Christian groups slam new Kidman children's movie

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The other thing that people rarely take note of - is that often, the folks behind this sort of criticism have not themselves read/watched/listened to - the object of their criticism.

I wouldn't take the word of a church group as a reason not to see a particular movie, or read a particular book. What kind of decision-making would that be?

[Mags 112]

The movie has been dumbed down to fool kids and their parents in the hope that they will buy his trilogy where in the end the children kill God and everyone can do as they please. Nicole Kidman stars in the movie so it will probably be advertised a lot.

That's from the Snopes page SteveLaura quoted. The part I disagree with is the part where it says that the children (Lyra and Will) kill God. They don't kill God (or the Authority as he is called in the books) at all. He falls from his litter and seems to die of old age; the children just see it happen so it is told from their perspective, that's all.

[ivona 0]

If the book were about Jews torturing children, I think we'd be right to regard it as anti-Semitic.

This books isn't about torturing children. You really have to read it.

In Lyra's world people have daemons which are like their subconscious personified in form of different animals. The thing is that childrens daemons can change shape, but the adults' ones are fixed. Children are also surrounded with particles called "Dust", I suppose you can view it as an aura. Apparently dust came into existence when Eve and Adam obtained free will.

What, Lyra's mother is doing in the name of the Church is investigating why does dust almost dissapear and why do deamons get fixed in their shape at the onset of puberty. Now, she is an unbeliveably cruel woman who does this by cutting the children's deamons from them leaving them like Zombies more or less to eventually die....

The books are really brilliant.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

We bought an omnibus copy at the weekend - looking forward to reading it.

[Cassie 8]

The other thing that people rarely take note of - is that often, the folks behind this sort of criticism have not themselves read/watched/listened to - the object of their criticism.

I wouldn't take the word of a church group as a reason not to see a particular movie, or read a particular book. What kind of decision-making would that be?

Exactly, and I as a Christian am bugged by that as well. Do some research, get an INFORMED opinion, then make that opinion known.

[SteveLaura 0]

The other thing that people rarely take note of - is that often, the folks behind this sort of criticism have not themselves read/watched/listened to - the object of their criticism.

I wouldn't take the word of a church group as a reason not to see a particular movie, or read a particular book. What kind of decision-making would that be?

Exactly, and I as a Christian am bugged by that as well. Do some research, get an INFORMED opinion, then make that opinion known.

I think that's what our school was doing. "Look, you might not know anything about these books [i didn't] and want to check it out first before you take your kids to see another cute Xmas movie."

[Emancipation 2]

The other thing that people rarely take note of - is that often, the folks behind this sort of criticism have not themselves read/watched/listened to - the object of their criticism.

I wouldn't take the word of a church group as a reason not to see a particular movie, or read a particular book. What kind of decision-making would that be?

Exactly, and I as a Christian am bugged by that as well. Do some research, get an INFORMED opinion, then make that opinion known.

I agree with this as well.. As a Christian I went to DaVinchi Code.. basically because they TOLD me not to I actually went with my Pastor who quite enjoyed the movie..

I think Cassie's hitting it on the head exactly... and that's how I approach things. I don't check my brains at the door..

[pedroh 21]

If the book were about Jews torturing children, I think we'd be right to regard it as anti-Semitic.

This books isn't about torturing children. You really have to read it.

In Lyra's world people have daemons which are like their subconscious personified in form of different animals. The thing is that childrens daemons can change shape, but the adults' ones are fixed. Children are also surrounded with particles called "Dust", I suppose you can view it as an aura. Apparently dust came into existence when Eve and Adam obtained free will.

What, Lyra's mother is doing in the name of the Church is investigating why does dust almost dissapear and why do deamons get fixed in their shape at the onset of puberty. Now, she is an unbeliveably cruel woman who does this by cutting the children's deamons from them leaving them like Zombies more or less to eventually die....

The books are really brilliant.

deamons? arent they kinda like their soul? not deamons

[Caladan 19]

The other thing that people rarely take note of - is that often, the folks behind this sort of criticism have not themselves read/watched/listened to - the object of their criticism.

I wouldn't take the word of a church group as a reason not to see a particular movie, or read a particular book. What kind of decision-making would that be?

The council of Catholic bishops will have had someone who has seen it; seriously, the Catholic church has movie reviewers who are relatively reliable. (The Catholic League are generally a bit crazy and probably haven't.) I might read the books; they're supposed to be good fantasy. But the author's pretty clear in interviews about what his target is.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

One other thing - you always here about how Xianity is "under siege" from the forces of atheism; yet in reality where does this exist?

I might have a selective memory here - but I can't remember anyone kicking up a big stink about the religious allegory in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The other thing that people rarely take note of - is that often, the folks behind this sort of criticism have not themselves read/watched/listened to - the object of their criticism.

I wouldn't take the word of a church group as a reason not to see a particular movie, or read a particular book. What kind of decision-making would that be?

The council of Catholic bishops will have had someone who has seen it; seriously, the Catholic church has movie reviewers who are relatively reliable. (The Catholic League are generally a bit crazy and probably haven't.) I might read the books; they're supposed to be good fantasy. But the author's pretty clear in interviews about what his target is.

Well maybe - but there is a degree of separation between what an author says in public and how people perceive and respond to his work.

[Sister Fracas 5]

OMG...a bunch of kids will become agnostic or atheist!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like I've got some holiday reading now (and it wasn't even ON my radar before.... see what a little goofy protesting can cause?)....

Edited December 6, 2007 by Sister Fracas

[ivona 0]

If the book were about Jews torturing children, I think we'd be right to regard it as anti-Semitic.

This books isn't about torturing children. You really have to read it.

In Lyra's world people have daemons which are like their subconscious personified in form of different animals. The thing is that childrens daemons can change shape, but the adults' ones are fixed. Children are also surrounded with particles called "Dust", I suppose you can view it as an aura. Apparently dust came into existence when Eve and Adam obtained free will.

What, Lyra's mother is doing in the name of the Church is investigating why does dust almost dissapear and why do deamons get fixed in their shape at the onset of puberty. Now, she is an unbeliveably cruel woman who does this by cutting the children's deamons from them leaving them like Zombies more or less to eventually die....

The books are really brilliant.

deamons? arent they kinda like their soul? not deamons

Kinda yes, but that is what they are called..... it isn't meant in the negative demonica sense

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

I haven't read the book, but I'm actually a little inclined to the side of the protesters....the book basically was about killing the God of Christianity because he'd gone aged and demented, where the church tortured children, and heaven was a lie, just a place where you wandered around sad being tortured by harpies. That said, it's reported that they've kept a lot of it out of the movie.

Guess what. Agnostics have been persecuted by Christians for centuries. We have every right to say that the Christian idea of God is flawed and failing society, because it is.

I think we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that this is a series of fiction books, nothing more. What the author believes is not necessarily what 'we' believe, but he has the right to write what he wants, and include whatever message he wants. He doesn't have any control over how others read and perceive his books. He also doesn't have any control over whether others use his books in a political way - but I think those who do are really missing the point.

I don't feel threatened by his message, any more than I did by C.S. Lewis.

Exactly, my point is that he has a right to think differently. Just like Mel Gibson has a right to make The Passion of the Christ.

[trailmix 77]

Calgary's Catholic School Board has removed it from their shelves pending review, as many have said, it obviously causes more interest (personally I think this is ridiculous)

Readers rush to Golden Compass

Catholic school controversy boosts interest in novel

Sean Myers, Calgary Herald

Published: Thursday, December 06, 2007

A controversial book that the Calgary Catholic School District has removed from its libraries is flying off the shelves of book stores and public libraries across the city.

Librarians at Catholic schools have been instructed to remove The Golden Compass from their shelves while a district committee reviews the appropriateness of the book's content for students.

The fantasy novel, which has been turned into a movie that opens in theatres Friday, is also not to be taught in the classroom or offered for sale at Scholastic Book Fairs in the city's Catholic schools.

"The controversy over this book has reinvigorated interest it," said Grant Kaiser, spokesman for the Calgary Public Library. "There's 150 people on a waiting list for our 30 copies. Sometimes I wonder if it's the movie houses themselves that create these controversies."

link

Edited December 6, 2007 by trailmix