The Golden Compass Movie

[Harry]

Originally Posted by SamTheEagle

Eh, yeah, you won't get any arguments from me that sometimes Christians overreact. However, from the brief descriptions I've just read about the books, seems to me that any Christian (or religious) parent would have well-founded reasons for not wanting their (young) children to read these.

Like not wanting their (young) children to develop critical thinking abilities?

[Samantha]

Originally Posted by SamTheEagle

Eh, yeah, you won't get any arguments from me that sometimes Christians overreact. However, from the brief descriptions I've just read about the books, seems to me that any Christian (or religious) parent would have well-founded reasons for not wanting their (young) children to read these.

I don't know. I'd like to think that if I were religious, I'd be even more interested in reading/seeing them with my kids. Anything you tell kids they can't see or do, they will want to all the more. (I don't let my kids watch Popeye, the cartoon, not a strict censoring as in "you CANNOT watch this" but when I see it on, I just tell them there's got to be something better they can be watching and if not I'm sure I can find them a good book!)

So then some night a year or so down the road, they will catch the movie at a friend's house and watch it, or find the book and read it without the benefit of parental commentary and input. If I watch/read it with them, they are also captive to hearing my opinion of it as well as being able to ask questions and have conversations about deeper meanings.

Currently, my kids and I have been reading the story of Perseus from Greek mythology. I've been surprised at how much they are enjoying it. (Which makes me think they will enjoy this series as well.) But I'd say we spend as much or more time discussing each chapter as we do reading it.

[rekrap]

Originally Posted by micaelagb

...they were scared to turn on the bathtub faucet for fear that a snake will come out.

Don't let them read Brian Wilson's autobiography either then...

Originally Posted by General Apathy

Still, just to be safe, I burned as many copies as I could find.

I trust you bought all the copies in your local bookstore, just to be safe.

[Frenchie]

MM and I were actually stopped in the mall for a survey this weekend. Needing to kill some time before our pumkin carving adventure () we participated. It turned out to be a survey about this movie. I may have seen the preview before, but couldn't remember. The preview definitely does not tell much about the story, which was one of the critiques I had. If I were someone who was really interested in what the story was, and not a person who would follow up by looking it up online, then I would not be moved by the preview b/c I'd be like, "Well, tell me more..."

That being said, someone who is concerned about what type of message a movie may or may not send should do some more research other than 1) Catching a 30-second trailer and 2) Relying on mass e-mails. If it's a movie based on a book, then read the book yourself. If it's an original screenplay, then find as many reviews and synopses as possible.

Okay, I'm dying of hunger, so my though is going to end there.

[ajstudies]

I received that e-mail too, from someone who usually doesn't forward these sorts of things.

I deleted the message, but what I should have done was to have asked if she had read the book and what her personal thoughts were.

I've only met maybe one person who thought HP was evil and had actually READ the book. So I thought she had a right to her opinion.

My kids haven't mentioned this one to me, and if the movie is coming out between now and Christmas, I figure there will be several others for us to choose from if we want to see a kid friendly movie, so I'm taking a wait and see approach. If they start bugging me about it then I will have to read the book I guess.

[micaelagb]

Originally Posted by Harry

Like not wanting their (young) children to develop critical thinking abilities?

Not a child psychologist, but as a parent of young kids (and once a young kid myself), I don't think the cognitive capacity to think critically is really developed at that age. They just don't "get it." I absolutely agree that part of raising kids is teaching them to think critically and reason for themselves, but you also have to understand what they're capable of at each age.

It's like trying to potty-train a 9 month old. Why bother struggling to teach something that isn't developmentally appropriate? (yes, it can be done...but if they can't walk yet, there's a lot of parent-training there, too).

ETA: "That age" being about 5 or 6...that's the age of my kids, and about the age I figured Harry meant by "young"

[dinosaur]

Originally Posted by Kaia

I can't wait to see it. I was heretofore unaware of it's "religious undertones". Can't say I care either way.

i wonder if my gf will go with me, i mean she loves Harry Potter and all the witchcraft he presents to the world.

as for the religious undertones, i had no idea until i saw how religious organizations were standing firm against him and his books, that he's the antichrist or something along those lines.

i was told to buy the books too, undecided about that though.

[micaelagb]

Originally Posted by dinosaur

i was told to buy the books too, undecided about that though.

Give them to her parents as a winter solstice gift...

[ajstudies]

Originally Posted by Samantha

I don't know. I'd like to think that if I were religious, I'd be even more interested in reading/seeing them with my kids. Anything you tell kids they can't see or do, they will want to all the more. (I don't let my kids watch Popeye, the cartoon, not a strict censoring as in "you CANNOT watch this" but when I see it on, I just tell them there's got to be something better they can be watching and if not I'm sure I can find them a good book!)

ITA with this but I also think you have to know your kid. I didn't let my 7yo watch HP5 this past summer, b/c I thought it would be too intense for her. She can watch it on video when it comes out, b/c I think the intensity diminishes on the "small screen".

OTOH, I have really "relaxed" what I will/won't allow my soon to be 12 yo to watch or read. Right now she's really open to telling me about books she has read, for example, and she surprises me sometimes with her insights.

Oh, that I could bottle that up and save it for the days she's being a typical self-centered 12yo!