'The Golden Compass' author Philip Pullman doesn't look like a ...

He certainly doesn't look like a god-killer. But that's how critics cast him: a deity-smashing heretic, bent on spreading godlessness with children's tales.

[TJL]

This individual is smart & clearly has rolled with the punches incoroporating criticism into his demeanor and delivery.
It makes me upset to know he is not spreading good news though, especially with the reach and impact of movies. I don't think he speaks truth. His truth is malformed, not the word of God that has been divinely inspired in the Bible. I also don't think the world will be a better place because of his movie. Maybe it's art, but by no means a creative work of good intention, from what I understand about him. Ultimately, it will not make a positive difference.

[Pilsen Dave]

And your point is...?

Not all entertainment HAS to make a difference. It's entertainment and sometimes solely serves to take us away from our own reality for a period of time.

As for the Bible, well, not everyone believes it to be divinely inspired. What's so wrong with the fact that Philip Pullman is one of these people? I can enjoy the works of atheists just as much, if not moreso, than the works of religious people.

[molly]

It's so nice to have a movie to take atheist children to!

[Mom of 1]

Pullman is a secular, atheist activist and he in his own words has said he is out to undermine the basis for Christian Faith. Although the movie has been white-washed to a certain extent, because it had to be for obivous reasons, the book from which the movie came, is about killing God. So, that would be why Mr. Pullman doesn't look like a God killer in this movie. The fact that this man is Atheist and has an atheist agenda, is enough for Christians to want to keep their children away from this man's material, especially his book.

[Wil in Lincoln Sq Chicago]

And yet the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said the following (strangely missing from the story):

http://www.usccb.org/movies/g/thegoldencompas...

"To the extent, moreover, that Lyra and her allies are taking a stand on behalf of free will in opposition to the coercive force of the Magisterium, they are of course acting entirely in harmony with Catholic teaching. The heroism and self-sacrifice that they demonstrate provide appropriate moral lessons for viewers."

To paraphrase the author on the Today show:

Also the author did state the following on the Today Show (me paraphrasing him):

"Much evil has been done in the Name of the Church
Much evil has been done by atheist
Much good has been done in the name of the Church
Much good has been done by atheist.

My point is we need much more good in this world and that is all that I want...more good".

[Narx]

Man this guy is stupid he prolly has no proof about his religion either?!

[Narx]

this gy may be a good writer buts has no proof for his religion!

plus atheist one of my best friends in one and hes awesome and super nice but most athiest are mean and brutal athieism says that Its ok to kill one another yet every soul nos thats wrong ,that religion is pointless and murderous
and by the way the church has gone through some amnoumnt of tumoil in the past like the refomation and many churches to day are really fakes yeah so watch out!

[aWitchintheWoods]

Narx wrote:

Man this guy is stupid he prolly has no proof about his religion either?!

Ummm, first... Atheism is NOT a religion. Atheism is the antithesis of religion. I suggest that you google the term and find out what it means.

Second, someone who can't spell, punctuate, or write coherent sentences should be more careful about tossing the word "stupid" around.

[Wil in Lincoln Sq Chicago]

As a Christian I can state that there is no proof that there is a God either.

Next ask yourself,“What would Jesus do?”

Answer is,“Exactly what this author has done!”

I think so many Christians are squealing like pigs because this movie points out the bad side of the Church just like Christ himself did.

The author’s actions of pointing out the flaws of the man made religion and his stating over and over again his desire for more good in the world are really fantastic Christian values.

[sublime]

A myth is a religion in which no one any longer believes.-James Kern
Feibleman, philosopher and psychiatrist (1904-1987)

You bible thumpers will eventually understand the difference. Or maybe not and continue to lead your lives with blinders on...

[Roland_Deschain]

Mom of 1 wrote:

Pullman is a secular, atheist activist and he in his own words has said he is out to undermine the basis for Christian Faith. Although the movie has been white-washed to a certain extent, because it had to be for obivous reasons, the book from which the movie came, is about killing God. So, that would be why Mr. Pullman doesn't look like a God killer in this movie. The fact that this man is Atheist and has an atheist agenda, is enough for Christians to want to keep their children away from this man's material, especially his book.

If your 'faith' is so strong why not read the books and make up your own mind up rather than spouting the idiotic, incoherent ramblings of senile men in silk dresses and silly hats?

The thing you call god is a fictional character, how can it be killed? It was thought up by ancient priests high on whatever illegal substances were available at the time.

[Clarence]

Great Hollywood makes a series of childrern's movies where God is bad, killed, and iy is written nby an atheist. Who would of taught the movie makers would stoop to such nonsense. I'm just going to boycott going to movies, and renting them.

[Clarence]

I did not write what was put down. What I wrote was: Great Hollywood makes a series of children's movies where God is bad, killed, and it is written by an atheist. Who would of taught the movie makers would stoop to such nonsense. I'm just going to boycott going to the movies, and renting them.

[Dad of 3]

I agree with Mom of 1. Christian parents know what Philip Pullman is about and what he's doing, he hasn't been secretive about his agenda. He himself said he couldn't believe Harry Potter caught so much flack, when his own books are about killing God. He said he's been flying under the radar. Those are quotes from him from interviews he's done. So, it's really up to parents who are raising their children to believe in God, as to whether they want to line this guy's pockets or not. If you read any of Pullmans "Dark Materials" stuff, I think most people would have enough sense to understand why Christians are steering away from his work - especially the books. "Compass" is just the first of a trilogy and all the books have anti-God content. Parents are smart enough to make the right decision for their kids and for Christian parents, this one is a no-brainer.

[reza santorini]

This is just a stupid subject as was the attack on the Da Vinci Code. The book is fiction, written as fiction stored in fiction sections in libraries and book stores.

It is no more harmful than stories like Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Ridinghood. It has the good winning and does not tell you bad is good.

Oh yes, what is bad? Not being an extremist?

[ann]

i think it's very sad that some choose to believe that all the wonderfull things in this world came about by chance and not created for our enjoyment by a god who cares about us. you have to remember that it is mankind who has ruined beliefe in god not god himself. all the evil that has been done in the name of religion has been because of imperfect,selfish, demonic man and its easy to see why a person could throw there hands up and say "i've had it with god and those that CLAIM to worship him". jeremiah 10:23, ecclesiastes 8:9 1john 5:19 stop punishing god for what religion has done. oh and talking bad about god and the catholic church are two very different things, they could not be farther apart from each other!

[Genetics4me]

i feel sorry for this man, and how other movies have not been ridiculed about this yet either.

[Lori Drew]

Mom of 1 wrote:

Pullman is a secular, atheist activist and he in his own words has said he is out to undermine the basis for Christian Faith. Although the movie has been white-washed to a certain extent, because it had to be for obivous reasons, the book from which the movie came, is about killing God. So, that would be why Mr. Pullman doesn't look like a God killer in this movie. The fact that this man is Atheist and has an atheist agenda, is enough for Christians to want to keep their children away from this man's material, especially his book.

Is your God that weak?

[Lori Drew]

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth,[b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Who's "us" and "our"?

[Joe]

Why is it so wrong for an atheist to preach against religion but not for religion to preach against atheism? Christians rail on how amoral non-believers are, and that their doomed to hell everyday, yet when an atheist points out that some of what a Christian believes in is a myth and is wrong, why is that so bad? I believe in good. Jesus was good. Gandhi was good. Martin Luther King was good. I don’t believe in an all knowing, all powerful god, but I do believe God is good. Why is this wrong?