The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass, released by New Line Cinema on December 7, 2007 is based on the first book in the trilogy written by British atheist Phillip Pullman known as “His Dark Materials.” “The Golden Compass,” “The Subtle Knife,” and “The Amber Spyglass” encourages the reader to fight to liberate themselves from the oppression of church rule. This is accomplished as children go on a quest to kill God with the aid of their own personal daemon (pronounced demon).

A daemon is a child’s best friend. The two confide in each other and fight together as an invincible team. A child’s daemon takes the form of a talking animal. It is the child’s soul and helps to guide them through life. They have a free will and with a daemon’s help, they are confident and courageous.

The authoritarian organization known as the Magisterium is opposed to free thinking and a free will, and seeks to separate child from daemon making them unhappy and miserable with no personality. They exist like zombies.

The golden compass helps the one who knows how to use it find the truth. The Magisterium only wants its version of the truth to be told, so it has successfully destroyed all but one of these compasses. An orphan girl named Lyra possesses this last golden compass and learns to use it. She uses it to fight the oppressive Magisterium and its evil leaders to keep them from stealing children’s daemons – their souls.

I have two major problems with this movie. The first point is not my greatest concern.


Major Problem #1 – ATTACK AGAINST THE CHURCH

Although the anti-Christian content was toned down considerably in this movie, there are enough clues as to the intended message. The Magisterium is a modern day reference to the teaching authority of the Roman Catholic Church. This also extends beyond Catholicism to any Bible believing Christian church that teaches godly principles.

The Bible teaches that Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden by eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The movie refers to “our ancestors’ who “disobeyed the Authority.”

Speaking words other than those accepted by the Magisterium is considered heresy. Such free will and thinking is considered Dust and upsets the status quo and should never be spoken of in the presence of children. Dust opens the door to infinite possibilities. Dust is what makes us human. By controlling thoughts, dust is contained. There is no mistaking that the oppressive ruling body is the church.


Major Problem #2 – GET YOUR OWN DEMON

The screenshot below is from the official website promoting the movie. An invitation is given to “Meet Your Daemon.” When you follow this link you will read:

"To discover your very own Daemon, look into your heart, and answer the following 20 questions openly and honestly. Your true character and the form of Daemon will be revealed, ready to be taken with you into your virtual world."



Upon answer these questions the name of the child’s personal demon is given as well as the animal shape that it resides in. Each child is then encouraged to call upon their personal demon.

This is my greatest concern. What are we opening our children up to? Encouraging children to find their personal demon and to call on its name to help them is a Pandora’s box that should never be opened.

The Bible says “Call upon the name of the Lord and you shall be saved. Calling on demons will not lead to freedom, but bondage. Evil is plentiful in this world, and when we call that which is evil – good, and good – evil, we start down a slippery slope that leads to destruction.

Synopsis

This movie is a teaser for people to buy Pullman's books just like the Harry Potter movies. This will bring millions of children into contact with the demonic. By volume three of the His Dark Materials trilogy children are invited to join in a diabolical revolt against God, bishops, and priests.

The first movie is just an avenue to hook and draw our kids in. You cannot judge the trilogy based on the first movie.

Since this is a topic that is of paramount importance to me, I will discuss the subject of demons in an upcoming post. Feel free to leave your comments below.