I Won't Boycott The Golden Compass

Note: All quotes in this note, unless otherwise indicated, are from Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has written a fantastic blog on this movie, which I highly recommend that you read. I respect his words immensely, because he, unlike most of the people who are currently talking about The Golden Compass, has actually seen the movie at an early screening and read all three of Philip Pullman's books.

A lot of controversy has been induced by the upcoming release of what is sure to be a blockbuster hit, The Golden Compass. It's a movie based on a book trilogy by Philip Pullman called "His Dark Materials," and its agenda is "about as subtle as an army tank." Pullman hates the Christian church and has resolved to be an anti-C.S. Lewis.

--And it looks like, thus far, he's done a great job. I haven't seen the movie, as it isn't yet out, but the casting is surely dynamic, and I've heard that the special effects are even superior to The Lord of the Rings. "The movie is based in a story that is captivating, sophisticated, and truly interesting. Philip Pullman is a skilled writer and teller of tales. His invented worlds of The Golden Compass and the entire His Dark Materials trilogy are about as good as the fantasy genre can offer."

And the problem?

"Pullman's agenda is nothing less than to expose what he believes is the tyranny of the Christian faith and the Christian church. His hatred of the biblical storyline is clear. He is an atheist whose most important literary project is intended to offer a moral narrative that will reverse the biblical account of the fall and provide a liberating mythology for a new secular age." Pullman does not deny his goal.

So what should the Christian response be?

One quick search of facebook groups finds about a million anti-The-Golden-Compass groups. Christian activists are baring their teeth. People are boycotting the movie. But my question is this: why? Why do we have to react so violently to our culture? Are we not responding in the very way Pullman expects--yea, wants--us to respond?

Don't get me wrong--this movie has a serious agenda and we should take it seriously. However, we should "recognize the mixture of challenge and opportunity that comes with millions of persons watching this film and talking about the issues it raises. When the movie is mentioned in the workplace, in school, on the playground, or in the college campus, this is a great opportunity to show that Christians are not afraid of the battle of ideas."

Nothing is more frustrating to me than when Christians can't--or refuse to--speak intelligently about issues that matter. This issue matters. People will be confused by this movie. Adults will allow their children to see this movie--perhaps will even go with them--blissfully unaware of what is coming next (specifically, the material Pullman reveals in books two and three of his trilogy--where the rebellious children actually kill God, who "turns out to be a decrepit and feeble old imposter who was hardly worth the killing"). We should be very concerned to think about "so many people being entertained by such a subversive message delivered by such a seductive medium."

BUT.

We should also pause a minute and take a deep breath. "The Christian faith is not about to be toppled by a film, nor by a series of fantasy books." As I mentioned earlier, nothing would "serve [Pullman's] agenda better than to have Christians speaking recklessly or unintelligently about the film or the books." We surely won't celebrate its opening night at our local theatre. But we should take hold of this opportunity to "be ready to give reason for the hope that we hold," and we should do so with "gentleness and respect."

Dr. Mohler sums it up better than I can:"The Gospel of Jesus Christ has enemies; this we know. Christian parents must be informed about His Dark Materials and inform others. We must take the responsibility to use interest in this film to teach our own children to think biblically and to be discerning in their engagement with the media in all forms. We should arm our children to be able to talk about this project with their classmates without fear or rancor. ... Philip Pullman has an agenda, but so do we. Our agenda is the Gospel of Christ -- a message infinitely more powerful than that of The Golden Compass. ... This movie does represent a great challenge, but a challenge that Christians should always be ready to meet."