With less than two weeks before the slated release of a movie that has some Christians fuming, the director of ”The Golden Compass” recently attempted to shed the anti-Catholic, anti-God label that has been associated with the film and the book series from which it is based.
The Catholic League has urged parents to boycott the movie which the watchdog group claims to promote atheism as it tells the story of a girl on a quest to kill a character named “God.”
"The three novels are extremely anti-faith in general, anti-Christian and anti-Catholic in particular, and pro-atheism," Kiera McCaffrey, director of communications for the Catholic League, told Cybercast News Service. "In each successive book, the anti-God agenda gets progressively stronger."
“Golden Compass” director Chris Weitz had denied pursuing an “atheist agenda” while making the movie, according to the first installment of a Q&A series on an MTV Movies blog. He had also pledged to discontinue as director if he felt he was “watering down” anti-religious themes in the movie’s sequels, which would be based from the second and third books of Phillip Pullman’s ”His Dark Materials” trilogy.
Last Wednesday, in the second installment of the website’s Q&A posting, Weitz said he doesn’t find the content in the second and third books to be “anti-Catholic.”
“I think that an accurate adaptation of ‘The Subtle Knife’ and ‘The Amber Spyglass’ would not be anti-Catholic,” said Weitz, referring to the titles of the second and third part of “His Dark Materials.” “What would be anti-Catholic would be to go out of one’s way to attack people’s beliefs.”
While the Church is clearly the antagonist of the series, the film only refers to the institution as the Magisterium — which is the teaching arm of the Church that interprets the Word of God.
"The Church is portrayed as a totally corrupt, oppressive institution – all churches are. There is no God. It's just an idea that's been concocted to keep people in chains,” said McCaffrey.
Critics say the anti-religious references were intentionally removed to make the pro-atheist series more marketable toward children. They also point out that Pullman is an avowed atheist who has publicly stated that his books are a direct response to the ”Chronicles of Narnia” series by Christian author C.S. Lewis.
“It’s true that Pullman takes issue with dogma and with the abuse of religion for political power, but the critique about dogma applies far more widely than Catholicism or even religion,” said Weitz. “The last time that the Catholic church directly exerted political power on a state level was during the middle ages.”
Weitz also attempted to defend Pullman, saying that the charge that Pullman wants to “kill God” in the minds of readers is “wrongheaded.”
Pullman had said his “books are about killing God,” according to a past interview.
“I think Pullman probably has an issue with a certain view of God – which is to say, as a subject worth killing people over,” continued Weitz. “In that regard, the institution that I think most closely resembles the Magisterium is the government of Iran.”
“I think it’s a shame that people are reacting to a movie they haven’t seen by attacking a book they haven’t understood,” he added.
Still, many critics can’t ignore the mounted evidence against Pullman including the fact that the novels are based from a line in John Milton's classic poem on Satan's fall from heaven, "Paradise Lost."
Kurt Bruner, co-author of the book, Shedding Light on His Dark Materials, says Pullman’s books are definitely anti-religious.
"In many ways, Philip Pullman has taken Satan's side of the argument and has created a world and a story which is all about Satan overthrowing the authority of God," Bruner told Cybercast News Service.
Weitz is expected to answer further questions on the movie in a third installment of questions this Wednesday.
The movie features Nicole Kidman and James Bond star Daniel Craig and opens in theaters on Dec. 7.
Comments
This movie will fizzle out worse before it even catches fire.
Prophet,
We are brothers in Christ. Please forgive my brash and rude statement towards you.
and I will take this time to ask truthandjustice for forgiveness if I've sounded brash and rude. I do not hate Catholics, nor do I believe that they aren't saved. If they have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and accepted His sacrifice at the cross, and given their life over to Him, then they are saved. But I do have problems with some of the tenets of faith that Catholics hold to, that I believe are unscriptural. But, I'm sure its mutual. I even have problems with some of the tenets of faith that the Protestants believe. But, as I said, if we believe that there is only one way to heaven (through Jesus...not a denomination, or church name, or heritage), then we are brothers and sisters.
The point of all this, is that neither the Catholic faith, nor the Protestant faith...is the way to salvation. Only through Jesus Christ. There is only ONE mediator between God and man...Jesus Christ. There is only one who can forgive sins...Jesus Christ.
but truthandjustice,
check out the article on this site titled "Rise of Pentecostalism Spurs Call for Catholic 'Self-Examination'"
"At a meeting of the world's Catholic cardinals, Cardinal Walter Kasper, who serves as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said “self-critical examination of conscience” was necessary for the church body.
“We must not ask first what is wrong with the Pentecostals but ask what our pastoral failings are and come to a spiritual renewal," the ecumenical leader said Friday, according to Agence France Presse"
"It is believed that the Catholic Church's views on divorce and its barring of re-married Catholics from receiving communion has caused many Catholics to switch over to evangelical and charismatic groups. There are now 400 million evangelicals and charismatics worldwide."
"In Brazil alone, Roman Catholics used to account for about 90 percent of the population in the 1960s; by 2005, it was down to 67 percent, the Associated Press noted. The Vatican has been increasingly lamenting the rise of Protestant evangelical communities in Latin America, Africa and elsewhere, and the resulting flight of Catholics" (as I recall truthandjustice boasting of the droves of protestants leaving their faith to turn to Catholicism.)
"During the consistory, Kasper briefed the cardinals on relations with other Christians, focusing on the church's relations with the Orthodox, Protestants and Pentecostal movements." (NOW the Catholic Church aknowledges the Protestants)
truthandjustice..
Im glad that all Catholics aren't as venemous and un-Christ like as you.
"The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction." Proverbs 10:11-14
"He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom." Proverbs 10:18-21
"A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame" Proverbs 12:16
"A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident." Proverbs 14:16
Joe Cajun -
If this silly thing would let me, I would give you 10 "thumbs up" !!!!! I believe you've just hit the nail on the head. You'd think that, through collaboration on this movie, the author and the director would at least have some similarities in their statements!
Let me get this straight, the director claim the movie is not anti-God. But the author claims to be an atheist. So who should be believe? The author wrote the books to contradict The Chronicles of Narnia. C.S. Lewis' goal in that series was to portray a Christian theme. But Mr. Pullman's intention was not to be anti-Christian. With logic like that, why should anyone be confused?
Prophet,
why don't you stick to watching the Passion of the Christ you seem to have a very good understanding of that movie. "I watched it, and was shown the way it reads in my Bible. It is the Biblical version". Perhaps you could get the same person who showed you how it reads in your bible to explain this movie to you.
Kiera McCaffrey, director of communications for the Catholic League says it is ant-Catholic + Anti-God. "Golden Compass" director Chris Weitz says it isn't anti-Catholic (thus, the title of this article).
Prophet's statement is: so, Pullmans trilogy is anti-God...but not anti-Catholic. According to who prophet? the person trying to sell his movie perhaps? Perhaps this article is just a little too complex for some readers. On that note, yes prophet the Catholic Church is probably very concerned with the director's statement they should reverse their opinion about the books/movie.
so, Pullmans trilogy is anti-God...but not anti-Catholic....go figure. Noooo...that won't that stroke the Catholic Church's ego, will it. I won't say any more.
How often have we heard any number of different claims that someone is trying to destroy one of the religions of our world. As with anything else it is the responsibility of the faithful to teach those around us the truth. However, part of that requires us to accept that others also have an ability to express the beliefs and opinions they have.
Teach your family and friends what they really need to know but allow them to "see" the opinions of others. Only by doing this can we truly understand them. Then we can use that knowledge to expose them to the correct path and, hopefully, get them to truly convert themselves.
“I think it’s a shame that people are reacting to a movie they haven’t seen by attacking a book they haven’t understood,” he added.
“I think that an accurate adaptation of ‘The Subtle Knife’ and ‘The Amber Spyglass’ would not be anti-Catholic,” said Weitz, referring to the titles of the second and third part of “His Dark Materials.” “What would be anti-Catholic would be to go out of one’s way to attack people’s beliefs
This is not about being anti-Catholic. This is about Christians and our God, Yahweh, the Father, the Almighty, the Lord. Anything with the premise of killing God is anti-theist or better atheist or antichrist. Let just call it what it is and stop dressing it up in with fancy words and labels. He has a plan, and it doesn't matter how long it takes to get his point across, 3 movies or one. He trying to destroy our faith with vain words and coveted ideas. Our children could forget God and be led astray. Christians have got to start taking a stand, not in violence or riots. We should be turning away from things that detract from God.
Let us lay aside every sin that so doth so easily beset us an run with patience the race that is set before us. We don't have to watch every movie that come to the cinema.