Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Various Issues

Be sure to check out our Family Journey In Faith blog in case you do not do so on a regular basis. With the popularity of the upcoming movie, The Golden Compass, it is worth your while to take a look.

Remember that on Sunday, December 16th we are having the kids sing in the morning services. This will be a special time of celebration of kids, families and Christmas. If you have any issues or questions, let me know.


Dean

The Golden Compass

Most likely you are aware of the movie being released December 7th, The Golden Compass. If not, you should be, for there is much to be concerned about. In short, this movie is the antithesis of the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. Now, the movie by itself is I am sure high quality and will be phenomenal at the box office; but that is only half the story.

This movie is based on the first book of a triology of children's books called "His Dark Materials" written by Philip Pullman. For an extensive review of these books and their symbolism you can check out Focus on the Family's Plugged-In Online. What is most disconcerting to me is that Mr. Pullman simply refuses to seek out or understand ANYTHING spiritual -

"Our home is not somewhere else. There is no elsewhere. This is a physical universe and we are physical beings made of material stuff. This is where we live." (Taken from this website.)

As you read quotes from him, you can see just how lost he is, even Islam would admit to that. This world is MUCH more than what we experience with our 5 senses, despite what Mr. Pullman would have us think. And even though he acknowledges Morality should be taught, it is short-lived and purposeless if is based only on the physical world.

What's more is that he knows the truth, as he was taught it as a young child, but "as I grew up and began to look around and see how other people thought about things, and read books and so on, naturally I began to question this, as people do. And I eventually came – after a lot of swinging this way and that, and trying things out – to the position I hold now." (Source)

Parents, be aware of this movie as your kids see and hear about it. Get informed of what it is all about. I am hoping to actually see it to judge for myself, so let me know if you want to go with sometime and perhaps can go out for a Coke to discuss it.

Dean