The Golden Compass is being trumpeted as a kid-friendly flick much like C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. What’s unclear is how closely the film corresponds to its genesis: His Dark Material, a trilogy written by atheist Phillip Pullman, promoting the virtues of atheism. And that concerns Bill Donohue with the Catholic League.

“Pullman, himself, to his credit, does not deny it. He comes right out and says that his goal is to kill God in the books for children, and to undermine Christianity.”

Jim Ware is co-author of Shedding Light on His Dark Materials; a book that highlights the anti-Christian themes in the Pullman series.

“In this parallel world that he creates in The Golden Compass, the church is really the villain. In his scheme of things, God is really the Devil who has succeeded in fooling everyone into thinking that He’s God.”

Whether or not those themes will be clear cut in the movie remains to be seen. Still Adam Holz with Plugged in Magazine offers this warning.

“I think that as we see more stuff on the His Dark Materials trilogy, I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say it’s really heretical. And that Pullman has intentionally tried to undermine and reshape the Christian story.”

Articles on The Golden Compass will soon be available at pluggedinonline.com.