Bronwyn Gerretsen
3 December 2007
Cape Town — A controversial children's movie described as anti-Christian is set for release in South African cinemas on Friday, prompting an outcry from Christians, and email circulars warning people against taking their children to see the film.
The Golden Compass is based on the book Northern Lights, the first of a trilogy entitled His Dark Materials by British author Philip Pullman.
Pullman has described himself in the European and American press as both an agnostic and an atheist.
He was quoted saying that to his knowledge, there was not the "slightest evidence" that God existed.
He added that he loathed The Chronicles of Narnia books by C S Lewis.
Pullman has also been quoted as saying: "It is my goal to go after Christianity. I want God to be dead in my works. I want to undermine Christianity."
Critics of the books have drawn parallels between Pullman's stories and the Narnia books, but say their underlying ideologies are very different.
The film is about a 12-year-old girl, Lyra, who hides in a wardrobe. She is then transported into a fictional universe similar to that of Narnia and given a truth-telling device called an alethiometer.
Lyra learns that children are disappearing and that the church is trying to learn about a substance called Dust, which is believed to be connected to original sin.
The church's investigation involves experiments on children to separate them from their demons, which are animal spirits.
The film has apparently been sanitised so as not to offend Christian viewers, but it is also alleged to be the milder of the three books, the last of which, The Amber Spyglass, sees God dying.
Pullman said in an interview: "Of course I don't say: 'There is no God.' I say: 'There is a God and here he is dying,' and he goes with a sigh of the most profound and exhausted relief."
Religious leaders in KwaZulu-Natal were not overly concerned about the film, saying the Christian faith had survived similar attacks in the past and that people needed to be informed about the movie's contents.
Although he had not heard of the film, Bishop Rubin Phillip, of the Anglican Church, said it appeared to be a clear attempt to discredit Christianity.
"It is obviously made to create doubt at this time of the year when we should be celebrating the birth of Jesus. I think Christian churches ought to alert their people about the attack on the faith," he said.
Phillip said he was saddened because the film was aimed at children, saying this was cowardly.
"But, having said that, I don't think we should get worked up because of what is written, said or portrayed in the film. Over many years people have tried to discredit the Christian faith, but it has not only survived, it has thrived," he said.
Rhema church head Ray McCauley said: "Publicising the film and telling kids not to see it or walking around with placards won't help the situation... it just creates more publicity."
However, McCauley said, people needed to be told that they would not be watching another Narnia movie.
Nicole Kidman, who stars in the film alongside Daniel Craig, has said that she would not have taken part in the film if it was anti-Christian.
The star was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper as saying: "I was raised Catholic, the Catholic Church is part of my essence. I wouldn't be able to do this film if I thought it were at all anti-Catholic."
Some commentators have suggested that both sides' opinions will prove "ultimately impotent" and that the negative publicity will prove a "boon for the film's box office".
The SA Film and Publications Board has classified the film as PG V.
Board spokesperson Prudence Pitsie said: "The board is aware of some controversy surrounding this film. However, it is not influenced by public comments in the actual process of classification.
"This is not to say that public comments are of no importance or relevance," Pitsie added.
An article by Dalya Alberge, of the Times Online, said the film's special effects brought to life "witches who rule the northern skies and creatures that manifest themselves as people's souls".
The £75 million (R1-billion) film has been touted as the first part of a trilogy that will equal The Lord of the Rings.
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