Jonathan Falwell: Avoid ‘Golden Compass’

[meegbear]

This is an article from NewsMax; yah I know, I know. I actually got an email this morning from the 'Falwell Confidential', but I didn't forward it to work email.

“The Golden Compass” is New Line Cinema’s huge gamble: a sprawling film fantasy that boasts a high-profile cast, a tale of mystery and magic, astonishing special effects and a $180 million budget. It opens in 3,528 theaters this weekend.

The film is also a source of great controversy, as it is based on the first in a trilogy of novels (“His Dark Materials”) written by militant atheist Philip Pullman.

The Catholic League’s Bill Donahue has been one of the voices at the forefront of the opposition campaign. Saying the books “denigrate Christianity, thrash the Catholic Church, and sell the virtues of atheism,” Mr. Donahue has called on Catholics to boycott the movie.

Ted Baehr, who heads the Christian Film and Television Commission, recently told Fox news that while he hasn’t seen the movie, he and staffers have read the trilogy.

Edited to 3-4 paragraphs to conform to DU's fair use policy for copyrighted material

Lithos
DU Moderator


http://www.newsmax.com/falwell/golden_compass/2007/12/07/55519.html

[Richard Steele]

1. I'd rather avoid Jonathan Falwell. As a matter of fact, I think I will. nm

[Horse with no Name]

2. He should have prayed for his father to be a better parent

and let everyone else's parents do their own job without his stupid interference.

[hobbit709]

3. I wonder what "desires" Mr. Falwell has conceived?

[tanyev]

4. I hate going to see movies on opening weekends, but I am making an exception

for this film and it is because of efforts like this. In fact, we are going to go see it on Sunday morning right after we get out of early service. So there.

[TommyO]

16. Same here!

I will be seeing it this afternoon, and then will make sure I let the religious nutters know about it afterwards.

[meegbear]

18. But it's based on a book by ...

a militant atheist!

They're one below militant lesbian feminists!

[sarge43]

5. Wimpy god you got there, Jon, if a couple of books and a movie will take him out. n/t

[spanone]

6. makes me want to see it.

[malaise]

14. Ditto n/t

[marmar]

7. If that's not a reason to not only go see the movie, but to pay non-matinee prices.....

.... I don't know what is.

[Cassandra]

8. I'm going on Sunday with a friend...

and looking forward to it. Anything that the right-wing hates is worth checking out.

[The Animator]

9. I'm happy to say I saw it last night.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now that I know that Johnny didn't want me to see it, I enjoy it even more in retrospect. In fact, I think I'll see it again... and bring a friend.

[lostnotforgotten]

10. Saw It Last Night - No Overt Religious Messages Detected

As is typical of the right wing this is a manufactured controversy.

[Windy]

17. It was very very well done. And absolutely no referencings to "killing god" etc

There is a underlying message of a governmental organization trying to take away free will and creativity to control people... but hey, kids don't think that deeply.

I do, however, and the message certainly rings true!

These nuts said the same thing about the eye of sarum in the Lord of the Rings and god forbid, you go and see Harry Potter...

Go see the movie. Its very good and the little girl who plays Lara is extremely talented.
the graphics are beautiful and the animal characters, especially the ice bear Orick are incredible.

[RaleighNCDUer]

19. Supposedly, the 'killing God' reference is about the 2nd & 3rd books

in the trilogy - can't say for sure because I haven't read them yet. Only read book 1, and even in the reading I didn't see anything overtly anti-religious, only the presence of the reigning religious authority of the Magesterium being somewhat like the Inquisition.

I am curious about the next two books, as there is an obvious dichotomy of an atheist author killing that which does not exist. Clearly, if 'God' can be killed, in Pullman's words, then God exists, which defeats the entire premise.

I suspect that the 'reveal' in the 2nd & 3rd books is that what the Magesterium takes as a matter of faith and religion will be explained as natural processes - just my guess.

I'll be seeing the movie this PM.

[distantearlywarning]

11. I'm planning to go see it as soon as my husband gets back from a trip

Probably early next week.

I've been looking forward to it for months.

J. Fallwell can kiss my ass.

[usaftmo]

12. This is all the reason I need to see it;

anything that bothers the religious wing-nuts is fine with me.

[C_U_L8R]

13. if william donohue hates it...

our family will probably love it.

what a better wretched fink of a loudmouth
(and a sanctimonious busy-body to boot)

[DemoTex]

15. Meanwhile, back at the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI is again selling indulgences ..

Trips to Lourdes to cut time spent in purgatory (UK Telegraph)

Pope Benedict XVI is offering relief from purgatory to Roman Catholics who travel to Lourdes over the next year, the Vatican said yesterday.

Pilgrims to the shrine in south-west France will receive "plenary indulgences" from the Pontiff, which the Church says reduce the time spent being "washed" of sin after death. The indulgences will be available from this weekend until Dec 8, 2008.

The Church teaches that people who do not go directly to heaven must spend time in purgatory, where they can be purified of residual sin.

It is the latest initiative to get more pilgrims to the shrine, famous for the reported healing properties of its water. In August the Vatican opened an airline service offering pilgrims direct flights from Rome to Lourdes. (More ..)


(Benny-the-Rat's shoes by Prada)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/06/wpope106.xml

Visit Lourdes! Buy a relic! Receive a Get-Out-of-Purgatory-Early ticket. Help Benny buy shoes!

Naw, the Catholic Church doesn't still bask in the good old days of Pope Leo X (became Pope in 1513) .. the Grand Wizard of Indulgences. Leo X was the Pope who pissed off Martin Luther. Martin Luther posted his famous "95 Theses" on the church door on October 31, 1517. Luther's theses attacked Pope Leo's practice of selling indulgences and triggered the Reformation.

If Bill Donohue of the Catholic League is bashing the books and film, them I'll stand in line to see it.

On edit: About those indulgences .. when does the Buy-1-Get-1-Free (AKA 2-Fer) sale start?

[Puglover]

20. Hello Meegbear

Copyright rules require that you only post 4 paragraphs of an article along with a link.

Regards Puglover

[CJCRANE]

21. IMO

the idea of not questioning authority in the film has more topical parallels with the B*sh administration than the Catholic Church.