Posted on 12/07/2007 9:34:03 AM PST by Constitutionalist Conservative
I saw that Coca-Cola is promoting the movie [<a href="http://zenit.org/article-21008?l=english">What Every Parent Should Know About "The Golden Compass"</a>], and I wrote to them to express my feelings about it -- including mentioning that the villains are called "The Magisterium" in the movie.
Here is the response I got: "We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
"The Golden Compass movie is a story about friendship, love, loyalty, tolerance, courage and responsibility. This movie also provides an opportunity for Coca-Cola to help raise awareness about climate change and the perilous state of the polar bear.
"We do not believe that this fantasy movie is an attack on any religion. We would never support a film that intentionally antagonized or condemned any faith."
If they receive more letters about this, it's possible it may accomplish something.
Okay, The Golden Compass is about friendship, love, yada-yada.... AND POLAR BEARS! We at Coca-Cola like polar bears! We use them in our Christmas advertising every year! Climate change is killing the polar bears! Watch the movie and save the polar bears!
ping
The third book of the trilogy does get environmentally whacky and the polar bears are threatened. Spoiler here: they do ok in the end.
Actually, I can see why Coke is interested, given their advertising. But they might come to regret it later when they see the real intent of the trilogy. It depends on people’s response. I heard a very negative film critique this morning on radio.
If this is representative of the mentality of KO management, I say invest in Pepsico.
I also heard a VERY negative film review this morning.
I’ll be able to speak more about it after I see it tomorrow.
Too bad nobody was around to “save the dinosaurs”. Just about any paleontologist or geologist knows that “climate change” (a.k.a. global warming) did them in - via an asteroid impact. The climate has change dramatically up and down since polar bears evolved into what they are now. Several times in the geologic past, there were no ice caps. What did the poor cuddly creatures do then? That’s why we aren’t drilling for oil in the National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, to save polar bears, and a few rare species of mosquito from extiction? Might as well try to stop continental drift too.
Like what?
It's just a movie.
If your faith is so weak as to be thereatened by a movie, you have larger issues.
The polar bears are adorable (wouldn’t want to meet one in person though), but they are not in danger.
Roger Ebert gave the movie 4 stars. Write this down: Never, ever, see a movie that Ebert gives 4 stars to...it’s either some liberal propaganda or some weird, loser movie.
A Christian ex-girlfriend of mine read the His Dark Materials books and enjoyed them greatly.
A pity that some get offended by anything that offers a different point of view.
Coke's got CO2 in it which is released when the bubbles pop, and folks belch. Therefore drinking soda pop, including Coke, is killin' the bears.
Another good reason why I drink Pepsi.
Aside from the fact that it was invented 30 miles from my home.
I drink practically no carbonated beverages, but feel compelled to learn all the brand names that are owned by the Coca-Cola Corporation. A bit of boycotting may be in order.
soda pop. It's killin' the bears.
The second book of the trilogy, The Subtle Knife, is more overt in its hatred of Christianity than the first book, and the third entry, The Amber Spyglass, is even more blatant. Because "The Golden Compass" is based on the least offensive of the three books, and because it is being further watered down for the big screen, some might wonder why parents should be wary of the film."
Damn! and I love Coke. This would be a good excuse to do myself a favor and quit wrecking my health with sugary soft drinks anyway.
I just re-read The Golden Compass and it is not even remotely about the effect of climate change on polar bears. (Maybe by the third volume, The Amber Spyglass but not this first book/movie.)
Please post the contact information on Coca Cola. I'll just give them a little piece of my mind, which will probably overwhelm their tiny craniums.
I’m taking a film class now; in fact, I’ve been studying for my exam today. Prof said not to listen to Ebert. Says he can do good cricism, but gives sound bites for TV.
If your faith is so weak as to be threatened by a movie, you have larger issues."
BRAVO!
I’d read them before you accept someone else’s point of view. I’ve read them too. Good writing, first two. Totally hates Christianity. Hatred gets in way of writing in third one.
Of course, the fallacy inherent in this older-than-the hills rebuttal is the assumption that anyone's personal faith is threatened by such satanic propaganda.
It's mankind that is threatened by atheism and satanism, as evidenced by the body counts that follow everywhere such belief systems have ever taken hold. To not stand up to them is an absolute betrayal of any believer's faith.
Perhaps that threatens you?
“A Christian ex-girlfriend of mine read the His Dark Materials books and enjoyed them greatly.
A pity that some get offended by anything that offers a different point of view.”
LOL, that is a great argument, but my mailman says that his nephew read them and that he didn’t enjoy them.
Beautiful, just beautiful!!!!
Let’s ban bubbles in soft drinks!!! For the chilrun.
Does this apply to "Triumph of the Will", too?
I mean, really... it's just a movie.
Coca-cola’s management have no internal moral compass. That’s why they get on board with this garbage.
Study this picture, doesn't it look like Santa's sleigh ditched and sank, leaving only the first four lead reindeer that then froze to an ice sculpture?
It's a movie.
as evidenced by the body counts that follow everywhere such belief systems have ever taken hold
I'll keep an eye out for bodies outside the theater.
I assume your ex is an adult.
Adults should be able to read whatever they like.
This movie is being shoved at kids.
Different ball game.
My plumber says that they are the biggest boon to his business since they invented tampons.
“Does this apply to “Triumph of the Will”, too?”
Mmmm, because Pullman’s stories are also supporting an actively genocidal dictator and his regime.
Or, maybe they’re not.
By the third, Iorek has to move his clan to escape the melting snow. It doesn’t work well for him. But he’s ok in the end. Whew!!
Pass the Pepsi please!
As I said above, so was "Triumph des Willens".
I'll keep an eye out for bodies outside the theater.
Given the early reviews, you aren't likely to see many bodies going into the theaters in the first place.
But don't despair... the satanists will live to fight another day. You'll have plenty more opportunities to defend them down the road.
Philip Pullman quote: “We’re used to the kingdom of heaven; but you can tell from the general thrust of the book that I’m of the devil’s party, like Milton...The king is dead. That’s to say I believe that the king is dead. I’m an atheist.” .
I'm sure.
You keep being frightened, too.
Me, I fear no movie.
Pullman's books are supporting atheism. And just about all genocidal dictators have been atheists. So there is more of a relationship between these things than you seem to imagine.
There's a large difference between "point of view" and political propoganda.
Pullman openly worships Satan. That’s who the “His” in “His Dark Materials” is.
I think Satan is a few orders of magnitude more sinister than Leni’s boss. Especially considering Hitler worshiped the same guy Pullman did.
Coca-Cola makes other beverages as well.
I was going to list them, but there are too many. See this site for a list: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/brands/brandlist.html
A few highlights: DASANI waters, Hi-C, Minute Maid, some Nestea products, Powerade.
I didn’t say a word about being frightened. But if your arguments require strawmen, by all means, use them as you see fit.
First of all, it's a movie marketed to middle-schoolers. They are by definition immature on a variety of levels, including emotional, social, and cognitive. Hence a particular vigilance on their behalf, not applicable to mature viewers like you and me.
Second, what if some moviemakers marketed a film using very lifelike CGI's with disturbingly familiar features, illustrating the general idea that All the women in your family are ten dollar whores (Don't hit me. This is just an analogy.) Would you think a good reposte from me would be, "If your faith in your wife, mother, sister, daughter, is so weak..."
No? With all due respect, I think you'd be interested -- not necessarily in censorship, i.e. prior restraint enforced by the government --- but in robust private criticism and boycott which would result in minimizing their viewership and their box office returns. To say the very least.
Oh and Pepsico is so much better. "One Nation...Indivisible"! Don't you remember that?!
“I also heard a VERY negative film review this morning”
I am not the least bit surprised. This movie looks like a Narnia wannabe neverwillbe.
The only research I can claim is from looking over the reader comments on Amazon.com.
There are over a thousand reviews for “The Golden Compass.”
It drops off precipitously for “The Subtle Knife”
There is hardly anything for “The Amber Spyglass.”
From what I deduce the author starts injecting his rants in the second volume and plot and storytelling start to go out the window.
Plotlines and characters go all to pieces every which way in the Amber Spyglass and the author’s blatant, hectoring, christian-kicking take over completely. Few reviews of the 2nd book and none for the 3rd appear to be posted by web-savvy kids. Most people seem to quit reading partway into the 2nd book.
If your faith is so weak as to be threatened by a movie, you have larger issues."
BRAVO!
AMEN!
Great response.
“Mmmm, because Pullman’s stories are also supporting an actively genocidal dictator and his regime.
Or, maybe they’re not.”
Al Gore?
“From what I deduce the author starts injecting his rants in the second volume and plot and storytelling start to go out the window.”
I can quite believe that the militant atheism gets as overbearing as some of Richard Dawkins’ stuff.
But that’s what it is - militant atheism; not pro-Satanism, which is completely intellectually bankrupt.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.