Posted by from Orthodoxy Today (Tamara Northway) on 12/8/2007, 1:27 am
Smart Parenting VII: Using Current Events (The Golden Compass)
to Combat Secularism in the Home
Fr. George Morelli
Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18: 5-6).
It is very rare that I would use an entire interview from another source as the basis of a Smart Parenting article. C.S. Lewis, in his book -- The Screwtape Letters, is the Christian writer who warned against the subtle devices of the evil one working in the world in such books and films as The Golden Compass. Parents, as heads of their “domestic church," have even a higher God-given calling: to lead their children to the awesomeness of God. Use of the media, the weapon of those who attack God and His Church, an ideal way to accomplish this. Turn the weapon back on the evil one and his cohorts.
The material below speaks for itself. When the topic of this film comes up in a family, the interviewers give parents much information to have a meaningful, respectful, and sincere family discussion about the film. The content of the film as outlined below can be compared to what their children have learned about Christ’s teaching by their scripture readings, religious education lessons, homilies, and church services.
What should parents do? First reading the interview carefully. Make sure you understand it. Then be ready to engage your children when the film or it’s content is brought up. As I have mentioned in other Smart Parenting articles (http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/Indexes/Morellix.php), do not preach. Let children express themselves. Listen and validate their views and lead them (Latin: educare), to discover what Christ Himself would say about these issues. The scripture passages, writings of the Church Fathers, religious education materials can be resources for all. Consult your parish priest for any questions that may arise that cannot be readilly answered.
What Every Parent Should Know About "The Golden Compass"
Interview With Pete Vere and Sandra Miesel
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, NOV. 14, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The film "The Golden Compass" isn't simply about using fairy-tale magic to tell a good story, it corrupts the imagery of Lewis and Tolkien to undermine children's faith in God and the Church, says Catholic author Pete Vere.
In this interview with ZENIT, Vere and Sandra Miesel discuss the movie adaptation of the fantasy novels written by Philip Pullman. The film, staring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, will be released in the United States in early December.
Vere and Miesel are co-authors of the booklet "Pied Piper of Atheism: Philip Pullman and Children's Fantasy," to be published by Ignatius Press next month on the topic of "The Golden Compass."
Q: The first movie of "The Golden Compass" trilogy is being released at Christmas. For those unfamiliar with the series, what kind of books are these and to whom do they appeal?
Vere: To begin, the books are marketed for 9-12 year olds as children's fantasy literature in the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and J.K. Rowling. "If you're a fan of 'Lord of the Rings,' 'Narnia ' or 'Harry Potter,'" the critics tell us, "you'll love Pullman."
Personally, I just can't see a child picking up these books and reading them. I see them more as books that adults give kids to read.
Having said that, "The Golden Compass" (1995) is the first book in Pullman's trilogy. The second book is titled "The Subtle Knife" (1997) and it is followed by "The Amber Spyglass" (2000).
Collectively, the trilogy is known as "His Dark Materials," a phrase taken from John Milton's "Paradise Lost." This is appropriately titled in my opinion, since each book gets progressively darker -- both in the intensity with which Pullman attacks the Catholic Church and the Judeo-Christian concept of God, as well as the stridency with which he promotes atheism.
For example, one of the main supporting characters, Dr. Mary Malone, is a former Catholic nun who abandoned her vocation to pursue sex and science. The reader does not meet her until the second book, by which time the young reader is already engrossed in the story. By the third book, Dr. Malone is engaging in occult practices to lead the two main characters, a 12-year-old boy and girl, to sleep in the same bed and engage in -- at the very least -- heavy kissing. This is the act through which they renew the multiple universes created by Pullman.
Another example is Pullman's portrayal of the Judeo-Christian God. Pullman refers to him as "The Authority," although a number of passages make clear that this is the God of the Bible. The Authority is a liar and a mere angel, and as we discover in the third book, senile as well. He was locked in some sort of jewel and held prisoner by the patriarch Enoch, who is now called Metatron and who rules in the Authority's name. When the children find the jewel and accidentally release the Authority, he falls apart and dies.
Additionally, Pullman uses the imagery of C.S. Lewis' "Narnia" chronicles. "His Dark Materials" opens with the young heroine stuck in a wardrobe belonging to an old academic, conversing with a talking animal, when she discovers multiple worlds. So the young reader is lulled early on with the familiar feel of Lewis.
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