I may be behind on this but a red flag always goes up when the latest controversial book is burned.
On author Phillip Pullman, from an email that has been widely circulated:
"He's an atheist and his objective is to bash Christianity and promote atheism. I heard that he has made remarks that he wants to kill God in the minds of children, and that's what his books are all about. He despises C.S. Lewis and Narnia, etc. An article written about him said "this is the most dangerous author in Britain..."
The "most dangerous author in Britain." Those are some strong words. Kind of makes you want to read the books, doesn't it? The most appalling thing to me is that the movie based on the first book, The Golden Compass, was apparently watered down so as not to be as religiously offensive to Christian moviegoers. We don't want to lose profits now, do we. The director agrees:
"The whole point, to me, of ensuring that 'The Golden Compass' is a financial success is so that we have a solid foundation on which to deliver a faithful, more literal adaptation of the second and third books."
Oh, so we get sucked in by a nice adventure movie with friendly polar bears, and then they try to convert us to atheism with their sequels? Beware children everywhere! And while you're at it, don't read Salinger (promotes suicide), Poe (gloomy, isn't it?), Orwell (rebellion), Rowling (witchcraft, and now, gayness), Seuss ("green" eggs?), or any other of those brain washers...
Sunday, November 25
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Once you read the book or see the movie, will you please post your synopsis- I'm curious as to the anti- Chritian undertones and how strong they really might be.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten at least two email warnings about the movie- maybe more. I hate email forwards.
ReplyDeleteAs if I'd take my child to ANY movie without knowing what it was about. Good thing I got those forwards to warn me.
They (the forwards) do make me curious about the books...
Don't read Nabokov, either -- you just might become a pedophile!
ReplyDeleteAnytime someone begins to criticize content or attempt to limit free thought, it makes me want to write or say the most offensive things I can think of.
I have this book sitting in a stack of books to be read, but one of the ones in front of it is the remaining 950 pages or so of "Infinite Jest" - so we'll see when I get around to it.
I'm sure I'll see the movie--I want to read the books as well but that's a difficult task currently. If I can get them on tape or something it would be easy.
ReplyDeleteAs for Nabokov, incidentaly I listened to Lolita on tape a few months ago (well, right up until the tapes stopped working, and I had to return it the library). Tell you what, while reading that book might make you feel a little funny, listening to someone else read it feels even funnier.
I do have to say, though, after I saw Batman Begins I had an intense urge to don the cowl and train as a ninja, so maybe those boycotters ARE on to something...
Supposedly the loudest critics are those of the Catholic denomination, but according to a review on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (the official leadership body of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States), the movie is not a threat.
ReplyDelete[ http://www.usccb.org/movies/g/thegoldencompass.shtml ]
Snippet:
"Whatever author Pullman's putative motives in writing the story, writer-director Chris Weitz's film, taken purely on its own cinematic terms, can be viewed as an exciting adventure story with, at its core, a traditional struggle between good and evil, and a generalized rejection of authoritarianism.
To the extent, moreover, that Lyra and her allies are taking a stand on behalf of free will in opposition to the coercive force of the Magisterium, they are of course acting entirely in harmony with Catholic teaching. The heroism and self-sacrifice that they demonstrate provide appropriate moral lessons for viewers.
...
Is Pullman trying to undermine anyone's belief in God? Leaving the books aside, and focusing on what has ended up on-screen, the script can reasonably be interpreted in the broadest sense as an appeal against the abuse of political power.
Will seeing this film inspire teens to read the books, which many have found problematic? Rather than banning the movie or books, parents might instead take the opportunity to talk through any thorny philosophical issues with their teens."
Though I want to see if "Golden Compass" is better than that god-pushing-corrupt-the-youth-through-Christianity movie interpretation of the Lewis book, my concern is that if the Church does not find it threatening, then the film must be boring. ;)
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It may go out with a wimper for me: It has only a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and only a 20% rating from the so-called "cream of the crop" reviewers.
ReplyDelete