The Golden Compass
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
(Galatians 6:7,8 ESV)
As those who passionately love the Lord Jesus we must each take responsibility for what we choose to read, watch and look at. It’s not that we’re frightened of the world. We live in this world with confidence as we boldly proclaim and demonstrate the truth of the Kingdom of God. But we are aware that whatever we sow into our lives will produce a harvest at some point. If we choose to take pleasure in that which is unwholesome or impure, we should not be surprised if we often find ourselves struggling with unrighteous thoughts and temptations. If we fill our hearts and minds with ideas that undermine the truth of who God is and what He will do in our world, we should not be surprised if we struggle to believe God for the miraculous.
You’ve probably seen the adverts for the forthcoming film, “The Golden Compass” due for release on 7th December. If you’ve got children they’ll almost certainly be aware of it as all their friends are likely to be talking about it. On the surface it seems a harmless family film. In fact, you might even watch it and think there’s nothing much wrong with it. But beneath the surface, it seems there is a hidden agenda.
“The Golden Compass” is based on the first book in a trilogy known as “His Dark Materials” written by Philip Pullman. Pullman is avowedly anti-Christian. He’s not just a non-believer but someone who intends to, in his own words, “kill God in the minds of children.” The first book in the series (called “Northern Lights” in the UK and “The Golden Compass” in the US) is reportedly the mildest of the three and the film is understood to have been slightly adapted to avoid offending the more conservative American audience. But the film will introduce children to the trilogy, encouraging them to buy the books and watch the other two films if they’re made.
We don’t have space to go into all the details of the stories here and admittedly I have not read them. (You can read a much more in-depth article by visiting http://www.licc.org.uk/articles/pullmans-purpose on the internet). Philip Pullman has said, “All stories teach, whether the storyteller intends them to or not. They teach the world we create. They teach the morality we live by.” In a 2003 interview with the Sydney Morning Herald he said, “My books are about killing God.” We’ve got every confidence in the overcoming power of the gospel we represent but we feel that every member of the church, and indeed the general population, should be aware of this agenda when deciding whether to watch the film or read the books. Judith and I have had an open and honest conversation with our children to explain why, despite all the hype, we’ve decided not to watch the latest blockbuster movie.
