We had a great time in Boston. The Phillip Pullman panel wound up being moved to a cinema (courtesy of New Line), and we got to watch a sneak preview of Golden Compass after speaking. We played to a packed house of about 160 students and teachers from BU. And as a special treat, Gregory Maguire (aka the dude who wrote Wicked) showed up, and Justine and I got to chat with him later.
During the panel, the religion profs discussed what a great exploration of theology His Dark Materials is, and how useful they’ve found it in their religion classes. We also discussed the bogus controversy around the series and movie, especially the persistent disinformation campaign that claims the protags of HDM “kill God” in the third book. (As those of you who’ve read it know, the Authority is an impostor posing as god, and Lyra and Will don’t actually kill him. Ah, if only the people who love to ban books would, like, learn to read books. Think of all the effort they’d save.)
In my capacity as resident novelist, I mostly went for laughs. But I did try to make some authorly points about Pullman’s awesome narrative structure, and stole some good lines from Carol Wilkinson’s essay in the HDM anthology I edited to talk about the importance of truth and lies in the trilogy.
I must say it’s weird talking in a movie theater, though. Here’s our lovely audience from the screen’s-eye point of view:
Once we were done, we watched the movie, which was really pretty good. It looks absolutely right, and the casting is perfect. The start of the story feels a bit rushed, as is always the case when you make a 100-minute movie out of an epic. But once the action moves up north and Sam Elliot appears as Lee Scoresby, everything gets very armoured bears, and armoured bears are always good.
The trip home provided me with an amusing tale. Our train had a loading mix-up that left us with no lunch, but Gregory Maguire happened to be in the same car, and gave us cookies. How lucky is that?
Thanks to Boston University, fellow panelists Donna Freitas, Christine Hutchison-Jones, and Jason King, and the Luce Program of Scripture and Literary Arts. Also thanks to New Line for renting us a theater and sneaking us a preview.
Free Book Alert! An autographed copy of Uglies is the prize at a contest over at Melissa Walker’s blog! Check it out.
i like books like uglies and midighters and lyky (the incredibly shortened version of i’d tell you i love you, but then i’d have to kill you!!), and cross my heart and hope to spy. i’d prefer if books a)just left religion out of it; or b) supported it. a good book that is all about religion is arms of love. but i also like ya books like uglies, midnighters, and the gallagher girls books. i don’t think that you have to be restricted to religious stuff, but i don’t think that putting down religion is right.
i think that they’ll like do the ones where the kid characters are children, cause in horse and his boy, it would take about 2 years to write, film, and produce it, so the actors will be two years older. i think that they’ll do horse and his boy and last battle last…i hope we go to the midnight show!!
i’m sorry that this post is randomly long; i just can’t help it!!
-see comment # 6!!
ps: did u know that lyky is gonna be made into a movie in 2008?? i’m so excited!!
pps: is uglies being made into a movie, or was that just a rumor?? then, two of my fave series will be made into movies!!!
ppps: does neone else listen 2 country music? i love it!!! like, hardly neone i know listens 2 country.
okay, allie-wa. here’s just my opinion.
i have absolutely no problem with someone not reading the books because they don’t want to. that’s fine. i get annoyed with people who don’t want other people to read the books because they don’t like what they think they’re about—like book banning—that i stand up against.
and if they don’t want thier children to read books, well maybe i don’t agree, but they can do whatever they want. hopefully, one day when the child is old enough, they’ll choose to do whatever they want with thier life, be it follow in their parents footsteps or not.
i just don’t like people who preach against books or movies to strangers. i’m sorry—you don’t have that athority over me.
and “just trying to spread your religion” is fine by me—it’s when that spreads to condemming others that i disapprove. if you think you’re just trying to help or trying to make sure people get a great afterlife, that’s cool. it’s people who are all, “You shall burn in the eternal fires of hell for your reading decisions unless you repent” (which is a very small contingent) who try to convert people away that bother me. try to spread the good will in the world, cool. but just spreading more hate, i’d prefer you keep your mouth shut.
and you raise a good point—i know people of every religion who’re obnoxious, including Atheists. this particular issue is a primarily Christian debate, but i find ANYONE who’s overly preachy or condemning about thier beliefs as bad.
and ditto on the private religion thing. if you’ve accepted jesus christ as your PERSONAL savior, that is great.
i think that the most genuine religion is the one inside you. religon should be something between you and your god(s) or lack thereof.
interesting, the line you draw between fantasy and science fiction—i think they’re pretty similar. i mean, i read some of both. i would definitly put some of scott’s books under “fantasy”. Not classic alternate world midevil fantasy, but more contemperary/urban/whatever fantasy. i call pretty much all the books i read fantasy.
also interesting you mention the Chronicles of Narnia—because those are books a lot of Christian people hold up as being the paragon of Christian fantasy, though i read them and didn’t think they were that religious.
they probably skipped Horse and His Boy becuase it has different protags and that funky timeline thing.
and i said i wasn’t going to make any more raving comments….
just saying, i’m not trying to condemn anyone’s religion. i just don’t like it when this ambiguous they we’re critizing try to decide what is fit for the consumption of the rest of the world, not thier families or suggestions to their friends, but censorship for the public. people should be able to make thier own choices, especially about religion.
hmm…I was trying to think of something to say after your comment, Serafina, but I can’t think of anything at all. Except that, yeah, condemning = bad.
Riderchilde-wa to your pses-
ps: Yes!! I’m not sure I want to see it if Disney is making it, though. I’ve hated Disney since High School Musical ruined 5th grade.
pps: imdb says so, but they haven’t started production or chosen a cast or anything yet so I’m not really sure they’ll go through with it.
ppps: I don’t like country music. at all. It holds bad memories for me…
i don’t really like country music that much either. not my thing.
i hate high school musical. hate it with a burning passion.
i dunno, i’m generally anti-movie when it comes to books i love—it rarely turns out well.
you know what would make a good movie though? The Water Mirror by Kai Meyer. with cool special effects. dunno if they would, cuz it’s translated and all. but would be so very cool.
and it’s decided!
condemning = bad.
tell the world!
just posting to remember to change my name-link, and i want it to stick.
ignore me.
or click on my name and check out my site.
Alright. So Allie-wa said, “How about the possibility that any children reading those books may be so influenced by them that they “lose†their religion? Or maybe the fact that they don’t want to read about stuff like that, because they just don’t want to?”
They just don’t want to? Well maybe I just do want to. Maybe a lot of people just do want to. Maybe there children just want to. Huh? I, personally, don’t care what these people against the movie and books “just don’t want to” do. I could care less if they don’t want to read the books or see the movie — but I want to, and it’s none of their business. It doesn’t make me any less religious. I can question things like my beliefs if I want to — every religious and non-religious person has that right. Questioning beliefs is how people strengthen their beliefs or discover new things that change their beliefs to fit them more as a person. It’s the way of the world, and it’s no one else’s right to tell someone else what they should or should not see just because they don’t like it.
I have had to argue with my parents to get to see this movie. And you know what I said to them? I said that just because Philip Pullman believes something, or because they (my parents) believe something, doesn’t mean I do. I can read a book where someone commits suicide and it does NOT mean I will. I can read a book where someone does drugs, and it does NOT mean I am going to. I can read a book written by a non-religious person and I CAN still be religious. Just because someone else can be easily influenced by a fantasy book does not mean I will. No one knows exactly what a person believes and how strongly they believe in it. That’s why I’m so sick of these anti-His Dark Materials people saying that children will lose their religion, that because they read a BOOK or see a MOVIE they will suddenly not believe everything they used to believe. No offense, seriously, but I think that is a horribly unintelligent thing to beleive. I’m not saying that no one can be influenced by ficticious books and movies — they can be — but not everyone.
I would also like to say that apparently all the “anti-religion” stuff has been taken out of the movie. So there you have it. A fantasy adveture film. If you don’t like fantasy and adventure, DON’T SEE IT. But I do, so I’m sick of people telling me I’m going to lose my religion.
I also strongly disagree with people trying to “help” others by converting them (EVER), but I won’t get into that.
Sorry if that sounds a little harsh, but I am really opinionated when it comes to things like this.
And someone was saying something about good books involving religion? I thought that Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande was a very good book.
See i am very into to my religion. I believe in God and that is why i can and will not read it. I did read Elsewhere and it was fantastic but i dont think killing God is a good idea (not like its possible).
Ok you guys, dont write such long comments. I cant read all of them.
I didn’t say that all children would be influenced. I pointed out chilren because, well, it’s a proven fact that children are more easily influenced that older people (a fact that I hate…b/c that doesn’t apply to all kids, right?). I said easily influenced people should not read books against their beliefs. That could mean anyone from age 8 to 80+. And I meant by the “just don’t want to” thing that just maybe people don’t want to read books against their religion. It’s alright if they do; it’s their choice. And who am I to stop them?
And what you said about “I don’t have to believe something just because it’s in a book I read” – well, yeah. You don’t have to but you could be so influenced that you do. Which is what I said in the first place, right? So I really don’t see the point you are trying to make.
You said, “…they will suddenly not believe everything they used to believe.” Well, actually, I haven’t heard anyone say anything about anything “suddenly” happening. In fact, usually changes like that come slowly. At least for me.
So, yeah, point made.
well, Bran-la your comments weren’t up when I clicked “submit” for mine b/c I spent so long writing it.
Anyway…
I totally agree w/ you. Except about the long posts. I can’t say everything i want to say in short posts!
Again in response to Allie-wa.
“In fact, usually changes like that come slowly.”
So one book won’t change anything? Okay.
“And what you said about “I don’t have to believe something just because it’s in a book I read†– well, yeah. You don’t have to but you could be so influenced that you do. Which is what I said in the first place, right? So I really don’t see the point you are trying to make.”
So now one book will drastically change my views? Alright then.
But the point I am trying to make is that reading a book doesn’t mean anyone thinka everything in it is “the right thing to do.” Some people against certain books (like His Dark Materials) seem to be convinced that not only will their children give up their faith, they will go to hell. Oh really? So reading something sends us to hell now? I wasn’t aware. So it’s either reading the book and BAM you’re out of heaven, or you read the book and it makes you QUESTION something or realize that maybe you don’t agree with something in your faith so then you go to hell? I’m not trying to say that people shouldn’t believe that — go right ahead if that is what you believe in! But opposing books and making a huge deal out of it for EVERYONE isn’t something these people should do. I certainly don’t believe God would condemn you because you read something, but that doesn’t mean everyone agrees with me. And what I believe isn’t the point here. My point is that if you think these books are against your religion, great. Don’t read them. But I’m tired of people who think these books are “against their religion” — and apparently MY religion now — telling everyone not to read them. Don’t read them if you don’t want to — no one’s forcing you to. But other people are trying to force people NOT to read them, and that isn’t okay.
I also have a huge problem with you saying that there are books out there that go against people’s religions, but that is just me personally. I don’t think books go against any religion, but if other people do then okay.
“I said easily influenced people should not read books against their beliefs.”
Actually, you did say, “How about the possibility that any children reading those books may be so influenced by them that they “lose†their religion? ”
Any children. Any children reading them means all children reading them. Yes, they could be. But if you had read The Golden Compass (which you have said you haven’t, and I understand that) you would know that it probably won’t influence them to do much. Maybe they’ll want a polar bear. Okay then.
“…it’s a proven fact that children are more easily influenced that older people (a fact that I hate…b/c that doesn’t apply to all kids, right?).”
So first you say any child, and now you say not all of them? I also really disagree with this fact. It doesn’t apply to all people. Adults can be very easily infuenced, whereas kids maybe aren’t really that influenced by many things. Sure, young kids maybe can be influenced by everything they see and hear and are told, but not all of them. So while I don’t agree with you that easily influenced people shouldn’t read books that have things in them that they don’t think are right, I do agree that this fact is not such a great fact. Fact-wise.
In short (yes, people who didn’t want to read all of that, read this) my points are
1. If easily influenced people shouldn’t read books that may contain things that they don’t believe are right, then they’re probably stuck with not many things to read.
2. If you don’t want to read a book, great for you, but quite telling everyone else who happens to share your religious background not to read it. Beliefs vary, people. Live with it.
3. Change is subtle, and one book isn’t going to change a person entirely. If they believe strongly in something then they really are not going to change their beliefs because of one book/movie. But ultimately it is their decision to read something, not their parent’s, not their friend’s, not their religion’s.
I would also like to point out that Scott did say that God isn’t killed in these books. (Not that I’m trying to say, “He is killed! Now you have to read them!” That is not what I mean at all.)
And I am also really sorry for continuing this sort of debate, but I am a debate nerd. I must always retaliate, so I’m sorry if I offended anyone.
Oops. I meant to say up there “He isn’t killed!” Sorry. XP
“Any” does not mean all.
And I said may, which you may have failed to notice.
May, which means possibly.
And let me just say this: I’m not trying to start a debate or whatever with you or anyone else. I really only wanted to say yhat attacking other’s religion isn’t right.
You don’t believe there are any books attacking religion? Wow. You haven’t read enough books, if you think that.
I never said people shouldn’t read things about what they think isn’t right. Otherwise I couldn’t have read Uglies. Or Midnighters. Or any other good books. I said they shouldn’t read books that are flat out against religion.
Have you read His Dark Materials?
When you say that “any child” who may be reading the books may be influenced, you are essentially saying and communicating: Kids who read these books have the chance of being influenced. Which is obviously true. Kids who read the Bible have the chance of being influenced by it. Kids who read Uglies have the chance of being influenced by it. Kids who watch TV could be influenced by it. Kids who walk down the street and see logos on shirts could be influenced by them. There’s always the chance of something. There is the chance that I could get run over tomorrow. It’s not going to stop me from walking across the street. And the chance that a book will make me question something a change my views isn’t going to stop me from reading something. I’m not saying that that is the case for you or anyone else, Allie-wa, but it is not necessarily the case for all children, as you have communicated.
And if you didn’t notice, I didn’t say that kids wouldn’t be influenced. I said “Sure, young kids maybe can be influenced by everything they see and hear and are told, but not all of them.” Do you see that maybe? It means that some kids could possibly be influenced. I never said that they wouldn’t be. I never said that they would be. I said it was possible. And everything is always possible. It’s a fact of life, as I have illustrate before.
Your statement “How about the possibility that any children reading those books may be so influenced by them that they “lose†their religion?” means, really, “What about the possibility that kids reading those books could possibly be influenced by them so that they give up on religion?”
What about the kids who possibly wouldn’t be influenced?
So far, all you have done is told me what words mean. So far all you have done is told me that there is a possibility of something happening, and completely disregarded that when there is a possibly it can go either way.
I am not trying to say that everyone should read His Dark Materials, and I am not trying to force you to. All I am saying is that people who don’t want to read them have no right to tell everyone else not to read them. It appears to me that you don’t really understand that. Again and again you make me defend my beliefs, when my beliefs have nothing to do with this. I don’t care what you believe and you don’t care what I believe. Enough said. You go read something besides His Dark Materials and I will go see the movie and then read The Subtle Knife. Everyone has the right to do what they want and to not do what they don’t want to. I am in no way trying to say you are wrong for not wanting to read these books, or any other books, and I’m sorry if it seems that I am.
There are books that go againest religions. Ok lets look at it in the terms of cookies.
you have the chacolate lovers and the suger cookie lovers.
If i start saying that i am going to burn you sugar cookies then you might be like, “Ill burn your cookie then too1” not that cookies are a big deal but just work with me.
and i if i liked sigar more than chacolate i might tell my friends to spit on people who like chacolate. you might say, “Ew, just beacuse i dont like your darn cookie!”
i take the religion like spit. If you spit on God, it hurts me, and i get defensive. Hes my chacolate chip cookie!
YES THANK YOU ALLIE-WA. It is wrong to do that to other religions. I dont go aroung writen bad things about people with other religions and killing there gods.
Okay, so I hadn’t seen your latest post.
I have read The Golden Compass, and I am planning on reading them all, thank you very much.
I would like to say that I haven’t attacked anyone’s religion. If it appears that I have, sorry. I believe in God, not that it is anyone’s business.
“I said they shouldn’t read books that are flat out against religion.” Which the Golden Compass is not. Check out the back of the book sometime, and you will see that while maybe Philip Pullman wanted it to be (or maybe he didn’t) no one has to see it that way. (Again, not saying you should read it. You said you don’t like fantasy, so obviously you wouldn’t like it even i you did want to read it.)
“You don’t believe there are any books attacking religion? Wow. You haven’t read enough books, if you think that.”
First off, you have no idea how many books I’ve read.
I said that I don’t believe there are books out there AGAINST religion. Sure, maybe there are books out there which have characters who are against religion. Or maybe there are books out there that are non-fiction and are attacking another religion. But when I said that I don’t believe there are books that are “against religion” I meant that I don’t think there are any religions that actually tell people not to read books entirely. Like, there is no commandment that specifically says, “Do not rea *blank* by *blank*” or something. Sorry if that was unclear.
I would also like to say that I don’t think attacking another religion is right. I think it’s horrible, really. So there’s something we agree on.
Ok, reading the bible and reading a book is driffent. If you read a bibble, that means you have one, which means you believe in God. If you have a book, like when i got Elsewhere,it didnt say, “this book may not be your religion.” and it wasnt, but i was really good, because it had reincarnation. Reading a bible that says, “Holy bible.” and uses the word LORD and GOD a lot should be clear to the reader.
So if I don’t believe in God I can’t read the Bible? Is that what you’re saying? People who don’t believe in God can read the Bible if they want. It’s called learning about another religion.
And seriously, there are Bibles at the library. If you are reading it, it does not mean you have one. They’re also in hotel rooms. Yeeah.
Im not here for a debate but i found the last two blog entries on this site affensive. Scott-la should always be ready for a general audience i mean Scott-la, “We also discussed the bogus controversy around the series and movie, especially the persistent disinformation campaign that claims the protags of HDM “kill God†in the third book.” May i QUOTE!!!!!!! Its not bogus, its resonable, at least to me!
Ok, i didnt say you can read it i said, and i QUOTE! “Reading a bible that says, “Holy bible.†and uses the word LORD and GOD a lot should be clear to the reader.” Meaning if you read it, then you darn well knowits not you religion!!!!!!!!!!! I AM GETTING ANGERY!
I need to calm down but i cant.
I have an idea: let’s just say that attacking other religions is wrong. And stop there. No argument/debate/whatever you want to call it. Because debates aren’t happy-making (how’s that for influence?).
So, because debates aren’t happy-making, how about I don’t respond to anything you said in your latest posts? Other than attacking religions is wrong. But to me it seemed that you were maybe possibly sorta attacking my religion – which you probably weren’t, considering how you hate attacking religions and all. And you apologized if it seemed like you were, which it did, but you apologized so I’m not going to hold anything against you, b/c attacking religion is #1 on my “irritating things people do” list. Not that it’s written down or anything…
Ok no more.
it irrates me too.
Well, you also said this! “If you read a bibble, that means you have one, which means you believe in God.” Which isn’t true, and I think that that is offensive.
I didn’t come here for a debate, either, but this is what I’ve gotten for trying to voice my opinion! Everyone gets offended sometimes, and I’m sorry if I offended you. I’m trying to get across my points so we can end this. But it looks like that isn’t happening. So I think I’m just going to leave, because I’m also very angry that I can’t say something without people telling me that I’m wrong. I know, I know, I said that you people were wrong about some things — but I also said that I THINK that you are wrong, and you can believe what you do. So far, no one has said that I can believe what I believe. You’ve all just said I’m wrong about one this or another. I really don’t care.
But I also think it’s obvious that you aren’t always going to agree with what Scott says, because obviously you do not feel the same way he does about some things. I don’t think it’s right to tell him that in his own blog he can’t voice his own opinions. But that’s just me.
I sincerely apologize for offending anyone. Really.
/debate.
Later.
Also, I would like to say that I like debates. Just my opinion. I think they’re quite fun.
hmm…Bran-la, I know a Hindu family and everone in it has read the Bible. The Christian bible. yeah. So just because you’ve read the Bible doesn’t mean you’re Christian.
I think they read it to strengthen their beliefs. But I’m not sure. I’ve never read the Vedas to strengthen my beliefs. And reading the Bible or any other religious texts (Vedas, Analects of Cunfucious (sp?), Quran, Torah, etc) is totally different from reading other books, such as His Dark Materials.
Capt Cockatiel: I know you will read this, even though you said you were leaving, because I said THE SAME THING yesterday. Before any debate started.
But, anyway, I actually said, way up in the page, early this morning, that people will believe what they want to believe. And I’m okay with that.
The Cronicals of Narnia are religous books. Just in case nobody knew that . But people read them as just another story all the time it just depends on your point of view. you could read the cronicals of narnia and look past any symbloism if you wanted to. I havent personlly read the golden compass but i have read the cronicals of narnia and i would assume the same rules would apply. if there is any symbolism.
honestly, i don’t think religion should have anything to do with the books you read. all you phillip pullman-haters should just read the books instead of being all narrow-minded
religion is an accident of fate anyways. if your parents are christians or something, chances are you’ll be one too. but if your parents were muslim, would you necessarily believe the same thing as you would have had your parents been christians? and all the hating on people with different reliogions causes wars and stuff. basically, all religions teach the same thing (peace, peoples) but the differences are the ones caused by our (human) faulty perception and narrow-mindedness. and those are the differences that cause problems with the world. if we could all just forget about the little details and focus on the bigger picture, then there wouldn’t be so much hating in the world. so stop debating peoples!!!
Thanks for all your fine comments on this thread. I was going to comment here, but then I got all long-winded and made it a whole separate post:
http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/?p=352
But like I said, I think your debates about this are a lot more repsectful and less shouty than most adults. I know arguing can be tension-making, but it’s also good for your brain.
wow…so many comments after i left….so…very…many.
and incidentily, i was actually in a church. not at church, but for unknown reasons i ended up at a gospel concert.
i just have to say this—
one, like others, i must say i disagree with bran-la, you can read the bible and not be christian, it’s also considered by many as a work of literature that is studied on that level.
two, i also have to kind of agree with capt. cockatiel and allie-wa too, sort of. if you’re aware of being influenced, i don’t think you will be. i always got really offended even in like first grade, when people thought we were looking up to the older kids and copying them and everything. people are a lot smarter than they get credit for.
and any consumption of literature should come with that valuble adage
TAKE WITH GRAIN OF SALT.
even the bible. don’t accept everything or anything unconditionally. things, in books and holy texts, can be metaphorical, can mean many different things, and can get you to think. so think about things.
three, i really do think that questioning your faith makes you a stronger religious person. the most religious people aren’t the ones born and bred, they’re the ones who started out on totally different paths and decided on that one.
see, philosophy is like, a whole field.
religious philosophy is also, like, a whole thing of study. which a lot of what monks and preists, like, do with their time.
religion is about deciding what you believe.
if that includes not reading a certain book, fine, as long as those who want to read it still can.
religion is not about parroting and running away from really thinking about your faith.
and here’s one last preachy point. religion is, i feel, pretty universal. so i’m not just talking about Christianity here. i’m talking about any belief in any higher power, or even atheiesm.
i think that religion should spread the strength in the world, not the fear.
damn straight
oh yeah!
commenting on old entries helps with that whole “getting the last word in” thing.
Speaking of movies, I heard this rumor about there being an Uglies movie. True?? Not??
whoa. really long posts there toward the middle huh? hehe.
-Lizzy-wa OUT! 😕
ok like i said earlier. If you read the bible it says God and Lord alot so its clear to the reader.
AND YOU DONT ALL HAVE TO GANG UP ON ME I FEEL LIKE SOME WONDERLESS HOBO NOW!
Sly-girl, I think your right about the Narnia being generally the same idea, but there’s one major diference. Hid Dark Materials is rumored to be insulting and undermining a religion, while Narnia is supporting it. Insulting it tends to piss people off a whole lot more.
And Bran-la, not to help on the ganging up thing, I think your probably just extremely opinionated and religion, but some of the things you’ve said actually do offend me. Also, if you don’t likw what Scott posts then don’t read it. I’m not going to go back into my Banned Book rant, but you get the idea. It’s his blog, and he’ll post his opinions, you know?
And Serafina Zane, I totally agree! Actually, I’ve agreed with almost everything you’ve said.
…except when you said Edward has no personality and the TWILIGHT isn’t good :]
But yeah, religion is an obviously sensative subject, and people are too critical about it sometimes. I mean, you can’t force people to think the way you do, or think the same things you do. I think people should just get over the fact that some people are going to have diferent opinions and voice them.
Sarafina Zane said:
“i have absolutely no problem with someone not reading the books because they don’t want to. that’s fine. i get annoyed with people who don’t want other people to read the books because they don’t like what they think they’re about—like book banning—that i stand up against.
and if they don’t want thier children to read books, well maybe i don’t agree, but they can do whatever they want. hopefully, one day when the child is old enough, they’ll choose to do whatever they want with thier life, be it follow in their parents footsteps or not.”
A thousand times YES this, and to all your comments. You said everything I wanted to say. 🙂
capt. cockatiel said:
“Questioning beliefs is how people strengthen their beliefs or discover new things that change their beliefs to fit them more as a person. It’s the way of the world, and it’s no one else’s right to tell someone else what they should or should not see just because they don’t like it.”
YES. Exactly. Thank you.
Being religious is fine. Being atheist or agnostic or nothing at all is fine. Just don’t tell me which one is fine. I will make that decision on my own, see and read what I want (or not, as I see fit), and no one will tell me otherwise. It is my right, and everyone’s right. And I feel strongly about this because I know damn well that if the tables were turned, and some non-Christian religious group were criticizing, for example, The Chronicles of Narnia, people would go insane over it, including the same people who are currently telling everyone to boycott The Golden Compass. And hey, I never told anyone not to see Passion of the Christ, even though I myself wouldn’t be caught dead watching that movie (for a number of reasons).
i just happen to like most books, whether they’ve got a deep message or not. it is possible to read HDM without getting all edgy about religion…
*siiigh*
give them a chance will you.. people talk about intolerant christians and yeah there are loads but why do people rip the guts out of any religious person who dares protest if they see something that to them is immoral..people talk like were all stone agers who spit hell at peoples individual selfish beliefs and..
omgosh they must be hypocrites just like everyone else in the universe T.T..
*drool* I have taffy and poki.. suckers ;p
ooh long rambling comment..
Im a christian if you didn’t guess already ^^ I read scott westerfields books but when i tried reading one of pullman’s I got all confused and ditched it with a shrug..not the smartest one
U just dictched it with a shrug? SOUNDS LIKE ME!!!!
Yeah alot of Christians are like that but alot aren’t.
I don’t think any Christians should be like that…that’s not very God-like of them, now is it?
*screams in rage* That’s a load of bull. a book shouldn’t be taken off the shelves just for that little comment! seriously!!!!!!
I Christain to kinda but i have so trubles with the sexiest’s in my church because its just not right i mean girls or good about sexism we keep our mouths shut but the men are horible so i get pissed and dont talk to them its how my church works!!!