[FoRK] His Not-So-Dark Materials

[Aaron Burt]

On Wed, Nov 28, 2007 at 11:25:12AM -0600, Jeff Bone wrote:
> 
> While we're on the topic of the pernicious influence of religion,  
> check out the implicit and pervasive censorship caused by our  
> unjustified deference to the religious.  Philip Pulman's novels are  
> inherently about "killing God."  However, in fear of the church lobby  
> and general American religious mania, the studio and director of the  
> movie adaptation have played down the religious aspect of the story  
> --- the whole point of the story --- and instead substituted the  
> notion of a political, dogmatic authority for the notion of religious  
> authority.

Actually, that sounds true to the first book.  The Magisterium is best
described as a tyranny with ancilliary religious functions, and the
"Killing God" storyline isn't really introduced 'til halfway through the
second book.  This might explain why at least one reviewer didn't care
for the series after that point.

Jolly good read, BTW, with lots of explicit and implicit instruction in
character, morality, friendship, and dealing with Adult Stuff.

Which reminds me, I'll have to try and make it to a BC Humanists meeting
in Vancouver.