Pullman film divides church groups
The Golden Compass, a new film from award winning novelist Philip Pullman, has come under heavy criticism from Roman Catholic groups in the US who accuse the author of subverting religion and peddling ‘candy-coated atheism’. However, Pullman dismissed as ‘absolute rubbish’ accusations that the film promotes atheism and denigrates Christianity.
The Golden Compass stars Nicole Kidman and James Bond actor Daniel Craig. It is based on the first part of Mr Pullman’s best-selling His Dark Materials children’s trilogy. It is thought that the film soft-peddles the more explicit anti-religious message of the books, where the three-part series culminates in a battle in which God dies – at the hand of a child.
The Catholic League, which claims to be America’s largest Catholic civil rights organisation, has launched calls for a nationwide boycott campaign. However the Church of Scotland came out in support of the film, advising people to go and see for themselves and debate the issues it raises.
