Sorry I don’t have much time… papers, projects, finals, homework… you all know how it is. Expect the Plight back in full force soon enough. Our apologies for the lack of updates and creativity. There is just something about writing 4 book reports for books you didn’t buy that sucks all the creative juices right out of you. You know what I mean. Merry Christmas/Festivus!
Oh and why we’re here together I may as well implore you to not go see the Golden Compass because it is basically the atheists Chronicles of Narnia. And you guys know how much Christians hate atheists. (I hope my sarcasm transcended through the airwaves, The Golden Compass is actually a really well written book and looks like an entertaining movie. There is however a legitimate backlash from Christians trying to boycott it because of atheistic ideals. Read the full story here.)
To boycott the movie go here. (I wish I was joking. But there is really a site.)
-Schroeder “Flying By the Seat of His Pants” Bernstein
Woodward
Bernstein
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 10:43 am
Good call, there’s nothing wrong with good literature that happens to have an opposing viewpoint to Christianity. I guarantee Christians would be all for it if they portrayed Islam in a negative live. Not to mention if we’re going strictly by the Bible’s standards for media and entertainment anyone who has payed money to see or read any Harry Potter novels is committing the same sin. What’s worse? Agnosticism or The Occult?
P.S. there’d be a lot of smarter people at NCU if those superchristians that live in Phillipps would pop their bubbles and actually expose themselves to some conflicting views. No reason to be uneducated.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 10:43 am
negative light* lol typo
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 2:06 pm
The book/movie isn’t just about portraying Christianity negatively, but it is about a young girl’s quest to kill God. She finds him, he is a fake, and she does kill him. The very intentions of the author is hostility towards Christianity and God.
For those reasons, I myself choose to not watch it as entertainment.
However, I am not going to get my knickers in a twist over Christians who so choose to watch it.
Best of luck on your finals, Bernstein.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 2:12 pm
“Phillipps would pop their bubbles and actually expose themselves to some conflicting views” …
We do!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 11:29 am
you’re a smart guy ben. It’s great to have ideals and stick by them but not be on a crusade to indoctrinate everyone unfortunate soul to cross your path. Kudos!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 2:34 pm
My sympathies to all the Christians who feel threated by a children’s story written by an atheist author. My faith, however, is not so fragile.
Is it our role as Christians to engage culture victoriously or hide from it? To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I saw light hide from darkness…
I don’t know much about this movie or the books but I plan on reading/watching both. If for no other reason then the fact that when a non-Christian asks me what I think of the series (since droves of people will be going to see these movies thanks to the Christian backlash) I will have something to say that honors and reflects God, (instead of hate-filled, uninformed hearsay).
Can we really afford to deny ourselves the witnessing opportunities these books/films will provide? Come on church, get your head out of the sand!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 5:57 pm
“the sand” read “your ass”
Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Well, from my understanding, the movie is far watered down from the books, which are heavy in anti-God, anti-church, pro-gnostic/atheistic ideologies.
That being said, I am in no way threatened by them. Not for myself, nor for the church. I don’t feel like people are going to walk away from their faith because of it.
And for me, I’m still not going to see it.
I don’t care if others go see it, but don’t excuse seeing it with saying things like you are “engaging culture victoriously” (by watching a movie?) or creating “witnessing opportunities.”
Where does one draw the line for “engaging culture?” In fact, where are we told to do so? If the culture setting that I am in is into the occult and x-rated films, do I still engage? For me, spending $8 to watch a movie that blasphemes God is where my line is drawn.
And to call it a witnessing opportunity is pretty weak, IMHO. “Hey, Ben, did you see the Golden Compass?”
“No, I didn’t. Let me tell you why I chose not to…”
Wow. Living a life of holiness and righteousness can be a witness too. Whodathunkit?
And now, feeling fully ashamed with being so serious about this subject, I must excuse myself and go to class.
In all seriousness, Woodward. I love you. I mean it. Not in some “Christian agape” love. The mushy embarrassing kind. Just kidding.
Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Creating witnessing opportunities huh?
Hmmm… then what am I doing sitting here? I should be out at drunken college parties or bars, watching porn, and creating Adult Friend Finder profiles to connect with and engage culture. After all, that stuff can’t touch me if I engage it victoriously, right?
I will not hide from culture!
In all seriousness… I have no problem seeing the movie and I think we should all make the choice for ourselves and not push it on others either way… However I wonder, where DO we draw the line between engaging in secular culture to be in it and affect it (if not of it) and being affected BY it. What is being relevant versus being immersed and drowning?
Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Mastermind, I appreciate your honest response, It’s a far cry from some of the ignorant evangelical muckraking I’ve read responding to this film. I can tell you’ve put some thought into your decision and not simply swallowed the tripe. It is for this reason (that you are a thinking type of person) I must implore you (and others like you) to reconsider.
I am reminded of the Da Vinci Code trend a few years ago, and the embarassingly similar response of our churches then. I am perplexed how so many christians continue to be surprised and condemning when our non-christian culture repeatedly acts non-christian. Honestly, how do we expect them to act?
Rather than recognize the opportunity of so many people asking questions about who Jesus is (excuse me but is this not a perfect invitation for evangelism?) we condemned non-christians for their curiosity, and judged them for simply being entertained by, frankly, a very well written book.
I see the Golden Compass as no different. Yes, engage this book! Study it. What makes it appeal to people? What has the church done to make people feel this way? What needs is it meeting in people that the church is innately more qualified to meet?
Honestly, I believe the root cause of this outcry is much more petty then the grandiose complaints we’ve derived. I think the church is personally offended by this, and other books. “Really, how dare they, hrmph!” is our attitude. “They’re making fun of us so we’re gonna throw a tantrum.”
We complain because they “kill God” in this book. But not even Jesus condmned the people who did it for real. Who gives us the right to fight battle he never took upon himself?
Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Yeah, well, the Da Vinci Code just kinda blew. That was a pretty unanimous among both Christians and non.
I am certainly not against the study, and I agree, we should find out what makes people, Christian and non, tick.
But, perhaps, all-in-all, we are all making a bigger deal out of this than is necessary.
Maybe I will check it out when it is on video, and I can afford it. Who knows?
Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Excellent witness opportunity? Perhaps. Worth seeing? Perhaps not. I didn’t see the Passion. That didn’t make me an unbeliever. I just disagreed with what I thought was the films motive. I know a lot of Christians disagree with this flick. And for some, maybe their faith isn’t steadfast to withstand an angry but ultimately weak atheist barrage. Not that I”m calling you weak in faith Ben. You actually have a legitimate reason in personal principle. If i was an atheist myself, i wouldn’t be seeing this film because CGI polar bears don’t interest me. Even if they drink whiskey.
And to address Hmm….’s comment. When I read the gospels, i find Jesus in a lot of questionable places: Brothels, drunken weddings, tax collector’s houses. Historical context and implications aside, He certainly didn’t shy away from mixing it up with the sinners of the age. Granted we don’t see Him getting wasted, (although He probably did have some wine at the wedding) nor do we see Him paying for hookers. He was a shining light in those dark places and at the very least, our well-rounded educated evaluation of The Golden Compass can be fuel for our spiritual lanters.
P.S. Actually, a giant whiskey drinking polar bear does sound really frickin’ sweet. Maybe i will front the $7.50
Friday, December 7, 2007 at 5:02 pm
well put.
Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I’m going not to see it for any of the reasons listed above, but for the reason that it looks like it sucks. And if any non Christian people want to talk to me about it, I’m going to judge them in my heart for seeing what looks like a piece of crap movie.
Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 3:14 pm
dude. talking fricking polar bears…. thats worth ten bucks alone.
Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 6:45 pm
I will probably go see it. To me it looks sweet…I read a little of the book and from what I did read, it was well-written, and that’s good enough for me. Everyone has their own personal convictions of course, and for some people, seeing the movie isn’t a problem at all, nor is it threatening to their faith.
For some, it might be. But then again, for me, I don’t like zombie/demonic scary movies because they don’t jive with me well. I personally feel like they’re desensitizing the world to the spiritual realm…plus I have nightmares and see things in the dark too.
But that’s my conviction. Let’s face it folks: the only common ground here is that the movie exists and it has a whiskey-drinking CGI talking polar bear wearing armor and fighting other polar bears…and James Bond’s in it too. Well, Daniel Craig, at least.
And in the end…it won’t amount to anything more than any other movie controversy…so…
I don’t have a good ending to this post…but then again, I don’t thinkg the Bible ends very well either. Sorta leaves us all hangin’…
Monday, December 10, 2007 at 9:57 am
I would like to assert two thoughts, if I may …
What truth could we possibly find in the movie? If Master Mind is as accurate as he claims, the books are about children killing a false god created by a religious institution. I think this is a fantastic teaching and, by proxy, the exact teaching of Paul. I think many of us would agree that religious institutions create “god” and ‘gods’ around Christianity so that it is no longer a beautiful personal practice and experience, but rather a subset of ideals and formula. Can any of us turn aside many of the claims of a brilliant man (who went to Exeter College, Oxford i might add) that really do not stand outside of our Christian ideology simply because he claims to be an atheist?
This all bars down to, as Woodward alluded, fear. When Dan Brown wrote his famed novel it was torn apart by fact in a matter of weeks by scared and scarred Christians. Why are we so scared to put our faith in question?
I have one possible answer: because we don’t have any.
Faith is perfected when it is tested and tried.
* This “popping the bubble thing” seems to me to be a bit contrived. How can one stand inside a community that disposes of others so readily and still participate in the growth and development of others? To pop the bubble means, people going out … AND coming in.
Monday, December 10, 2007 at 5:42 pm
The point is, Yoda, that he is not just an atheist, but as made claims that he is trying to uproot Christianity.
Now, if you are watching the movie for true research, and are going to use it as a tool and sharpen your apologetics, that is one thing.
However, for most, the movie is merely what movies are…entertainment. We may even try and convince ourselves we are going to watch it as an educational and spiritual sharpening tool, but in the end, walk out of the theater and back into our bubble.
I have done enough research to understand what the author is trying to state and do that I feel I can defend against adequately without having to spend $8 and 2 hours in a theater absorbing blasphemy as it was meant to be…entertainment. There is little entertaining to me about mocking God.
I also object to giving them my money. This movie is based off the first book in a trilogy. The director said that if this does well and they make the next two in the series he would “be more true to the books’ (anti-God) intentions.”
But, like I have said, it is just a movie afte rall. I am not intimidated by it, and I serve the King of Kings, who is less afraid of it than I. I just, personally, have no desire to see it.
And on that note, I must return to my studies. Happy finals, everyone.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I just love how worked up people can get over something as pointless as a movie or a book.
If the message offends you, don’t watch/read it. However, be careful. I don’t know how many “christians” bad-mouthed the movie Saved, just to watch it and report that it was actually a good movie.
To sum it up, it’s an effing movie. Get over it, and don’t punish the rest of us who enjoy watching movies for entertainment, rather than for a definition of our beliefs or our stance on God. If an atheist can watch The Passion of the Christ and still be an atheist, why is it a christian is tainted for watching an atheistic movie?
Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 4:44 pm
mmhmm,
I’m sorry if you feel if the way that I have responded makes you feel condemned if you were to watch the movie as entertainment. I tried to speak on behalf of solely myself as much as a could.
That being said, a Christian still has different standards to live up to as follower of Christ than an atheist does as a non-believer. We need to be careful what gets put into our minds. As the old song goes “Be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little ear what you hear.”
I am personally convicted against watching blasphemy as entertainment, and to be honest, am surprised that so few are, but ultimately, that is your decision, and I cannot and will not make it for you.
P.S. I really am not as “worked up” over it as I may seem. This is the only place that I have voiced my opinion. I am certainly not holding up signs on the street corner proclaiming the end is near.
Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 11:52 pm
hello all… I got sick of using a moniker and decided to post with my actual name for once.
I feel like almost everyone that has posted something on this topic has said very excellent things. This is how I view it.
Most learned Christians that are worried about this movie are worried about what is written in the next two books. I have heard that the girl actually meets the god and kills him. Honestly, I understand their worries. I would not in any case take impressionable younglings to see this movie or encourage them to read the books.
I don’t think that as Christians we should completely disregard and boycott the story as a whole. I am someone who enjoys entertainment and am currently reading the series and going to see the movies when I am finished. But I am a 22 year old that has a better grasp on what I believe and why.
My beef with the boycott is that it is just a little ridiculous. It reminds me of the Terri Shivo (?) deal about pulling the plug. Sometimes Christians waste so much energy on unimportant and trivial things. What if we actually stood up and banded together for something a bit more constructive instead of destructive?
Last but not least, you didn’t see a huge atheist movement against the Passion or the Narnia thing. Christians have become a target market for entertainment, and you don’t see a huge backlash of other religions worried about some kid becoming a Christian after watching Aslan rise from the dead.
Thats my thoughts. And I’m sorry Hmmm…. is it was TLDR. GTFO if you can’t handle it LOL. Or maybe you should FTW and read my message anyway. I’ve read most of yours. LMFAO. GTG. SYS. BFF.
Saturday, December 15, 2007 at 12:48 am
Wow…all good points!
Sounds like there are quite a variety of different opinions on this one. It’s almost as hot of a topic as the Emo post was!
The way I see it, each person needs to figure out whether or not God wants them to see the movie. The worst thing that could happen if you do see it is that you spend 8 bucks and walk out in the middle of it out of disgust.
The worst thing that could happen if you don’t see it is you miss a cool movie (maybe) and have an extra 8$ to apply towards the rising tuition costs here at NCU.
Now Mastermind - here’s a question…and maybe I missed this, but enlighten me anyway: how do you know it’s going to be blasphemous? Is it because someone told you it would be or because you did research or what?
And consider this: just as I said before, different things offend different people. Maybe the people who you got your info from were a bunch of fundamentalist right-wing nut-job Christians instead of more reliable sources…like maybe someone you actually knew and trusted.
I’m just playing the devil’s advocate here and I really don’t care if you see the movie or not. i’m not trying to make you look like an idiot or anything…for example…I’ve never seen a Harry Potter movie nor read a Harry Potter book because I refuse to support it due to its portrayal of witchcraft. Having said that, I have no reason to justify my watching of the Lord of the Rings series (which I own) or even Star Wars due to their use of wizardry and magic (LOTR) and “the Force” (Star Wars). I love those movies, and I’m sure I’m splitting hairs between them and Harry Potter.
My dad taught me a great thing about situations such as this: remember - nothing in and of itself is innately or inherently evil; rather our interaction with it is what the true evil is. Sin is always an action, except in the sense that we’re all born with it.
Yes, maybe the author’s intentions were evil, or the director’s, or the actors, or even the polar bear’s…but even so…the movie is not sin. It might be the result of sin, but it is not sin.
And I’d say that about Harry Potter too…but I’m still not seeing them.
Christians get too worked up over this stuff…I mean geesh…I don’t really even care and I wrote too much already. I like what Paino said: we should get together and instead of uniting against something, let’s unify and do some good somehow some way.
Jesus did waaaaay more good than he did complaining against Caesar’s occupation of Israel. He got it right: if he had protested, the Romans would have killed him instead of the Jews making the Romans kill him…and then stuff would have been screwed up biblically.
Anyway…I have work tomorrow. BBL. TTYL. PO, HS.
Friday, December 21, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Hey, I have an idea! You should write an article about how certain ideas/thoughts/clubs/issues are developed at North Central with such excitement for a few months, then just die out! Wait, that sounds like this ‘news source’!!!!!
Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 4:03 pm
or about how frank is a huge douche bag. Enjoy your break plighters. We’ll be here when you come back to us.
Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 7:15 pm
I think someone’s bitter about something… Maybe it’s because his name is “frank”.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Yeah, okay “Ed”.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007 at 4:51 pm
I’m a douche bag and your name is “and beans”
Tuesday, December 25, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Nice job, “and beans,” we’ve succeeded in getting him to admit his own faults and begin insulting himself.
Really, frank, I’m sure you’re just jealous that you aren’t as clever as our Plight founders.
It’s okay…I bet you’re great at complaining and pointing out the obvious.
Merry Christmas to all!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Happy Ho Ho Ho to you…
Thursday, December 27, 2007 at 11:39 am
oh sad. he didn’t get it… ah frank
Thursday, December 27, 2007 at 12:52 pm
We can always trust the internet to bring out the absolute worst in people.
A great statistic would be the average number of comments on a post it takes before it is reduced to an asinine shouting match.
Friday, January 4, 2008 at 12:33 am
I saw the movie!
It was actually pretty uneventful…and nowhere near the caliber of Lord of the Rings. I’d say don’t go see it just because it’s not worth 8$.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 12:29 am
Speaking to all sides of the discussion . . . much ado about nothing! I agree with Tory!