"New Atheism out to destroy Christianity"
Offline Here's a Guest Columnist's viewpoint on New Atheism and the new movie "The Golden Compass."
From www.OneNewsNow.com
Perspectives: Does The Golden Compass point to a new athesim?
Rebecca Grace - Guest Columnist
It all started with a phone call I received several months ago. A concerned mother called to tell me about The Golden Compass, an upcoming film from New Line Cinema. Several more phone calls followed the first one as did a plethora of emails expressing disgust over this movie -- and rightly so.
I plan to review the movie, but I haven't had the opportunity to see it yet. So, in the meantime, here is some information that will help you understand why the film has potential to be extremely dark and dangerous.
According to CNSNews.com, leading athesits writers and intellectuals are engaged in a "scientific" quest to ultimately destroy organized religion, particularly Christianity. Oxford professor Richard Dawkins, author Sam Harris and journalist Christopher Hitchens are some of the big names leading this "new atheism" initiative. Evidence of their agenda is seen in efforts such as the Out Campaign and the Blasphemy Challenge.
CNSNews.com defines the Out Campaign as "a movement started by Dawkins to encourage Americans to proudly display their atheism." ABC News describes the Blasphemy Challenge as a way "to challenge people to make videos of themselves denying, denouncing, or blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and then post them on YouTube." ABC News also calls it "the cutting edge of a new and emboldened wave of atheism."
The Blasphemy Challenge targets teens while an upcoming movie that may a similar agenda is likely to appeal to families, especially children.
The Golden Compass is a film from New Line Cinema based on the first book of a series, His Dark Materials, written by English atheist Philip Pullman. It is set to release December 7 in theaters nationwide. From watching the trailer, it's easy to see that the film has a C.S. Lewis/Narnia feel to it, but don't be deceived.
Pullman's book trilogy is the story of "a battle against the church and a fight to overthrow God," BBC News reported. The Guardian, a British newspaper, goes even further to describe the books as "metaphysical fantasies emcompassing parallel worlds, the death of God and the fall of man ...."
"I don't know whether there's a God or not. Nobody does, no matter what they say," Pullman said in an interview posted on his website.
Therefore, without yet seeing the film, at least one pro-family group -- the American Family Association --- is alerting Christians to the potential dangers of The Golden Compass. Because of Pullman's clearly articulated anti-Christian motives, AFA is warning all viewers to run from this film.
The Golden Compass is set in an alternative world with a sinister Magisterium. It is about a girl named Lyra who sets out to rescue her friend Roger who has been kidnapped by an organization known as the Gobblers. Roger's rescue turns into an epic quest to save two different worlds -- one in which people's souls manifest themselves as animals. These manifestations are known as "daemons," and Pullman says they help a person grow toward wisdom.
In addition, the movie website allows visitors to answer a set of questions and create their own daemons that journey alongside them in life.
"One of the [book] series' main themes --- the rejection of organized religion and in particular the abuse of power within the Catholic Church --- is to be watered down," according to the Telegraph, a newspaper in the U.K. "But when the film is released in December the Magisterium will be shown as a critique of all dogmatic organizations, thereby avoiding a religious backlash."
Although the film has supposedly been stripped of the books' key denunciation of religion to prevent offending Catholic audiences, that doesn't appease the Catholic League for Religion and Civil Rights. The Catholic League still views The Golden Compass as bait for Pullman's books, which the group says are representative of the author's two-fold agenda "to promote atheism and denigrate Christianity. To kids."
Rebecca Grace, a regular contributor to OneNewsNow.com, is staff writer for AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association.
Editor's note: The American Family Association is the parent organization of the American Family News Network, which operates OneNewsNow.com. Opinions expressed in 'Perspectives' columns published by OneNewsNow.com are the sole responsibility of the article's author(s) , or of the person(s) or organization(s) quoted therin, and do not necessarily represent those of the staff or management of, or advertisers who support the American Family News Network, OneNewNow.com, our parent organization or its other affilates.
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Why do they make such a fuss? Are they afraid some of their kids will use start to their brains and see through the lies they've told them to keep them in line if they see that movie?
A bit off-topic, it's sad to see that the movie-industry have sunk their teeth into another nice fantasy-series, why can't they just hire some writer to write something new instead of getting a hold of something already written?
Run from this movie!! The athiests are coming, the atheists are coming!!
This is such a childish article. I likely how she says that the parents have a justified complaint and then she says she never saw the movie.
I am not a violent person, but this is one of those moments where I wished I had a stick or wrapped up piece of newspaper.
"Those who think they know don't know. Those that know they don't know, know."
Its ironic, the more bad advertising this movie gets, the more i`m waning to see it. I'm sure other people will as well.
Morte alla tyrannus et dei
I know three secular groups just in my area that are going out to see it as a group opening day.
And there is a lot of fucking bad advertising, the posters are terrible.
Hopefully it will be good though, loved the first book and mean to read the other 2. Pity so much seems to have been changed.
Maybe these agitated Christians would be happier if some nice Hollywood director decided to make a movie about the lives of some real Christian action heroes...you know make an awesome movie about the Crusades ! "Crush, Kill, Destroy...God Wills It !!!"
Now that's wholesome entertainment !!!
It's possible the author and/or studio set up the controversy with Pullman's statement in the posted interview, although I'm sure he did make the statement. Talk about millions of dollars worth of free publicity.
As far as the mentality of these fundies, yes it is childish. I mean christ, they believe in spirits, and faeries and dragons for god sakes! They can't really be expected to react any other way. They are programmed to fear and hate anything that doesn't agree with their narrow point of view.
I'd love to see someone do an epic film about the dark side of xtianity during the dark ages and be accurate with it. I'd buy two copies of that one and probably wear one copy out, or at least wear out the player.
"Erecting the 'wall of separation between church and state,' therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society." Thomas Jefferson
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Boy am I going to see this movie. And given all the controversy surrounding it, I bet a bunch of Xians will too. I doubt only but the most hardcore religious will willingfully stay away from the film.
The unexamined life is not worth living - Socrates
Very true - I suspect most Christians will be able to see this movie or even read the books (since the movie is watered down) in much the same way that non-Christians were able to stomach that Narnia movie despite its blatant pro-Christian subtext.
And somehow I'm guessing the freaks who object to this movie had no problem with C.S. Lewis' attempt at wrapping apologism in the sugar coating of fantasy in his Narnia novels. It's okay to seduce children with fantasy so long as you're selling them the "right" message, apparently ...
"Any fool can make history, but it takes a genius to write it."
Oscar Wilde
They're so vain, they think your indifference is about them.
The claim from the Catholics and Christian right is that the film, although not slamming Catholics directly will lead viewers to the books it is based on which puts organized religion in a bad light.
WHICH IT IS! The author of the books is NOT anti religion and has labeled himself an agnostic, but definately wants people to think about blindly following any religion. It is not so much anti religion as it is pro-"think for yourself" and anti theocracy.
The history of all organized religion in human history shows that it is used as a weapon and when organized can and is often used to dominate goverment and as such used to opress and marginalize those outside the majority.
This movie and the books are Jeffersonian in their motif. They dont attack freedom of religion, they attack blind faith and sheepish thinking.
Of course it scares Catholics and Evangelicals because it challenges their political power base. If one values freedom and not theocracy, this is a must see film and the books are a must read.
It adresses a far too long ignored issue in the West which is blatently obvious in the Middle East. Lemmings always jump off the cliff with the holy person because they fail to think for themselves. The best way to lose your freedom is to let a holy person put a hand up your back.
It is not anti religion it is pro thought.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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Isn't that the same thing?
The article says that the Blasphemy Challenge "targets teens" and suggests the movie has the same agenda to target the family "especially children." The words "targets teens" gives the message that Atheists are after their young. The idea is to portray atheists as a dangerous threat to America's innocent and vulnerable children.
Thirty years ago singer Anita Bryant organized a campaign in Dade County Florida called "Save Our Children" that claimed homosexuals were out to recruit America's children into an evil "lifestyle". The tactic worked. Frightened voters recinded a civil rights law in Dade County that protected gays from job discrimination.
In the 1950s it was Rock-n-Roll that was "out to corrupt America's children!"
As atheists and non-believers continue to be more vocal and organized, we will hear more rhetoric from the Christian Right that we are after their children.
"Oh my God!! They're coming for the children!!!"
Frosty's coming back someday. Will you be ready?
Mmmmmmm......theist children, tastes like chicken.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X