The Golden Compass

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

I can't believe how much ITV 22:30 news is turning into the Daily Mail.

They've just introduced a piece on The Golden Compass by saying that it is being accused of "indoctrinating children into atheism".

The piece itself was just a bit of fluff saying the film is anti-religion and not saying much else. They also found time to mention that author of the story, Phillip Pullman, has been described as the 'new antichrist' and 'most dangerous author in Britain'.

Firstly, just how do you indoctrinate someone into atheism?

Secondly, so it is ok to indoctrinate children into religion?

I despair.

Maybe we aren't that much different from the USA after all.

More on the 'controversy' here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7115300.stm

[Fiona]

Well I do not think there will be a mass movement in the uk any time soon. But it is a bit sad that it attracts comment when there is what can be interpreted as an atheist message: it never seems to when they are ramming religion down kids' throats. Or did I miss the outcry against Aslan?

Though I confess some of the bits in your link appealed to me. I am certainly in favour of having my atheism "candy coated"

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

I hope I don't have a load of christian protestors outside my house when I start indoctrinating my daughter into atheism .

[Fiona]

Why so tardy ?

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

Why so tardy ?

Tardy? Late?

[Fiona]

With getting the indoctrination started. Time is of the essence. Compare infant baptism - the church knows a thing or two about indoctrination, you know

[Matt]

Or did I miss the outcry against Aslan?

Here it was. The outcry against the Narnia film came from... ta da da... Philip Pullman. Why does that name sound familiar?

Perhaps Pullman and the evangelicals are conspiring to promote each others films by engaging in artificial conflict. After all they say there's no such thing as bad publicity.

Enquiring minds want to know.

[Janot]

Firstly, just how do you indoctrinate someone into atheism?

Secondly, so it is ok to indoctrinate children into religion?

Having small children ask questions about the world and god (or not) was for me the most difficult aspect of bringing up children. How does an atheist answer questions like 'who made the world?' which my children asked me. It seems to me that a child needs certainty for comfort, rather than an answer which reflects an adult's inability to answer the question unequivocally. The issue is made complicated by religious instruction in a state school - is their otherwise respected teacher actually off her trolley? Do you make a principle out of the issue by exemption from classes?

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

Having small children ask questions about the world and god (or not) was for me the most difficult aspect of bringing up children. How does an atheist answer questions like 'who made the world?' which my children asked me. It seems to me that a child needs certainty for comfort, rather than an answer which reflects an adult's inability to answer the question unequivocally. The issue is made complicated by religious instruction in a state school - is their otherwise respected teacher actually off her trolley? Do you make a principle out of the issue by exemption from classes?

I don't know how I'll deal with it. It will be a steep learning curve I guess. I want her to be interested in the natural world and have a sense of wonder. I don't want a god of the gaps for kids, if you know what I mean . There are actually books I was looking at getting from the NSS.

Scroll down to A011, A012 etc

http://www.secularism.org.uk/shop.ht...chandise%2F941

I don't want my child to not have a normal life and have to be pulled out of classes etc, but similarly, I want them to learn to think rationally and understand how absurd the religious stories are.

One thing is for sure, I don't want her to go through the same crap I had to. I was brought up in the bible belt in Northern Ireland, so religious indoctrination was constant. It's just a normal part of life there to believe in fairy stories unfortunately.

I am sure I am a talking point for the few people back there who know I am an atheist.

[Fiona]

Well I am a second generation atheist. I got all the usual stuff at school and I do not think I am unusual in having a wee religious blip in early adolescence: but it was short and mainly curiosity, I think. I do not remember any period in my life when I was a believer in any meaningful sense. I was not wholly in jest when I talked about indoctrinating early. My parents were not militant atheists and they always told me they did not know if I asked about such stuff. They let me know what they thought and there was a lot of "here is what a lot of people think" and if I came home saying some religious view I had heard they always just said well something along the lines of "well I dont think that but many people do" It just was not a big issue for us.

And so I am at odds with the religious view that there is a need for God built in. I think you have to scoop out a God shaped hole if you want a child to have one.

[Matt]

Having small children ask questions about the world and god (or not) was for me the most difficult aspect of bringing up children. How does an atheist answer questions like 'who made the world?' which my children asked me. It seems to me that a child needs certainty for comfort, rather than an answer which reflects an adult's inability to answer the question unequivocally. The issue is made complicated by religious instruction in a state school - is their otherwise respected teacher actually off her trolley? Do you make a principle out of the issue by exemption from classes?

Never did me any harm to be told the truth about the worlds origin. I found the story fascinating.

[Mulder]

Kids today have it easy!

I didn't have Pullman novels to sort me out. I was made to do 'catechism' and taken to an RC chjurch every Sunday for most of my childhood. Without any help from anyone at all, I worked out religion didn't make any sense. One of the few life achievements of which I'm proud.

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

Everybodyelse in my Sunday school class had learnt the whole book, but I think I only got as far as Lords Prayer which was number 12 or something.

I just didn't have the motivation, even then. 8)

[dashwood]

hy there
i have a son and daughter of 28 and 26 respectivly, and after hearing about the abuse i suffered at two cathilc schools they made up their minds early on as to the merits of religion. there is a saying;

Bad people will always do bad things, but to get good pepole to do bad things you need religion.

[dee]

My Dad has just watched The Golden Compass and I asked him if it was as controversial as it was being made out to be. His response was 'It was mainly two polar bears having a fight', needless to say he didn't have a clue what I was going on about