Why is everyone getting so worked up by the Golden Compass?

Question

I cannot understand why religious groups are wanting to boycott the golden compass.....its only a story, just like the bible!

Im a bit bemused by the response from gagirl....the book is influencing the minds of children...so what is teaching religious education in schools doing? same thing isn't it?

Answer 1

Because Nicolle Kidman is so hawt, you can't help but get worked up.

Answer 2

Personally it's not just the Golden Compass I would be avoiding but a lot of mainstream media. And unfortunately "it's only a story" doesn't wash no matter what story you refer to. If it was story about pedofiles, or other such mainstream acknowledged evil, you would not say "it's just a story." Stories influence as do movies.

I think its unhealthy to advocate a position that is anti God and anti religion as those are the things I consider to be moral centres in our society. I don't understand why people continue to attack a basically good thing (religions) despite past mistakes. Therefore I would not want to go and watch a movie that takes this position. If this movie was vilifying another group, a minority not based in religion there would be no question, people would be outraged. Whenever religious groups or entities are attacked we are meant to sit back and allow it to happen. That would be an injustice yet if we speak out we are called bigotted. The mechanisms set up mean you can never win in these sort of situations but it doesn't mean I can sit idly by either.

Answer 3

Interesting that you should put it like that..."only a story, just like the Bible." However, since another answerer asked what it had to do with a golden compass, I'll bite. The "golden compass" of the title is a device called an alethiometer, which literally means a "measuring device of truth." The more interesting thing is that there is no manual or guide. Lyra must learn to use and interpret the alethiometer on her own. This, to me, says that Pullman's main idea is to get children to think for themselves, to see truth without dogma. (The books were written for older children, those who would be open to just such an exploration of the mind.).

If the Catholic Church hadn't reacted so strongly against the movie (and thus the books), one could almost think they championed the idea that truth must be found for oneself, i.e., one must come to Christ on one's own if one finds Christianity to be one's personal truth. The fact that they do not wish for children to use this particular "alethiometer" points to a fear that they may look and find that truth and Catholicism are not synonymous, something that many other sects and religions have already done. Methinks the church doth protest too much lest it ruin its own cause. One cannot force-feed even the most well-intentioned truth and still have it remain truth.

Answer 4

You are wrong in thinking that it is "only" a story. It not just a story. It is the author's way of getting into the minds of children. Whether you are christian or atheists this is wrong. If you go to snopes.com and type in The Golden Compass you will read why everyone is so upset. This movie is just the set up to a series of books directed toward children to influence atheism. No one has the right to place this kind of though process into other people's children's minds. As parents, we must take a stand against someone influencing the way our children think. Parents are responsible for the way their children look at religion and God. I am a christian, but what really makes me mad is that this man is not being honest about this movie. He is trying to manipulate parents and children into seeing this movie and then buying his books. He does not expect parents to read the books. This way, he can get his real message across to the minds of children and plant the seeds of hate that he is really trying to sow. God forgive him, for he knows not what he is really doing. God has a very special place for people who dare to touch his little children.

Answer 5

I have written about this several times here on Y!A.

It's the Roman Catholic Church who has been trying to demonize the author. I saw the movie, and read a few interviews that Philip Pullman gave. The reason that the Roman Catholic Church does not want anyone to see the movie is because it portrays them as being an over controlling religious/ political organization. They attempt to control society in . . . . the ways that it did before the movie came out!
lol

The Magisterium is that controlling force. When I looked up the word, the definition read this way:

Magisterium
–noun Roman Catholic Church.
the authority and power of the church to teach religious truth.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Magisterium

Now I am a Christian who thinks independently of organized Christianity. As I read the interviews by Pullman, I discovered that he is not against people like me. He is against the political/ religious organizations which attempt to control common thought.

And I am too.

Answer 6

It's not the fact that the story itself is bad. Actually, I heard the story was well written and I'm a Catholic. I don't plan on watching it because it's Anti-Christian and the guy who wrote it even said so. It would be like watching a movie that was Anti-Filipino or Anti-African American. The movie is demeaning to the Church as well as all Christians and people who have a religion at all.

The guy who wrote it said, "I'm all for the death of God." I found that highly offensive, because God is someone who is VERY important to me and all the others who believe in him. Imagine if someone made a movie that said, "I'm all for the death of _______." You fill in the blank with someone important to you.

Answer 7

LMAO at gagirl. I guess brainwashing 5 year olds into believing a deity will send them to hell for thinking original thoughts is acceptable.

If they were not so afraid of the Golden Compass I would have had no desire to see it. My son and I are going this weekend to see it.

Answer 8

haha :) i agree 100%
as if the story was actually written to convince people that all of it is true. it is fiction and just that. some people dont see the bible as just being a story though. they take it literally and so they have to boycott anything that doesn't agree with it. i dont think that there is any way to change that. i plan on watching the movie myself, but i doubt that i will walk out of the theater believing animals can talk

Answer 9

Because some stupid religious nut job decided that he could make some headlines and collect a few extra bucks by denouncing it as " Satan inspired " { if so thanks for bring us some entertainment Jerry } and every other religious jacka** fanatic out there decided to jump on the bandwagon ! Who says these things don't make sense somehow ?

Answer 10

Not sure, but does it really have anything to do with a golden compass? If so, I want one.