I don't want to harp on religion too much, but I've been hearing a lot on the news, the blogs and from emails people have been sending about the movie the Golden Compass. From what I've heard, the books written by Philip Pullman, the first of which the movie is based, is supposedly an insidious plot by atheists to destroy religion, put the pope into the salt mines and brainwash your children to murder people.

First of all, anyone naive enough to think that making a fantasy story about talking polar bears and magical kingdoms as a tool atheists are using to get people to stop believing in made up things, may be at risk of getting their faith mixed up by watching this movie.

Second, you should be challenging your beliefs anyway. If the way you live your life has never been examined and you run and hide from criticisms (or in this case, attempt to silence the critics), then your faith lacks rigor and should not be a platform from which important decisions are made for yourself or especially for others.

The allegory in the Golden Compass isn't about corrupting your kids like all the warnings and movements for boycotts have mentioned. It's to get people to think about the actions of authoritative regimes in religion. An allegory is nothing but a silly story with out the reader's thought, and thought should threaten no one.

The End