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Jan. 4th, 2008
Days ago I finished Philip's His Dark Materials trilogy. Before seeing ads for "The Golden Compass" movie, I had never heard of these stories despite my cousins having read the books years ago. I did not even realize the movie was based on the book until I received an email from a friend whose opinion I greatly respect. In the email was a forward of a forward of a forward (et al) urging me to not see or take my child to see the upcoming movie. I have since deleted the email, but the gist of its message can be found here on Snopes.
As you can imagine, the threat of "Killing God in the minds of children" is hardly going to sway a pagan like myself. Add to that my rebellious nature, and I absolutely had to get my hands on those books and find out for myself what the hubbub was about. Anything that raises the alarm for Fundamentalists and moral conservatives is likely to get two thumbs up from a liberal agitator like myself. Besides, I prefer to decide for myself what is good for me or for my offspring.
( The Books -- Spoiler Warning )
( The Movie -- Spoiler Warning )
As for his defaming the Christian/Catholic church, nothing he mentions in the book about the church is historically inaccurate, and in his literary universe, their manipulations of the world they're in are plausible and reasonable. The Inquisition did happen--the official rules of the Inquisition were not off the law books in Spain until 1992. Millions of people have died in the name of Christ alone (not to mention Allah, Yaweh, Shiva, Ra, et al), whether because they believed and chose to die or whether they were forced to die for not believing or being accused of heretical activity. Genital mutilation is mentioned in the books because it is performed by numerous peoples in the name of religious rites, and many of the male readers of this book in America will likely have experienced such whether due to cultural or religious custom. It is perfectly reasonable to presume that a controlling religious force could see something that is attracted to adults and not children as a sign of sin and wish to purge it, as many religions have done for millennia. Nothing that he has said against religion is based on whimsy, blind hatred, or falsehood.
Ultimately, these are three books that I found both engaging and inspiring. Despite our difference of beliefs, I found elements of my own spiritual and core beliefs echoed in this trilogy. As for "killing God," one of my cousins who read the trilogy in his younger years is attending seminary school and teaches at a Christian summer camp. He and his new bride are so devout, they "waited" until marriage. He loved the books as passionately as I do. They are excellent books worth the time they take to get through, but don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself!
As you can imagine, the threat of "Killing God in the minds of children" is hardly going to sway a pagan like myself. Add to that my rebellious nature, and I absolutely had to get my hands on those books and find out for myself what the hubbub was about. Anything that raises the alarm for Fundamentalists and moral conservatives is likely to get two thumbs up from a liberal agitator like myself. Besides, I prefer to decide for myself what is good for me or for my offspring.
( The Books -- Spoiler Warning )
( The Movie -- Spoiler Warning )
As for his defaming the Christian/Catholic church, nothing he mentions in the book about the church is historically inaccurate, and in his literary universe, their manipulations of the world they're in are plausible and reasonable. The Inquisition did happen--the official rules of the Inquisition were not off the law books in Spain until 1992. Millions of people have died in the name of Christ alone (not to mention Allah, Yaweh, Shiva, Ra, et al), whether because they believed and chose to die or whether they were forced to die for not believing or being accused of heretical activity. Genital mutilation is mentioned in the books because it is performed by numerous peoples in the name of religious rites, and many of the male readers of this book in America will likely have experienced such whether due to cultural or religious custom. It is perfectly reasonable to presume that a controlling religious force could see something that is attracted to adults and not children as a sign of sin and wish to purge it, as many religions have done for millennia. Nothing that he has said against religion is based on whimsy, blind hatred, or falsehood.
Ultimately, these are three books that I found both engaging and inspiring. Despite our difference of beliefs, I found elements of my own spiritual and core beliefs echoed in this trilogy. As for "killing God," one of my cousins who read the trilogy in his younger years is attending seminary school and teaches at a Christian summer camp. He and his new bride are so devout, they "waited" until marriage. He loved the books as passionately as I do. They are excellent books worth the time they take to get through, but don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself!