Some Thoughts on "The Golden Compass"

Today the movie The Golden Compass is being released. If you haven’t seen the movie trailers all over the television then you may have heard the seemingly non-stop commentary on Christian radio. I’ve compiled a few thoughts for my readers:

1. I don’t think we should make such a big deal out of this. The movie review website rottentomatoes.com has positive reviews from only 42% of the critics which means that the movie just isn’t that good. Who can forget the uproar over the DaVinci Code that sent thousands to the theater to find a very sub-par movie? Had it not been for all the controversy surrounding it that movie would have been ignored.

2. I don’t think we should be surprised. There is no doubt that this movie is atheist propaganda. I’ve heard that the agenda of this story only becomes clearer as the trilogy progresses. This movie has been cleaned up to make sure that the other three can be made. I have no doubt that they will be made. Popular atheism is on the rise and there is no reason to believe that we will see anything but an increase of these types of books and movies.

3. Christians need to see this as an opportunity to obey Peter’s words in I Peter 3:15, “…always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is within you.” If we are perceived as dismissive or contentious we’ll miss the chance to point out how faulty this view of the world really is. Do we really believe that Philip Pullman’s story presents a challenge to the character of the True God?

4. Finally, staying with Peter, we Christians need to take this as an opportunity to be thankful that “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (I Pet. 1:3) By God’s mercy we are not among those who have no hope. Ultimately we should be praying for Philip Pullman and those like him that they may see Jesus Christ for who He is and bow before Him as Lord so that they can know the same living hope.