First of all, the movie has removed all traces of religion from the story - the Church in the books becomes the government in the movie. So really, boycotting the movie is BEYOND ridiculous.



Furthermore,

The books are NOT anti-God. There is no way you could have read them and hold that they’re anti-God – especially after reading the third book in the trilogy.
My reasons abound:

1. Not only is God spoken of throughout the books, but He is an actual character, a character that is depicted as a kind, gentle victim of those who want to overthrow him. He is the reason for everything that goes on in the story. The characters who try to attack God in these books are ALL portrayed as evil, cruel characters. Every single one of them. And every single one of those evil characters, in the end, gets what he/she deserves. If anything, this book made me believe in God much more than I had before – and I went to Catholic school.

2. The whole His Dark Materials series (of which The Golden Compass is the first book) is a parallel of John Milton’s Paradise Lost. If you have a problem with the way God is treated in these books, talk to Milton, or try and boycott Milton’s work. Paradise Lost is TAUGHT as a core part of the curriculum in most high school and college British Literature courses. Both Christians and atheists alike recognize the story as a STORY, and a critique of society, certainly not of God.


3. This book is all about spirituality. I have never read a book – religious ones included – that spoke so highly of the spirit, and placed it so high above the human mind. The spirit, in fact, is the main focus of the books. Once a character is separated from his/her soul, he/she is no longer able to function, to live normally, to love, to be happy. There is no happiness without a soul. Now THAT is Christian.

4. There are angels in the books. Angels are specifically religious creatures who serve God. Enough said. If you have a problem with the portrayal of some of the angels as rebels against God, then go back and read your Bible – Satan is a fallen angel. Here: “And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him” (Rev. 12:7–9, NIV)

5. The books are questioning the methods/mentalities of MEN, those who try to create power for themselves by using religion. The characters in this book who use the Church to become rich and powerful and to hurt others are the antagonists. Those who believe in God but do not abuse that belief are the protagonists. The heroes (Lyra and Will) not only believe in God, but they SEE him. They do not defeat God, they defeat the power-hungry creature who took God’s place.

And generally, any books that promote atheism (or any other point of view) have just as much of a right to be read by the public as do religious books. There are two sides to every argument, every belief. The fact that people who haven’t even read the books can bash them and “boycott” them is proof of the fact that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and tastes, whether they seem right to you or not. You have NO idea how humans are supposed to live or what we are supposed to believe, so don’t drag others into your point-of-view. Because if you really believe in God as the creator, then you believe that He made you the way you are. YOU, my friend, did none of the work, and to think that you are better/smarter/more right than anyone else is an insult to the work that He did. Let everyone use their minds and souls, like God made them to be used, in creative ways that venture and invent and search and calculate and yes, sometimes doubt - for if you have never felt doubt, then you cannot truly know what it is to believe.