His Dark Materials - Parental right violation?

[Necromagus]

I might actually try to find the books now. We sell the board game at the toy store I work in. I really don't see how this movie or the books are bad just for having a message that you don't agree with. There's dozens of of gospel movies made each year, and now there's one that could be considered atheist. If you don't like it, just don't take your kids to see it.

[Solidus_77]

If his dark materials "prevents parents from teaching their kids values" then the parents are really not trying very hard. Furthermore, symbolizm, themes and values are in the essence of all movies or books. Saying that this one in particular "prevents parents from teaching their kids values" is a very biased statement. All movies, all forms of literature (including the bible) are "influencing children", so why should this one be banned instead of another one? They both "influence children". The decision of which ones influence in a positive way and which ones influence in a negative way is an arbitrary decision. You may think His Dark Materials has negative influences on someone, yet I don't. In fact I think the influences are very positive.

 

 

 

The whole idea of parents just saying "ban everything controversial" just shows how their parenting is not really effective. If all the parent's religious influence gets negated by a fictional movie, then it's the parent who should do a better job at teaching values.

 

 

 

This series is intended for children and young teens

 

 

 

Absolutely incorrect. The plot is child's play but the themes and moral values behind it are not for children, they are for adults. This is one of those series that has elements to please all ages. This is seen especially in the 2nd and 3rd books as they present some more "mature" themes.

 

 

 

The movie, however, did a terrible job at explaining the Church's true intentions, instead they made the Church just look like they wanted power for no apparent reason. The original intentions are are too complex for a child to understand yet they hold some very important significance. Personally I think it's really unfortunate that this movie was made with only the child audience in mind.

[Plugpoint]

I agree with whoever said this before; if you enjoyed the film until you realised the symbolism, how are kids meant to understand this? People who are old enough to think "The Authority represent God and Lord Asriel represents Satan" are also old enough to make their own minds up on whether they believe in God or not.

 

 

 

 

 

I hate how politically correct everything has to be these days -.-

 

 

 

Plugpoint92

[Echofish]

My real name is Lyra and I'm not happy seeing the name in the book.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure I came before the series...

 

 

 

:notalk:

[Solidus_77]

That's a good name ^ and a good sig btw ^^

[Errdoth]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=atTSwau9fwM

 

 

 

this man says everything I would ^^

 

 

 

How did I know that would be a Pat Condell link :lol:

 

 

 

Love that guy :

[Ezz]

Ever watched Narnia? I believe that is the direct opposite, a lot of Christian stuff there.

 

 

 

But seriously, what's the problem? Kids don't understand this kind of stuff anyway really. And even you couldn't see the symbolism until you read about it, what makes you think that a kid will get brainwashed because of it?

[IGoddessI]

Parents have the right to teach their children what they want.

 

 

 

Just as children have the very same right to choose which information they choose to listen to.

 

 

 

Shoving something down your kids throat is more dangerous to their health than giving them choices.

 

 

 

Dictating to a child after a certain age instead of negotiating is dangerous to their health and your relationship.

 

 

 

There are many environmental factors to take in to consideration.

 

 

 

Parental violation!!?

 

 

 

He is inderectly ruining the parenting process for whoever understands and chooses to follow his beliefs

 

 

 

Where's your facts?

 

 

 

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepage ... /adult.htm

 

 

 

Check out the consequences.

[Schmo0zle]

It really makes me angry when Christians complain about "anti-religious" movies, saying they are attacking religion and trying to influence children...Yet when a Christain-themed movie drops, no one says a damn word. Not even atheists. Atheists don't cry "ZOMG BRAINWASHING!", they just say "Oh, look...A movie. Wanna' go see it?"

 

 

 

Christians treat atheism like it is the Black Death. They want nothing to do with it, and anyone who is one is to be avoided at all costs...And heaven forbid that someone makes a movie that doesn't show religion in a "nice" fashion.

 

 

 

I'm boycotting The Passion of the Christ. Not even because it was religious, but because it was a horrible movie made as a cash-cow to play on the heart-strings of Christians. After watching that movie, I felt ripped off because the story left me with no details as to why Jesus was gettin' pwned and anything afterwards. It was just "WE FOUND YOU! *NAILS* LOL!" NOW DIE!" and that was just stupid.

[assassin_696]

Jesus, the first remotely atheistic children's film in years and suddenly all the Christians are boycotting it. Most of the religious allegory was sadly removed from the films anyway.

 

 

 

As for your reasons for boycotting it, what? Since when was any form of media ever objective? Man, what contrived reasoning.

 

 

 

OT: Those books are probably the best children's books i've ever read. Well worth a read.

[scootlaboot]

One of the biggest problems with this whole debacle is that the radical Christians who are against the movie are taking Pullman's words way out of context and trying to make him look like 'the devil' or something.

 

Those Christians are called Insane Christians. I am a Christian and see nothing wrong with the film. In fact a good friend of mine who is the son of a preacher said that his dad and him liked it.

[Schmo0zle]

You know, the OP is going on about parents having the right to teach their kids whatever they want...Why don't the parents simply NOT LET THEIR KIDS SEE THE MOVIE?

 

 

 

Wow, that was hard!

 

 

 

This is all about Christians making crap up about persecution because Christian persecution = return of Jesus! So basically, they want that SO bad that they'll make anything seem persecution-esque to rally up the masses and make everyone start beating their Bibles even harder, screaming about abortion and gay marriage as if it matters at all.

 

 

 

I believe it was Jesus who said that God thinks of all your good deeds as filthy rags. They mean nothing to him. AKA, Christians rallying against atheists and gays will NOT earn them the "Jesus points" they seek so much. God doesn't care.

 

 

 

And no, that is not out of context, Christians. God doesn't care about your works because this world means NOTHING, it's all about accepting Jesus, because Christianity is the only religion that is not a works-righteous system, AKA you cannot earn your way to Heaven by impressing God with your whining.

 

 

 

Just shush.

[Mercifull]

Is the faith you have in your religion so weak that a 2 hour long motion pictures can tear it all down?

[baron8000]

Jesus, the first remotely atheistic children's film in years and suddenly all (some?) Christians are boycotting it. Most of the religious allegory was sadly removed from the films anyway.

 

 

 

As for your reasons for boycotting it, what? Since when was any form of media ever objective? Man, what contrived reasoning.

 

 

 

OT: Those books are probably the best children's books i've ever read. Well worth a read.

 

 

 

ehem, careful now.

[assassin_696]

Jesus, the first remotely atheistic children's film in years and suddenly all (some?) Christians are boycotting it. Most of the religious allegory was sadly removed from the films anyway.

 

 

 

As for your reasons for boycotting it, what? Since when was any form of media ever objective? Man, what contrived reasoning.

 

 

 

OT: Those books are probably the best children's books i've ever read. Well worth a read.

 

 

 

ehem, careful now.

 

 

 

Aha, yeah good spot actually. I didn't mean to put that, it's only some.

[fgfuyfyuiuy0]

Ummm, who cares?

 

 

 

Honestly, I don't get why people are so religious that they have to find something that goes against their religion in everything.

 

 

 

Hey everyone! Boycott "Finding Nemo" because the fish are atheist. They don't know about human beliefs.

 

 

 

Why don't you get off your chair and come sit back down on the ground with people who enjoy movies for what they are.

 

 

 

My real name is Lyra and I'm not happy seeing the name in the book.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure I came before the series...

 

 

 

:notalk:

 

 

 

My first name, Bryce, was in the book "Flipped" and my last name is in a ton of books :) Not very common names either, I must say.

[Schmo0zle]

Ummm, who cares?

 

 

 

Honestly, I don't get why people are so religious that they have to find something that goes against their religion in everything.

 

 

 

Hey everyone! Boycott "Finding Nemo" because the fish are atheist. They don't know about human beliefs.

 

 

 

Why don't you get off your chair and come sit back down on the ground with people who enjoy movies for what they are.

 

 

 

Because they do the same thing to find things FOR their religion. They open the Bible, find quote X regarding Y, saying by Z person, and then they apply it to anything and everything that they can, even if it doesn't make any sense...Which is absolutely the case sometimes.

 

 

 

*Shrug*

[Nom]

One of the biggest problems with this whole debacle is that the radical Christians who are against the movie are taking Pullman's words way out of context and trying to make him look like 'the devil' or something.

 

Those Christians are called Insane Christians. I am a Christian and see nothing wrong with the film. In fact a good friend of mine who is the son of a preacher said that his dad and him liked it.

 

 

 

I was raised in a Christian family, I've identified myself as a Christian all my life, so yeah, I know what you mean. I loved the books and can't believe people are making such a big deal out of this.

[fgfuyfyuiuy0]

Ummm, who cares?

 

 

 

Honestly, I don't get why people are so religious that they have to find something that goes against their religion in everything.

 

 

 

Hey everyone! Boycott "Finding Nemo" because the fish are atheist. They don't know about human beliefs.

 

 

 

Why don't you get off your chair and come sit back down on the ground with people who enjoy movies for what they are.

 

 

 

Because they do the same thing to find things FOR their religion. They open the Bible, find quote X regarding Y, saying by Z person, and then they apply it to anything and everything that they can, even if it doesn't make any sense...Which is absolutely the case sometimes.

 

 

 

*Shrug*

 

 

 

Lol. Makes sense

[Will H]

I'm a Christian and I loved the 'His Dark Materials' books. It's not a swipe at the religion, it's a swipe at corrupt officials that claim to 'be' the religion, but aren't.

 

I believe in a religion, not an organisation which tries to relate itself to religion.

 

I am going to see the film and enjoy it, and no fundamentalist movement is going to stop me.

[warri0r45]

Damn, sounds like the OP was making a mountain out of a mole hill. What a non-issue.

[Rebdragon]

My siblings' [Christian] school system is telling all it's students to boycott this movie because it's of "how it promotes atheism".

 

 

 

Needless to say, I'm still laughing.

[Spirrus]

I personally greatly enjoyed the books and I hope to see the movies soon. Even though I am religious, I couldn't care less for what the hell he is trying to throw across to me as long as it makes for great entertainment.

[InfiniteLove]

I hardly see how putting your opinion out there, especially in the form something you actually have to choose to buy, infringes on anyones rights be they parents or not. But then there seems to be the allegation that this guy is putting his opinion in his work subtly with malevolent intentions and targeting it at impressionable children in order to infringe on their religious beliefs. I've got no idea how much truth is in that or exactly what the target audience is because I've not seen his work.

 

 

 

My opinion is that no one should influence young, naieve children to one religious view or another (including atheistic or anti-religious views), including parents and including anyone aiming material at younger, naieve kids (I'm talking actual indoctrination type stuff here). In this sense I agree with what Errdoth posted.

 

 

 

Just to cover my behind, I'm not saying don't teach your kid morals, you can obviously do this without saying a man 2000 years ago was divine, a god created the world in six days 6000 years ago, religious people are all cooky nuts who don't know what they're talking about or everything religious people claim is wrong, etc.

 

 

 

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

[InfiniteLove]

I personally greatly enjoyed the books and I hope to see the movies soon. Even though I am religious, I couldn't care less for what the hell he is trying to throw across to me as long as it makes for great entertainment.

 

 

 

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. :