Fruit of Knowledge

Some religious organizations are unhappy with The Golden Compass, it’s sad to see those, whose faith is weak, have a need to blame others for their lack of it.

Thanks to the controversy about The Golden Compass from these phony religious groups, more people will now want to see this movie, and read the books.

Their objections and protests only serve to increase the popularity of the entertainment they wish to ban.

I do my own research:

The story has nothing to do with atheism or “killing God”. The third book of the “His Dark Materials” trilogy is about revealing God, but that part of the story is NOT in The Golden Compass.

The author is agnostic and teaches others to use critical thinking skills when dealing with spiritual issues.

The books ARE about rejecting authoritarianism and the corruption of power. According to the Catholic Church, the story is "entirely in harmony with Catholic teaching."

In the story the “Magisterium” is used as a metaphor for the Catholic church. Magisterium is also the technical ecclesiastical term for the authority of the church.

The official response from the Catholic group who monitors how Catholic’s are portrayed in Hollywood gave this review about The Golden Compass:

From article on CNN:

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office for Film and Broadcasting gave the film, which is rated PG-13, a warm review. The film is not blatantly anti-Catholic but a "generalized rejection of authoritarianism," it said.

While noting the story's "spirit of rebellion and stark individualism," the office said Lyra and her allies' stand for free will in opposition to the coercive force of the Magisterium is "entirely in harmony with Catholic teaching."

Sister Rose Paccate, director of the Pauline Center of Media Studies in Culver City, California, said the books portray benevolence toward children and a God figure -- just one that's much different than the one Christians know.

She sees irony in calls to shun the film, considering that one of Pullman's central themes is that people should not follow orders and forfeit critical thought.

"If you just say 'no' to your kids without engaging in a conversation, they're going to see the movie anyway and all you're teaching them is power, not really teaching your values," Paccate said. "If we have faith, what are we afraid of?"

Donna Freitas, a visiting assistant professor of religion at Boston University, goes a step further, calling the books a "theological masterpiece." Pullman's intent aside, she views the trilogy as a treatise on Christian belief.

To Freitas, the series' mysterious "Dust" -- portrayed in the books as connected to original sin -- represents the Holy Spirit. Pullman is not attacking religion but those who use power to corrupt, she said.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops rates the film "intelligent and well-crafted entertainment."

But don’t take my word for it. Every person has a head on his shoulders to view and apply common sense to all the input coming in from the world. The more information a person has, the better decisions they can make. Do your own research, and don't believe everything you are told.

Just like religious bibles, these books are only stories, to deliver to the reader, a message, a lesson, or moral theme, from the view of the writer. It is up to the reader to internalize and understand the intended morals of the story, in their own way.

If you believe everything you read, it would be better if you didn't read.

If you can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality, it would be better if you didn't speak.

I will put this trilogy on my reading list, they have piqued my interest.

I wonder how much controversy Lois Lowry's The Giver will receive when it is made into a movie. It is in pre-production now and I have been anticipating it's release for awhile. It is also the first of a trilogy about an artificial society created to control people and keep them from knowing the truth about reality. Religious groups have also wished to ban those books, but many schools have put it on their "required" reading lists.

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