Chistians, especially Catholics, continue “tizzy” regarding The Golden Compass, based on books by atheist Philip Pullman. I heard a woman from the Catholic League, spitting and furming on MSNBC about how this movie was really really bad because it would …

Lead to children to reading the books..

Read the books? Hey, read the books! Next thing you know, the children will be cannibalizing each other when we are not looking….

From a column in the Times Record New, Wichita:

C’mon, people. “The Golden Compass” is a fantasy film – a fantasy film – which generally means it’s not real.

You can tell that it’s not real because it involves talking polar bears and magical compasses and beautiful women like Nicole Kidman who don’t really exist in real life.

All this nonsense started months before the film was even released, meaning the people out there who are in an uproar hadn’t even seen the film yet. And there’s a good chance they won’t see it, because, you know, they might be turned into atheists.

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From WALB, Albany, Georgia, apparently recounting the conversation of a bunch of slack jawed locals standing around chewing on wheat stalks, one of ’em bing a theater owner:

“Well me and my kids went to out to eat, went to church, and we went out to see a movie,” said Felicia Hawkins.

…”‘Golden Compass’ is done average in comparison to all the movies playing such as ‘This Christmas’, ‘Hit Man”, and a lot of the other ones,” said Carmike Cinema Theater Manager, Shaun Brunson.

… “We’ve had a lot of calls from people saying we should not play this movie based on the author for the books of ‘The Golden Compass’ is a strong atheist,” …

“I’ve heard all the controversy about the religious theme. The guy is an atheist, and I am not going to support anyone who is an atheist,” said Rouse.

“Me, personally, I wouldn’t and I don’t think I would let my kids watch it either,” said Hawkins.

…

“If he’s going to put this out right around Christmas, its going to influence the parents. The kids are going to ask for the other books and than they will see all the atheism promoted. And I don’t think its good,” said Rouse.

“I think its just to help sell tickets,” said Hawkins.

…”Its there choice if they want to see the movie. And if they don’t they can purchase tickets for another movie. We have other faith-based movies as well,” said Brunson.

And that is what many have chosen to do in Albany.

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Now on to Northwest Arkansas. Now, that’s a place I know a little better than Wichita, Kansas (Kansas, the Great State of Alternative Energy) and Albany, Georgia. Here, The Golden Compass…

…opened on Friday, addressing atheism, the portrayal of the church and the concept of original sin. And religious denominations, mainly the Roman Catholic Church, is not too happy.

“The bad guys in the book are the Magisterium. Every religious character in these books is an evil terror,” said Kiera McCaffrey, director of communications for the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights in New York City.

She said that to add insult to injury, the Catholic League thinks the movie – which is marketed toward children with its fantasy plotline and magical characters but still carries a PG-13 rating – is selling children “candy-coated atheism.”

“This is an atheist venture tale teaching kids atheism,” she said. “That is why the (Catholic League ) has called for a boycott.”

Some local religious leaders agree with the league.

“I’m discouraging my congregation from seeing it or giving any money toward it,” said Father Bradley Barber, administrator of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Fayetteville. “It’s a shame, in my humble opinion, that every Christmas and Easter something comes out (of Hollywood ) to spit in the face of our religion.”

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One final note. On researching the present blog post, I did ome across this interesting item in an ad: Landover Babtist Abstinence Thong. Great stocking stuffer! Made in the USA, Too!

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