Below is a quote from a letter sent out to parents of children attending a very academically respectable and fairly mellow Catholic school by the school's ermm... spiritual advisor, regarding Philip Pullman's books, apparently prompted by the release of the movie based on the first installment in His Dark Materials trilogy.
And what's so abhorrent and detestable about the Catholic Church in Pullman's novels? Mr. Pullman is working to bring millions of children into contact with their demonic helper and in their diabolical revolt against God and religion - Christian and Jewish.
Personally, I have great respect for Phil (not to be confused with Bill) Pullman, and I think that in his literary area, he stands head and shoulders above a certain author enjoying an enormous (and totally mysterious to me) popularity. My friend who received this letter is unfamiliar with his work. He told me that, after having received the missive quoted in more detail below, he will take his kids to see the movie and will read the books. That's the good news. The bad news is that, apparently, the faith of some of the people who dare call themselves Christians is so weak that it cannot tolerate a challenge even from an animatronic talking bear.
I deleted all the names and took out a few self-repetitive paragraphs, but no other editing has been done. It is also worth noting that the so-called "Catholic League" apparently started a campaign against The Golden Compass a while ago, as described in this diary. I strongly suspect that, had the "Catholic League" actually read His Dark Materials, they would have realized that this book does not challenge faith - it challenges blind adherence to dogma. But then, how many of these dudes would know the difference?
For that reason, on a more unfortunate and sinister note ...
Warning, Warning: Children see, children do
Hopefully you and I understand that we are living in an increasingly atheistic world, with very deceptive influences which slowly pull our children away from communion with God. I have been warning our young parents and young people involving a newly released movie, The Golden Compass, as adapted from a trilogy by Philip Pullman: His Dark Materials: I The Golden Compass; II The Subtle Knife; and III The Amber Spyglass.
Parents: Do NOT let your children see this movie or, even worse, read the books.
Right... children reading books... how much worse can it get?
There has been a lot of talk and written about the spiritual dangers of the movie's first installment, The Golden Compass - released Friday, December 7th (a coincidence on Eve of the Church's Feast of the Immaculate Conception?). (See www.dads.org [a Catholic website for fathers] or www.familylifecenter.net)
While the movie is being marketed as a children's movie, similar to Chronicles of Narnia, (which is from a Christian author and which Pullman disdains) the Compass message, however, is very, very different; there is a real and sinister darkness here of which young parents need to be aware as to why this movie is so dangerous to their children.
Even in his article in the Reporter Herald (Sat., Nov. 17, Section D, Faith) writer, Terry Mattingly, confirms Pullman's avowed "atheism" and his objective is to destroy the concept of God from the minds of children. He also notes an author, Sandra Miesel, who has co-authored an upcoming book about Pullman, "The Pied Piper of Atheism: Philip Pullman and Children's Fantasy Literature."
In comparing Pullman's own books to the amount of intense criticism given from the Christian sectors involving Dan Brown's, The Da Vinci Code, and J. K. Rowling's series, Harry Potter, Mr. Pullman openly admits, "I've been flying under the radar, (first published in 1995) saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God." Mattingly includes a Pullman's interview, "If we're talking on the scale of human life and things we see around us, I'm an atheist. There's no God here. There never was. But if you go out into the vastness of the space, well, I'm not so sure."
It's kind of funny, because I read this quote as Pullman basically saying that he is not an Atheist (not a militant one, anyways).
Many parents are heeding these warnings, while many others aren't. This movie is being billed as "absorbing as that of Harry Potter." The tens of millions of children who are addicted to the Potter phenomena will also want to rush to see this latest hit movie, too. An underlying issue remains in many of the movies coming out these days: turn away from God and, instead, to turn yourself and get in touch with the hidden, mystical powers of the universe that are already inside.
To the movie's director's credit, however, despite the openly professed atheism of its author, the movie's director, Chris Weitz, has softened the deeper underlining of the book, thus transforming the movie into a more of an exciting adventure story, with a traditional struggle between good and evil, and typical, "youthful" general rejections of authoritarianism. Even more deceptively, however, the movie has softened Pullman's explicit attacks against the Catholic Church.
And what's so abhorrent and detestable about the Catholic Church in Pullman's novels? Mr. Pullman is working to bring millions of children into contact with their demonic helper and in their diabolical revolt against God and religion - Christian and Jewish.
Now, this one is kind of puzzling: if I remember correctly, Pullman's books are set in an alternate universe where the Catholic church per se does not even exist - it was taken over by Calvin (or was it Hobbes?) some time during the Reformation.
Advent is upon us; all of us need to stand up against the powers of darkness, and remain peaceful and faithful, finding our strength in the wisdom of the Lord God Himself. [school name deleted] is that "spiritual gift, an oasis" for our children.
Iä! Iä! Iä! Iä! Iä! Iä! Cthulhu Fthagn! (or whatever)