The Golden Compass

  • Thread starter Thread starter scapularkid8
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Sophia_Sproule said:
This Rock, Catholic Answers’ monthly magazine of apologetics and evangelization, will features 2 stories in its December issue about *The Golden Compass *and the books of Philip Pullman. Read the articles here:
Click to expand...
One critique: the first article claims that Lord Azriel’s murder of a child is justified “in Pullman’s universe.” This is the same mistake a lot of critics of Harry Potter make–depicting an action does not constitute endorsement. My impression at the end of the books was that Lord Azriel, while admirable in certain respects, was a deeply flawed character and that Pullman sees Will and Lyra as demonstrating a much better way to fight “the Authority.” There’s plenty to criticize in Pullman without falling into the trap of assuming that he endorses what his characters do (even if those characters are on “the right side” in some sense). He’s a better writer than that.

Edwin
 
I just finished the first one. So far I’m unimpressed. On the other thread I wrote:

I heard a bit about this on Relevant Radio so I went and got the first one. I’m pretty non-impressed. Supposedly this guy has billed himself as the anti-C.S. Lewis. While I think he meant something else by that statement, if he means he’s the opposite of someone who can write a compelling story - he’s correct.

I finished it last night and have 2 thoughts. 1) - While the whole daemon thing is curious - the story over all just didn’t thrill me. 2) the ‘intercission’ stuff was horrific! It reminded me of Stephen King’s stuff in the Dark Tower series. I wouldn’t let my child read that.

Interesting that there is a ‘Trelawny’ (sp?) in the book. I wonder whose came first?

I’ll probably read the other 2 just to finish the storyline. I hope they get better.
 
Dandelion_Wine said:
I just finished the first one. So far I’m unimpressed. On the other thread I wrote:

I heard a bit about this on Relevant Radio so I went and got the first one. I’m pretty non-impressed. Supposedly this guy has billed himself as the anti-C.S. Lewis. While I think he meant something else by that statement, if he means he’s the opposite of someone who can write a compelling story - he’s correct.

I finished it last night and have 2 thoughts. 1) - While the whole daemon thing is curious - the story over all just didn’t thrill me. 2) the ‘intercission’ stuff was horrific! It reminded me of Stephen King’s stuff in the Dark Tower series. I wouldn’t let my child read that.

Interesting that there is a ‘Trelawny’ (sp?) in the book. I wonder whose came first?

I’ll probably read the other 2 just to finish the storyline. I hope they get better.
Click to expand...
I liked the series until one day I understood it, I read it in 6th grade and was kinda slow to the whole anti God thing, when I realized it I through it out, although I might see the movie if my friend buys it after it comes out, however I don’t like the kid being killed at the end(and the other parts), even in the CSI shows I find it hard when a kid is a victim. I liked the 1st one the best and then parts of the 3rd one(any scene with the bears). You will probably hate the third one. I personally think he jammed too much into the 3rd one killing the angel, “God”, the deaths(you will understand later), all the worlds, the elephant thingies(i think they are elephant like i forget), the really tiny people, the angels, witches and so on.
 
I think it is wrong to support any author who has the intent to undermine the Church, especially in today’s society when the media is littered with anti-Christian messages, movies, images, etc. Reading books like these, whether fantasy or not, encourage authors to write more books like them. Ask yourself…if a book ridiculed your mother and suggested she was evil, even if it was fantasy, would you still buy it, read it, and encourage others to watch a movie based on it?
 
Riley259 said:
Philip Pullman, the author of the this set of three books called the Dark Materials (which includes the Golden Compass), is a militant atheist who has openly stated that his goal is to indoctrinate children into the “truth” of atheism.
Click to expand...
Where can this be found? Thanks 👍
 
darthsmozers said:
Where can this be found? Thanks 👍
Click to expand...
Just google him, especially google him with Chronicles of Narnia in the title, the articles really shows what he is like.

I don’t know if this is on this thread yet, but all of the Harry Potter fans against Pullman guess who Professor Lockhart(for those who dont know this character is very vain and isn’t portrayed as anyone good and eventually ends up in the wizard version of a mental hospital) is supposedly based of off:D
 
cockatoo said:
Just google him, especially google him with Chronicles of Narnia in the title, the articles really shows what he is like.

I don’t know if this is on this thread yet, but all of the Harry Potter fans against Pullman guess who Professor Lockhart(for those who dont know this character is very vain and isn’t portrayed as anyone good and eventually ends up in the wizard version of a mental hospital) is supposedly based of off:D
Click to expand...
I think that’s one of John Granger’s nuttier ideas. Rowling has recommended Pullman to children asking for good fantasy reading (I believe that in the instance I have in mind she did not mention Lewis, though she has expressed a generally high, if somewhat critical, opinion of Lewis elsewhere). Granger has absolutely no evidence for this (unless, as I sometimes wonder, he has British relatives who are dentists and are passing him secret information obtained from their daughter;)).

Edwin
 
Gnosis said:
I think it’s quite a stretch to say that Pullman wrote this book to “indoctrinate children with anti-Christian values”.

**The fact is that these books are a rather well written and quite intelligent series. Pullman is presenting his experiences and views of aspects of religion that he considers dangerous and I think he would rather us take his symbollism as an argument to consider rather than a dictation to accept or outright reject.

I think the intelligent Catholic response would be to understand the author’s point of view and engage in dialouge in order to present the Catholic position and correct what might be percieved as the author’s mis-understanding of religion in general. Not unlike the Archbishop of Canteburry:**
telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2004/03/17/bodark17.xml

This is not like the Da Vinci Code, these books present, in symbols and myth, an intelligent challenge not only to Church philosophy but to the points of corruption in its history as well. I think its worth taking him seriously.
Click to expand...
Lord God please save us from ourselves and our continuing desire to dialog with the devil himself as Gnosis says “to present the Catholic position and correct what might be percieved as the author’s mis-understanding of religion”. This is not Pullman’s mis-understanding, it is his purpose in life to teach children that there is no God. Click this link to see what even Snopes.com says about this movie and book series by the avowed athiest: snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

And to think in some posters’ opinions we Catholics should read trash and send our children to dangerous movies but only warn them to be discerning when we do so. It is no wonder there is so much confusion within the Church God established to bring us to Him.
 
Mike_Brick said:
Lord God please save us from ourselves and our continuing desire to dialog with the devil himself as Gnosis says “to present the Catholic position and correct what might be percieved as the author’s mis-understanding of religion”. This is not Pullman’s mis-understanding, it is his purpose in life to teach children that there is no God. Click this link to see what even Snopes.com says about this movie and book series by the avowed athiest: snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

And to think in some posters’ opinions we Catholics should read trash and send our children to dangerous movies but only warn them to be discerning when we do so. It is no wonder there is so much confusion within the Church God established to bring us to Him.
Click to expand...
I am in 100% agreement.

If you continue to buy, read, and go to the movies to see things that undermine Jesus, your faith, and the Church, than you basically say that it is okay to do so --regardless if you agree with it or not. The media hears you loud and clear —to them making money off of this stuff is approval that you like it. It’s no different than going to Planned Parenthood to get a mammogram and as a result supporting an organization that murders innocent children. You might not be there for an abortion, but using them for other services gives them the impression that they are useful and necessary. When you buy, check out from the library, whatever…a book that undermines our faith, you say to the publishers, “give me more of this filth, I like it.”
 
A film called “The Golden Compass” opens December 7. It is based on the first book of a trilogy titled His Dark Materials. The author of this children’s fantasy is Philip Pullman, a noted English atheist. It is his objective to bash Christianity and promote atheism. To kids
catholicleague.org/videos/
 
My husband was given a letter by a customer that she received from the Catholic League and his plan from what I understand, it to get kids to see the movie and then hopefully they will buy the books which are all anti-God in the letter it states that in England it’s more popular than Harry Potter. Scary isn’t it?
 
CatholicCajun said:
My husband was given a letter by a customer that she received from the Catholic League and his plan from what I understand, it to get kids to see the movie and then hopefully they will buy the books which are all anti-God in the letter it states that in England it’s more popular than Harry Potter. Scary isn’t it?
Click to expand...
Atheism is thier “Pagan God” that they want to elevate above Christ - No suprise been downhill since Luther
 
I first heard about the book only a few weeks ago. I think it’s absolutely horrible. The details of the book are satanic, truly satanic (as atheism is satanic). The book is so against God, I don’t even want to speak of the horrible examples. (Apparently, God is the ‘bad guy’ of the book). Very seriously, this book is a terrible, terrible thing. If satan were to write a fantasy book, I can’t imagine it being much different nor more sly. I can’t even believe that the very creation of God, in this case, trees, were used for the paper that is used for every chapter of this anti-christ book. While it is a sad waste of a book, what’s worse are the souls that may be harmed by it. Very sad, indeed. Please pray for everyone that have filled their mind with the content of the Golden Compass. Sadly, it would be a golden compass that would lead the way to hell, wouldn’t it? A terrible misery, this book.
 
Am I the only one here excited for it? I’m not seeing how it qualifies as anti-christian
 
Teen4Christ said:
Am I the only one here excited for it? I’m not seeing how it qualifies as anti-christian
Click to expand...
Have you read it? If you’re just going by the trailer, then yes, it seems harmless, but if you’ve read the book, you’d be shocked. I finished the book this week, and I can’t see how a Christian wouldn’t be appalled.
 
dosdog said:
Atheism is thier “Pagan God” that they want to elevate above Christ - No suprise been downhill since Luther
Click to expand...
Yes. Pius XI talks about a “false mysticism” and “counterfeit of the redemption of the lowly”. Just read Divini Redemptoris.
  1. But God has likewise destined man for civil society according to the dictates of his very nature. In the plan of the Creator, society is a natural means which man can and must use to reach his destined end. Society is for man and not vice versa. This must not be understood in the sense of liberalistic individualism, which subordinates society to the selfish use of the individual; but only in the sense that by means of an organic union with society and by mutual collaboration the attainment of earthly happiness is placed within the reach of all. In a further sense, it is society which affords the opportunities for the development of all the individual and social gifts bestowed on human nature. These natural gifts have a value surpassing the immediate interests of the moment, for in society they reflect the divine perfection, which would not be true were man to live alone. But on final analysis, even in this latter function, society is made for man, that he may recognize this reflection of God’s perfection, and refer it in praise and adoration to the Creator. Only man, the human person, and not society in any form is endowed with reason and a morally free will.
Pius XII says the same thing in Ad Apostorum Principis
  1. It is obvious that no thought is being taken of the spiritual good of the faithful if the Church’s laws are being violated, and further, there is no question of vacant sees, as they wish to argue in defense, but of episcopal sees whose legitimate rulers have been driven out or now languish in prison or are being obstructed in various ways from the free exercise of their power of jurisdiction. It must likewise be added that those clerics have been cast into prison, exiled, or removed by other means, whom the lawful ecclesiastical superiors had designated in accordance with canon law and the special powers received from the Apostolic See to act in their place in the government of the dioceses.
John XXIII Mater Et Magistra
  1. And in this work of directing, stimulating, co-ordinating, supplying and integrating, its guiding principle must be the “principle of subsidiary function” formulated by Pius XI in Quadragesimo Anno,[24] “This is a fundamental principle of social philosophy, unshaken and unchangeable. . . Just as it is wrong to withdraw from the individual and commit to a community what private enterprise and industry can accomplish, so too it is an injustice, a grave evil and a disturbance of right order, for a larger and higher association to arrogate to itself functions which can be performed efficiently by smaller and lower societies. Of its very nature the true aim of all social activity should be to help members of the social body, but never to destroy or absorb them.”[25]
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top