Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Warning

As a Christian, I do several things that other Christians may frown upon. I enjoy Halloween; I even dress my child in costume and take him trick-or-treating; and horror of all horrors – I decorate my house with Halloween décor. I enjoy the Harry Potter movies and love the Harry Potter books – a really no-no to some Christians. Here’s the thing, though. These things are, in my mind, aren’t bad. I can tell the difference between fantasy and reality.

I think it’s important for my son to be raised as a Christian and to thank God for each and every thing in his life – that every thing is a blessing and nothing is deserved. I see the fun of dressing in costume and playing make-believe. My ultimate goal is for my child to have fun with Halloween. I won’t teach him the pagan meaning behind Halloween. I will teach him that witchcraft and devil-worship are terrible things against our Lord, and that they have nothing to do with the Halloween that we celebrate. I also see the value is teaching him to distinguish between fantasy and reality. He’s too young for Harry Potter, so he hasn’t been exposed to it yet. When the time comes (I have confidence in my beliefs and my knowledge) I will take the opportunity to explain to him the difference between fantasy and reality. In my mind, there is no difference in the fantasy of Harry Potter and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Both are very well written books and movies that allow children to explore fantasy and reality.

I don’t mind fantasies that tantalize the imagination. What I do mind are fantasies that speak out against the Lord I love so much or that paint our Lord and Savior as evil. I have finally found the thing(s) that makes me draw a line. The movie the Golden Compass, which starts in theatres this Friday, based on the book Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman (the first in a trilogy of books called the Dark Materials trilogy). The books are a fantasy that follows the life of a young girl on a battle between good and evil. Evil, in these books, is the church.

I first received word about this in an email, you can see it at snopes.com. I don’t mind telling you I was appalled. I even had a discussion with my cousin, who sent me the email. My first thought was Hollywood is going to love this movie and it will probably end up winning all kinds of awards (like Brokeback Mountain). My cousin responded in agreement and even said that Oprah will probably have a screening of the movie and the audience and her will eat it up. I’m not sure about Oprah yet, but I have seen the reviews and critics love it. Why, oh why, does Hollywood have to get behind such a terrible thing?

From what I have read, it seems that the movie execs made the movie in the least offensive way they could. My response to them, “Yeah for you….you dumbed something down and turned it into what appears to be a great kids’ movies. What you have done will result in parents, and kids alike, adoring the movie so much that they want to read the whole trilogy.” The result of them reading the whole trilogy is not a simple fantasy… In a 2003 interview Philip Pullman, the author of the trilogy, stated, “My books are about killing God.” In an earlier interview, 2001, he stated that he was “trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief.” Is that what we want our children to read about?

Philip Pullman will not get one single cent from me. What he will get, however, is my prayers that all Christians hear about the true meaning of this movie before they make a decision see it. He will get my prayers that the he someday comes to know the Lord that I know.

For another article on the movie go to times online

Next up – politics! I’m kidding (for now anyway).

Bloggers that agree with me - imagine that!

Rockabill y Mama


Looking Closer

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I have never heard of the trilogy, actually, and I plan on taking Hannah to see the movie soon. I want to be able to make up my own mind and then discuss the premise with her without having religious groups tell me what I should or should not watch and read. Freedom of the Press. It's your prerogative if you don't want to watch the movie or read the books, but please let others come to that decision for themselves. I would be interested in reading the rest of the interview from 2001 - do you happen to have the link? Or, would you mind forwarding that email to me?

Fratzels said...

My "warning" is written as a plea to all the Christians that read my blog. It is for those that have the same relationship with the Lord that I do. In my personal life, I have had discussions with many other Christians on this movie and the trilogy of stories - none of them seemed offended by my opinion, which is why I took the opportunity to share my opinion on my blog.

I fully respect Freedom of Press, as do I respect your decision to take your daughter to see the movie. Please respect, however, my freedom to post a warning on my own blog about something I feel very strongly about.

The exerts from his previous interviews came from the articles that I posted links to. As for the full interviews, I searched for them for awhile, then decided that if you wanted to read more interviews with the author, you could google it.

twinklemom said...

It's great to see you post the warning like you did. The author has openly said that he wrote the triology to undermine God and there are numerous references in the books (that are directed TOWARD children) that has the following quotes:

These are taken from the book:
In the second book, "The Subtle Knife," one of the main characters, Will, is told he possesses a magical knife that can "defeat the tyrant," which is identified as "The Authority. God."

In the final book of the series, "The Amber Spyglass," "God" is portrayed as a phony and liar. Will is told by two fallen homosexual angels that "The Authority" goes by many names including, "God, the Creator, the Lord, Yahweh, El, Adonai, the King, the Father, the Almighty," although "he was never the creator." "God" was just the first angel to be created from "Dust." By the series' end, the characters succeed in killing him .
an ex-nun turned particle physicist named Mary Malone, describes Christianity as "a very powerful and convincing mistake."

Supporters of Pullman's work, including the National Secular Society, argue that "castrating" the series' original themes detract from its core messages. Critics, meanwhile, contend that the "watered-down" version of the movie is a ploy to popularize the pro-atheist series toward children.

Parents, particularly Christian parents should also think of this...by going to the movie, they are putting money in this athiests pocket who is in turned using that money to fund convincing children that God does not exist.

Is that really the right thing to do?

Even secular radio shows are open about the fact that these books are against Christianity and as for the next two films based on the book...there are NO plans to water them down so if the kids get to go see the first one, how easy is it going to be to tell them they can't see the next three where they get to learn how Christianity was a mistake?

Quote from Katherine T. Phan
Christian Post Reporter
: Weitz pledged to readers that he would not be involved with any “watering down” of movie adaptations of “The Subtle Knife” and “The Amber Spyglass,” which he understands to “tread in territory that is much more controversial than the first book.”


This is a case where parents really need to do their homework and "cough" read the books before the kids do and then see if they are so open to taking their kids to see it.

Something else that parents want to consider...the movie also concerns the sexual awakening of the 12 year olds in the movie...and the message...basically...if it feels good..don't let someone stop you.

Yes...this is a very very dangerous movie and its foolish for parents to think it's harmless.

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/12/26/051226fa_fact

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/12/1071125644900.html

Not to mention Focus on the Family strongly advises taking children to see this movie. So I think this is really a time where if a parent professes to be a Christian then they have to ask themselves, why are they wanting to put money in this man's pocket and secondly, do they really want to take their children to see something that goes against their faith?

Unknown said...

I am not trying to refute your religious beliefs, nor am I attacking you personally. And I also would like to point out that I am not offended by your post in the least. All I was saying is that I would like to be given the opportunity to make up my own mind rather than have a group of people tell me what to think. I saw the movie, and I posted a review on my site.