I haven’t blogged about an issue in a long time, but the controversy over The Golden Compass is really intriguing me. The religious right is up in arms over a fantasy film that they say promotes anti-religious thinking. But yet, when a fantasy film comes out that they say they can relate to…The Chronicles Of Narnia…they are all for it. We live in a free world…to an extent. Why should Christian-geared films (of which I personaly still don’t see how Narnia is) be embraced, while non-Christian films be boycotted? That only shows that The Golden Compass has a very good point…the religious right wants total control over everyone with no room for free-thinking of any kind. The fact that they are afraid that after seeing the movie, parents will buy the books for their kids shows that as well. Gods forbid, that our children actually pick up a book, read it, and enjoy it. Gods forbid, our children actually learn that there is more than one way to think and believe.
My family saw Narnia in the theaters and loved it…and we now own the DVD. My boys have no idea that film has Christian overtones…and neither did I until I read the articles about it at the time…and I even read the book when I was younger! I’m planning on taking them to see The Golden Compass, and I’m sure my boys will love it…and have no idea that it has “anti-religious” overtones to it. The way I see it, it is like any other movie out there…a fight between good and evil. And if it shows that an all-controlling government is “evil”, no matter what religious affilliation, then that’s alright with me…as I’m one who thinks that any all-controlling body is not a good one.
All in all, it looks like a great fantasy film and one I won’t hesitate to take my kids to.