Over the past few weeks, I've been hearing a lot about the movie The Golden Compass, a movie that is based on the first of a series of books by Phillip Pullman. There has been a lot of controversy about the movie in the Christian community because although this movie doesn't really deal with it, Pullman's later books espouse his antagonistic views of what he perceives as the oppressive and power-hungry nature of the Christian Church and the delusion of Yahweh being the creator-god of the universe. I've been told that it is really imaginative and clever fantasy writing, but as his atheistic views become more and more prevalent in the development of the story, the story loses its luster and beauty.
I got that observation, and a lot of other helpful ones, from a christianitytoday.com article that came into my email inbox today. I found it to be a balanced, loving, and truthful piece on how we as Christians should be thinking about this movie and the ideas that it presents. Here's a quote I liked:
"Essentially, don't behave in ways that the Magisterium [Pullman's straw-man, negative representation of the Church] in Pullman's books would behave. You'll just make his stories more persuasive, by confirming for the culture around us that Christians only really get excited when they're condemning something. Instead, respond with grace and love. And truth."See you soon.
Fear Not The Compass
1 comment:
amen.
only because of seeing facebook groups called "boycott the golden compass" (created by conservative Christians) did this series really peak my interest. i think its remarkable how this seems to further validate criticisms made of the church.
i appreciate your passing along of the encouraging sentiment to show love and grace. a reminder i so often need to hear.
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