This week I’ve had a number of discussions with Christian friends who were planning to go see The Golden Compass movie as a fun-filled family outing. No problem there! But when I asked these people if they were going to have a chat with their kids after seeing the movie, I received a number of blank stares. Now I’m never one for jumping on a bandwagon, but the lack of understanding of the themes contained in the movie by parents was quite surprising. It seems the predictable Christian boycott outcry (a la ‘Harry Potter’) has passed a large number of people by.

I’ve not yet seen the movie nor read the books, but a few years back I bought Northern Lights (The original English title for The Golden Compass before it was Americanized) for a non-Christian friend without realising the strong anti-church themes contained in the story. This led to a great deal of discussion between us (much of which has been helpful) and I’m thankful for the dialogue. My hope is that other Christians will take the opportunity this movie presents to talk about the issues it raises rather than attack them as heretical. In fact some Christians see the movie as purely positive.

What Pullman encourages is unmediated, critical thinking – the only antidote to the mental stupor that today’s culture cultivates in young people. And Pullman does so in multiple ways. For example, by turning the familiar story lines of Genesis, Narnia, and the like, on their heads – thereby prompting the reader to reimagine those stories for him- or herself. In short, Pullman doesn’t tell his readers what to think, but how to think. And to think, period. This, I suspect, is what Pullman’s critics really find unnerving.

For more in-depth and thoughtful responses to the movie, check out Tim Abbott’s and Dr. Headley’s posts on the subject with some great links to other resources so you can make up your own minds.