Is The Golden Compass "movie" anti-religious and pro-atheist?

Question

A) Have you seen The Golden Compass?

B) Is The Golden Compass movie anti-religious and pro-atheist?

C) If you've read the books, are those anti-religious and pro-atheist?

Well, I went and saw it despite all of the harsh criticism. It was the same fantasy Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings type of film. You'd have to be getting really radical to pick those themes out of the movie.

I think parents are more concerned that there kids might discover the movie, then want to buy the books.

Answer 1

A) I have not seen the Golden Compass, but I have read all three books and researched the movie thoroughly, and when I do see the movie I will change my answer accordingly.

B) and C) The movie, and the book, is not Anti-Religious, it is against the bad things people do in the name of their religion, such as killing or enslaving people or forcing them to do something they don't want to do. It isn't Pro-Atheism, as I just explained, and the idea that it was created to convert kids to Atheism is ridiculous. The book was made to point out what flaws religion has and the need to change them.

Answer 2

Yes I have seen the Golden Compass movie...the books were much, much better but I still liked it.

The main theme of the books is the abuse of power... how the worst thing is to get your free will taken away from you and how you should never follow anyone or anything blindly. The books teach you to think about things yourself, rather than let someone else make choices for you. This mostly hints to the Church. The story takes place in another world, where something called The Church, or Magesterium, are the villains who basically try to take your free will from you. When I first read the Golden Compass, the religious themes just flew over my head. Didnt really notice the parallels. And the movie is very watered down so you don't notice at all. The Magisterium are simply the bad guys. So thats basically it.........The Golden Compass is anti-abuse of power. Pro-free will. Pro-thinking.

Oh and the god killed at the end of the 3rd book is not the real God. He is an imposter angel who was banished from heaven. God is good. Fake god bad. Everyone please read the books before jumping to conclusions. And anyway, they are just STORIES that entertain.

Answer 3

A) Yes, I saw it yesterday and I enjoyed it immensely.

B) Even as an atheist myself, I didn't view it as a "pro-atheist" movie. I'm completely flabbergasted at the reactions I've heard about it, actually. In fact, I went to see it with a Christian friend of mine, and she didn't find it 'anti-religious' at all, and doesn't see what the fuss is about. Why is it that Christianity is so quick to condemn anything that may or may not be 'anti-religious'? At the end of the day, doesn't everyone have their own beliefs and opinions?

C) I've read the first book, didn't like it much, and didn't bother reading the rest. My friends adored them though, so I know the basic plot line, and they aren't 'anti-religious'. The statement that the children 'kill God' at the end of the third book is incorrect, as they kill a fake God. The books are set in an Alternate Universe and its genre is FANTASY, so I don't understand the point of the argument. Also, the books have been out for years and yet the Catholic Church is just picking up on the 'anti-religious' themes?

I think everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, so people who don't think it's right to watch/read, don't see it. Just don 't ram opinions down other people's throats, let people make up their own minds.

Answer 4

A) yes
B) yes, anti-religion; not pro-athiest
C) yes, anti-religion; not pro athiest

While on a certain level, what you say it true, it is simply a fantasy story. However, it contains a message that for some may be(is) very important and profound.

The people that would cry out against this movie, they do so out of fear that some people may get this message. The message is very real and very dangerous.

Now that you have seen the movie, ask yourself again, why are these people so afraid? If you can't come up with a good answer, don't worry about it, sometimes just asking the question is all that matters.

Answer 5

A) Yes, and it was very good.

B) No, no and no! It's anti-dictatorship and pro-freedom, just as justmythoughts said. It's no more anti-religious than Harry Potter.

C) I've read them and I love them. They're not anti-religious at all. In fact, they're very religious. The entire trilogy is centred around religion. Many people are saying that the young protagonists, Lyra and Will, "kill God" in the third book. I would just like to point out two things: first off, it isn't God, it's an angel posing as God; second, they don't kill him per se, but accidentally let him out of a crystal and he sort of evaporates. (That may sound odd, but it makes sense if you read the books.) So the "God" that is killed is nothing but an imposter, the first angel that was made who claims he made the rest of them. What we learn to be the true source of consciousness is a substance called Dust, which represents the true God.
What's more is that the books are fantasy, set in a parallel world, and for crying out loud, fictional! No need for everyone to get to worked up about them.

Answer 6

A) Yup

B) Not enough for anyone to figure out.

C) They're supposed to be in that symbolic sort of way, but I read all the books when I was a kid and I didn't come away hating God. I never caught on that there was even a religious theme to it until two angels appeared in the third book, but even then it just seemed like any other fantasy book with its own twist on things.

If parents fear their kids are going to read those books and become heathens, then they're idiots. Personally, I liked the books, and it wasn't until I heard the movie was coming out and all the protests that I realized all the anti-religious themes in it. They're completely unnoticeable if you're not looking for them, and trust me, most kids aren't looking for them.

Answer 7

a- yes

b. no, I don't think it's anti religion. Only a person looking for an anti religion theme in that movie would find it. It’s not pro atheist. The movie was more anti dictatorship and pro freedom.
It’s about an exciting adventure to free the stolen children. Anyhow you don’t see non-Christians boycotting Christian films. I think people who are pro-family would love it. It is a great movie, better then Narnia and almost as good as LOTR.

c. I plan on buying the books now.

Answer 8

A) I havent seen it, but not because of religion, its because some friends saw it and said it wasnt very good.

B) These same friends are catholic and they arent complaining...plus(and this is my own thought here) in America, we have freedom of religion. So if some movie makers decide to be anti-religious and pro-atheist, they are allowed to

C) The books have some Anti-Religious bits in them, but again, Philip Pullman has freedom of religion and he can write whatever he wants

Answer 9

The chronicles of narnia, specially, the lion the witch and the cloth wardrobe grow to be organic christian allegory with aslan as God/Jesus, loss of existence so human beings ought to stay continuously and then increasing lower back. Lewis i think of continuously claimed it grow to be no longer, yet while it grow to be obvious to me as a toddler, then I doubt a lot of human beings gave his denials plenty credence. The Philip Pullman books of which the golden compass/northern lights is the 1st of the trilogy and it and something of the trilogy does comprise what's in result a faith it somewhat is on the incorrect element, it additionally consists of somebody who has set themselves up as god who must be defeated. on condition that Pullman is an atheist and has expressed great distaste for the chronicles of narnia, some human beings, somewhat american pseudo christians have taken great offense. the excellent situation for them might look that the trilogy "his dark supplies" is amazingly a complicated tale and that they do no longer look to be complicated thinkers. yet do no longer wait for something of the flicks back out, purchase the books and study them, video clips will by no skill have the intensity of any e book no rely what they do.

Answer 10

It turns the church into an evil organization and by the time we reach the third book, God is killed.

The movie has played down much of the atheist sentiment to make it a fantasy story, but some people are still getting bent out of shape over it