Catholic board bans Golden Compass
p2pnet news | Movies:- The Golden Compass from the Britain’s ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy is bad for children.
Very bad.
That’s the conclusion of the Halton Catholic school board in Ontario, Canada, which has ordered the books to be taken off school library shelves.
A specially convened review committee recommended students in Grade 7 and up be allowed to read the trilogy, but No! said the Catholic authority, banning The Golden Compass, as well as the other two books, which weren’t officially under review, says the Toronto Star.
Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy aren’t in keeping with “the Catholic values that we are trying to teach children,” says the board, quoted in the story, which goes on:
A majority of trustees felt the series was “not in line with our governing values … so they chose to take it out of the library,” board chair Alice Anne LeMay said in an interview. LeMay said she favoured the proposal to limit access to the books to those in Grades 7 and up.
“If parents chose these books for their children, that’s fine, but the board felt the series of books did not have a place in our schools’ libraries,” the Vancouver Sun has LeMay declaring.
The book, “has won numerous awards, including the Maine Student Book Award and the American Library Association’s Best Books for Young Adults award,” says CTV.
But, “Philip Pullman’s trilogy of atheistic ideology, carefully couched within the realm of fantasy for young readers, is in direct opposition to the mission statement and governing values of our board,” the board’s decision reads, according to the story.
A heavily watered down movie version of The Golden Compass is showing in cinemas around the world and it, too, is attracting criticism from angry Catholics, despite the fact it’s a mere shadow of Pullman’s written works.
The furor and the censorship are, of course, guaranteed to do more to create interest in the film and trilogy than any PR campaign could have hoped for.
Also See:
Toronto Star – Medical myths, December 20, 2007
Vancouver Sun – Kid’s book banned, December 21, 2007
CTV – Catholic board bans ‘Golden Compass’ indefinitely, December 20, 2007
watered down movie version – Golden Compass: Hollywood heresy?, December 10, 2007
attracting criticism – Religious zealots protest Golden Compass, December 6, 2007
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December 22nd, 2007 at 11:09 am
Hi
Just stopping in to say hi to y’all as a new member.
Aaron
December 22nd, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Hi Aaron, glad you’re here!
December 22nd, 2007 at 10:25 pm
Well then lets ban the Catholic Board
December 23rd, 2007 at 4:16 am
They don’t realise that by doing this, it only reinforces the publics’ view that religion is a source of narrow-minded unquestioning censorship, which quite frankly is dangerous. History does not lie; It readily becomes manifest that religion is the cause of many wars, mass genocides and repression through the ages. Many people accept religion because it’s easy; You don’t have to consider how things work; In fact it’s even discouraged to question ideas and beliefs in a scientific manner. It’s all so much easier to comprehend when some deity controls everything; One then does not have to be concerned with details.
December 23rd, 2007 at 11:34 am
They also don’t realise that they are doing exactly what the ‘Church’ in the
series of books actually does.
( ban stuff they feel is ‘usuitable’ and hide science that disagrees with
theology. )
Now THAT’S funny.
December 23rd, 2007 at 1:56 pm
People have a right to their religous values, and a right to teach them to their children.
December 23rd, 2007 at 4:21 pm
” People have a right to their religous values, and a right to teach them to their children. ”
Absolutely right.
They DON’T have the right to force them on me or my children, however, or
through government or force deprive me or mine the knowledge of choice.
December 24th, 2007 at 6:03 am
One very effective PR campaign right there. Same as with The Da Vinci Code… Hope the pope takes this up and makes the marketing campaign global.
December 24th, 2007 at 6:03 am
Oh and Merry christmas to you all.
December 24th, 2007 at 8:16 am
People have a right to their religous values, and a right to teach them to their children. ”
Quote-
Absolutely right.
They DON’T have the right to force them on me or my children, however, or
through government or force deprive me or mine the knowledge of choice. -End Quote
That is not happening here. The Catholic school board is a private institution, and governs those who choose to be there, and abide by its governance.
December 24th, 2007 at 9:08 am
” That is not happening here. The Catholic school board is a private institution, and governs those who choose to be there, and abide by its governance. ”
Really ?
It was due to pressure from them that a large part of the fictional religious undertones
were removed from the movie to begin with, and yet they still complain.
Removed from a movie for PUBLIC concumption. A public that includes non-catholics.
They lobby for religious based laws which affect non-catholics as well as catholics.
The Religious lobby machine is second only to the entertainmanet lobby machine.
Their religious values are forced onto all as I said, through government or force.
December 24th, 2007 at 9:17 am
The book shows a world where the Church basically IS the government.
I think that’s why the Catholic church fears it so much.
Compare the book’s Church controlled government to real history.
How did the catholics act during that time when they WERE the government ?
It’s kindof like looking in a mirror, and they don’t like the face they see.
December 25th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
If I want to lobby for my religious values I can. If you want to oppose them you can. Thats the beauty of America. See you at the ballot box.
December 25th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Tyranny of the majority is still, well, Tyranny.
December 25th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
I’m glad I’m atheist, I don’t have to live my life according to a book and I can watch The Golden Compass with glee.
December 26th, 2007 at 8:41 am
” I’m glad I’m atheist, I don’t have to live my life according to a book ”
If you’re in the US, and people like Stan have their wish, you will live your
life according to a book, or else, whether you believe the book or not.
That’s the kind of world The Golden Compass is about.
That’s why the Catholics are so sensitive about it.
It’s the world they ( like Stan ) want.
December 26th, 2007 at 10:07 am
And Hippie wants me to live in a world where he dictates how things will be. Hypocrite.
December 26th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Tyranny of the majority is still, well, Tyranny.
Tyranny of the minority is also tyranny.
December 26th, 2007 at 11:02 am
” And Hippie wants me to live in a world where he dictates how things will be. Hypocrite. ”
Hmmm,
Really …
Show me a quote from hippy that supports what you just said ?
Sounds more like Hippie wants a world where everyone chooses for themselves.
Sounds more like Hippie wants true separation of church and state, kind of
like what the constitution calls for.
Sounds like you, on the other hand support a world ruled by your religion,
regardless of what others wish to believe.
Guess that makes you a liar, and a tyrant.
December 26th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Well Well Well.
It appears Stan is QUITE sensitive about this subject.
I notice that not once has he tried to actually dispute
anything I have said with anything other than name calling.
THAT’S very telling in itself.
Regardless of what ‘religion’ you lobby for, it’s SUPPOSED to be my
constitutional right to live by the religion that I wish to.
As was mentioned before .. Separation of Church and State.
This was put into the constitution for a reason.
Our founders came here to ESCAPE religious tyranny ( one of many reasons )
and this clause of the constitution was SUPPOSED to make it so religious tyranny
could never again rear it’s ugly head.
People have a tendency to forget history though, so the mistakes of the past continue to
return to haunt us.
Everyone should be able to worship as they see fit, read and view what THEY believe is
suitable for themselves, and not have some anyone decide what is or is not
suitable by anyone else.
Lobby for tyranny if you wish, or lobby for choice, but if tyranny ends up the
‘majority’, revolution WILL follow. It’s historically inevitable.
December 26th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
If you’ve accepted Jesus today, you are the righteousness of God! That means you are an extension of His virtue. You are approved by Him. You are in right-standing with Him. Jesus not only paid the punishment for your sins, the Bible says He actually became sin. He took it upon Himself and into His being so that you could take God’s righteousness upon yourself and into your being. It’s the great exchange. Don’t let sin hold you back any longer. Don’t let the enemy lie to you and make you feel guilty and condemned. First John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If there is anything in your life that is holding you back today, confess it to God. Let Him cleanse you and make you new. Remember, He paid a precious price so that you could be His righteousness. Let that sink into your heart today. As you meditate on the truth that you are righteous, you’ll begin to change how you think and act. You’ll reflect more of God’s character, and you will move forward into the life of victory that He has in store
December 26th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
” If you’ve accepted Jesus today, you are the righteousness of God! That means you are an extension of His virtue. You are approved by Him. ”
Good.
More power to you.
Just don’t force me by law to believe as you do.
Or should I say, as christian history shows, by law or death.
I am well aware that Christianity isn’t the only religion to impose death on
those that didn’t follow it.
History shows many faiths that used murder ( and some that do now ) to impose
their ‘truths’
Using political lobbying is simply another means to the same end.
Forcing the world to believe as you do
Happy holidays.
December 27th, 2007 at 7:43 am
I don’t see beliefs being forced upon anybody here. This is a parocial private school. The actions affect only their private library, not the general public.
December 27th, 2007 at 9:12 am
” I don’t see beliefs being forced upon anybody here. This is a parocial private school. The actions affect only their private library, not the general public. ”
As I said earlier …
It was due to pressure from them ( Catholics ) that a large part of the fictional religious undertones were removed from the movie to begin with, and yet they still complain.
Removed from a movie for PUBLIC concumption. A public that includes non-catholics.
They lobby for religious based laws which affect non-catholics as well as catholics.
The Religious lobby machine is second only to the entertainmanet lobby machine.
Their religious values are forced onto all as I said, through government or force.
The book is VERY different from the movie.
Read it if you’re allowed to.
Bet the kids at that school aren’t
January 6th, 2008 at 2:46 am
They can always download it via p2p. There are even ebook (.txt) readers that will only display one word at a time so that anyone looking over your shoulder won’t know what you are reading. Combine with something like Truecrypt to keep snoops out and I wonder why they even bother.