Will you let your kids see "The Golden Compass"?

[Brewhaha]

I'm curious about your thoughts about The Golden Compass. If you haven't seen the recent media coverage - basically the author of the Golden Compass is an atheist that states (according to the 12/1 Des News article) that his books "are about killing God."

Lots of emails have been sent from religious leaders warning parents and telling them to keep their children away. What do you think?

[Cirrus2000]

I'm curious about your thoughts about The Golden Compass. If you haven't seen the recent media coverage - basically the author of the Golden Compass is an atheist that states (according to the 12/1 Des News article) that his books "are about killing God."

Lots of emails have been sent from religious leaders warning parents and telling them to keep their children away. What do you think?

I had no idea about this. I wanted to take my son to it, but now I'm even more interested in watching for subtexts.

A children’s fantasy film that stars Nicole Kidman and features a little girl on a quest to kill God has some Christian groups upset over what they believe is a ploy to promote atheism to kids.

Uh-huh. Goodness! A sneaky, underhanded ploy to promote a realistic worldview to children! If only it were institutionalized - then we could call it a church!

It's a story. Fiction! (Kind of like, say, David and Goliath? Noah's Ark? The Battle of Jericho? The Garden of Eden? Shadrach, Meschach and 'To-bed-you-go'?) Yup, can't have stories being used to attract kids to an "ism"!

Hey, with any luck, it may make kids think independently. Oh, wait, can't have free-thinkers! Might mess up some old farts' (eroding) monopoly on brainwashing and mind-control.

Sorry (kind of) to vent my spleen, but once in a while I've got to. [/rant]

[Sombeech]

I heard the producer of this movie really had something against the producer of "Narnia", so they created an "anti God" film.

Holy Wars

[Cirrus2000]

I heard the producer of this movie really had something against the producer of "Narnia", so they created an "anti God" film.

Holy Wars

Possible, I guess, but more likely a distortion of the fact the the author of the books despises Narnia, and the books of C.S. Lewis in general. (Speaking of pernicious attempts to indoctrinate children.)

[CarpeyBiggs]

Thank God I don't have kids, so I don't have to worry about these moral dilemmas...

[Mtnman1830]

If its contriversial, I want part of it!!!

[wojo342]

Probably...I'm readiing the book myself right now just to see what the hullaballoo is all about.

[R]

As long as Abby and/or I are with him to talk about it, we will show our son a huge range of entertainment and information from all points of view. We're his parents, and he knows it, and we don't take a back seat to television and movies, teachers and friends, churches and social groups, in his education and upbringing. It's never a movie's responsibility to raise and educate our kid - it's ours.

I know I've got more to say about this when my thoughts about it are clearer.

[jumar]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

Pullman left little doubt about his books' intended meanings when he said in a 2003 interview that "My books are about killing God" and in a 2001 interview that he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief."

I won't see it given he's admittedly trying to undermine Christian beliefs.

[R]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

Pullman left little doubt about his books' intended meanings when he said in a 2003 interview that "My books are about killing God" and in a 2001 interview that he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief."

I won't see it given he's admittedly trying to undermine Christian beliefs.

I applaud your conviction, but I think it may do a disservice to your faith and your children to take a "head in the sand" attitude in deciding your entertainment/education/political/religious choices based on media sound bites and Snopes.com. If you really want to know what "The Golden Compass" is about, you need to read or see it. If you really want to understand Islam, you need to go to Mosque. If you really want to understand Shintoism, you need to pray at a Shrine. You get the idea.

By the way, I think violence in the media is the MOST un-Christian message today.

[CarpeyBiggs]

I applaud your conviction, but I think it may do a disservice to your faith and your children to take a "head in the sand" attitude in deciding your entertainment/education/political/religious choices based on media sound bites and Snopes.com. If you really want to know what "The Golden Compass" is about, you need to read or see it. If you really want to understand Islam, you need to go to Mosque. If you really want to understand Shintoism, you need to pray at a Shrine. You get the idea.

I understand what you are trying to say, but I disagree. You can learn plenty about a variety of situations without experiencing those things firsthand. Your analogy would be akin to saying if you want to learn about the Ku Klux Klan, go to a few get-togethers.

Avoiding situations you know are not in accord with your own personal beliefs is not a "head in the sand" attitude. Head in the Sand would be to not investigate the situation at all. It is simply common sense. I am interested in understanding what the Ku Klux Klan believes, but that doesn't mean I want to go to their meetings... Certainly I won't have first hand knowledge of their values, but I can still ascertain what they believe, without being there...

If you want to know what it's like to be addicted to drugs, would you take a hit?

[jumar]

There's a guy named Stephen Glenn that did a bunch of child development studies, and he talks about what he terms "Social Innoculation". The premise of it is you can't shield your kids from all the bad stuff that's out there, and will harm them if you try to because eventually they'll get exposed to it anyhoo. At the same time, you don't actively try to expose them to dirt that's out there on TV or in society. What you do instead is try to find a balance, and prepare them to challenge what they see/hear etc. For example, talk about things as they come up that you might see on TV that's contrary to your beliefs. This is especially important with TV, because they've found that the portion of your brain that judges/reasons goes into an alpha state when watching TV which can make you more susceptible to suggestions.

So when do you actively avoid things, and when do you allow them to experience it and talk about it? Parental discretion. I personally don't see value in seeing the movie and don't want to spend my money to support someone who is so adamantly opposed to my beliefs. But I don't have a problem if others want to see it. Enjoy! It does look cool from the previews!

By the way, I think violence in the media is the MOST un-Christian message today.

Agreed. It's another thing that you can't shield your kids from completely, but you don't want to necessarily immerse them in for the sake of understanding it. There's a balance.

[Brewhaha]

I gotta say that I agree with the social innoculation idea. You can't (and shouldn't) isolate your children from everything. Rather you should try and take an active role with your kids in helping them understand what is going on around them. (Kind of what Richard said.)