Christian film critic and author Jeffrey Overstreet on Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series.
I think these are some good questions (from Mr. Overstreet’s post) to discuss with your children if they and you read the books or see the movie together:
If we cast off all “Authority†and set up “free will†as the ultimate source of guidance, where will that get us?
Has the world shown us that the human heart is a trustworthy “compass�
Does free will lead us always to the right choice?
If the heroes accept the “truth†of the aletheometer (the compass itself), aren’t they letting themselves be guided by just another source of truth… another “Authority�
But wait a minute… the movie told us that “Authority†is bad and we should only follow our own hearts, didn’t it?
If there are “many truths,†then aren’t these heroes being as self-righteous and wicked as the oppressors by demanding that their version of the truth is better than others?
What is so inspiring about the battle between the bears?
Hasn’t this story led us to a place where it’s just “survival of the fittest†all over again?
Should we really hope that the world falls into the hands of the strongest fighter, rather than into the hands of love?
Disclaimer: I’ve not read these books, probably won’t, and won’t be seeing the movie. I’ve got a list of books a mile and a half long to read, and Phillip Pullman’s opus is w-a-y d-o-w-n off the list. However, I thought Mr. Overstreet gave an excellent analysis of the books, the movie, and their impact and background from a Christian worldview perspective.
Until you read the books you can’t expect your opinion to be taken seriously, especially in this forum.
Not my opinion. I was just linking you to someone else that seems to me to make a lot of sense on the subject.
I did read the books and found them rather unsettling. Thank you for linking to the review.
I may reread them with a pen (or keyboard) in hand and make note of what bothered me, as apparently they will be the next big controversial fantasy series.
As a mom of 2 boys (10, 3) I just finished reading the entire series with my book club. As an evangelical Christian who love fantasy. I found these books unsettling at best. Pullman’s writing draws the reader in and as the books progress get more anti-Christian and God hating. The church has lied to us all since it’s creation and the almighty is just a wheezy, feeble fallen angel who seeks to repress society. I found Lyra (isn’t it interesting that her name sounds like liar and she admits she is particularly good at lying) to be a very beguiling character full of spunk and ingenuity. But Pullman’s conclusion was weak–we truly discover love like Lyra and Will when we are free from societal constraints lik religion like being able to explore sexuality and “love” as these characters do as 13 year olds who finally have sex and have their eyes opened to love. There is no basis at the end for Lyra or Will’s morality to do good. Pullman also weaves his atheism in with New Age/Eastern concepts of becoming one with the universe. The books are well written but make broad steriotype comments about religion–in particular Chrsistianity– and the church without dealing with thoughtful argumentation from Christian philosophers throughout the ages. These broad attacks remind me of Richard Dawkins methodology. The first movie I’ve read takes a lot of the anti-relgious themes out anyway. Plus even in the book the atheism does not start in earnest until book 2, The Subtle Knife.