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Why Are Americans So Afraid of “The Golden Compass”?
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Adults don’t get it.
As I look at all the hullaballoo over the new “The Golden Compass” movie (based on the first novel in Philip Pullman’s fantasy trilogy “His Dark Materials“), I am reminded of the Ursula Le Guin pro-fantasy manifesto: “Why Are Americans So Afraid of Dragons?”
In that 1974 essay, Le Guin indicts a general cultural conservatism that sees the freedom and imagination inherent in fantasy literature as a threat, even as American children’s appetite for it seems to be insatiable.
That conservatism apparently still holds some sway today, even if it didn’t mind co-opting C.S. Lewis’ Narnia as a straightforward Christian allegory (which, I’ve argued before, distorts that wonderfully complex world). Conservative Christian groups of many colors are calling for a boycott of the newest potential fantasy juggernaut.
The best response I’ve read so far comes from an unexpected source: a Catholic theologian. Donna Freitas writes in the Boston Globe:
These books are deeply theological, and deeply Christian in their theology. The universe of “His Dark Materials” is permeated by a God in love with creation, who watches out for the meekest of all beings — the poor, the marginalized, and the lost. It is a God who yearns to be loved through our respect for the body, the earth, and through our lives in the here and now. This is a rejection of the more classical notion of a detached, transcendent God, but I am a Catholic theologian, and reading this fantasy trilogy enhanced my sense of the divine, of virtue, of the soul, of my faith in God.
The book’s concept of God, in fact, is what makes Pullman’s work so threatening. His trilogy is not filled with attacks on Christianity, but with attacks on authorities who claim access to one true interpretation of a religion. Pullman’s work is filled with the feminist and liberation strands of Catholic theology that have sustained my own faith, and which threaten the power structure of the church. Pullman’s work is not anti-Christian, but anti-orthodox.
When someone like Freitas so clearly exposes the true motives behind all the fear-mongering, it makes our job easy.
Posted at 4:11 PM | Permalink | | 
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How can a book that is so “deeply Christian” be written by an atheist? The fact that the trilogy alone is called “His Dark Materials” worries me that it is bius for “the dark side”. I, myself, am a devoted Christian and firm believer in God. I am not Catholic but no book that goes against what other people believe should ever be exposed to millions of people (especially easily-influenced children)at a time.
The remark against C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” couldn’t be farther from the truth. Although C.S. Lewis is a Christian it isn’t made obvious in the movie. He shows good morals without bashing opposite beliefs or other religions. If you know anything about the trilogy, you’ll understand that in the last book, “The Amber Spyglass”, the two main characters kill God. If that’s not anti religious, I don’t know what is.
It is our duty as Christians to bring as many people towards our Maker as possible. And this movie is just going to kill the souls of the innocent. It’s sad to know that someone would acctually try to manipulate such naive beings. Children want to know that there is something larger than life. Why would we want to take that away from them?
If you believe in God and it doesn’t make your heart ache to see what this movie has set out to do in the world, then you need to check yourself. Never before has evil stooped so low as to rob the souls of children away from the authority of God, churches, and families.
Author Phillip Pullman says, “I want to kill God in the minds of children… I want them to decide against God and the Kingdom of Heaven.” So if you think this problem is not a serious one, think again.
If you have any similar or opposing ideas please email me at xoxojaz16@aim.com I would love to share my own ideas as well as listen to yours.
Ashlee Pinciotti
20 years old
Posted by Ashlee Pinciotti on November 29th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
I agree with Ashlee. How can you expect an athiest to present truths about God. In an interview this man admitted that children “kill God” in his last book of the trilogy(check out http://www.snopes.com). In no way do I have any problem with different religions and worship styles. What I do have a problem with is the movie industry using our children to help Pullman push his athiestic ways on the world. I, for one, will do everything in my power to make sure this movie is never shown near our town, as well as keep Pullman’s books out of our schools and local libraries.
Anyone who thinks he/she can kill God has got some serious problems. If Pullman will check the Bible out, they “killed” Jesus and He rose again. In the words of some of my younger students - “It ain’t gonna happen!”
Posted by Amy on November 29th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I have not read the book, but did any of the previous commenters read the article? Or are you just depending on snopes.com — a site I love, but which seems to have fallen for the “truthiness” in this case.
From the Boston Globe article (a wonderful analysis, by the way) — please forgive the long quote:
“The trilogy is a retelling of Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost,’ the classic epic poem from which Pullman borrowed a line, ‘His Dark Materials.’ Milton tells of the battle between Lucifer’s army of fallen angels and God’s rule in heaven. In ‘Paradise Lost,’ God prevails. But in Pullman’s book, the two child protagonists help to defeat the rule of the Authority and the Authority dies.
“When critics say that Pullman’s series advocates killing God, this is what they mean. But that is the most literal possible reading, and misses the point of the books.
“The ‘God’ who dies in ‘The Amber Spyglass’ is not a true God at all. Pullman’s Authority is an impostor, more like Milton’s Lucifer than like a traditional conception of God. In the novels, the universe’s first angel tricked all other angels and conscious beings created after him into believing he is God, and has spent an eternity building a corrupt empire for the purpose of hanging on to absolute power.
“Readers of the trilogy know that the Authority is a tyrannical figure who uses his power to deceive, to conceal, and to terrorize. His death not only liberates all beings, but reveals the true God, in which and in whom all good things - knowledge, truth, spirit, bodies, and matter - are made. The impostor God has spent an eternity trying to wipe out all traces of the divine fabric of the true God - what Pullman calls Dust - because it is so threatening to his rule.”
Posted by John Oliverio on November 29th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
I’m a christian and I feel that exposing children to anything that isn’t directly out of the bible is a SIN! Shame and death to anyone that feels diffrently. If we question god, the bible or religion we will be punished. So do yourself a favor, find your nearest priest and after he’s taken all your money and raped your children (spirtually, mentally and physically) then maybe as an entire human race we can drop this BS religous dogma and start creating some new ideas to actually BETTER the world. Please people just THINK FOR YOURSELF!!!!! WHY IS THAT SO HARD FOR YOU TO DO?
Posted by sillySIMON on November 30th, 2007 at 12:06 am
“It is our duty as Christians to bring as many people towards our Maker as possible.”
Ashlee, sadly you are a delusional lunatic. There are so many REAL things that need to be done in this world and you’re wasting your time in a fantasy land. Get real.
Posted by Bloop on December 3rd, 2007 at 8:18 am
“I am not Catholic but no book that goes against what other people believe should ever be exposed to millions of people (especially easily-influenced children)at a time.”
So I assume that you were against Narnia, since there are people who don’t believe in Christianity? I think what you really meant was:
“no book that goes against what I BELIEVE should ever be exposed…”
Posted by DIZZLE on December 6th, 2007 at 1:34 am
It is clear that the movie is expected to attract interest to all three books and the anti-religious agenda of Pullman. Therefore, I don’t understand why would Christians want to pay for it? Of course, I keep reading that those who don’t want to see the movie or read those dusted books are bigots, fundamentalists etc. It remains me so much the propaganda machine in the Soviet Union where “scientific” arguments were used against religion.
Posted by George on December 9th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
I haven’t seen the movie yet, so I speak as one who has only heard, not seen.
I am very excited about this movie. Obviously it has a very deep and spiritual level; and it isn’t afraid to “appear” controversial. What an awesome opportunity to get children to think at a deeper level.
“I, for one, will do everything in my power to make sure this movie is never shown near our town, as well as keep Pullman’s books out of our schools and local libraries.”
Kids have ways of gaining access to anything that is forbidden. Chances are, your kids are going to see it anyway, and think that its way cool. Why not use the movie as a discussion starter. Get the kids thinking about issues, and let them form a valid opinion that isn’t unrealistic.
Posted by Lyli on December 11th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
i dont understand what Christians are so afraid of. If our beliefs can be threatened by a hollywood production, perhaps we should get a better belief. If there is a realistic threat in this movie, why are we afraid to evaluate it. If God is truth, we can’t do anything about it. I think “Christians are the main reason movies like this get the publicity they do. Christians make such a fuss about blasphemy and atheism in hollywood productions that everyone wants to see what the hype is about. Maybe we should worry more about the issues presented in our immediate society. I personally have more important things to worry about than a story from an atheist.
Posted by Charles Harder on December 11th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
At Ashlee:
“How can a book that is so “deeply Christian” be written by an atheist? The fact that the trilogy alone is called “His Dark Materials” worries me that it is bius for “the dark side”.”
It means the ideas represented in the book are deeply Christian.
“I am not Catholic but no book that goes against what other people believe should ever be exposed to millions of people (especially easily-influenced children)at a time.”
Doesn’t the Bible technically go against what other people believe ? Is everybody that doesn’t believe in the Catholic/Christian God automatically going to hell ? Cause Heaven is going to be pretty empty.
“Although C.S. Lewis is a Christian it isn’t made obvious in the movie.”
I Think the concept of resurrection made the analogies pretty obvious.
“It is our duty as Christians to bring as many people towards our Maker as possible.”
Pushing your beliefs on other people ? Way to be progressive.
And this movie is just going to kill the
“Children want to know that there is something larger than life. Why would we want to take that away from them?”
Why would you take an opposing argument, as made by the movie, away from them then ?
“Author Phillip Pullman says, “I want to kill God in the minds of children… I want them to decide against God and the Kingdom of Heaven.” So if you think this problem is not a serious one, think again.”
Philipp Pullman has never actually said that, and it has been widely reported over the media. A quick recap: http://bloggasm.com/i-want-to-kill-god-in-the-minds-of-children-how-email-causes-internet-myths-to-become-fact
Posted by aramatwin on December 18th, 2007 at 5:19 am
“They” said Harry Potter was anti-Christian, too.
I will read the books, and make up my own mind. As a young adult I had a hard time with anything that made me question my religious beliefs. I have learned that thinking for myself has actually helped deepen my beliefs. Questioning what we’ve been taught is not sinful - Jesus did it. His sermon on the mount would have been a terrible, blaspemous shock to traditional jews who wer listening (yes, Jesus was Jewish).
I will read the books and decide FOR MYSELF what they truly mean, not what some head of church, or media outlet, or other biased individual tells me it is supposed to mean. I have a feeling that I will find that the books are exactly what they claim to be - fantasy, and my faith will remain intact.
Food for thought: perhaps the people so scared their children will become athiests after reading a story should look deeper at the way they are raising their children to be christians. I would bet that some (not all) of these “outraged” christians live less than christian lives on a daily basis. Being a christian is a way of life - a daily struggle to be like Christ. We all will fall short of the glory of God, but it is our daily lives that make the difference. Going to church every Sunday does not make one a devout christian, it’s how you live your daily life that does.
Posted by jamie on December 20th, 2007 at 8:17 am
Wow I had no idea that there were so many people worked up about this.
I got excited about this movie at first because I’m a sci-fi/fantasy nut and it looked potentially steam-punk-ish. I saw the movie today and started looking for reviews because the main thing I took away from it was it being quite a feminist children’s story for a change. All the female characters were quite prominent and balanced. Instead I find all this hullabaloo about it being ‘anti-christian’
I mean honestly if I can’t get anti-christian messages from it without being told I doubt any children will. It’s message was very anti authoritarian and unless you see Christian authority as something that hurtfully restricts people for what they think is their own good (hmmm anti-gay/anti-abortion stances fit this) then you can’t draw any smackingly obvious rails against Christianity in it.
Posted by Torri on January 1st, 2008 at 6:59 am
Tis is truly a strange cultural reaction. I am a Catholic and a Christian.
First of all I am surprised that the commenter, SillySimon calls himself a Christian when his idea of Christianity is to bring shame and death on anyone that exposes children to anything but the bible. A Christian advocating death and public humiliation because they don’t believe what he believes?? WOW
Ashley Pinciotti comments: “I am not Catholic but no book that goes against what other people believe should ever be exposed to millions of people (especially easily-influenced children)…”
First of all, Ashley, as a Christian you just denounced freedom of speech and freedom of press and think that a “fiction” (which this trilogy is) and its author should be legally barred from exposing their work to the world. Way wrong idea hon. It’s one thing to be fear someone braking into your house and robbing you, it’s totally another to fear a fictional work of an individual and then outlaw anyone from being able to write and sell their fiction. Pullman’s trilogy is published by Random House and categorized as Juvenile Fiction.
It is not our duty to outlaw fiction, but our duty to teach and raise our children to know the difference between fiction and fact without infringing on the rights of others out of our own misguided fears.
Amy, the books are not about “truths about God”, they are fictions.
As far as John Oliverio’s quote of the Boston Globe goes, someone at the Boston Globe did their homework and actually read the trilogy and was able to accurately state that the ‘God” in the books is not the real God but only a tyrannical Angel posing as God [that is killed revealing the true God].
Ashley: Author Phillip Pullman says, “I want to kill God in the minds of children… I want them to decide against God and the Kingdom of Heaven.” <—email hoax/chain letter/urban legend.
Wow people. I have to agree with some of the other commenter’s posts and lets get a grip here.
Posted by Rocket on January 5th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
sorry about that, my editorial corrections are as follows:
“..to be fear someone braking into your house…” corrected: “to fear someone breaking into your house”
“Ashley: Author Phillip Pullman says, “I want to kill God in the minds of children… I want them to decide against God and the Kingdom of Heaven.” — this is an email hoax/chain letter/urban legend.
Posted by Rocket on January 5th, 2008 at 3:38 pm