This is in reference to The Golden Compass which was released last Friday.
Philip Pullman, the author of the book upon which the movie was based is an agnostic, not an atheist. In his own words from his official website:
"I don't know whether there's a God or not. Nobody does, no matter what they say."
frogman
Yes, and also the whole series is tagged as a fiction series so why would anyone believe what they know isn't true anyway? Most movies are made for entertainment and not to express beliefs, and if people think that it is threatening then just don't see it because if other people feel the same then it will happen that way without them having to hear it from other people.
The reason they wanted it boycotted was because they wanted the first movie to crash so the other two books wouldn't be made into cinematic productions. I have read all of them and I never have any thoughts of the series being atheistic, a bit unusual and unique but not expressing atheism or beliefs of it.
Anonymous
I find it odd. But it's been this way since the dawn of time....
People will rebuke something, they do not understand, just because. For no reason, other than....they just don't understand.
The only reason Jesus Christ was put to death....was, the leaders in the current Churches were affraid that Jesus would change everything for them and take all of there followers away from them and the Romans would have a greater power over them....Nothing more.
The Golden Compass is.....Just a movie.
Just as Mel Gibson's movie...
WHo really cares or makes a difference in this world.
pbarnes41
No, that is not odd. There are all sorts of movies with all sorts of basis' that could cause someone to ask others not to watch. For religous or personal beliefs.
Personally I think it is silly to boycott a movie because someone in the creative side of it does not have an understanding of his creator, not that the rest of us really understand God either. The movie is fantasy like most are, even most historical movies or theological movies are 99% fill in the blanks. To boycott someone for having different beliefs you might as well refuse to shop at every store or get in a cab or be treated by a doctor or drive on a road that was built by someone thats different, after all this is a movie of fantasy and making movies or writing stories is what the man does for a living. Thats it.
Would you deny everyone the right to have a job or to speak publicly or write a book or make a movie that you dont agree with. Has your opinion ever changed in your life. Have you ever felt one way and later believed in something very different. Be careful it can happen again.
sagegranny
No, I find it very typical of narrow minded people that are normally of some specific religious bend. For example several years ago, many Christians boycotted Harry Potter since it had to do with Witchcraft and Wizardry. They didn't take in mind that the story was deeper than that. It taught many lessons including loyalty, good vs evil and responsibility. The main thing that the books did was to get kids to read. So when the movies came out, they tried to ban them too.
We are seeing this again with The Golden Compass. The people who wish to boycott this movie are reading too much into the tale which the normal child would completely miss. The bigger picture becomes: if they feel that something needs to be boycotted, then apparently their faith is very unstable that they must 'protect' those who still have imagination and yet to make up their mind as to what they believe.
SHAKTI
Hi,
I know I will enjoy or hate a movie just by hearing the title or knowing who stars in the film. We all do this as a way of making quick judgements that actually serve a valuable purpose in our daily lives. We have learned over years of conditioning that our first impressions are often correct and we often need to make decisions based on first impressions such as when you are approached by someone obviously handing out pamplets. He or She may have that silly smile that says J.Freak or Mooney etc. and we stear clear of them, don't make eye contact and give clipped answers, "Not Now" or I often tried "I'm a Priest". The surprising thing is that I was approached at my home, air-port, hospitals and everywhere I went and I was wearing the standard Black clericals with white collar. I never once in at least a dozen encounters got the slightest acknowledgement of my apparant choice and knowledge of the subject.
I was asked at least 5 or 6 times if I was saved, or do you know Jesus is your lord and saviour? We all make judgements with little information and it often serves us well. I knew not to let them tell me about Jesus or why I should study to be a Mormon. The answer to your question is in the two types of peoples reasoning. The majority of us make use of our stereotyping as a survival strategy but we don't make grand statements and insult other people based on this thin information. The Witnesses are so caught in their own small world of absolutes that includes them and us (we are them and they are us). They are using retoric and pat pseudo-theology that they have memorized and there is no possible way to penetrate their cognitive shields. We are also much to worried about offending them and often find ourselves tolerating a half hour of statements from Mooney fortune cookies. The true believers or actually true joiners are the people who would boycott a film they have not seen. The true witness can not allow self or others to hear something that could threaten the belief set their group purports to know is truth. The real truth is that this is what Kholbert would consier stage 3 reasoning, the group defines the beliefs and should you move to a town without Snakehandlers, you can completely adopt a different set of beliefs in order to join the Catholic church. Membership is all important and if memorizing a creed is required it will be done and if it is opposite of the last church's creed the contradiction will not even be noticed. This is a level of thinking and reasoning that is typical of adolescents and is normal. It is a form of cognitive retardation for the same stage 3 resoning is found in a 45 year old man or woman with a silly smile and brochures.
doc Scotty retired forensic psychologist