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I saw this a couple of days ago as an afterthought in a Salt Lake Tribune article entitled Paul Rolly: Vouchers help all Sudanese Hispanics. (Check the very last paragraph, it’s there.) That, and a really brief mention on KSL, were it. Kevin Prusse, a principal at Muir Elementary in Bountiful Utah, misused the district email system to warn parents that the movie The Golden Compass is out to get their children.
The book the movie is based on is written by an atheist and contains anti-religious themes. Which, according to Prusse (and The Catholic League) means it must be banned.
It concerns me that a principal in a public school doesn’t think about how inappropriate it is to use his position for religious purposes. Even after the fact I doubt he understands it was wrong. The KSL article on it mentions that there was only one complaint and several thank-yous which sounds like justification. Just because most of your constituents agree with you (or just don’t care) does not mean it’s OK to push your view on others.
I expected to see more about this (maybe a real article) but nothing materialized. I assume that this antipathy is a product of the religious climate in Utah and the fact that people just don’t bother complaining when they should. The Catholic League is perfectly justified in pushing a boycott of this movie, the public school system is not. I plan on seeing this movie (it looks GOOD) and will probably check out the books as well.
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While I neither support the man’s views on the film, nor do I think it appropriate for him to further his views using the public school system, it seems to me that he probably just hit the forward button and stuck everyone’s e-mail addresses into it without thinking of the ramifications.
That being said, it was rather naive of him to think that it wouldn’t catch up with him in some way.
Here’s the big news. I’ve read this book. My wife has read the entire trilogy. Guess what. Despite Pullman’s atheistic views, the story isn’t anti-religious. It makes some strong sentiments about oppressive religions, statements which I think are worth a good look, and there is no statement in any book that God doesn’t exist. In fact, the God in the book is exposed as not being a God at all, but rather a fallen angel.
At the end, the characters establish what they call the “Republic of Heaven” as opposed to the “Kingdom of Heaven.”
Really sounds like a bunch of atheistic indoctrination? I guess if you like the idea of your Gods being evil and destructive it does.
Anyway, the producers of the film went out of their way, with Pullman’s approval, to make some changes that presented the story (which is a good one) in a way that doesn’t really take aim at any one religion (which it kind of does in the book… Catholics, particularly).
So, here I am, a Christian, letting everyone else who reads this know, we like the books, don’t find them offensive, think they raise some excellent questions, and hope the films are worthwhile.
Posted by Richard on 12/02 at 08:35 AM
In a sense, I agree with you. The principal’s personal beliefs should not be pushed upon those of his students or their families. However, I would like to think that his intentions were good. I don’t see why we get all bent out of shape in our little community every time someone mentions religion. I’m assuming that the principal heard about the movie and how it severely conflicts with many of the beliefs of the families who’s children he supervises. It’s possible he was just trying to create awareness. We have built a hypersensitive culture with regards to religion. We’re supposed to be open and to homosexuals, reach out to illegal aliens and prevent racism. We are taught to embrace differences in race, social class and intelligence… but heaven forbid someone mention God. I seriously think we need to loosen up a little.
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Bags on 12/03 at 01:02 PM
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