Golden Compass

[Archaea]

I have not read the three books but apparently it has some "Christians" up in arms as in the third book children kill a being anointing itself "God".

I have found from others this information:

They call the Golden Compass an aletheometer? The first part comes from the Greek aletheia, which means “truth.” This word is formed in a fascinating way. According to Greek myths regarding the transmigration of souls, before returning to this world one would drink from the river Lethe, which would cause the person to forget his former lives. The a- in aletheia is a privative (like English un-). Therefore, the truth is that which has been “unforgotten”–IE remembered.

they immediately brought another one to mind which in another part of the world stirred up a similar controversy. Nobel Prize winning Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz (who recently passed away), wrote an excellent book called “Children of Our Alley” (sometimes called Children of Gebelawi in English translation) where one of the main characters towards the end kills the character that represents God. Basic story of the book is many generations of local life in a typical Egyptian alley (kind of the Egyptian equivalent of telling the story of the life of a village in other parts of the world) are chronicled, with key leaders rising and falling over the years who are pretty straightforward symbols of the key prophets in Islam (Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, etc.). All the while there is an aloof, forboding, but ultimately life-giving character named Gebelawi who is almost never seen behind the walls of his palace. Towards the end of the book, a character who represents modern Socialism and Science (this was several decades ago when the two were seen as pretty close to one and the same) sneaks into Gebelawi’s house, and in the dark slips up and accidentally kills Gebelawi.
The symbolism seems pretty clear at first glance, science/socialism (modernity basically) killed God. But Mahfouz meant it not to say that God is dead - his character is very remorseful and scared of what he’s done, and more importantly fails in the leadership role of past prophets and bumbles into destroying Gebelawi to boot - it was meant more as a warning that we risk destroying our sprituality by over-reliance on science/modern modes of thought. But that actual message didn’t stop the Egyptian authorities from banning the book in a conservative fit, and decades later a crazed fanatic stabbed the old man and nearly killed him.
Anyhow, couldn’t help but note the comparison. It’s a wonderful book (as are many of Mahfouz’s works, for which very good English translations exist).

[SeattleUte]

I think you've understated it. Pullman wrote His Dark Materials as the atheist's alternative to CS Lewis. The trilogy is rife with polemic against Christianity and in favor of empiricism/science. But whether you're religious or not it benefits children to appreciate this materialist perspective. I have not read the books, but I know Barbara Gordon was shocked at what she felt was fairly mediocre writing throughout, and I respect her views. It may be the books are lionized a lot for political or ideological reasons.

I'm sure you've read that Pullman makes extensive use of Paradise Lost, which he loves, and "inverts" the story (I'm not sure how). By the way, Pullman is promiscuous in his open and explict condemnation of CS Lewis, as a bad writer, sexist, racist and otherwise purveyor of immorality.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

I think you've understated it. Pullman wrote His Dark Materials as the atheist's alternative to CS Lewis. The trilogy is rife with polemic against Christianity and in favor of empiricism/science. But whether you're religious or not it benefits children to appreciate this materialist perspective. I have not read the books, but I know Barbara Gordon was shocked at what she felt was fairly mediocre writing throughout, and I respect her views. It may be the books are lionized a lot for political or ideological reasons.

I'm sure you've read that Pullman makes extensive use of Paradise Lost, which he loves, and "inverts" the story (I'm not sure how). By the way, Pullman is promiscuous in his open and explict condemnation of CS Lewis, as a bad writer, sexist, racist and otherwise purveyor of immorality.

The books are interesting from what I've scanned, but I was disappointed that his writing was not better. My nine year old found it difficult and most of the atheism went right over his head.

I agree children will benefit from exposure to it. The third book is uneven and not as developed as the first two. I imagine the movies will be successful.

Pullman overdoes it on Lewis, but evangelicals overdo it on Pullman.