Cory weighs in on the Golden Compass, doing some good old fashioned laughing at them narrow minded ignorant Catholics.
If you were a powerful, influential religious organization and could marshal your human and financial resources to do some good at Christmastime, what would you do? What societal ill might you choose to combat? How would you spread some Christian (or Buddhist, or Muslim, or Jewish) love? Feeding the hungry? Healing and comforting the sick? Consoling the grief-stricken? Sheltering the poor? Fighting the corporate killers of Christmas? Oh, so much to do, so many people in need, so much love we can give....
--The Sioux Falls Catholic Diocese and Sioux Falls Christian Schools are on a great crusade... against a movie.
Read the whole thing. See here for my comments on the controversy. Cory bases his argument on one article in the Argus and this post by Pat Powers.
Let's take this in order. It doesn't make the papers much, but the Sioux Fall Diocese and other Catholic organizations spend enormous amounts of time and money feeding the hungry, healing and comforting the sick, and sheltering the poor. Just think how much good the Avera hospitals do, just as one example. I don't know of any institutional fight against the "corporate killers of Christmas," but nary a Yuletide season goes by without a homily against a materialist interpretation of Christmas. News outlets don't tend to cover those kinds of stories so Cory hasn't been able to read those articles. It isn't news because the charitable works of the Church occur every day in uncountable ways. Needless to say commenting on movies is not exactly at the center of what the Church does, but it is something that tends to make the news.
On to the other matters. First, Pat Powers is a great guy, but he doesn't speak for the Church. And what about the actual Church. If you read the Argus article, here's what it says:
The Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls disagrees. In several publications, including a letter recently sent home with students in the Catholic school system, the diocese cautioned parents and parishioners against the movie and books. (snip)
"In short, when it comes to kids, especially - even adults - I am trying to encourage people to look at these kinds of media critically and with great discernment," said (director diocesan religious education Chris) Burgwald, who read all three books. "I say that because over the course of the trilogy, Pullman makes it very clear he's writing a narrative opposed to the Christian understanding of who God is."
The Church is urging caution. Not a ban or a boycott (as the Catholic League has). Just caution. Makes sense when you are a church and there is a movie out based on a book written to attack your church. You want to inform and caution. That strikes me not as ridiculous, but as responsible leadership of a church. A like minded attitude is coming out of the Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St Paul.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is not calling for a boycott but is telling parents, teachers and pastors to "exercise caution," according to spokesman Dennis McGrath. The archdiocese is concerned parents will unwittingly buy the books for their children, thereby giving Pullman a "chance to reach these young minds with his anti-Christ propaganda," McGrath said.
Again, entirely reasonable. A movie is coming out that attacks the church. Given the genre of storytelling and the advertising campaign, many parishioners may not be aware of the anti-Catholic/anti-theist nature of the work. So the Church gives information and urges caution. And perhaps Cory is not aware that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has actually given a "thumbs up" to the movie.
It just so happens that I was talking to a local priest about this movie last night. I have not read the books. He's read all three. He also told me that one of his fellow priests is reading the trilogy now. He checked the books out of the Roncalli school library. That's the Catholic school here in Aberdeen. This priest said his parish, in this weekend's bulletin, will avail itself parents to ask if they have any questions about the film or books. They are not taking any position on the film or books, just saying "This movie has sparked controversy. If you have any questions, feel free to ask." Quite reasonable.
The characterization of the Church as ignorant and out of touch on this matter doesn't seem to hold up under scrutiny.
Update: Cory responds. See his post as I have a mild disagreement with him. And yes, you may call me Cattle King.
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