The Golden Compass − 2 January, 2008
When this movie first came out, there was a huge hullabaloo about it being anti-Christian. I saw the movie New Year’s Day, and though I looked for it, I could not find evidence of any anti-Christian anything at all. I think the closest I could justify as being “anti-Christian” was that they had brave warrior “witches” that prophesied about the main character and helped fight the bad guys at the end. How is that “anti-Christian”???Isn’t anyone who fights for good on God’s side? What would Jesus do? Condemn the witches? I think not!Despite the fact that I am now a Wiccan (thus, a “witch”), I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school (including an all-girls boarding school run by nuns through my formative high school years) until the 12th Grade. Perhaps Catholicism is more liberal than other sects of Christianity – I don’t know. I do know, however, that never once – in all of my religion classes – did we ever condemn the beliefs of another faith.We were taught that Jesus, and God, were all-forgiving, all-Loving, and understanding. As a Wiccan, I feel that religions are simply different road maps to the same place. It doesn’t matter how you get to the top of the mountain – God/Goddess/whatever you want to call the Supreme Being/Creator/Force – it just counts that you get there. That whatever you call God, it doesn’t matter – it’s just another name for the same thing – a facet of the same stone.My mother related a wonderful story to me… years ago, she was working at a local hospital and one of the doctors came in with an ash cross on her forehead – it was Ash Wednesday – a Catholic holy day. My mother knew the doctor to be Hindu, and asked about the cross – not judgmentally, just curious, as she was surprised to see it there. The doctor smiled and shrugged and said wisely, “It is all the same God.” How beautiful.I think about the recent popular tagline “WWJD?” that seems to be repeated by the Christian community in this area. The Jesus I know would be thrilled with the imagination and creativity of a movie like The Golden Compass. He would love the symbolism, the good lessons taught in the film, the heroes and heroines, seeing characters from all walks of life coming together for a great common goal – to save others. He would laud the selfless sacrifices of some of the characters, not to mention the magic of being wrapped up in the majesty of an epic adventure.Would he judge or condemn the witches or the gyptians or the ice bears? No way. He was all about love and acceptance. Would he think them unsuitable to sit at his table? On the contrary I think he would invite them. The strict Christians I am friends with feel differently. I am surprised at their rigid judgmental condemnation. Didn’t Jesus teach a completely opposite lesson? They claim to follow his teachings and be “more like Him” but seem to ignore the most important lesson he taught. What a disappointment.So, go out and enjoy The Golden Compass. If you like wondrous imagination and epic action-adventure films, you will love it. Witches and all.
