Phillip Pullman and The Golden Compass

Lately, I have heard a lot of talk about the new movie coming out called, "The Golden Compass." For the most part, all i have heard about this movie is negative. Yes, I know what the movie is about because of the author Phillip Pullman. I have heard a lot of hype about not supporting this movie because its anti-Christian so i decided to do a little research into Phillip Pullman's life and his novel series, "Northern Lights" or otherwise known as the "Golden Compass." The reasons that have probably been shared the most about this movie being anti-Christian is that it makes fun of Narnia and they try and kill God.

Obviously that is a good reason why not to support a movie. I don't disagree there, and nor am I saying that in any part of this blog to go support it. I just want you to see somethings that I see in Phillip Pullman. Milton's "Paradise Lost" was a very influential piece in Pullman's life. Even so that he reflects some of Milton's religious views. He also shared views with Jean-Jacques Rosseau. Sme of these views consisted of mans moral ability to be good, not only good but to be born good. This would conflict with main-stream Christianity in the views on original sin. Pullman is an atheist. He doesn't believe in God or a god.

To me, this doesn't make sense. 1) Do atheists not believe in God, or do they just not acknowledge him? 2) Why does Pullman write a book and at the end try to kill something that doesn't exist to him?

1)The reason why i wonder if Atheists just don't acknowledge that there is a God rather than not believing in him is because of Scripture. A lot of people do not believe in the Bible and its reliability to you is of no value, but for those who hold the Bible as the inerrant and infallible Word of God then this is for you. Romans 1:18-21 says,

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

It says that they suppress the truth. They know God but choose not to give him glory. Their hearts were hardened. 2)Pullman does not believe in God or a god, yet writes a book and in the last book of the series he tries to kill God. So, he sets up his books and works to write about something that does not exist to him and then kills him.....why? That makes no sense at all! Other authors would argue the same thing. They would say he gives more credit to God than he realizes.

Heres where i want to end this. I am probably going to go see The Golden Compass. I have two choices. 1)I can not watch it and stick to a dualistic approach and say that it would be sinful for me to see that....even though i so and see other movies like: Live Free or Die Hard, Oceans 13, Spiderman 3, Transformers, or even Finding Nemo. If these movies do not ultimately glorify God, then they are against God. And when someone comes to me to ask me some deep question about this movie and their faith, I am to send them on their way and tell them i think its a sin to see it, so indirectly i have just told that person that they just sinned, and i leave them with no answer. 2)I can go see this movie, see where Pullman is coming from, and be able to share with people the truth that is missing in this movie. I might possibly get to share with someone the differences in that movie about who God really is....just maybe...or maybe not. I may not run into anyone. All i know is I want to know why someone like Phillip Pullman wrote this book so I can see where people like him are coming from.