Updated 12:47 pm.EST, Sun November 22, 2009

Entertainment > Movie|Mon, Nov. 05 2007 07:01 AM EST

'Golden Compass' Author Denies Promoting Atheism in Books

By Katherine T. Phan|Christian Post Reporter

“My point is that religion is at its best – it does most good – when it is farthest away from political power, and that when it gets hold of the power to [for example] send armies to war or to condemn people to death, or to rule every aspect of our lives, it rapidly goes bad,” said Pullman in response to a similar question.

Even though the British author has taken a more palatable approach in marketing his books as the movie date draws near, comments made in past interviews have been more indicative of his position.

In an interview with Third Way, a Christian newspaper in United Kingdom, Pullman said of the third book in his trilogy: “Of course, I don’t say, ‘There is no God.’

“I say: ‘There is a God, and here he is dying’ – and this is what I was particularly pleased with, as a result of an act of charity. And he goes ‘with a sigh of the most profound and exhausted relief.’”

When his books were released in Australia in 2003, Pullman told The Sydney Morning Herald that his “books are about killing God.”

Fans of Pullman’s work have praised his books for its clever fantasy writing but some have expressed disappointment that the anti-Church themes clearly evident in the books have been watered down or “castrated” from the movie.

Actress Nicole Kidman, reportedly a Christian, who stars along James Bond actor Daniel Craig in the film, has defended the movie as not “anti-Catholic.”

Conservative Christian groups overall have been critical of the movie and books. Evangelical group Focus on the Family is expected to release a statement about the film early this week.

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  • Mon Dec 10, 2007 9:25 pm Agree: 7   Disagree: 7

    It is a movie. So was 10 Commandments and Passion. It is for entertainment. That's it. If the christian community would put as much effort into stopping world hunger, health care and freedom then it might actually do some positive work. WWJD? He would not invade Iraq. Would Jesus be a Liberal or Conservative? If he was a conservative, he would have stayed a carpenter and minded his own business. Good thing he was a liberal.

  • Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:01 am Agree: 4   Disagree: 1

    I did not find out any of this information about the author or the book until after I saw "The Golden Compass". My faith as a Christian was not bothered but I do wish that I knew this information prior because I wouldn't of supported the movie. I have to say that I have a 10 year old brother and I am going to encourage him not to see the movie ,not because I feel he would be influenced to part from his Christian beliefs but because if he bought a ticket he would support this man's beliefs. My brother and I know the "truth" and that is GOD. No movie or person can change that. I know God supplied us with a free will, that is why everyone is not saved. I agree with Falconer33 when they say that we Christians are making the big deal and drawing in more business to the movie. If we ban movies like this, then what stops the world from stopping Christian movies such as "Passion of Christ". Like steveh20 says,kids should have their own faith, not their parents. If the parents bring their children up in the way of the Lord then they will not part. Christians need to spend more time encouraging their movies and their beliefs than fighting the world on theirs. Jesus said the one commandment is to "Love your enemies". If we keep fighting with them, how do we win them to the Lord? The world does things, like this movie, because they do not know the truth. Christians need to spend their time and energy in showing God's unconditional Love. God is victorious!

  • Thu Dec 06, 2007 6:20 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

    ignore that, wrong article!

  • Thu Dec 06, 2007 6:14 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

    Here you go Tom-

    (Matthew 5:22) - "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell."

    Dang, a "christian schooled by an athiest. LOLOLO

  • Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:17 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

    Pullman: … I think these people are…it’s ridiculous. It’s very absurd. They never learn. They never learn that if you want to draw attention to a film to make everybody curious to go and see it, then make a fuss about it. It always happens, every single time they try to do this. They never learn.

    And the other thing they never seem to notice is that they are behaving exactly in the way I describe the religious authorities — who have got their hands on political power — as behaving. In other words, they are repressing arguments, they are repressing freedom of speech, they are trying to prevent people from understanding things; they are doing exactly what I describe in the book. It’s not surprising that they are creating a fuss. But I do wonder that they never learn that the result is always the opposite of what they claim they want.

  • Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:44 pm Agree: 3   Disagree: 1

    Banning the film or bashing Phillip Pullman is not the resolution to the problem. Educating our children is. Young children who can't distinguish between right and wrong, you make the decision you feel is best for them. Older children obviously can make the decision for themselves. The one gift that God gave us was free will. Because of that will, Mr. Pullman can write a story like this and sleep peacefully at night. Like Mr. Pullman, we have free will. Question is, will you use that to see a film knowing what the underling is and if so, how hurtful do you think it would be to our Father that you found entertainment in a film that underlines killing "God". If anything take this with you...I would rather live my entire life doing God's work, die and find out he doesn't exist then to live this life thinking God doesn't exist only to end up at the gates of Heaven and not be aloud in.

  • Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:19 pm Agree: 6   Disagree: 10

    This book is sooooo wronge. I care about the kids who watch this movie. I go to church everyday well almost everyday. i suggest that people dont see this movie because it is based on his books.( by Phillip Pullman) Pullman is an athiest and i know this because he talks about killing god in his books i got this infomation from my friend josh . i will tell people NOT to see it i think it should be banned from airing it in the movies. if people want to know about it read his books. i am doing all my will power to tell people not to see the movie and not to read these books. By the time it goes in the library it will be to late to stop it. who knows whats going to happen with all the christians but i know one thing, my church is totally against.
    nicolepond12345

  • Fri Nov 16, 2007 6:07 pm Agree: 7   Disagree: 2

    I agree with steveh that Kids should be able to have the chance to see the movie. I am 15 and i don't believe most things that happen on Tv. I see them only as entertainment and not as "signs to become atheist". My parents said i could go see the movie if i want because they trust me to know whats right and wrong. They also let me decide if i wanted to be a christian or impartial to religion and i decided to be christian mostly on my own. And i thank my parents for not tring to force that decision with an iron grip or i might have rebeled.

  • Tue Nov 13, 2007 4:57 pm Agree: 2   Disagree: 2

    The upside-down world of Pullman's "Golden Compass"
    Where Bad is Good and God is banned
    By Berit Kjos - November 13, 2007

    http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/007/compass-pullman.htm

  • Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:13 am Agree: 5   Disagree: 1

    I don't think the movie ought to be banned. I do think we show our support of movies,books,ect through our pocketbooks. If something is blatently anti-God, then we as Christians should go out of our way, not supporting it. Don't buy a ticket or purchase the book. We should also explain to our children why we think it is wrong. As Christian parents, it is our job to teach our children and help them grow in faith and understanding of God. That means also teaching by setting an example and that means standing firm in your principles.That is not weakness of faith but honoring our God.

  • Thu Nov 08, 2007 2:36 pm Agree: 4   Disagree: 12

    Pullman what is your problem with god.Why are you so unfaitfull of god and so horrible you anti christian.I think your movie should suck i hope it gets 1/4 of a star or no star you dumb athiest and i hope you know god never dies you crazy unfathfull athiest.

  • Thu Nov 08, 2007 1:05 pm Agree: 5   Disagree: 10

    Josh, my experience of kids is that they are not always that easily influeneced , I don't think kids going to see this movie will come out thinking that there is a god who can be kliled as much as there are talking bears (who also apear in the movie). I am not aware of one person who came out of TLTWATW thinking Jesus died for our sins, no, it was just a movie they enjoyed (thoughfor me the only decent story in the Nania series is The Silver Chair). My children where young once, this is the attitude I took with them, they must own their own faith, not mine.

  • Thu Nov 08, 2007 11:58 am Agree: 3   Disagree: 0

    Note that I was not just reffering to Christian kids, but kids in general.

    I'm glad your children are grown up and would not dare falter in their path with God just because of a movie, wonderful news. Unfortunately not all children are like that and taking the risk is simply illogical. Not to mention it's been proven in history a thousand times that children are much more subjectable to propagandic materials than grown adults.

    Not to mention, unbeliving parents won't think "I shouldn't take my kid to that movie because it's unchristian," and killing God is always a great message they should be hearing :)

  • Thu Nov 08, 2007 8:54 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 1

    Pullman speaks about God, his atheism and the movie in video clips. Judge for yourself.

    http://blog.beliefnet.com/idolchatter/2007/11/exclusive-video-philip-pulman.html

  • Thu Nov 08, 2007 8:39 am Agree: 2   Disagree: 0

    Thank you JoshG for your comments, I appreciated them. My young children are 17 and 19 so I don't really think your point counts to them. I have to be honest though that I would'nt have reccommened DVC to them because the book was so poorly written I expected no better of the movie, my son having seen it (he's a film student at university) confirmed I was correct. That said if my children where young then I would (should they want to see it) be happy for them to see it because as mentioned their faith is built on a choice from knowledge not ignorance, that is a afith that wil last, it is built on rock not sand.

  • Thu Nov 08, 2007 8:30 am Agree: 4   Disagree: 2

    If your faith and the example you have set is so weak that your children would turn away from Christianity simply because of a movie that presents someone else's view of religion, then the problem is not with the author.

    Hopefully, parents will have the common sense to not take very young children, but older ones who can discuss the movie with their parents. At some point, these kids are going out into the world without you, and they'll be bombarded with different perspectives. Better to teach them now how to react to that, and give them the tool of being able to analyze and question. Otherwise, they're much MORE likely to turn then if they were allowed to do some critical thinking about this type of viewpoint.

  • Thu Nov 08, 2007 7:13 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

    That is incorrect. Let me ask this. When the DaVinci Code came out did you encourage your younger kids to go watch it? I can certainly say that not only me, but my church highly suggested NOT seeing the movie because some are simply not strong enough to handle it. The reason to get this movie banned is simply for the sake of the children out their who are vulnerable to it's rather clear message.

    Besides, I said petitions people MIGHT BE interested in signing. You don't have to sign it ya know.

  • Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:26 am Agree: 6   Disagree: 2

    Have I understood this correctly, if we don't agree with something we try to get it banned so that others can't see it, because we don't want to people to beieve through choice but due to ignorance. Banning things like this because we diasgree with them is a sign of no faith or at least a very immature one.

  • Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:59 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 4

    http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/ban-the-golden-compass.html
    http://www.petitiononline.com/gc1003/petition.html

    Some petitions people might be interested in signing.

  • Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:56 am Agree: 15   Disagree: 11

    This man shows he has a god and the god is Money. His fear is that people won't go and buy tickets for his movie.

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