"The Golden Compass" Boycotted Due to Anti-God Themes
The "atheists versus Catholics" match is about to begin - the box office will decide who wins
By Monica Gaza, Entertainment News Editor
30th of October 2007, 09:45 GMT
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I was half-expecting a stunt like this, and honestly, I'm surprised it happened so late. I mean, it's the end of October already and the movie is set to be launched in December, so I think the Christian groups who began dubbing the upcoming movie "atheist" should have made their move sooner. Now all the noise they're making will only serve as more free publicity for the New Line production - which may after all prove to be a good thing, as many critics see the movie as a sure box office flop.
So what is the fuss all about? Well, the film is based on the first volume of a trilogy of books written by British best-selling author Philip Pullman (who is a known atheist) and deals with a little girl called Lyra who lives in a world in which the Church is an all-powerful, evil and domineering force. Christian groups are boycotting and staging a campaign against "The Golden Compass" - but they seem to forget that the book (just like the movie) is pure fiction. I'm having some flashbacks to when "The Da Vinci Code" was first published - but I honestly thought some people would be a lot smarter than to take a children's book for pure fact. I guess I was wrong...
The fact is, there's a twist to this plot. The people who wrote the screenplay for "The Golden Compass" were afraid the movie will spark controversy, and so they tried to take out all potentially offending aspects. However, Christian and Catholic groups are more concerned with the books and feel that with the movie will send children running to read the rest of the books. "These books denigrate Christianity, thrash the Catholic Church and sell the virtues of atheism," said Bill Donohue, president and CEO of the Catholic League. How many times do I have to repeat it? It's a book, people, it's pure fiction.
The head of the Freedom From Religion Foundation said, "What this book is about is casting off Church authority. I think it's very, very positive. There should be something for freethinking children. It's a very good yarn". Pullman himself (who has been involved in the whole process of bringing the book to life by means of the movie) has noted that "this must be the only film attacked in the same week for being too religious and for being anti-religious - and by people who haven't seen it. I have very friendly and happy relations with the filmmakers, and I'm very happy with what they are doing". Well, you can watch the trailer for the movie below. In case you decide to see it, it comes out on December 7th. Enjoy!
I work for The Scholastic Book Store & ever since they started advertising for this movie the calls have been non stop. People just really love to complain about stupid things. I probably get an average of about 20 calls a day about this book, and these people yell & scream at me (as if I have any control over what the company puts out there). I have always respected all religious belief's but when people (bible built) try to jam their opinions down my throat it makes me want to seriously slap them. Scholastic also sold the Narnia books and I did'nt recieve phone calls from atheists everyday trying to jam their beliefs down my throat. Honestly people would'nt it be a little unfair to sell the Narnia book which is religious and then not sell this one because it is'nt. I do believe in God but I respect people who don't. Seriously, religion has caused enough problems in the world, it's time to start respecting & not judge eachother. If you can't do this than your a pretty bad Christian anyway and a hypocrite......
It does not matter what type of genre the book was dubbed. What matters is the content and the similarity it has to one of the greatest and oldest religious texts. There are pleaty of things that people considered fictional until proof of their existances came to light. Humanity has a problem with believing GOD exists because God is not tangible, at least not in the way that we would want him to be. Everyone would pretty much prefer to believe in goblins, spirits (good or bad), hauntings and the like, but talk about GOD and they shun away like HE is a disease. The Golden Compass feeds and relies on that and the hope that no one will want to educate themselves. Before boycotting or choking the hyped crowd to "religious freaks", I strongly suggest that everyone does their own research. Take the book and the Bible--specifically Genesis--and compare the two. Go online and find some credible sources, not just blogs writtten by opinionated wankers. I am not a religios freak to say the least, and I severely unappreciate the attack Philip Pullman has made against religion. In one article I read he tries to say that the movie does not attack any one religion. Well, in your fantasy world that may be true, however if that is the case then he attempting to cause the demise of all gods and religions.
The biggest problem with the movie/book in my opinion is the fact that in the book verses that are clearly not in the bible are added. I understand that it is all fiction, but is a young child reading a "childrens book" going to be able to tell what is real and what isn't? Should the movie be boycotted? No, however, there should be an understanding amoung parents that the book has themes that could be very confusing for a young christian child.
It's just a book, the only reason it's being attacked is because it was written by an atheist, if it had been writen by a christian it would not be a problem. It's just a reason that people are using to attack atheist. I'm thirteen and I see that this is really just plain stupid, the adults who are acussing this book are just acting imature, and if you have read the book god is mentioned once, in the third book, a paragraph, he dies big dea,l seriusly! It's a book.
