An atheist's 'Narnia' knockoff

[Soldier4Christ]

An atheist's 'Narnia' knockoff


On Dec. 7, 2007, the movie "The Golden Compass," based on the first book in the fantasy trilogy entitled "His Dark Materials" by atheist Philip Pullman will be released in theaters throughout the world. Pullman wrote his fantasy trilogy because he was so upset by the Christian evangelism of C.S. Lewis in his wonderful series of Christian tales entitled "The Chronicles Of Narnia." Pullman is an avowed atheist who has dedicated his life to undermining Christianity and the Church among young readers. The film's release is only another example of a culture spiraling away from faith, a culture into which we must step in and declare truth.

Pullman represents God as a decrepit and perverse angel in his novels, who captures the dead in a "prison camp" afterlife. As one fallen angel tells one of the novel's young heroes:

    The Authority, God, the Creator, the Lord, Yahweh, El, Adonai, the King, the Father, the Almighty – those were all names he gave himself. He was never the creator. He was an angel like ourselves – the first angel, true, the most powerful, but he was formed of Dust as we are, and Dust is only a name for what happens when matter begins to understand itself.

When the hero finally finds this "god," he is ultimately described as a "demented and powerless" creature that "could only weep and mumble in fear and pain and misery." The boy then kills this "god" by breaking him out of his crystal cell, thereby evaporating him. The only "god" in this universe is matter.

Meanwhile, the Church is depicted as an organization bent on power, control and the torture of children by cutting. One-character notes of the Church:

    Killing is not difficult for them; Calvin himself ordered the deaths of children; they'd kill her with pomp and ceremony and prayers and lamentations and psalms and hymns, but they would kill her.

One heroine in the story who turns from the Church did so when she realized "there wasn't any God at all and … the Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all." Instead, the Church just kept her from finding love, thinking freely and pursuing bodily pleasures like sex. As she notes:

"I'd made myself believe that I was fine and happy and fulfilled on my own without the love of anyone else." Later, she says, "I knew what I should think: it was whatever the Church taught me to think. … So I never had to think about [science] for myself."

There is no heaven in this universe, just a dank and dreary "prison camp" afterlife. Pullman thought Christians' positive view of the afterlife, like C.S. Lewis', was a "celebration of death." One of the characters the story's exploring children run into in this hell pursued spiritual things while on Earth, and regrets it:

    They said that heaven was a place of joy and glory and we would spend eternity in the company of saints and angels praising the almighty, in a state of bliss. … And that's what led some of us to give our lives, and others to spend years in solitary prayer, while all the joy of life was going to waste around us, and we never knew.

The children in the story ultimately discover that true wisdom is doing what is right in their own eyes, becoming their own gods. As one of the heroes says:

    "Don't tell me. I shall decide what to do. If you say my work is fighting, or healing, or exploring, or whatever you might say, I'll always be thinking about it. And if I do end up doing that, I'll be resentful because it'll feel as if I didn't have a choice, and if I don't do it, I'll feel guilty because I should. Whatever I do, I will choose it, no one else."

    "Then you have already taken the first steps towards wisdom," said Xaphania.

The result of this "wisdom" is a focus on bodily pleasure over eternal truth. Although ambiguous as to what exactly happens, at the end of the novels the two children pleasure each other bodily and finally experience true joy.

The world of Pullman's series mechanically mirrors that of C.S. Lewis. While "The Chronicles Of Narnia" starts with Lucy going into the wardrobe to get to Narnia, Pullman has Lyra going into a wardrobe. But, what Lyra finds is not the supernatural world, nor a world where God rescues His creation, like Narnia, but rather a world that ends in dust, where the highest meaning can be found in pleasuring each other, and God is just a sniveling old man who doesn't know what he's doing.

Pullman's world is a sad, animalistic universe. Since this is the only world there is, the trilogy ends in hopelessness. Love is not selfless giving, because that would be useless in a materialistic world. Love instead is the lust of pleasuring each other. In Pullman's world, there's no hope of eternal life where the lame and the blind and the deaf and dumb can walk and see and hear and talk, where the old are made youthful. There's no heavenly banquet, there's no loving God, there's no order, and there's no peace.

The logical consequences of Pullman's atheism can be found in the lives of the leading atheists of the 20th century – Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot – men who killed millions of their own people and had no respect for justice or love. Ultimately, it is a road that only leads to meaninglessness and murder.

We urge people of faith and values not to corrupt their children with the odious atheistic worldview of "The Golden Compass." Instead, there are plenty of good movies this Christmas, such as "Enchanted," that will build and not destroy values.

A society shaped by the materialist and godless ethic promoted by films like "The Golden Compass" is a society without hope. If there is no God and no eternity, if all that exists is matter, human life loses all value. Sex becomes the ultimate form of pleasure we can achieve, and unlimited autonomy from other people while being our own gods becomes the goal. A society like this will destroy itself.

[Shammu]

You & I both know, Philip Pullman is in for a rude awaking one day.

[David_james]

I am really getting tired of these attacks. It is getting hard to show them love and kindness.

[Shammu]

I am really getting tired of these attacks.

I know brother, I get tired as well.

It is getting hard to show them love and kindness.

Yes but thats what Jesus would have us do, and continue to show them that love and kindness.

[Soldier4Christ]

I am really getting tired of these attacks. It is getting hard to show them love and kindness.

That is the difference between us and them, through Christ we can still show them the kindness and love that is in us.

[Shammu]

This is my last comment in this thread...................

Glen Beck had Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins on about this movie. Jerry B. Jenkins said that he didnt think it was that big of deal because when he was young he saw Bewitched and The Wizard of Oz and he didn't doubt God at all. Tim LaHaye was much stronger on the stance of it attacking Christians.

[HisDaughter]

Satan is working over time as he knows his time is growing shorter and shorter.  I wonder if those of us that are standing with our Lord in heaven will get to see that piece of slim's FINAL demise?
Can you say, "Tail-Gate-Party!"?

[Brother Jerry]

You betcha Grammy....My grill is on wheels....and the propane is filled up...but then all we will need is the hotdogs and the sticks...cause there is going to be plenty of burning going on then!

[HisDaughter]

This is my last comment in this thread...................

Glen Beck had Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins on about this movie. Jerry B. Jenkins said that he didnt think it was that big of deal because when he was young he saw Bewitched and The Wizard of Oz and he didn't doubt God at all. Tim LaHaye was much stronger on the stance of it attacking Christians.

Hi DreamWeaver.....
I'm using your quote because it's a good lead in.
I think you all need to check this out:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

You will have to read a ways down to get to the horrifing stuff though.  I skimmed it and knew right away that if what it says is true, and it probably is, this is dangerous stuff.    This is not on the lines of "The Wizard of Oz" or "Bewitched"  Those would be nursery rhymes compared to this.

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi DreamWeaver.....
I'm using your quote because it's a good lead in.
I think you all need to check this out:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

You will have to read a ways down to get to the horrifing stuff though.  I skimmed it and knew right away that if what it says is true, and it probably is, this is dangerous stuff.    This is not on the lines of "The Wizard of Oz" or "Bewitched"  Those would be nursery rhymes compared to this.

Those things posted on snopes about this movie are indeed correct. This movie goes far beyond The Wizard of Oz or Bewtiched and it does a lot to influence children in the worst of ways.

[Amisk]

I am a little late in making my posting on this subject, for I see Pastor Rogers has beat me to the subject. I had prepared what I am going to post for several chat forums that I'm on and I had planned to add it here as well.

I guess I'll post it anyway, and hope that Pastor Rogers doesn't mind, since some of what I have to say is pretty close to what he has written.


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Let parents and pastors beware of the upcoming attempt of Hollywood to indoctrinate our kids.

The Movie Golden Compass starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Eva Green is advertised to hit theaters on Friday December 7th.

This movie which was constructed on a budget of 205 Million dollars is based on Philip Pullman’s book entitled The Golden Compass. Pullman a confessed atheist has build his repitro of stories on the style of C. S. Lewis’ Narnia, however Pullman seeks to kill the teaching of God in the minds of young readers. His trilogy of books are geared to promote Atheism, while Lewis’ theme was to promote Christianity. While Lewis’ had talking animals in his Narnia, Pullman goes further by having the talking animals, which in reality are demons that communicate with their mortal and Pullman alleges that all humans process.

A couple of the characters listed in the reviews that have come across my desk, and in Pullman’s book are a ex-nun calls "Christianity a convincing mistake". Along with this are two characters portraying Adam and Eve who kill God, who is sometimes referred to by His Hebrew name, of "Yahweh". Castration and female circumcision is discussed as well.

In an effort to pacify the religious opposition, the movie industry tell us that the authors of the movie Golden Compass have watered down the Atheistic doctrine and the idea of killing God, and the mind set of destroying the Christian religion. William Donohue president of the Catholic League is quoted as cautioning, that while the movie is somewhat watered down, it will still encourage children to read the series which "denigrates Christianity" and promotes "atheism for kids". Donohue also warns of Pullman saying that he is "trying to undermine the basis of Christian beliefs".

It was no accident that the Movie Czars have picked December 7th for the movie to hit the theaters in America. This gives time for parents and kids to see the watered down version of Pullmans mildest of his trilogy of books thus making it a must on many kid’s Christmas list. While the movie may be watered down the books still remain a danger as the author attacks our kids through the written page.

Those who are concern about Christianity and the moral issues of our nation and their families should boycott the movie. Even if you think you just want to check it out, please remember that Hollywood, book publishers and educators base the success of any book or movie on the dollars that come into their coppers. What we spend on movies and books measures for Hollywood, books publishers and educators the types of material we want more of. (You alone must decide which side of the fence you are on). However, note that the majority of movies coming out of Hollywood these days are Anti-God, anti Christianity, and anti family. Following this immoral move on the part of Hollywood has become the forerunner of our run away sex epidemic, lawlessness among our youth, the break up of marriages and homes in North American society, and drunkenness on booze and illicit drugs have also become rampant as movies makers and authors thumb their nose at God and Bible. "The Golden Compass" appears to be one more attempt to destroy the morality of our nations.

[Soldier4Christ]

I don't mind at all. The more people realize what garbage this is the better and the more parents can do to keep their children from seeing it.

[KC8ZDA]

I have been praying for the movie be a flop and the books become a flop and that God will change his heart. Mr.Pullman pray for him to fiend salvation and hate the sin
it is to late for satin to turn around but Mr. Pullman is not Jesus can still work on him
remember what Jesus said to the woman who was going to be stoned. HE who is without sin cast the first stone. then HE said to the woman go I do not condemn you and sin no more. Mr. pullman needs our prayer more now than ever prayer for move and book failer and that GOD JESUS and the HOLY SPIRIT will change him.
KC8ZDA Brett

[Brother Jerry]

Amen Bret.  And welcome to the forums.

[Amisk]

I fully agree, KC8ZDA that we need to pray for Mr. Pullman's salvation. We need to pray also for the failure at the box office and the store shelves of his movie and his box. They are damaging and will lead others a stray even if he does become a Christian now.