Finally, a good preliminary assessment

In this article, Paul Edwards argues that the hysteria surrounding the release of the religiously atheistic movie, The Golden Compass, is counterproductive.

It is SO nice to finally hear someone in the media say that.

The approach I believe is proper lies at neither end of the loudness I've been hearing - at one end, "see this movie! It's great!" from the promoters; and at the other, "boycott this movie! It advocates atheism!" from many, many friends and family members.

The thing I do appreciate about the increased awareness is that it actually creates awareness. The movie does not advertise its agenda, and it does indeed have one. However, to organize against it is really paranoid.

To quote Edwards:

Pullman chooses to identify as true what in reality is a false religion in the garb of Christianity—while ignoring the work of the true Church in the world. Redefining good as evil is a plot element Pullman uses throughout the trilogy, and not just in relation to the Church. The books are a prime example of what Isaiah warned against when he said, “Woe to them who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20).
Our response should not be to merely paint Pullman as a liar and deceiver, denying that the Church he depicts exists. On the contrary, we should agree, at least in part, with Pullman that such a Church has existed—and still exists—but that it is not the genuine Church, as Pullman leads his readers to believe.

This does not mean that I'm going to be seeing it, because hey, we haven't seen a movie together in the theater for over a year. But I'm not worried. When they come up, it's good to allow questions to your faith - even if they're formulaic and misguided - so that you can address them.