with the brainpower they display.

Answer 5

I have yet to see the movie, but I have read all three books: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass.

After years of hearing protests about the Harry Potter books and how evil they are (I disagreed, I've both read and loved those books), this is the first time that I've seen someone else notice that this trilogy had the audacity to kill God. Where are all the protests over this?

Sorry I didn't really answer your question. I guess I just needed to vent.

Answer 6

I don't really care about what happens in the book, my point is that it's a fiction book and as such it has no bearing on my belief or lack there of. Getting upset about this movie is like getting upset at "The DaVinci Code", it was a fiction book, and yet many took it as a proposed truth. Perhaps people that believe have a hard time in differentiating fact from fiction.

Answer 7

SPOILERS below
First of all, you should warn people before you give away the ending to a movie or book.

The children don't actually kill God. They kill someone who has usurped God's throne. I don't promote the movie. I just don't think children should be denied the opportunity to enjoy a good story. I didn't try to stop anybody from watching Narnia.

Answer 8

It's not real. The only one that can kill God or a God is Chuck Norris.

He Created everything that is known as the Universe!

Answer 9

Have you actually read the books, or are you just parroting what "they" are saying? I find nothing in the books about destroying God at all. I think people need to read them for themselves before they go believing everything that "they" say and find out for themselves. I heard a woman in Walmart the other day say that it was about children killing God, and that is false. She hadn't read it, that was what somebody told her.

Answer 10

Becuase the special effects are cool and the story is interesting.

Christians are boycotting it because it kills god

Athiests love it because Nicole Kidman is hot (well, and lets be honest, because it's fun to watch Christians get all riled up over nothing)