I wrote this a while back, just before the movies came out, although I can’t remember when that was…
After reading the His Dark Materials trilogy, (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass) and some of the reviews and comments made prior to the release of the movie version of The Golden Compass, I think there are four main things that we ought to keep in mind. First, these are not children’s books, second, while clearly anti-Christian, these books are open and obvious about it rather than shrouded with implication, third, these books should remind us where and when we are living and to be aware of the dangers around us and fourth, there are some positive elements in these books.
Many comparisons have been drawn between these books and CS Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia because while the Narnia books are allegorically Christian, His Dark Materials has strong atheist and anti-church themes. Also both are in the fantasy genre with a variety of fantastic creatures and mingling worlds. But my biggest fear is that this comparison may lead parents to think that these books are intended for similar audiences. That’s simply not the case. My opinion is that His Dark Materials, while tame compared to many adult books, deserves a PG13 rating like the movie. There is a level of violence in these books that is considerably more graphic than what one finds in the Narnia books, Harry Potter or even Lord of the Rings. Lewis and Tolkien tend to present violent scenes and battles from a somewhat distant view, and the Harry Potter books are a little more cartoonish. There are also some thinly veiled sexual references. On top of that, these books do present a world where religion, primarily as the Catholic Church, is the dictatorial and oppressive organization doing the evil will of “the Authority,” who is also called God and the ancient of days. The Authority is characterized as an angel who somehow was able to promote himself as the creator, when in reality he was not. The rebellious angels who turned against him, that we would recognize as fallen, are presented as resisting the tyranny of the Authority and on the side of goodness. Many Christians have been outraged by these themes and have condemned these books, and now, these movies. I don’t think these should be discarded out of hand, but any Christian reading them ought to be mature enough, intellectually, to recognize and process these ideas.
Pullman is 100% open and clear in what he is presenting. His use of words and phrases like “God,” “ancient of days,” “Magisterium,” “the Church” and “Holy Spirit” make his attack on religion, especially Christianity, as clear as can be. My response to this, shared by many other Christians, has been a sense of offense and repulsion. However, I think this opaqueness makes Pullman’s books far less dangerous to our children than many others. If Pullman were truly out to turn the children of the world against the church, he could have done a better job by cloaking these themes. Because he is so over the top, I think even a nominal Christian is going to feel the wrongness in what Pullman writes as he uses these phrases, especially towards the end of the second book and throughout the third. But that sense of wrongness is strong enough to keep one from taking the philosophical part too seriously. Even a young Christian will see how contrary this work is to the Christian worldview, as if a neon sign was hung over the books that flashes “THIS IS UNTRUE”. In this Pullman has done us a great favor.
What we forget is that literature is tied to the period and place where it is written. We learn this in literature class and also as we study the Bible; the stronger our knowledge of the Biblical language, culture and history the better we are able to understand the Bible’s message to us. In the same way, we are living in a secular, post-Christian culture where Christian theology and values are demeaned and argued against constantly in modern literature. We’re being foolish if we don’t expect this in all kinds of literature, from children’s books to newspaper articles. However, in many cases, authors will be more subtle or argumentative and persuasive in their presentation. But Pullman isn’t trying to make converts, he’s just telling a story. My feeling is that there are thousands of books out there that would have a more negative effect on our children’s faith and values than this one, but because they aren’t so obvious there is little or no outcry. For example, I haven’t ever heard a Christian group complain about George Lucas’ mystic views being expressed by Yoda to Luke Skywalker, material that could have come straight from a Buddhist monk. Or what about the humanist values of human potential evident in Star Trek? How about the crazy and extreme sounding “evangelical” in Field of Dreams (and many other movies)? Our entertainment choices are so full of worldview statements and these come so subtly at us that we fail to recognize or even notice them. Because Pullman has been obvious, his books are getting a hard rap.
I think we also need to consider that as American evangelicals, the cold, rigid, ritualistic tendencies of the Catholic Church in Europe are completely foreign to us. We need to remember that the Pope was once the greatest dictator in the world. Over the centuries, horrible things have been done in the name of Christ, things we have been isolated from by both the Atlantic Ocean and by the Reformation. I have a firm belief that all passionate atheists have a story of being wronged somehow by someone or some organization sinning in the name of Christ (or possibly some other figure). I think if we could interview Pullman we would likely find the source of his anti-Church feelings to be rooted in experiences that are foreign to most of us. What’s more, he may be doing us a favor by reminding us of how bad institutionalized religion can be.
I really believe that based on Philippians 4:8 (“Whatever is true…noble…right…pure…excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”) our job isn’t to avoid every influence we disagree with, but to recognize the good from the bad and the truth from the lies. I think we need to trust our convictions as to what has too much bad in it for the good to be worthwhile, and that this is going to vary from Christian to Christian. With that in mind, here is some of the good stuff in His Dark Materials.
This is a big story…an epic…which I really did enjoy reading. It was a pretty good story, but I didn’t love it. It is definitely an imaginative story which enfolds as it grows, with some good, interesting characters. As I finished it, I felt like it was a good journey. There were some loose ends and ideas that weren’t ever fully developed or were hastily wrapped up. But despite that, it was satisfying and worth reading.
Throughout the books, Physics is referred to as “Experimental Theology” and is conducted by Church workers and priests, sometimes with devices and experiments almost as objects of worship. In an atheistic work, I found this ironic as our culture has, since 1700’s, worshiped science and held it up as the source of mankind’s future and salvation. What a vivid warning to us of what is bad in our own culture.
Other people, when responding to these books, have made the case that what is really under fire is not so much the existence of God, but of the corruption of organized, autocratic religious organizations repressing natural (if not God-given) freedoms, rights and creativity. It’s an outcry against the church that persecuted Galileo and other scientists, fearfully suppressing good science while endorsing supposed truths that were rooted in faulty Greek science and not in the Scriptures. It is a warning against giving our extra-Biblical beliefs about how the world works the same dogmatic authority that we give the Scriptures.
Finally, at the end of these books, the protagonists are faced with a choice between the heartache of personal sacrifice and the well being of others. They have to choose to do what’s right for everyone and not just for themselves. This is a small part of the overall story, but it’s a very emotional point and the demonstration of the growth of the characters through the saga. There is irony here that the very thing that Christ taught us to do is what the story’s heroes must choose to do in the end: lay down their lives for their friends. It’s an example of how the truth of God’s Word permeates even those things that would seek to throw Him down. God’s truth is human truth, because there is no truth in the world that is apart from God (although you can’t switch that around…human truth is not necessarily God’s).
I should wrap this up, so here’re my general thoughts. First, I have to make it clear that God is not killed in these books, and no real effort is ever made to kill God. The angel known as “God” or “the authority” does die at the end, but not because anyone has killed him…he simply grows old and fades away. I think the fact that this is what everyone seems to think these books are about is a sign of paranoia. I really wouldn’t recommend these books. Between the subject matter and the quality of the writing, which isn’t outstanding, there’s just not enough good stuff to make me suggest someone go out and read them. Additionally, I think there’s the “meat sacrificed to idols” issue at play here. In the New Testament, we get the idea that eating meat sacrificed to idols was considered by some Christians to be sinful and by others to be fine. But for those who were going to eat it, they had to consider the “weakness” of their brothers and possibly abstain, if only for the sake of those other Christians around them. In the same way, I don’t feel that these books are terrible and sinister, but I know that there are many Christians who do. While I don’t feel they are right, I think we need to be respectful of their feelings and opinions and treat these books carefully. If I were to recommend them, someone might take that as an endorsement of the ideas or themes of these books in a way that I would qualify if I had a chance. They are going to be great movies, I’m sure, especially as they are trying to tone down the anti-church message.
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~ by jonarntsen on March 20, 2010.
Posted in Book Reviews/Commentary
His Dark Materials
I wrote this a while back, just before the movies came out, although I can’t remember when that was…
After reading the His Dark Materials trilogy, (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass) and some of the reviews and comments made prior to the release of the movie version of The Golden Compass, I think there are four main things that we ought to keep in mind. First, these are not children’s books, second, while clearly anti-Christian, these books are open and obvious about it rather than shrouded with implication, third, these books should remind us where and when we are living and to be aware of the dangers around us and fourth, there are some positive elements in these books.
Many comparisons have been drawn between these books and CS Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia because while the Narnia books are allegorically Christian, His Dark Materials has strong atheist and anti-church themes. Also both are in the fantasy genre with a variety of fantastic creatures and mingling worlds. But my biggest fear is that this comparison may lead parents to think that these books are intended for similar audiences. That’s simply not the case. My opinion is that His Dark Materials, while tame compared to many adult books, deserves a PG13 rating like the movie. There is a level of violence in these books that is considerably more graphic than what one finds in the Narnia books, Harry Potter or even Lord of the Rings. Lewis and Tolkien tend to present violent scenes and battles from a somewhat distant view, and the Harry Potter books are a little more cartoonish. There are also some thinly veiled sexual references. On top of that, these books do present a world where religion, primarily as the Catholic Church, is the dictatorial and oppressive organization doing the evil will of “the Authority,” who is also called God and the ancient of days. The Authority is characterized as an angel who somehow was able to promote himself as the creator, when in reality he was not. The rebellious angels who turned against him, that we would recognize as fallen, are presented as resisting the tyranny of the Authority and on the side of goodness. Many Christians have been outraged by these themes and have condemned these books, and now, these movies. I don’t think these should be discarded out of hand, but any Christian reading them ought to be mature enough, intellectually, to recognize and process these ideas.
Pullman is 100% open and clear in what he is presenting. His use of words and phrases like “God,” “ancient of days,” “Magisterium,” “the Church” and “Holy Spirit” make his attack on religion, especially Christianity, as clear as can be. My response to this, shared by many other Christians, has been a sense of offense and repulsion. However, I think this opaqueness makes Pullman’s books far less dangerous to our children than many others. If Pullman were truly out to turn the children of the world against the church, he could have done a better job by cloaking these themes. Because he is so over the top, I think even a nominal Christian is going to feel the wrongness in what Pullman writes as he uses these phrases, especially towards the end of the second book and throughout the third. But that sense of wrongness is strong enough to keep one from taking the philosophical part too seriously. Even a young Christian will see how contrary this work is to the Christian worldview, as if a neon sign was hung over the books that flashes “THIS IS UNTRUE”. In this Pullman has done us a great favor.
What we forget is that literature is tied to the period and place where it is written. We learn this in literature class and also as we study the Bible; the stronger our knowledge of the Biblical language, culture and history the better we are able to understand the Bible’s message to us. In the same way, we are living in a secular, post-Christian culture where Christian theology and values are demeaned and argued against constantly in modern literature. We’re being foolish if we don’t expect this in all kinds of literature, from children’s books to newspaper articles. However, in many cases, authors will be more subtle or argumentative and persuasive in their presentation. But Pullman isn’t trying to make converts, he’s just telling a story. My feeling is that there are thousands of books out there that would have a more negative effect on our children’s faith and values than this one, but because they aren’t so obvious there is little or no outcry. For example, I haven’t ever heard a Christian group complain about George Lucas’ mystic views being expressed by Yoda to Luke Skywalker, material that could have come straight from a Buddhist monk. Or what about the humanist values of human potential evident in Star Trek? How about the crazy and extreme sounding “evangelical” in Field of Dreams (and many other movies)? Our entertainment choices are so full of worldview statements and these come so subtly at us that we fail to recognize or even notice them. Because Pullman has been obvious, his books are getting a hard rap.
I think we also need to consider that as American evangelicals, the cold, rigid, ritualistic tendencies of the Catholic Church in Europe are completely foreign to us. We need to remember that the Pope was once the greatest dictator in the world. Over the centuries, horrible things have been done in the name of Christ, things we have been isolated from by both the Atlantic Ocean and by the Reformation. I have a firm belief that all passionate atheists have a story of being wronged somehow by someone or some organization sinning in the name of Christ (or possibly some other figure). I think if we could interview Pullman we would likely find the source of his anti-Church feelings to be rooted in experiences that are foreign to most of us. What’s more, he may be doing us a favor by reminding us of how bad institutionalized religion can be.
I really believe that based on Philippians 4:8 (“Whatever is true…noble…right…pure…excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”) our job isn’t to avoid every influence we disagree with, but to recognize the good from the bad and the truth from the lies. I think we need to trust our convictions as to what has too much bad in it for the good to be worthwhile, and that this is going to vary from Christian to Christian. With that in mind, here is some of the good stuff in His Dark Materials.
This is a big story…an epic…which I really did enjoy reading. It was a pretty good story, but I didn’t love it. It is definitely an imaginative story which enfolds as it grows, with some good, interesting characters. As I finished it, I felt like it was a good journey. There were some loose ends and ideas that weren’t ever fully developed or were hastily wrapped up. But despite that, it was satisfying and worth reading.
Throughout the books, Physics is referred to as “Experimental Theology” and is conducted by Church workers and priests, sometimes with devices and experiments almost as objects of worship. In an atheistic work, I found this ironic as our culture has, since 1700’s, worshiped science and held it up as the source of mankind’s future and salvation. What a vivid warning to us of what is bad in our own culture.
Other people, when responding to these books, have made the case that what is really under fire is not so much the existence of God, but of the corruption of organized, autocratic religious organizations repressing natural (if not God-given) freedoms, rights and creativity. It’s an outcry against the church that persecuted Galileo and other scientists, fearfully suppressing good science while endorsing supposed truths that were rooted in faulty Greek science and not in the Scriptures. It is a warning against giving our extra-Biblical beliefs about how the world works the same dogmatic authority that we give the Scriptures.
Finally, at the end of these books, the protagonists are faced with a choice between the heartache of personal sacrifice and the well being of others. They have to choose to do what’s right for everyone and not just for themselves. This is a small part of the overall story, but it’s a very emotional point and the demonstration of the growth of the characters through the saga. There is irony here that the very thing that Christ taught us to do is what the story’s heroes must choose to do in the end: lay down their lives for their friends. It’s an example of how the truth of God’s Word permeates even those things that would seek to throw Him down. God’s truth is human truth, because there is no truth in the world that is apart from God (although you can’t switch that around…human truth is not necessarily God’s).
I should wrap this up, so here’re my general thoughts. First, I have to make it clear that God is not killed in these books, and no real effort is ever made to kill God. The angel known as “God” or “the authority” does die at the end, but not because anyone has killed him…he simply grows old and fades away. I think the fact that this is what everyone seems to think these books are about is a sign of paranoia. I really wouldn’t recommend these books. Between the subject matter and the quality of the writing, which isn’t outstanding, there’s just not enough good stuff to make me suggest someone go out and read them. Additionally, I think there’s the “meat sacrificed to idols” issue at play here. In the New Testament, we get the idea that eating meat sacrificed to idols was considered by some Christians to be sinful and by others to be fine. But for those who were going to eat it, they had to consider the “weakness” of their brothers and possibly abstain, if only for the sake of those other Christians around them. In the same way, I don’t feel that these books are terrible and sinister, but I know that there are many Christians who do. While I don’t feel they are right, I think we need to be respectful of their feelings and opinions and treat these books carefully. If I were to recommend them, someone might take that as an endorsement of the ideas or themes of these books in a way that I would qualify if I had a chance. They are going to be great movies, I’m sure, especially as they are trying to tone down the anti-church message.
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~ by jonarntsen on March 20, 2010.
Posted in Book Reviews/Commentary