InfiniteLove

Says the guy with the Naruto....guy...avatar. Hehe. Well, duh. You were expecting me to say pirates? :roll: Even the ones in PotC. :P The ones in PotC can't die though. That's a give-un. Jack Sparrow escapes death twice. Totally unbelievable. =D> Stick with me here, k? Ninjas are the masters of stealth, right? So, it wouldn't be that hard to sneak in to their cabin while they're intoxicated from a night boozing at port and steal their magic coins, then go find that guy and slit his throat, taking his blood and then return the coins with his blood, making the pirates mortal. And extremely vulnerable. Go ninjas. :P Oh, you're just making up stuff now. :) We still have more fun. *Sticks tongue out* You die more, though. :P I think Ninjas would win in a war, though. They don't have many Ninjas though. They're supposed to be a small elite group. Totally unhelpful. At Craig, Woo! :D

Says the guy with the Naruto....guy...avatar. Hehe. Well, duh. You were expecting me to say pirates? :roll: Even the ones in PotC. :P The ones in PotC can't die though. That's a give-un. Jack Sparrow escapes death twice. Totally unbelievable. =D> Stick with me here, k? Ninjas are the masters of stealth, right? So, it wouldn't be that hard to sneak in to their cabin while they're intoxicated from a night boozing at port and steal their magic coins, then go find that guy and slit his throat, taking his blood and then return the coins with his blood, making the pirates mortal. And extremely vulnerable. Go ninjas. :P Oh, you're just making up stuff now. :) We still have more fun. *Sticks tongue out*

I love you! PS Fun Fact: We have the same name!

Says the guy with the Naruto....guy...avatar. Hehe. Well, duh. You were expecting me to say pirates? :roll: Even the ones in PotC. :P The ones in PotC can't die though. That's a give-un. Jack Sparrow escapes death twice. Totally unbelievable. =D>

Says the guy with the Naruto....guy...avatar. Hehe.

I got my wife a blackberry! She really needed a cell phone. Might as well make it a cool one. :) I got my two daughters a load of toys. They're babaies, they aren't picky.

Rawr :evil: Why, though? \

Okay, the eternal question guys. Ninjas or Pirates!? I personally prefer pirates because they can come back from the dead and be fish-pirates. I'm basing my arguments off of The "Pirates of the Carribean" series cause....It's cool. :) Well that's my opinion now let's hear yours! O:) I know it's epic, right? :)

Ok, what about people of no faith who couldn't care less with the Christian symbolism in Narnia? You don't think you're over reacting here a little? The idea that you would at all focus on the writer of these books/movies and his views on despising religion and bypass the actual content says to me you're over reacting big time. Unless someone is actually acting out their views in a way I dispise, I ain't going to boycott their works. This guy has an opinion that rattles some cages and some people want to boycott his work because of it? That to me is just a weak attitude. Rise above your different opinions and see his work for what it is. Going by this thread, it sounds pretty good. Read the ending, please. :) The boycott is over IF I can forget the symbolism and just enjoy it as a movie/book. I'm not the one actually doing the over reacting. I'm just here to hear other's opinions.

This question has to do with the Russian Revolution and Vladmir Lenin: Was Lenin a good leader because his successors, Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky, don't seem very "great". Did he lead his country well? I'm not educated in the least about politics but I'd just like to know.

You missed his point. He was saying that you are able to teach morals without using religion OR anti-religion. Basicallly, you don't have to use atheistic OR religious views to teach a moral code. He was listing examples of what you might say to your children when teaching either of the two standpoints. EDIT: just saw that you fixed that :) . Hehe, sorreh. :-$

Guys, they are not boycotting it because it is ATHIEST. They are boycotting it because it's anti-religious and the author has even said "He despises religion". The whole point of the series was to counter the religious views of C.S. Lewis which is honestly no reason to write three books other than the money, I suppose. I've decided to look more into the movies and actually watch them I'm just trying to get the symbolism out of my head. :wall:

This is the kind of posts I was looking for. I enjoyed the first movie and recommend it but I suppose ignorance is bliss because knowing the specific symbolisms of the book makes it all the less appealing to me. Meh, if I were to forget what it specifically meant it would be more "attractive". I hope so. :

EDIT: Oh snap, I went off but I just noticed you were saying not to do that. Oopsies!

Have you read the books? I wouldn't say the books are directed towards children. The content is very mature, and the books themselves are certainly not "easy" reads. Late teens is a more accurate target. Why would the main characters be at a pre-adolescent stage if it were not directed towards pre-adolescents?

That's just a different opinion than yours, no need to boycott everything that doesn't agree with you. Anyways, you said in your first post that anti-religion isn't the reason you are boycotting it: This is untrue. Try teaching your children to grow up as murderers and child services will take you away. In the case of His Dark Materials, you would be effectively shielding your children by not letting them see the different opinions expressed in the movie. And yes, it's true that with enough convincing you may very well be able to change your child's opinion. But that's along the same lines as what you claim Pullman is doing -- you would be pushing your own beliefs down the throats of your children. The official stance of the Christian Church is that His Dark Materials is "ok". Why would you go against your own religious leaders? The right to teach your children your religion is part of the parenting process. I said I was not attacking religion which is totally true. I suppose you could just keep it away from your children but many parents are ignorant. I was really just trying to start a debate and my religious leader is God not the Christian chruch.

I guess I should have said that as the series goes on the anti-religion beliefs become more obvious. It will be easier to pick up in the second and third books/movies. Parents have the right to teach their children what they want. There is no way you can "shield" your children from other beliefs but you can bide enough time to convince them of what you thing is right. (Notice I did not use the word "Religion" in the previous statement)

Now how the hell do you expect kids to work out the symbolism when they're not even at the stage where they can fully comprehend their own faith? You didn't see it, and I assume you're an adult or at least an older teenager. I see no problem with this. Why is it that people only just now start making a huge deal out of it? ZOMG, they made a movie. These books were published in the mid 90's. The written word is so much more powerful than the screen, but radical Christians only now start making a big deal out of it when the movie comes out, while the books have been available in school book orders for years. I should know, I got them that way. And I must say, they are excellent books. It's refreshing to see someone challenge the views of the masses and publish something radically different. It is, at the heart, an in-depth study on spirituality. I recommend you and anyone else freaking out over this movie go read the books, and let the atheists have their say. What's the big deal? Oh, and this is a fantasy book. Why would people make as big a deal out of it as The Da Vinci Code (another excellent book), when it is obviously set in a fanatasy world, unlike DVC. Based on this statement most of your argument becomes null.

You made me laugh, hehe. : I suppose the first movie has been watered down but the author insists that the second and third aren't.

THIS THREAD IS NOT DIRECTED TOWARDS RELIGION BUT ON THE RIGHT PARENTS HAVE TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN WHAT THEY PLEASE! Heya Guys, recently the movie "The Golden Compass" was realeased and I enjoyed it but I read up on it and found "odd" information about the book series on which it was based. In fact the author, Phillip Pullman, is against religion. Although I am Christian I enjoyed the movie because at first I did not realize the symbolism in which he intended for us to recogonize. This series is intended for children and young teens so why did he have to make his beliefs known? Is he trying to change the religion of children and defying their parent's right to raise them as they please? He is inderectly ruining the parenting process for whoever understands and chooses to follow his beliefs. (Not saying that many are like this) I have chosen to boycott the "His Dark Matter" series not because it is anti-religious but that it is intended to affect the parenting process. Here are a few quotes from the article I read.

Then matter is your "god". It's whatever seems more logical to you. For me, a hunk of matter as the necessary being just doesn't cut it. To me, the mere fact that we can envisage someting more sensible to explain the issue away just dosen't cut it. Applying a consideration to the universe (the need for a creator) which dosen't fall back to the creator himself just because we envisage him being outside our rules dosen't cut it for me (all the better that him being outside the rules makes our detection of him by any mortal means impossible). What if he has his own rules which make his creation necessary? I don't see it as a particularly compelling answer right now to envisage a personified character to end the deadlock. No doubt this whole issue would be down to what you think would be a sensible answer - there's obviously no science to it. You've seen my views, and I can respect others. I'm just the kind of person who has more questions than answers. So you are admitting there is something greater? I'm not questioning anything about you've yet this statement has stood out from your others. I find it incoceivable that there is not something larger than us. Whether it be science or a divine being. It all comes down to what you think is more rational. Which is an unhinging thought. :uhh: It scares me to death although I've learned it's better to believe and just do so (in whatever you believe). Simplicity is bliss. Well for me it is. I believe that exploration just leads to more unanwsered questions which is, personally, not what I need right now. No. There is no need for me to 'admit' anything. I see some creation idea as possible but I outlined why I question it and see it as a pretty empty idea with current knowledge (basically any 'answer' here is unsatisfying to me - I'm always left with questions rather than answers). To frame those questions, you have to inevitably treat the idea as if it were real. I was basically hypothesising. Hrm, understandable. I phrased that wrongly, sorry. :wall: Also, I phrased that as if it were real because I believe it to be real. I guess I should have said that. Off-Topic: You're still here!? Long, long, long ago, I talked to you about religion on my old account. Pureodoom1 was the account name. I can't believe you are still here that was ages ago. :o

Then matter is your "god". It's whatever seems more logical to you. For me, a hunk of matter as the necessary being just doesn't cut it. To me, the mere fact that we can envisage someting more sensible to explain the issue away just dosen't cut it. Applying a consideration to the universe (the need for a creator) which dosen't fall back to the creator himself just because we envisage him being outside our rules dosen't cut it for me (all the better that him being outside the rules makes our detection of him by any mortal means impossible). What if he has his own rules which make his creation necessary? I don't see it as a particularly compelling answer right now to envisage a personified character to end the deadlock. No doubt this whole issue would be down to what you think would be a sensible answer - there's obviously no science to it. You've seen my views, and I can respect others. I'm just the kind of person who has more questions than answers. So you are admitting there is something greater? I'm not questioning anything about you've yet this statement has stood out from your others. I find it incoceivable that there is not something larger than us. Whether it be science or a divine being. It all comes down to what you think is more rational. Which is an unhinging thought. :uhh: It scares me to death although I've learned it's better to believe and just do so (in whatever you believe). Simplicity is bliss. Well for me it is. I believe that exploration just leads to more unanwsered questions which is, personally, not what I need right now.

Peace no longer exists. Sadly...

Why'd you have to stick that "How many animals have died" bit in there. Why does anyone or anything die. Why does it matter how we die. Why are you blaming religions for the act of humans who misunderstood or manipulated the teachings of one's religion. Never again will I listen to ignorant children who use that as an excuse for being too lazy to care. Saying "A Divine being would not cause so much pain and death" when that is soully the act of men. Men are twisted disgusting creatures and need something to believe in. "Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex." Thank you C.S Lewis! Lewis implies that we all have a deep-seated desire, or wish for, a relationship with the Creator and for an existence beyond this life, though we often mistake it for something else. "ignorant children"... Not everyone here or on RS is 14... So you mean when the christians came to Scandinavia to make it a christian area, those were just some people who misunderstood the teachings? You guys slaughtered anyone who wouldn't accept becoming a christian. Wouldn't such an act take some 100's/1000's of converters? I only said what i personally believe. And i guess you're a christian, this argument as all elses christian-nonchristian will just continue forever (or any other religious believers). But go ahead and continue.. Oh and, if "god" created everything, who/what created him? Since there's something called the Big Bang which has been scientifically proven. No, I am not stereotyping Runescape players after all I've played it before and for a long time at that. What does it matter that religion is the cause of so many hardships. Live in YOUR life the past matters very little and the future not so much either. I refuse to see the wrongs in religion and focus on the right it has done. (i.e Helped prevent poverty, attempting to help others etc.) I know that sounds wrong but I like to live a simple life. Simplicity is bliss for me. I do not care for the past, it's in the past after all...

Adding a new poem as we speak. :