The upcoming film The Golden Compass based on the successful series written by Philip Pullman is set to hit movie theaters December 5th. The film boasts Hollywood favorites Nicole Kidman, Sam Elliot and Daniel Craig. Religious Right activists are calling for a boycott and have deemed the film an attack on Christianity. Philip Pullman is a famous British author, who has also enjoyed great success in United States. It is well known that Philip Pullman is an atheist. Shortly after the attacks began the film's stars and The Golden Compass author shot back at the activists:
Kidman, who plays a glamorous villain with a soul of ice, rejects the claim that the movie's message is anti-church.
"I don't see it as that, but it's always laid out for interpretation," she said. "But I would be surprised if people actually saw the film and felt that."
"You know what, if they do [boycott], tough," actor Sam Elliot said. "They're going to lose out. We're not going to lose out. They're going to lose out."
"I think the Catholic Church will survive," Craig said. "It's survived much worse things than this."
"Religion is at its best when it is furthest away from power," Pullman told CBS News Correspondent Richard Roth. "As soon as it gets its hands on power, it's no good."
I chose to blog about this topic because I am a personal fan of the series and I feel I should defend it as well. The series is thought-provoking, original and a damn good read. Philip Pullman hit the nail on the head with his, "religion is at its best when it is furthest away from power..." quote. My question is does the religious right have nothing better to do with its time than to waste their time attacking a film; they lose this same battle time after time (i.e. The Harry Potter series). There are so many more important issues the Church could be tackling then concerning its self with the Golden Compass. In my opinion, the Church has no place taking a stance on fiction. If you're comfortable in your faith a Hollywood film shouldn't bother you.
Is 'Golden Compass' Anti-Catholic?
1 comment:
I appreciate your involvement in this issue, Micah, but I wonder what has made you decide the Catholic Church (and Christianity as a whole) has no right to comment on fiction? Do you not advocate free speech? Shouldn't free speech be given to all? So why then does the Church suddenly lose its right to make any comment about or perhaps against this movie? If author Philip Pullman is blatantly attacking Christianity, and Catholicism to a large extent (you can't deny that the evil "Magesterium" in the movie, which was changed from "the Church" in the book, is explicitly Catholic), then does the Catholic Church not have a right to defend itself? You may not agree with the Church and you may think Pullman's series or the movie are not attacking this centuries old installment, but how can you deny the Church's right to have a say about it?
This post has become a list of rhetorical questions, my apologies. What I intend to say, though - other than what I have already made clear - is that you might consider the Church's reasoning for defending itself and encouraging, not telling, but encouraging Christians not to see the movie. The same occurred when "The Da Vinci Code" and even Harry Potter (as you mentioned) appeared on the scene; the Church warned people not to see them because they were explicitly non-Christian. I'm not stating a particular opinion on those two movies, "The Golden Compass," or Pullman's series; I am saying, though, that the Church, just like you and I and every other person in this world, has every right to say anything they want about anything in the world. In the same way, you and I and every other person in the world have every right to choose not to listen to the Church if we see fit.
Additionally, I wonder if you would advocate the Church's right to say something about "The Golden Compass" if that which they said applauded or hailed the movie? Not every Christian or Catholic Christian in the world is completely against this movie..."the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops rates the film 'intelligent and well-crafted entertainment'" (link at the bottom). So, perhaps the Church is actually saying, "this is a great fictional movie, but everyone needs to just keep in mind that it is, in fact, fiction." I think it's a possibility.
That's all. Thanks for your post. God bless.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/30/arts/NA-A-E-MOV-US-Golden-Compass-Religion.php
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