Goofy Catholics

[Terran]

More schools to pull 'The Golden Compass' Updated Wed. Dec. 5 2007 8:54 PM ET CTV.ca News Staff Calgary's Catholic School Board is pulling "The Golden Compass" from school shelves -- a children's fantasy novel that criticizes strict religious dogma and encourages readers to keep an open mind. A board spokesperson said the book has not been banned, but will be placed under review after the Christmas break. "At this point, as a precaution, we've removed it from the shelves out of respect for the parents who have expressed concern," Judy MacKay told CTV Calgary. The book's author, Philip Pullman, is an atheist. The award-winning book was first published in 1995 and is part of a trilogy, but a movie version starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig is opening this Friday. "The Golden Compass" had apparently been available at the board's school libraries for several years, but no parents had complained until recently. Ontario's Halton Catholic District School Board yanked the novel from its library shelves about two weeks ago. However, Halton students can still obtain the book by request. Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary has said the board shouldn't be pulling the novel, with Catholics facing more pressing issues than a children's book. The Catholic League in the United States has urged a boycott of the movie. Some of Pullman's detractors think his work is either anti-religion in general or anti-Catholic in particular. Others merely say it's anti-establishment. Britain's Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the Anglican Church, has supported Pullman's books and counts himself as a fan. The storyline of "The Golden Compass" describes the adventures of a 12-year-old English girl named Lyra who ends up going to the Arctic and then the edge of another universe where she engages in a battle of good versus evil. In June, an online vote selected "The Golden Compass" as the best children's book of the last 70 years. The other competitors were also winners of the Carnegie Medal for children's literature. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...ub=CTVNewsAt11 My favorite is the Boycott part.... Why werent people boycotting The Chronicles of Narnia because it might make kids christians....but apparently this is worth boycotting because it might make kids atheists....

[Danny]

to be fair if youve read them all you can see why, the final one has god as a feeble ,frail old invalid dying- remembering i think all religion is insane bollox i can still see why that would be offesnive to some people, though all librarys should have a sign outside saying "FREEDOM OF SPEECH - SUCK IT!", you dont have to like it but its not preaching its a fantasy tale adn thats that. thats all ive gotta say. - oh and before anyone else does , yeah that joke about the bible being another fantasy tale got stale about 20 years ago, just fyi as i know someones sure thats still funny, its not, its older than the cake being a lie gag.

[AcesandEights]

Well, at least they haven't started burning them (yet).

[Khardis]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...ub=CTVNewsAt11 My favorite is the Boycott part.... Why werent people boycotting The Chronicles of Narnia because it might make kids christians....but apparently this is worth boycotting because it might make kids atheists.... How DARE someone boycott something that offends their religious beliefs!!! Right? I mean... holy hell, the Catholic Church should be banned as an institution because they have those dreaded... beliefs EWWWWW. Well, at least they haven't started burning them (yet). You're thinking of Muslims I think.

[acealive1]

the local catholic diocese in town got all up in arms about the movie,yet a father of a church here was accused of murdering a nun and got life for it like 30 years later. also theres been a rash of abuse claims on fathers and priests,but yea lets get to the important stuff and talk about a fictional movie they have issues better than a movie and they wont address them

[AcesandEights]

You're thinking of Muslims I think. Nah, if it was Muslims who were pissed, there'd be rioting and murder

[kortick]

Well i am catholic and we gotta have some fun. Father Reillys a fairy but it dont bother Mary You gotta keep in mind that a lot of these incidents are local preists deciding these things and are not orders from the Holy See (the Pope) im sure the Pope isnt wasting his time reading the golden compass, and only if he decrees something is it catholic law not if some priest somewhere does besides the title reminded me of a joke i heard at church of all places mickey mouse was in court. The judge said "mickey, I cant grant you a divorce from Minnie because you say she is mentally imbalanced." Mickey look at him and says "Your honor, I didn't say she was crazy, I said she was f*cking Goofy" But in all honesty, people make fun of the catholic church, I was visiting a friend in jail today, and a young man who was doing his first bid, and was cut off from his family called for his priest, and the priest came down and visited him and comforted him. thats more important than any sillyness about a book. being there for someone when they need you badly is the real thing.

[Terran]

I feel like I should just add a little clarification....Its no secret that Im "not a fan" of religon....but not in the sense that dislike material influenced by these beliefs...The mythologies surrounding various religions make great fodder for fiction...I think the 9th Gate is an awsome movie (though some really seem to hate it)...Likewise the whole satan angle in Paradise Lost is really awsome and I think would make a killer movie (or did they already do that with Bladerunner?)....I read the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe books as a kid and enjoyed them quite a bit.... I love the movie Jesus Christ Superstar, it rocks man ...The point Im trying to make is that it seems very silly to organize boycotts against fiction or remove fictional books from libraries based upon what influenced the work...Im not saying these groups shouldnt be able to boycott stuff or remove books from their private libraries.... Im just saying it makes them look ridiculous... Is their confidence in the realistic sensibilities of their faith so fragile that they need to censor anything that questions it? Additionally I like to point out(if it wasnt already obvious), I didnt mean all Catholics are goofy in relation to this article.....Im sure there are far more Catholics who do not care in the slightest whether this movie or the novels promotes atheism..... This is the conversation I imagine in my head: Some Guy: Did you hear that this Golden Compass book thingy supposively promotes atheism? Regular Catholic: Really?...I just thought it was a kids movie with like fantasy crap all in it... Some Guy: Well people are like protesting it because they claim it promotes atheism to kids.... Regular Catholic: Well I dont care, Im Catholic

[capncnut]

Im just saying it makes them look ridiculous... Is their confidence in the realistic sensibilities of their faith so fragile that need to censor anything that questions it? Mmm, don't get me started man...

[DubiousComforts]

I mean... holy hell, the Catholic Church should be banned as an institution because they have those dreaded... beliefs EWWWWW. Now that you mention it, yes, religious fundamentalists should be banned from forcing their beliefs on others. My religious freedoms end when I begin to infringe on the next person's beliefs. At least this is what I was always taught as a Catholic, though it's obvious others that share my faith have a difficult time living up to that ideal. What would Jesus say about the bad example they set for everyone? People boycott products that are manufactured in a harmful or dangerous way for the sake of saving a few cents. So what is to be accomplished by boycotting a work of fiction? Political posturing seems the most likely answer. The Church has always sucked at politics and should stay out of it.

[Legion2213]

"Britain's Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the Anglican Church, has supported Pullman's books and counts himself as a fan." Which sort of makes want to side with the Catholics - Rowan Williams is a dick, I can't stand the man....he's a new age hippy and shouldn't be anywhere near the church. Anyways, if Catholics don't wish to have these books on their premisis, that's fine by me. As others have said, at least they haven't placed any fatwahs on the writer or started burning copies on the streets whilst threatening "massacres of those who insult the church" And no, I 'm not religious

[Khardis]

Nah, if it was Muslims who were pissed, there'd be rioting and murder And fires, check out Paris. I feel like I should just add a little clarification....Its no secret that Im "not a fan" of religon....but not in the sense that dislike material influenced by these beliefs...The mythologies surrounding various religions make great fodder for fiction...I think the 9th Gate is an awsome movie (though some really seem to hate it)...Likewise the whole satan angle in Paradise Lost is really awsome and I think would make a killer movie (or did they already do that with Bladerunner?)....I read the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe books as a kid and enjoyed them quite a bit.... I love the movie Jesus Christ Superstar, it rocks man ...The point Im trying to make is that it seems very silly to organize boycotts against fiction or remove fictional books from libraries based upon what influenced the work...Im not saying these groups shouldnt be able to boycott stuff or remove books from their private libraries.... Im just saying it makes them look ridiculous... Is their confidence in the realistic sensibilities of their faith so fragile that they need to censor anything that questions it? Additionally I like to point out(if it wasnt already obvious), I didnt mean all Catholics are goofy in relation to this article.....Im sure there are far more Catholics who do not care in the slightest whether this movie or the novels promotes atheism..... This is the conversation I imagine in my head: Some Guy: Did you hear that this Golden Compass book thingy supposively promotes atheism? Regular Catholic: Really?...I just thought it was a kids movie with like fantasy crap all in it... Some Guy: Well people are like protesting it because they claim it promotes atheism to kids.... Regular Catholic: Well I dont care, Im Catholic Boycotts aren't censorship, maybe thats where you are getting yourself confused. Boycotts are a very capitalist way of expressing dissatisfaction and raising awareness of a certain product that a group finds objectionable to their beliefs. The Boycott isn't meant to keep YOU from seeing the film, its meant to send a message to the producers etc of the film to say "we don't want this, we refuse to buy this, don't try to sell us this". And the producers make an informed decision there based on wether or not there is a large enough people out there who will feel that way. Clearly there isn't, so the film is going to make money. Where is the censorship? Now that you mention it, yes, religious fundamentalists should be banned from forcing their beliefs on others. My religious freedoms end when I begin to infringe on the next person's beliefs. At least this is what I was always taught as a Catholic, though it's obvious others that share my faith have a difficult time living up to that ideal. What would Jesus say about the bad example they set for everyone? People boycott products that are manufactured in a harmful or dangerous way for the sake of saving a few cents. So what is to be accomplished by boycotting a work of fiction? Political posturing seems the most likely answer. The Church has always sucked at politics and should stay out of it. What is being accomplished? Gee lets go down the checklist: 1. They are registering their dissatisfaction with the product on the grounds that it offends them morally. 2. They are raising awareness with fellow members of their group. 3. They are making an informed decision as consumers of products the producers of said film put out. Do you think the next time a movie like this will come out that its producers will take into account the sensibilities of Catholics or whoever might be offended? If they are businessmen they damned better if they don't want to lose money. This is no different than all the groups of do-gooders out there who boycott cigarettes, Rap music, or Trans fats. What do YOU care if these people don't want to give their money to a company that has offended them? They aren't stopping YOU from giving them your money are they? The minute that happens its no longer a boycott. Speaking of boycotts, look up Rosa Parks and the Bus company boycotts at the time. Same story different elements. "Britain's Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the Anglican Church, has supported Pullman's books and counts himself as a fan." Which sort of makes want to side with the Catholics - Rowan Williams is a dick, I can't stand the man....he's a new age hippy and shouldn't be anywhere near the church. Anyways, if Catholics don't wish to have these books on their premisis, that's fine by me. As others have said, at least they haven't placed any fatwahs on the writer or started burning copies on the streets whilst threatening "massacres of those who insult the church" And no, I 'm not religious EXACTLY! They are simply using a legal right as consumers to raise awareness and not buy into a product. If we ban Catholics from doing that, when do we get to ban all the asshole anti smoking nazis who boycott big tobacco?

[DubiousComforts]

If we ban Catholics from doing that, when do we get to ban all the asshole anti smoking nazis who boycott big tobacco? Gee, an extreme pro-Christian, right-wing nutjob viewpoint. Big soo-prise.

[clanglee]

Woah!!! I didn't see his statements as pro-cristian or right wing. He's simply saying that Religious nuts aren't the only ones who do this. What's good for the goose is good for the gander and all that. When you resort to calling someone a nutjob for laying out a well argued statement, it makes you look like an idiot.

[Legion2213]

This is religious extremism... And when I see Catholics acting like this I will be the first to condemn tham as extremist, nut-job right-wingers...until then, I will see them as folk who are excercising their legal right to boycot something in a free, democratic society.