Tanya C. Ellis, Gleaner Writer

Just what was all the fuss about? It may well be that we, in a bid to become politically correct, have found ourselves becoming culturally, morally and socially incorrect.

When this 'incorrectness' becomes master of our lives, we try to battle with the non-existent and justify behaviours and principles based on expectations that are lacking in evidence. I could not see, just from watching the film, The Golden Compass, what sparked the religious controversy worldwide. The element of atheistic portrayal that was expected was very subtle, if at all present.

Truth or Conspiracy

It is quite difficult to accept, but still interesting to explore mentally, that the possibility of another world, parallel to ours exists, and that is where fantasy novelists capitalise on our ability to be wide awake but completely dreaming. The ideology of utopia encourages us to explore dreams that are protected by inner privacy and so cannot be tarnished by public criticism. Unless, of course, they are later developed into a novel or a movie, as is the case with Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass.

The movie did not deliver much in support of the worldwide anti-Christianity controversy surrounding its release of this adaptation of the first book in the 'trilogy' by Pullman.

The creatively skilled writer is a man who harbours fantasies, which are portrayed prominently throughout his published work. There are those who may argue otherwise, but those strong in Christianity need not worry about the depiction of religion and Christianity in this movie; if the books read otherwise, then the movie itself cannot be classified as a true representation.

Lacked finality

The only disappointment expressed by patrons was that the ending lacked finality even with the knowledge that it is the first of a three-part series. They, too, were unable to spot the bleakest sign of atheism.

One of the few pastors who commented on the movie pointed out that "if in fact Pullman intended to educate on the non-existence of God, he would be barking up the wrong tree here in Jamaica."

He emphasised that, "Even given the political, social and criminal conflicts in Jamaica, we are still predominantly a Christian society, and cannot foresee the celebration of atheism as a religious culture that would be readily embraced by Jamaicans. We are too religiously strong to be brainwashed, and atheistic behaviour can only surface and become core where religion is weak."