The Golden Compass is pointing towards anti-Catholicism (starring Nicole Kidman - a Catholic)

American Papist ^ | August 20, 2007 | Thomas Peters

[NYer]

CathNews alerts us to the potential problem:

Nicole Kidman has denied that a new film she's making is anti-Catholic. The movie features an organisation known as "The Magisterium", which kidnaps children to remove their souls.

The Brisbane Times reports that Kidman told a US magazine that her Catholic faith affected her consideration of the script for the film, which is titled The Golden Compass.

The fantasy film is based on a novel by Philip Pullman called Northern Lights. It is already attracting attention in the US for avoiding much of the book's perceived anti-Catholic rhetoric.

Kidman said some of the religious elements were removed from the movie script.

Kidman told the magazine: "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."

The Golden Compass is due for release in the US on 7 December.

I watched the extended trailer for the movie recently, and remember raising my eyebrows during some parts:



Narrator: "[This] is a world dominated by the Magisterium, which seeks to control all humanity, and whose greatest threat, is the curiosity of a child." (oh darn, he's on to us!)

Scientist Good Guy: "... [there is a] parallel universe, where there is no Magisterium." Religious Evil Guy: "That is heresy." Scientist Good Guy: "That is the truth." (aw shucks, science proved us wrong again!)

What's worse, I found an Amazon review of the novel that this movie is based upon. The review more than collaborates first-hand what CathNews mentions about the books being anti-Catholic:

A shock of bigotry

I read all three of these books and I kept waiting for the Anti-Catholic crap to be explained and rectified. I was horrified particularly that this is a book directed at children when the point of the whole story was to kill the "Authority" aka God. Not only that but all of the Priests of the Church were horrible, evil men who are lacivious, dirty, and murderous. Not one of them is good. And then the only way that the world can be saved is for two 12 year olds to make out.

There are so many other details in the story that I could name as examples of the vemonous anti Christian and particularly anti Catholic bigotry in these books. The 'tempter' is an ex nun who flat out tells the two children that Christianity is a mistake...and there is also a thinly veiled reference to sex when the book says her greatest time of 'bliss' was not when she was a nun. She also goes on to tell these two 12 year old kids that she was not married but lived with a man for four years. Then there is a bizarre story of the two male 'angels' who are in love with each other.

I'd like to tell any parents to steer clear of this book that is supposedly for children or even young adults. And also for people who are fairminded individuals and who dislike bigotry in any form.

I rated this item one star but I would give it NO STAR if I could.

And that's just a start! Read what another Amazon reviewer, from another viewpoint, had to say:

I am not a religious person. I wouldn't say I'm an atheist, but I'm seriously leaning toward agnosticism. However, this series made me feel not just uncomfortable, but downright unclean because of how it dealt with religion. Mr. Pullman is an atheist, and I do not take exception with his right to his beliefs. I probably share some of them. The problem is, this series has been published and marketed as a children's fantasy novel, with no mention of the active dislike - hatred, even - in it's portrayal of religion. Mr. Pullman is free to believe what he chooses, and I'll defend to my dying day his right to do so. However, readers (and their parents) also have a right to their beliefs, and should not be blindsided by a seemingly harmless children's book. We label music with violent lyrics, restrict access to movies with adult themes, even rate television shows so parents have some idea of the content before allowing their children to watch. It disturbs me that this book is marketed directly to children, without any indication of its anti-religious themes.

This is not a series for young children, no matter how precocious they are. Religious issues aside, it's just too dark. Even young teens should not read this series without adult input. If your child wishes to read it, you should read it first and be prepared to discuss it with them. This is especially true if you are even casually religious because it's unsettling to have your beliefs twisted into something evil and spit back at you. Adults and older teens should be aware of the subject matter before reading it. If you don't have a problem with it, fine, enjoy the books. They're certainly well written. If I had been prepared for the subject matter before going into it, I might have actually liked the books.

... and here's a third negative review along similar lines, for good measure.

Now, tally these objections with the fact that New Line Cinema is trying to market the movie as a logical/related continuation of their Lord of the Rings productions (and thereby trying to take advantage of its huge audience), and I'm not at all pleased.

The official trailer begins with the line "In 2001 New Line Cinema opened the door to Middle-Earth. This December they take you on another epic journey", while the Golden Compass is falling through air and spinning around to look like the One Ring from the LOTR promotions. How cute, but also how wrong.

I don't think I'm being pedantic on this point. People love LOTR not just for its fantasy world, but for its philosophy. To say that LOTR and the Golden Compass are two epic journeys is to ignore what kind of epic journey the LOTR presents. While perhaps sharing a similar genre of fiction, these sound like two very different tales.

Of course, you might be wondering why people are making a fuss over the anti-Catholicism of the book if the movie has tried to remove the offensive parts. Well, these types of movies always generate a renewed interest in the original titles. In the case of the LOTR and Chronicles of Narnia, this is great. In the case of the Golden Compass, this is a problem. Moreover, it seems that the Golden Compass isn't just sprinkled with the occasional anti-Catholic/anti-religious sentiment - it is deeply-inundated with the bigotry of a bitter atheist.

.... and it's marketed as a book for children?!

Update: Christopher Blosser has previously treated the problematic nature of Philip Pullman's work. If you want a more in-depth analysis of the issues involved I highly encourage you to read Christopher's post.

[gondramB]

>>Very good start. :’} And if she’s anything like most of the nuns I know, she’d enjoy it. They tend to be real sweethearts ... unless you’re acting up in class.<<

I would have said she was the kindest,sweetest, most gentle person on earth until a group of girls she had taught (now in their 40’s and 50’s) came to her and told her they had been molested for up to 10 years by a priest and that when they went to the church to complain they were banned from the school and church grounds.

Lynne was like slow erupting volcano. By the time she was through, the church flew in a very high ranking priest to apologize in person, held a public forgiveness ceremony, exiled the priest to a monastery and offered money although the women accepted only a token amount since it wasn’t about money.

Then she went back to sweet and docile but I could never view her quite the same again.

[ArrogantBustard]

Good for her. Priests and religious have a vocation (among other things) to protect little children. Sometimes that means tolerating no nonsense from them ... and sometimes it means ripping the heads off of those who would harm them.

I guess you already know this, but don't let those old fashioned nuns (and they do still exist, thank God) fool you. They're made of steel.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Does that mean if a Baptist and Catholic or two Baptists wed in a Baptist church with a Baptist preacher that any children are considered bastards (or whatever the proper term for unmarried parents is)?

Marriages in Protestant churches are considered valid by the Catholic Church. If a Catholic marries in a Protestant church without a dispensation (a modern change I think) they are excommunicated. I don't think they gave dispensations for this in the old days but I could be wrong. A Catholic civil marriage is not recognized as a marriage at all.

It gets complicated. I recommend you buy a copy of the catechism "My Catholic Faith" if you are interested. It teaches you all the basics of Catholicism. The book on Church History by Fr. John Laux is supposed to be good as well. My Trad priest recommends both.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

She was a fallen away N.O. Catholic when she married Cruise. After the divorce she returned to the Church. That might have been one of the things which led to the divorce. I heard she became disenchanted with Scientology.

[gondramB]

>>She was a fallen away N.O. Catholic when she married Cruise. After the divorce she returned to the Church. That might have been one of the things which led to the divorce. I heard she became disenchanted with Scientology.<<

Or maybe the South Park episode where Tom Cruise is hiding in a closet and they call Nicole Kidman to try to get Tom to come out of the closet but he won’t come out even for her was more true than Tom would admit.

great episode by the way. They get John Travolta to ask Tom to come out but when Tom tells him how warm and comfortable it is in the closet, Travolta also goes in and won’t come out of the closet.

South Park is cool.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

lol, there were lots of rumors!

[El Cid]

The movie features an organisation known as "The Magisterium", which kidnaps children to remove their souls.

Sounds like a Documentary...
(he says while running out the room...)

[Flo Nightengale]

If a Catholic marries in a Protestant church without a dispensation (a modern change I think) they are excommunicated.

So you're saying that my husband, who was baptized Catholic, has been excommunicated from the Catholic Church because we were married in my Methodist Church? Our 23-year marriage, I presume, is considered invalid as well. How interesting.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

No, it’s a valid marriage but if he did not get a dispensation he is not in good standing with the Church. I am not a priest so it would be best to speak with one if he attends a parish or is interested in returning. The rules have relaxed a bit since VII. If neither of you was previously divorced the situation is easily remedied.

[irishjuggler]

The movie features an organisation known as "The Magisterium", which kidnaps children to remove their souls.

Sounds like a Documentary...
(he says while running out the room...)

Why run away? Why not stay and defend your bigoted views? You consider a book that includes lines like "The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all" to be a documentary? What some of you Catholic haters don't seem to quite understand is that a work like this attacks Christianity in general, not just Catholicism.

[ladyinred]

I am starting to believe the Catholics on FR who say they are being discriminated against in the country these days. Seems Hollywood is determined to discredit them, and all Christians along with them.

[Salvation]

**The movie features an organisation known as “The Magisterium”, which kidnaps children to remove their souls.**

Not what the Magisterium does!

[Salvation]

Beauty of the body is not always reflected in beauty of the soul.

Personally, I’d rather that God be pleased with me, than the secular world think I am attractive or smart, etc. Only my opinion......not a reflection on you.

[the invisib1e hand]

she is pretty though

I'm not an old sea dog yet. But I'm getting there. I see 50 women more attractive than this in my morning walk to work.

I've seen them look at me like I'm their dream, eyes filled with that look only a woman can get that can melt a man, and, exploiting my temporary hypnosis (and disbelief) for their calculated benefit, step right in front of me at the coffee vendor or the cellphone repair shop,

I'm reminded of line I heard once, and, sadly, there is some truth to it (each can decide for himself how much): No matter how beautiful she is, someone, somewhere, wishes he'd never met her.

File under "Sad But True."

[A.A. Cunningham]

CHAPTER VI : MIXED MARRIAGES

Can. 1124 Without the express permission of the competent authority, marriage is prohibited between two baptised persons, one of whom was baptised in the catholic Church or received into it after baptism and has not defected from it by a formal act, the other of whom belongs to a Church or ecclesial community not in full communion with the catholic Church.

Can. 1125 The local Ordinary can grant this permission if there is a just and reasonable cause. He is not to grant it unless the following conditions are fulfilled:

1° the catholic party is to declare that he or she is prepared to remove dangers of defecting from the faith, and is to make a sincere promise to do all in his or her power in order that all the children be baptised and brought up in the catholic Church;

2° the other party is to be informed in good time of these promises to be made by the catholic party, so that it is certain that he or she is truly aware of the promise and of the obligation of the catholic party

3° both parties are to be instructed about the purposes and essential properties of marriage, which are not to be excluded by either contractant.

Can. 1126 It is for the Episcopal Conference to prescribe the manner in which these declarations and promises, which are always required, are to be made, and to determine how they are to be established in the external forum, and how the non-catholic party is to be informed of them.

Can. 1127 §1 The provisions of can. 1108 are to be observed in regard to the form to be used in a mixed marriage. If, however, the catholic party contracts marriage with a non-catholic party of oriental rite, the canonical form of celebration is to be observed for lawfulness only; for validity, however, the intervention of a sacred minister is required, while observing the other requirements of law.

§2 If there are grave difficulties in the way of observing the canonical form, the local Ordinary of the catholic party has the right to dispense from it in individual cases, having however consulted the Ordinary of the place of the celebration of the marriage; for validity, however, some public form of celebration is required. It is for the Episcopal Conference to establish norms whereby this dispensation may be granted in a uniform manner.

§3 It is forbidden to have, either before or after the canonical celebration in accordance with §1, another religious celebration of the same marriage for the purpose of giving or renewing matrimonial consent. Likewise, there is not to be a religious celebration in which the catholic assistant and a non-catholic minister, each performing his own rite, ask for the consent of the parties.

Can. 1128 Local Ordinaries and other pastors of souls are to see to it that the catholic spouse and the children born of a mixed marriage are not without the spiritual help needed to fulfil their obligations; they are also to assist the spouses to foster the unity of conjugal and family life.

Can. 1129 The provisions of cann. 1127 and 1128 are to be applied also to marriages which are impeded by the impediment of disparity of worship mentioned in can. 1086 §1.

CHAPTER X : THE VALIDATION OF MARRIAGE

ARTICLE 1: SIMPLE VALIDATION

Can. 1156 §1 To validate a marriage which is invalid because of a diriment impediment, it is required that the impediment cease or be dispensed, and that at least the party aware of the impediment renews consent.

§2 This renewal is required by ecclesiastical law for the validity of the validation, even if at the beginning both parties had given consent and had not afterwards withdrawn it.

Can. 1157 The renewal of consent must be a new act of will consenting to a marriage which the renewing party knows or thinks was invalid from the beginning.

Can. 1158 §1 If the impediment is public, consent is to be renewed by both parties in the canonical form, without prejudice to the provision of Can. 1127 §3.

§2 If the impediment cannot be proved, it is sufficient that consent be renewed privately and in secret, specifically by the party who is aware of the impediment provided the other party persists in the consent given, or by both parties if the impediment is known to both.

Can. 1159 §1 A marriage invalid because of a defect of consent is validated if the party who did not consent, now does consent, provided the consent given by the other party persists.

2 - If the defect of the consent cannot be proven, it is sufficient that the party who did not consent, gives consent privately and in secret.

§3 If the defect of consent can be proven, it is necessary that consent be given in the canonical form.

Can. 1160 For a marriage which is invalid because of defect of form to become valid, it must be contracted anew in the canonical form, without prejudice to the provisions of Can. 1127 §3[4 ]. Article 2: Retroactive Validation

Can. 1161 §1 The retroactive validation of an invalid marriage is its validation without the renewal of consent, granted by the competent authority. It involves a dispensation from an impediment if there is one and from the canonical form if it had not been observed, as well as a referral back to the past of the canonical effects. §2 The validation takes place from the moment the favour is granted; the referral back, however, is understood to have been made to the moment the marriage was celebrated, unless it is otherwise expressly provided.

§3 A retroactive validation is not to be granted unless it is probable that the parties intend to persevere in conjugal life.

Can. 1162 §1 If consent is lacking in either or both of the parties, a marriage cannot be rectified by a retroactive validation, whether consent was absent from the beginning or, though given at the beginning, was subsequently revoked.

§2 If the consent was indeed absent from the beginning but was subsequently given, a retroactive validation can be granted from the moment the consent was given.

Can. 1163 §1 A marriage which is invalid because of an impediment or because of defect of the legal form, can be validated retroactively, provided the consent of both parties persists.

§2 A marriage which is invalid because of an impediment of the natural law or of the divine positive law, can be validated retroactively only after the impediment has ceased.

Can. 1164 A retroactive validation may validly be granted even if one or both of the parties is unaware of it; it is not, however, to be granted except for a grave reason.

Can. 1165 §1 Retroactive validation can be granted by the Apostolic See.

§2 It can be granted by the diocesan Bishop in individual cases, even if a number of reasons for nullity occur together in the same marriage, assuming that for a retroactive validation of a mixed marriage the conditions of Can. 1125 will have been fulfilled. It cannot, however, be granted by him if there is an impediment whose dispensation is reserved to the Apostolic See in accordance with Can. 1078 §2, or if there is question of an impediment of the natural law or of the divine positive law which has now ceased.

[Ransomed]

That’s right — all Christians are targets. It’s just that the Catholic Church is the biggest single target.

Freegards

[Gumdrop]

RE: the children of Kidman and Cruise - I thought they were adopted. I do not think Nicole Kidman has ever had a biological child - although I recall she claimed she had a miscarriage just after the separation from Cruise.

[silverleaf]

NO, he is not excommunicated!

But he has not performed the sacrament of marriage according to the Catholic faith, since he was not married in a Catholic church, and/or if a priest did not assist in the ceremony. Your husband could attend Catholic mass, confession and receive the Eucharist if he wished to do so. And a priest could explain your marital status better than I.

I too married a Catholic man in a Methodist church, 35 years ago. This did not affect his ability to attend mass, take communion, attend confession, etc etc etc. Your marriage is not “invalid”- it is just not recognized as having been performed according to the requirements of the Catholic sacrament of matrimony.

Now that I am considering conversion, a priest asked if we wish to be “married” again - in a Catholic ceremony - so he/we can participate in this sacrament.

[silverleaf]

The press still fears and respects the Pope - a little bit. They seem to have have no respect for any evangelical leader and popular media (and the left left wing) make constant snide comparisons between evangelicals and the taliban. Go figure..

[NYer]

If a Catholic marries in a Protestant church without a dispensation (a modern change I think) they are excommunicated.

If this is true, then out of deference to the poster, you should provide the Canon Law text to support it. From what I understand, there are only 6 or 7 areas where excommunication still applies, and even those can be subject to defense.