The Catholic League has once again come out and demanded the boycott of a film. This time it’s “The Golden Compass” that they are targeting. Why? Well, it seems that this movie has the power to suck the “faith” right out of an unwitting child’s mind. Yes, you read right. This movie, part of the “His Dark Materials” trilogy by Philip Pullman, is so anti-church that it will turn your hapless child against God!  How? Isn’t it OBVIOUS? The movie will cause your child to want to read these books and their (your children’s) very reading of the words contained therein will overturn your years of well cultivated indoctrination into the faith. Imagine that, your child unwittingly forced into believing something! Why, it’s an outrage!
The funny part is that I can see where the church might have some cause for concern. I mean, Philip Pullman is an unrepentant (pun intended) atheist that has as much as said that he hopes his books turn children against organized religion. It’s just a shame that the Catholic League chooses to deal with the matter in such a hysterical manner.  What they’ve ended up doing is making ”The Golden Compass” a news story. It’s great fun to watch idiots debate nonsense while fantastically enticing clips from the movie are played in the background. Hell, it’s even piqued my interest!
What is all of this fruitless angst? Why not simply say to your flock, “This film contains some subject matter that we find to be contrary to the teachings/philosophies of the church and if you go to see this movie, you should be prepared.” Why set off a media firestorm? Faith is attacked every day. Faith where religion is concerned is belief in the absence of definitive proof. Your children (assuming they have a brain) at some point will question the existence of God and the works of the church whether this movie was viewed or not. Should they abandon the church out of hand because a few priests are convicted of molestation? Should they abandon the church because it squirrels away priests it suspects of being molesters? Does the church not fear that its very behavior has alienated followers from the faith? I’m Catholic by birth but a Christian by choice and I do not fear those that challenge my beliefs. When they ask, “Why do you believe?” the answer is simple, “Because I choose to believe.” I owe them no explanation beyond that. Am I the most pious of fellows? Perhaps not, but like my faith it’s frankly nobody’s business but my own.
Considering what went on in Sudan with throngs of Muslims calling for a teacher’s death because she allowed her class to name a bear Muhammad, we should all just be glad that Pullman did not name one of the bears in this film Jesus. Where does the knee jerk reaction stop and the critical thought begin? The Catholic League has bought “The Golden Compass” publicity that it could never have afforded itself, and a curious public will go to see this film just to find out what all of the fuss is about. Mark my words; this movie will be a hit.
If you place religion and common sense on a scale you must be very careful, for too much of one, means not enough of the other! Â
DrD
Religion and common sense on a scale - too much of one means not enough of the other? What a perverted view of common sense.
Let the Christians (Catholics) and others take their righeous stand. So what if it gives undue attention to a trivial book. At least it shows some backbone for a change.
Elect Huckabee and we can turn this country back to its founding principles.
Mark
Huckabee? Really? That’s what gets us back to our founding principles? I like my religion seperate from my government, thanks very much. Our founding fathers, some whom were very religious saw the value in this approach. A failure to keep church and state separate is something that I think harms this country. If Jesus Christ could say, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s,” then perhaps we ought to heed his advice.
