The film is joyless and grim and too violent for the tons of little eight-year-olds I saw running around the theater. But the main trouble with The Golden Compass is not that it’s anti-Christian, but that it does not show us true north. Nor is it golden, rare, and precious but leaden and vaguely second-hand.
Carole McDonnell's short stories and essays appear online and in print, in speculative fiction, ethnic, and Christian publications. She lives in New York with her husband, two sons, and their pets. Wind Follower, published by Juno Books in June 2007, …
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Article comments
1 - ostrova
I haven't seen the movie yet but I just loved the books. Hey, I've got an idea--read the books!
2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
I also suggest reading the books. Movies based on books are generally failures. Exodus, based on Leon Uris' novel of the same name, was a failure as a film in spite of the stirring theme. The Ten Commandments is practically a Cold War comedy. I'll take the Book of Exodus any day of the week to the bad news mugging of the actors in the movie, in spite of all the boring parts of the text.
3 - carole
True. Go to the source, i say. And read all books. And those who dislike the Church and have an idea of what the Bible purports to say should also try to read the Bibles. All this second-hand stuff does no one any good. -C
4 - duane
Parents trying to lead good Christian lives should be aghast at Pullman and the film producers for their attempt to indoctrinate the impressionable minds of innocent children with baseless nonsense. Parents need to protect their children from the world of alternative viewpoints and fight for their right to indoctrinate their children with baseless nonsense of their own choosing.
5 - carole
Duane: did you read my review or are you so busy working off a grudge against an old evangelical aunt that you can't see what I've already written? Although I do believe individual parents should be able to teach their children anything they wish, that's not what I spoke of in this article. What I wrote about: the failure of a film to adequately portray a book. That's all. Your opinion about religion and whether religion is nonsense should be saved for another article. I hope you can hold onto your witty comebacks until the appropriate article comes along. Incidentally, most Christian parents DO show their kids alternative viewpoints. Obviously, you don't know what it's like to be a Christian parent in the US with so much media, worldviews, and propaganda around. What Christians object to is the fact that this is a book geared to young children who might not know how to correctly answer some very nonsensical atheistic assertions. -C
6 - duane
Good smackdown, Carol. Old evangelical aunt. Hehe. Nice.
I did read your review, and thought it was an interesting spin on the issue, and overall, quite balanced.
I read about the first 2/3 of the book with my son, have not seen the movie, have heard a lot on Christian radio about drumming up support for boycotts against the movie and Pullman in general, which I think is quite silly, like most of the rest of what is broadcast on those stations (need some examples?).
As for sticking to the specific topic, hehe, that almost never happens at BC.
Obviously, you don't know what it's like to be a Christian parent in the US with so much media, worldviews, and propaganda around.
No, but I do know what it's like to be a parent in the US with so much media, worldviews, and propaganda around.
What Christians object to is the fact that this is a book geared to young children who might not know how to correctly answer some very nonsensical atheistic assertions.
Yeah, I know. That's precisely echoes the meaning of my comment #3. If I were feeling combative, I could say, "What I object to is the fact that this is a book geared, in part, to young children who might not know how to correctly answer some very nonsensical religious assertions," and I think, if I were to say such a thing, that you know which book I'm referring to.
But I'm feeling rather conciliatory today, so I will refrain.
Carry on.
7 - Headless Unicorn Guy
Carole: Either "Old Evangelical Aunt" or "Mean Nun with Black Belt in Ruler".
Duane: Golden Compass apparently did not open well; not too much box office. Christian Activist Groups (TM) are already congratulating themselves on Our Boycott Is Why It Tanked; they're going to be insufferable for a long time.
I look at it as the flick was probably so bad not even the "Angry Christians Denounce Your Movie" self-sustaining free publicity machine could make much difference.