British author Phillip Pullman has publicly denied allegations that his work, including The Golden Compass which is being adapted onto the big screen, is anti-Catholic and promotes atheism.
The movie, slated for a Dec. 7 release, is based on the first book from Pullman’s trilogy, His Dark Materials, in which a young girl’s quest to uncover the reason behind her friend’s disappearance concludes with the killing of a character named God – who turns out to be a phony.
Christian groups such as the Catholic League have criticized the movie and charged the intentional removal of anti-religious themes as a ploy to encourage kids to read Pullman’s pro-atheism books.
The Catholic watchdog has even published a brochure, entitled “The Golden Compass: Agenda Unmasked,” as part of a PR campaign aimed to expose atheist elements of the series.
In his appearance on the “Today” show Thursday, Pullman implicitly denied that his work is selling “atheism for kids” when ”Today” host Al Roker brought up the accusations made by the Catholic League.
“Well, you know, I always mistrust people who tell us how we should understand something. They know better than we do what the book means or what this means and how we should read it and whether we should read it or not,” said Pullman.
“I don’t think that’s democratic,” he continued. “I prefer to trust the reader. I prefer to trust what I call the democracy of reading – when everybody has the right to form their own opinion and read what they like and come to their own conclusion about it. So I trust the reader.”
But Pullman’s answer did little to convince Catholic League president Bill Donohue who said he was appalled that the author would continue his charade instead of directly answering to the accusations.
“The last thing Pullman trusts is the people,” Donohue said in a statement Thursday. “That is why he tries to sneak his atheism in back-door to kids. If he had any courage, he’d defend his work, but instead he continues to do what he does best – practice deceit.”
Donahue also doubted Pullman’s claims that the he just intends readers to get a “good experience of a good story,” pointing to a comment made several years ago by the writer.
"I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief," said Pullman in an article by The Washington Post, adding that C.S. Lewis, the Christian author of Chronicles of Narnia, would describe his books as the “Devil's work."
The Catholic League president said that he didn’t believe the organization’s booklet was “undemocratic” but was “happy to have ripped the mask off his face.”
“We at the Catholic League never had to run from our work,” added Donahue. “How pitiful it is to see a grown man slip kids his poisonous pill and then pretend he trusts the reader.”
Pullman, a self-described atheist, gave a more direct answer to concerns surrounding the anti-Church and anti-religion themes in his book while responding to a question sent in by a reader in Al's Book Club.
Asked whether there is “an underlying message for atheism” in his book, Pullman maintained that he was only “telling a story.”
“As for the atheism, it doesn’t matter to me whether people believe in God or not, so I’m not promoting anything of that sort,” he said in an article on the “Today” show’s website.
“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.
Comments
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.
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!
ignore that, wrong article!
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 :)
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
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.