Just in time for Christmas, Hollywood has released The Golden Compass, a film based on the first book of a trilogy of children's novels written by atheist Philip Pullman. Pullman is not a fan of his fellow childrens' writers J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis. He denounced the Lord of the Rings trilogy as "infantile" and absolutely hated the Chronicles of Narnia, calling it "morally loathsome" and "one of the most ugly and poisonous things I've ever read."
This is downright weird.
Some critics have objected to the overdrawn contrast between the forces of light and the forces of darkness in Christian fiction, but Pullman's trilogy is no less Manichean. The only difference is that in Pullman's world the evil regime is run by God Himself. Pullman pictures a kind of Calvinist moral structure, run by a kind of Catholic network called the Magisterium, and behind the whole oppressive system is a tyrannical God. As Pullman envisions it, the church kidnaps and tortures children and subjects them to hideous experiments in which their bodies are separated fro their souls and the children are turned into zombies who are then left to die. Pullman's trilogy finally ends with God being killed, the collapse of the Calvinist moral rules, and the emergence of sexual freedom.
Profoundly stupid stuff. I was not surprised to discover that Pullman is a big fan of atheist Richard Dawkins. Pullman speaks of religion in terms that could be lifted directly from The God Delusion. Pullman has been quoted saying it is not even possible for God to exist. "Every single religion," he says, "that has a monotheistic God ends up by persecuting other people and killing them because they don't accept him." Actually this is flatly untrue of Judaism and Hindusim and only in a very qualified sense true of Islam and Christianity. It would be more accurate to say that every atheist regime, from Communism to the Nazi regime in Germany, has systematically persecuted and killed its opponents for practicing traditional religion and for not accepting their secular race and class-based ideologies.
Certainly Pullman knows that there is nothing oppressive or murderous in today's Anglicanism. He is free in his native London to believe or not to believe. What is it then about religion that he's so strongly opposed to? For Pullman, as for many atheists, the problem with Christianity seems mostly to focus on sexual freedom. Reviewing Pullman's work in The Atlantic Monthly, Hanna Rosin writes, "The most curious aspect of Pullman's theology is the primacy he places on teen sexuality...the whole series builds up to a celebration of losing your virginity." So here is Pullman's case against religion. Basically, religion is what asks you to pull your pants up. This may be termed Pelvic Atheism.
True to form, Hollywood has stripped Pullman's movie of its overt anti-religiosity. The evil guys in the Hollywood version are not God's minions but a kind of amorphous Nazi-type dictatorship. Pullman can take solace, however, in the fact that the movie will probably lead a lot of people to read his books. Aren't we fortunate to have an atheist children's novelist whose main objective seems to be to corrupt the minds and morals of the young?
Reader Comments ( Page 35 of 35)
511. Capt Shenanigans of the anti-Easter Bunny Brigade here! Dedicating my life to the defeat of something I don't believe in because apparently, that's what really, really intelligent people do. Looking to hook up with the Ban the Santa Claus Coalition so that we may expend the sum total of our existence battling against the figments of someone else's imagination 'cause we are really, really smart and that's what really, really smart people do.
poetryman69 at 6:24AM on Aug 13th 2008
512. Great article. I met the love of my life (and yes, it was on richkiss.com). She is the sexist, funniest, brightest, most sensual woman I have ever met, and I am looking forward to a lifetime of fun together. hopefully for the rest of my life (unless she, of course, has one of her blond moments and dumps me - LOL).
overagain at 3:01AM on Dec 19th 2007
513. I wonder whether D'Souza or Hanna Rosin have even read the books. There is no teen sexuality in the series. There is, at best, a kiss. This series by Pullman has won numerous awards for children's fiction and he has been called the best writer of children's fiction in the past 70 years. There are serious grounds to critique the vision of Lewis in the Narnian Chronicles and Pullman is not alone in doing so. It seems odd to me that so much criticism of the Golden Compass and the trilogy focus more on Pullman's atheism than on the actual content of the movie or books. Are we now to judge all artistic products based on the religious beliefs of their creators?
Jim at 8:27PM on Dec 21st 2007
514. For Marianne and for those who say we should let each have their own opinion I agree. However, saying that each person should find a way that's good for them discounts any possibilty for absolute truth. Are we giving up that there is truth, that there is a God and that perhaps if this God created us that he wants to interact with us and share his truth? It seems so. The view of the Christian faith is that there is truth.
Trent at 11:53PM on Dec 23rd 2007
515. First of all I am so tired of people bringing up the crusades and things when trying to bash Christianity. The Bible did not teach those people to do that they took it upon themselves to kill in the name of God that does not mean God approved.The Bible says "go into the world and teach the gospel.." Matt 28:19-20 and " If they shall ot hear your words shake the dust off your feet.." Matt 10:14. Therefore Christanity is not the problem, the problem is PEOPLE who do not follow its teachings and call themselves Christians.
keisha at 1:07PM on Dec 22nd 2007
516. what I often wonder is... what is every one so afraid of? why are athiests so afraid of God and Jesus? and why are christians so afraid of other religions? It really makes me wonder why the christian community gets their panties in a bunch when movies like Harry Potter The Golden compass
the Davinci code comes out going out to great lengthes to stop other christian from watching them or reading certain books Is it another view? another outlook? it infuriates me because if you are truly a christian what others write or what you see shouldn't shake you or make you second guess what you believe in ? but you should be open to view others beliefs so you can understand. Nothing can rock my relationship with God What happens in this constant fight with athiests and christians is everyone wants to be right always pointing the finger and says this is how you have to believe bullshit biggest wars have been fought over this biggest uprises have come because of it. When your eyes become open to what God can do and what he gives you you can not and will not be second guessing yourself.The key is knowing God personally not through others Wake up christans
GR8MOM at 11:44AM on Dec 27th 2007
517. Pelvic atheism, that is definitely a powerful form of atheism nowadays.
One of Darwin's relatives, I believe mentioned that religion didn't mesh with Charles' sexual schedule, or agenda. I dunno.
Sam Harris talks about religion's sexual persecution.
Great article! I will remember that term. Keep up the great work!
Ryan at 3:12PM on Jan 13th 2008
518. I never fail to be amazed at the fatuous desperation of those who continue to insist that Hitler was a Christian. The last time I checked, the fanatical apotheosis of the Reich and the Fuehrer would both constitute heretical CONTRADICTIONS to Christian Faith! "The vast bulk of Germans who carried out the Holocaust were" WHAT???? This flight of anti-theistic fancy is based on WHAT EMPIRICAL DATA????? And don't get me started on revisionist 'hagiographies' of Stalin & Company!!!! Atheistic credulity is boundless.
Neil at 8:58PM on Jan 19th 2008