I just started, and am now nearly finished, with The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. It is the first in a trilogy called, His Dark Materials. So far, I have loved it. It is a very intriguing story set in a world that has similarities to ours, but is so utterly different. What I love most about it is the fact that it is just fun and well written.
Recently, with the release of this book in movie form, there has been a lot of bru-ha-ha in the Evangelical Christian world about it (Harry Potter anyone?). I've read some of the articles and stuff about why we should let our kids and ourselves read it, as well as some of the stuff of why we shouldn't worry. Quite frankly, it makes me laugh. And then cry. I didn't realize that following Jesus and trying to line my life up with the story of God was about not reading certain novels. I didn't realize it was about not thinking (Mark Noll just threw up in his grave).
First of all, Philip Pullman isn't out to turn the children of the world into atheists that try to kill Christians. Second, if he was, I still don't see why that would mean that we can't and shouldn't read his book. Does it make sense to anyone else that reading something that is so popular and being able to interact with it would be something we ought to do instead of ought not do? Beyond that, if reading a fictional novel causes me to completely change my faith and turn on God, did I really have that strong of a belief and relationship with him in the first place?
Let it be known, I have read all the Harry Potter books and I am still a Christian. I plan on reading the whole trilogy of His Dark Materials, and I will still be a lover of Jesus. Plus, with the thinking that the book will cause me to do, I'm sure my faith will be, if anything, enhanced.
Peace out, y'all.
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Hey, I finished HIs Dark Materials a little while ago. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the first book. I think it's so entertaining and interesting and weel-written. I love how Pullman describes how Lyra is feeling by the shape that Pan takes. So freaking cool. But books 2 and 3 generally suck. I'm not saying don't read them. I'm just warning you: Pullman uses book 1 to suck you in with lots of goodness and books 2 and 3 to push a lot of atheist nonsense. which made me sad because it not only meant a decline in writing quality but also in interestingness of plot and characters. very sad day. i also saw the movie (which is good but not as good as the book, as is to be expected), and it seems like they'll finish the series in movie form. which i'm pretty disappointed about. we'll see how that goes.
i miss you, friend!!!!!
This sounds familiar. I think we went through this with the Davinci Code a couple years back. Not to mention, like you said, Harry Potter. I think the statement/question, 'If a work of fiction is going to rock your faith that much, how strong is your faith?' makes sense. I remember hearing it around Davinci Code time. (That was a putrid book, by the way. I'm not even talking about the controversial stuff. Just written like garbage.)
Mark Noll LIVES! ...If we broaden the definition of "life" to include residing in South Bend, Indiana.
*The letters for my comment code below are wlojob... think about that.
Mark Noll may be alive, but he is dead to me. He left God's Promise Land...
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