Comments on: Pullman, Golden Compass is Not Promoting Atheism

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 03 May 2008 20:11:02 +0000

Nothing wrong with asking questions and opening your eyes to things we are yet to understand. I watched it last night with my family and found the themes interesting. All religion is based on ancient stories of astronomy and the movement of the sun, stars and planets. I highly recommend the internet movie Zietgeist for some very interesting facts.

By: Frankie

Frankie — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 01:33:09 +0000

I read this book when it first came out, and I never saw any of this in it. I just saw a very good fantasy book that would one day make an even more excellent movie. But I wonder why now all the controversy because it was made into a movie and it tells of a corrupt, all-powerful church that holds control over people? I agree. We must keep in mind of all the banning and burning of books that have gone on in the past–it should NEVER be done by any society at any time. Freedom of expression is paramount! As I reminded myself only moments ago, if this man is trying to promote atheism in his books and the movie, then I am not going to be afraid at all to read them again or go see the movie. You see, I am not an atheist and no one will ever convince me otherwise a God does not exist. And for those of you who are crying about the Catholic Church being maligned, no one is going to convince me of joining that church either. So, here is one person who will not be persuaded or dissuaded either way with what I have read or seen on the big screen. I’m going to go and enjoy the movie–as I have planned to ever since I knew Hollywood was making one.

By: Ryan Green

Ryan Green — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:32:20 +0000

I just picked up this book a week ago and I’m on chapter six right now (Sorry but for the last few years I’ve been totally encompassed by the Harry Potter Septology). Yes, I’m a big atheist who LOVES fantasy books and movies… the only thing is, I am one who can differentiate between what is fantasy and what is reality. Fantasy if fun… reality is real. The Bible is fantasy… reality is … REAL!

Anywho, I’m really loving this new book and I was very worried that nothing would pull me away from Harry Potter but this book certainly has (of course Harry Potter still is my favourite series of all time).

Anyways, fantastic site!

-Ryan Green-
The Crazy Christian Blog

By: Bea

Bea — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 08:19:26 +0000

I think Christians’ main concern is not whether or not people see the movie or read the book, but that the movie is quite different from the book. So parents that would wish to protect their children from a book that portrays the church as tyranny incarnate are going to see the movie and be unaware of what the book actually contains. They just want parents to be able to make an informed decision.
Personally, i dont think reading or not reading a book is of supreme importance. There are more important things to worry about for our children, the more subtle things. Like self-esteem and body issues.

By: Mana

Mana — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 04:05:31 +0000

Billy, I agree, many of us are needing of acceptance, and will reject reason from fear of falling from grace. Religious people as well as non-religious people. I’ve seen my friends struggle with the concept of god as father, and the fear of disappointing this father figure. Same with the concept of eternal bliss. Loosing eternal bliss, loosing one’s spot in the fold of god is the ultimate rejection. But I believe these concepts are taught, and the earlier the age at which they’re taught the more effective they are. That’s why Dawkins and others have discussed the idea that continually threatening children with the concept of hell, or with the punishing experience of falling from grace can be abusive.

By: Billy (A Liberal Disabled Vet)

Billy (A Liberal Disabled Vet) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:18:39 +0000

One of the inventions of Christianity is the idea of heresy — wrong thought. I have known Christians (and christianists, fundamentalists, dominionists etc.) who are terrified of the possibility of a new idea.

I don’t know if this is okay, but I currently have a guest post on Atheist Revolution which has my take on Christianity’s fear of an idea. (http://atheistrevolution.blogspot.com/). If this is not cool, please delete.

There are some who are so desperately afraid of screwing up their ride to eternal bliss that they will not consider any idea which is not 100 per cent in agreement with what their minister/preacher has told them to believe. Scary.

By: Mana

Mana — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:55:15 +0000

Yes, I agree, and I find it interesting that the perception of threat from the movie is higher than the perception of threat from the book alone. The book was published 10 years ago, but the current controversy arose with the release of the movie. So while I think Donohue is taking advantage of the publicity of the movie to promote his organization, he also unknowingly sheds light on the fact that movie consumption is higher than book consumption. Thus books in themselves are not as much of a threat.

Up until recently books were seen as the bigger threat, if we think back to Bolshevik book burnings in 1917, or the Nazi burning of books written by Jews in the 1930s and 1940s, etc. So while you can’t burn movies, they get boycotted, but the end recipient of the boycott is still the book…

By: Scepticon

Scepticon — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:12:01 +0000

It does seem that those who raise their voice the loudest in these issues are basically revealing that in their view religion’s hold on a person’s mind is so tenuous that a single breath of wind (in the form of an entertaining movie) is enough to start to unravel it.

If only this were the case.