Catholic League anounces boycott of "Golden Compass"

[Little_Mary]

That’s where I got the book - so, um, there is no lining of pockets or sales counts.

Yay! Cool. I thought this was a brand new book and hadn’t made it to the library yet. I didn’t realize it had been around a while. My bad.

 

[Dandelion_Wine]

Yay! Cool. I thought this was a brand new book and hadn’t made it to the library yet. I didn’t realize it had been around a while. My bad.

<psssst. Mary. Let me tell you a little secret. I’ll probably go see the movie too, but I’ll do what I did for the Da Vinci Code - I bought a ticket for a movie that wasn’t offensive but then went into that one - that way they didn’t get my cash :wink: >

 

[FishMonger]

The difference is that the DaVinci Code is an adult movie/book. The Pullman books are children’s books. Would you want your child reading them? Especially if your child is only just now learning about their faith or is not well grounded? Like I said let them get a good grounding in their faith and when they are older they can read them if they want to. Eventually it will come to a point where they will be deciding for themselves anyway.

BTW, candy taste good too but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Of course their going to make the movie look enticing, how else are they going to get you into the theater watch it?

From viewing the trailer, I have no problem with kids seeing the movie. I didn’t know there was a book, but, now that I do, I think it’s probably a good book for kids.

Kids see all kinds of things. They watch real people, observe adults interacting, see TV, listen, learn. It’s the responsibility of adults to guide them through the world and leave them with the knowledge, tools, and understanding to deal with what they encounter.

I’m perfectly capable of discussing this movie with kids, drawing lessons, analyzing characters, asking questions. What’s the big deal? I can handle it, so can the kids. I get the impression from some people they expect everyone else to do their job for them.

 

[Sabda]

From viewing the trailer, I have no problem with kids seeing the movie. I didn’t know there was a book, but, now that I do, I think it’s probably a good book for kids.

Kids see all kinds of things. They watch real people, observe adults interacting, see TV, listen, learn. It’s the responsibility of adults to guide them through the world and leave them with the knowledge, tools, and understanding to deal with what they encounter.

I’m perfectly capable of discussing this movie with kids, drawing lessons, analyzing characters, asking questions. What’s the big deal? I can handle it, so can the kids. I get the impression from some people they expect everyone else to do their job for them.

As parents it is our responsibility to guide our children though this life to adulthood. Part of that responsibility is making sure that children are given material that is appropriate for their understanding. Have you read the reviews on the books? From the reviews the books do have some sexually explicit material in them. I can see teens being able to handle these books but children between the ages of 11-13 may or may not depending on that child’s home and learning environment. Children under the age of 11 absolutely not. I think as parents we need to discern the materials that our children are reading and not expose them to ever hot new thing on the market. Just because it’s popular and looks good doesn’t mean that it is.

Yes, I have read books to my dd that I did not like. Have you ever read “Junie B Jones And The Stupid Smelly Bus”? Horrid little book as far as I’m concerned. The main character has a really bad attitude. DD picked it up at the school’s (public) book fair. We read it together and discussed the girl’s attitude and what would be a better approach to take. So yes I do agree with you about exposing them to things that you don’t agree with but it should be at an appropiate time in their development. Since my dd is under the age of 10 I will not be exposing her to Pullman’s books or the movie.

 

[FishMonger]

As parents it is our responsibility to guide our children though this life to adulthood. Part of that responsibility is making sure that children are given material that is appropriate for their understanding. Have you read the reviews on the books? From the reviews the books do have some sexually explicit material in them. I can see teens being able to handle these books but children between the ages of 11-13 may or may not depending on that child’s home and learning environment. Children under the age of 11 absolutely not. I think as parents we need to discern the materials that our children are reading and not expose them to ever hot new thing on the market. Just because it’s popular and looks good doesn’t mean that it is.

Yes, I have read books to my dd that I did not like. Have you ever read “Junie B Jones And The Stupid Smelly Bus”? Horrid little book as far as I’m concerned. The main character has a really bad attitude. DD picked it up at the school’s (public) book fair. We read it together and discussed the girl’s attitude and what would be a better approach to take. So yes I do agree with you about exposing them to things that you don’t agree with but it should be at an appropiate time in their development. Since my dd is under the age of 10 I will not be exposing her to Pullman’s books or the movie.

Sounds like you have met the challenge. Your daughter is lucky.

 

[Carthusianish]

Problem is you’re contributing to their $ales count and lining their pocket$

Could you wait until they are in the local library?

Just a thought.

(whoops, just saw the responses – nevermind for you in particular, but leaving this up for others. Good idea about the movie too - buy a Bella ticket and then see this. Then buy another ticket and see Bella of course )

Seriously.

I try to view every dollar I spend (especially on entertainment) as a vote. THAT is what a boycott is about. If you want to read it to see what it is about, try to do it without giving them money and contributing to their success. That will only encourage the goofball execs in other companies to try to find some “Me Too” products of their own to make money from that have the same appeal. Next thing we know, there is a flood of this kind of junk out there.

I know because I see the goofball execs in my company do that exact thing. If someone’s making money off something, there are five others trying to make money for themselves off the same thing imitated.

 

[darthsmozers]

Forgive me, but for those of us who know nothing about this series, where can we learn why the series is objectionable with specific reasons? I see a lot of “anti-Catholic” and “anti-Christian” messages but nothing with examples, and would like to find out more. Thanks

 

[Carthusianish]

Forgive me, but for those of us who know nothing about this series, where can we learn why the series is objectionable with specific reasons? I see a lot of “anti-Catholic” and “anti-Christian” messages but nothing with examples, and would like to find out more. Thanks

This thread has it.

 

[Bennie_P]

I have to say that I am always disturbed when I read about boycotts on books and the movies made that are based on books. As a teacher, I think that banning books is patently wrong. As a Catholic, I have always been proud of my upbringing and my faith, specifically that the main message I received growing up is that it is not my place to judge others. My parents and grandparents were Catholic and also teachers. They taught me that if my faith is strong and if they (my family) and my priests have done their job, then nothing that anyone writes or says about Catholics or our beliefs should in any way change what I believe. I have read these books, and while I admit it has been several years, I was not overwhelmed by an anti-catholic message. My mom and I read these books together. We certainly discussed the anti-organized religion themes, and that is one great thing about books like this. Parents should ALWAYS read the books their children are reading, and what better way to strengthen a child’s faith then to talk about a book or a movie and how it reflects or attacks their personal faith. The strongest memories I have of Philip Pullman’s series, and he is an exceptional writer, is how he showed the beauty and sanctity of a child’s pure soul and the presence of God in every part of the universe. Perhaps it isn’t what he intended, but it’s certainly what I saw in the story. I think that instead of banning and boycotting we should embrace the opportunity for discussion and enlightenment while always keeping in mind that we are talking about a work of FICTION, and in this way teach our children to think for themselves.

This is the man you want teaching children about God? and the Church? A man that writes God is fiction and that Chrsitianity is a mistake?

Nevertheless, the selection of Pullman was surprising: he is one of England’s most outspoken atheists. In the trilogy, a young girl, Lyra Belacqua, becomes enmeshed in an epic struggle against a nefarious Church known as the Magisterium; another character, an ex-nun turned particle physicist named Mary Malone, describes Christianity as “a very powerful and convincing mistake.” Pullman once told an interviewer that “every single religion that has a monotheistic god ends up by persecuting other people and killing them because they don’t accept him.” Peter Hitchens, a conservative British columnist, published an article about Pullman entitled “This Is the Most Dangerous Author in Britain,” in which he called him the writer “the atheists would have been praying for, if atheists prayed.” newyorker.com/archive/2005/12/26/051226fa_fact

 

[darthsmozers]

This thread has it.

Thank you, that was a good read.

I have a couple of questions that may help me understand the issue here, as I am very unfamiliar with it. I understand the series is an alternate reality of sorts. That being said, is the issue here that this series is in an alternate reality without God as He truly is, or that it could cause doubt in childrens’ minds about God, or that is somehow tries to portray this “God” as fact against what we believe, etc? I guess what I’m asking is what single issue is causing the uproar? (Like I said, I have no knowledge of this series whatsoever other than the link you provided). A related question if I may…I keep reading here that the author of the series is strongly athiest and has set out to denounce Christianity. Is this fact (i.e., he has an active agenda) or is his writings merely based off the fact that he is athiest? In other words, is it an active or passive attack on religion?

I ask these questions because I looked on my bookshelf and found this series still shrinkwrapped. It was a gift from a literary friend of mine one time. I never knew what the books were about and haven’t had time to read them. I don’t plan to either and will mostly likely simply forget about them or disregard them, but I’d like to get a down to earth grasp on what the issue with them is, yknow?

Thank you

 

[Bennie_P]

Thank you, that was a good read.

I have a couple of questions that may help me understand the issue here, as I am very unfamiliar with it. I understand the series is an alternate reality of sorts. That being said, is the issue here that this series is in an alternate reality without God as He truly is, or that it could cause doubt in childrens’ minds about God, or that is somehow tries to portray this “God” as fact against what we believe, etc? I guess what I’m asking is what single issue is causing the uproar? (Like I said, I have no knowledge of this series whatsoever other than the link you provided). A related question if I may…I keep reading here that the author of the series is strongly athiest and has set out to denounce Christianity. Is this fact (i.e., he has an active agenda) or is his writings merely based off the fact that he is athiest? In other words, is it an active or passive attack on religion?

I ask these questions because I looked on my bookshelf and found this series still shrinkwrapped. It was a gift from a literary friend of mine one time. I never knew what the books were about and haven’t had time to read them. I don’t plan to either and will mostly likely simply forget about them or disregard them, but I’d like to get a down to earth grasp on what the issue with them is, yknow?

Thank you

Google his name and read some of the interviews people have done with him and read the New Yorker article I linked in my earlier post. He does have agenda against organized religion and he is spreading his opposition of religion openly to children in his books. If you got the books read them and judge for yourself.

 

[Sabda]

Thank you, that was a good read.

I have a couple of questions that may help me understand the issue here, as I am very unfamiliar with it. I understand the series is an alternate reality of sorts. That being said, is the issue here that this series is in an alternate reality without God as He truly is, or that it could cause doubt in childrens’ minds about God, or that is somehow tries to portray this “God” as fact against what we believe, etc? I guess what I’m asking is what single issue is causing the uproar? (Like I said, I have no knowledge of this series whatsoever other than the link you provided). A related question if I may…I keep reading here that the author of the series is strongly athiest and has set out to denounce Christianity. Is this fact (i.e., he has an active agenda) or is his writings merely based off the fact that he is athiest? In other words, is it an active or passive attack on religion?

I ask these questions because I looked on my bookshelf and found this series still shrinkwrapped. It was a gift from a literary friend of mine one time. I never knew what the books were about and haven’t had time to read them. I don’t plan to either and will mostly likely simply forget about them or disregard them, but I’d like to get a down to earth grasp on what the issue with them is, yknow?

Thank you

Check out my post #18, it has a link to Amazon. If I did it right it should take you straight to the negative reviews so you can read for yourself what the problem with the series is.

I just checked Amazon and they have the intended audience’s age listed as “13 and older”. Hmmm, something tells me there will be a lot kids who are younger than that reading this series.

 

[Teen4Christ]

Grrrrrrrrr! it’s just a book and a movie, big whoop. Don’t we as christians have bigger problems to worry about?

 

[CelticSword]

You may not even have to boycott it. According to TMZ.com, advance buzz on the movie is that it stinks. This may all turn out to be much ado about nothing.

Case in point, Al Gore’s movie brought global warming to the forefront of the discussion, right? But before his movie, there was another one that the environmentalists were hoping we’d all go see, so that we would finally “understand the truth about what Bushco’s environmental policies were doing to the planet.” Anyone remember “The Day After Tomorrow?”

You don’t? My point exactly. Because it stunk.

 

[estesbob]

And yet the critics have lambasted the film because it is not anti-Catholic enough.

Critics Slam ‘Golden Compass’ Movie for ‘Castrating’ Anti-Church Themes

And here I was understood that Nicole Kidman was returning to the Church after leaving the darkness of Scientology. Guess the writers of the articles claiming that she was were mistaken.

I have problems with the review you posted. Here is the offensive part

Nicole Kidman, who is reportedly Christian herself, has also defended the movie.

"She acknowledged that the movie “has been watered down a little,” but that it still introduces a world that is “dominated by the Magisterium, which seeks to control all humanity, and whose greatest threat, is the curiosity of a child.”

“I was raised Catholic. The Catholic Church is part of my essence. I wouldn’t be able to do this film if I thought it were at all anti-Catholic,” she has also stated."

Kidman says she is Catholic , this Christian reviewer writes she is reportedly Christian.

Looks like the Christian Post is engaging in some Anti-Catholic bigotry themselves.

 

[Teen4Christ]

You may not even have to boycott it. According to TMZ.com, advance buzz on the movie is that it stinks. This may all turn out to be much ado about nothing.

Case in point, Al Gore’s movie brought global warming to the forefront of the discussion, right? But before his movie, there was another one that the environmentalists were hoping we’d all go see, so that we would finally “understand the truth about what Bushco’s environmental policies were doing to the planet.” Anyone remember “The Day After Tomorrow?”

You don’t? My point exactly. Because it stunk.

Ummm…I remember it, and it didn’t stink at all.

 

[He_Man]

I have to say that I am always disturbed when I read about boycotts on books and the movies made that are based on books. As a teacher, I think that banning books is patently wrong. As a Catholic, I have always been proud of my upbringing and my faith, specifically that the main message I received growing up is that it is not my place to judge others. My parents and grandparents were Catholic and also teachers. They taught me that if my faith is strong and if they (my family) and my priests have done their job, then nothing that anyone writes or says about Catholics or our beliefs should in any way change what I believe. I have read these books, and while I admit it has been several years, I was not overwhelmed by an anti-catholic message. My mom and I read these books together. We certainly discussed the anti-organized religion themes, and that is one great thing about books like this. Parents should ALWAYS read the books their children are reading, and what better way to strengthen a child’s faith then to talk about a book or a movie and how it reflects or attacks their personal faith. The strongest memories I have of Philip Pullman’s series, and he is an exceptional writer, is how he showed the beauty and sanctity of a child’s pure soul and the presence of God in every part of the universe. Perhaps it isn’t what he intended, but it’s certainly what I saw in the story. I think that instead of banning and boycotting we should embrace the opportunity for discussion and enlightenment while always keeping in mind that we are talking about a work of FICTION, and in this way teach our children to think for themselves.

If children could think for themselves, they wouldn’t need parents.

Are we to apply this line of thinking to eating vegetables, watching pornography, and teaching about sex?

 

[He_Man]

From viewing the trailer, I have no problem with kids seeing the movie. I didn’t know there was a book, but, now that I do, I think it’s probably a good book for kids.

Kids see all kinds of things. They watch real people, observe adults interacting, see TV, listen, learn. It’s the responsibility of adults to guide them through the world and leave them with the knowledge, tools, and understanding to deal with what they encounter.

I’m perfectly capable of discussing this movie with kids, drawing lessons, analyzing characters, asking questions. What’s the big deal? I can handle it, so can the kids. I get the impression from some people they expect everyone else to do their job for them.

I am guessing you don’t have kids, do you…

That line of thinking is what has so many baby boomers so messed up nowadays. Disregard for marriage, casual sex, disinterest in God; all admirable qualities to shoot for, apparently…

 

[He_Man]

Grrrrrrrrr! it’s just a book and a movie, big whoop. Don’t we as christians have bigger problems to worry about?

Don’t “teens 4 Christ” have better things to support than media that rails against the Christ they profess to actually be for?

Your name is misleading.

 

[He_Man]

Ummm…I remember it, and it didn’t stink at all.

On this we agree, it was entertaining fiction. I love good fantasy movies.