So rather than just condemn the movie and books, we point out their popularity and some of the reasons for it; we note the controversial and very problematic nature of some of the content; we suggest what is good in the books, perhaps even in spite of Mr. Pullman’s personal beliefs; and, for those who decide to see the movie or read the books, we offer a guide for discussing the contents in a way that we hope will strengthen faith rather than weaken it.

That was our goal. I assure you that we at Catholic Digest share a concern that Catholics be strong in their faith and that our children keep the faith of their parents and grandparents.

“Something wicked this way comes!”
What bothers me most in the whole brouhaha about "The Golden Compass" isn’t the offense Catholics take to Pullman’s blatant shots at religious authority in general and Christianity in particular — that’s understandable — but the fear that so often accompanies the anger. Many voices shouted that Philip Pullman is out to steal our children! A mass-circulated e-mail declared “This children’s book is one of the most alarming things I have ever read!” A fax sent to my parish from a religious order screamed in large, bold type: THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS!

This level of fear seems out of balance to me. As Pam said to me in our discussion, “People don’t read the Chronicles of Narnia, or the Bible for that matter, and automatically become Christians. Why do we think that people will read His Dark Materials and suddenly turn into atheists?”

It’s a good question. Fear is a very human emotion. Maybe that’s why “Do not be afraid” is one of the most repeated phrases in the Bible — very often by Jesus himself.

Why are so many of us so afraid?

Do we really think our faith has so little to offer that we need to fear Pullman’s fiction?

Are we really afraid that if Catholics read the books and think for themselves they’ll choose atheism?

Are we afraid that our children’s experience of our Church will be uncomfortably close to Pullman’s depiction of a free-will-destroying “Magisterium”?

Are we afraid that the God we preach is anything like the miserable little fake god ready for death in the trilogy?

If any of these fears is realistic, then the fault is ours who are the Church, not Pullman’s, and our children’s faith is in far more danger from the church we give them than from a blatant atheist’s attack. We cannot effectively counter Pullman’s attacks if fear and anger lead us to act like the caricature of the Church he describes in the books.

But if we are living our faith the way we are meant to, what real harm can Pullman do to us? Why not just recognize him for what he is, and if people choose to read his books, help them deal with them in a way that builds faith?

And why not inoculate our children against attacks on the Church by sharing the balanced truth with them? Why not ask them to remember the good priests they know, the Catholic life they’ve seen their parents and grandparents live? Why not admit to them that the human Church on Earth is not perfect but weighted down by the combined sins and limitations of its billion-plus members, every one of them always in need of repentance and God’s grace. Why not be honest and admit that sinful, powerful people in the Church have sometimes been dictatorial and excessively authoritarian, corrupt, and power hungry, but that these are temptations faced by every human being, whether inside the Church or not. Why not remind them that the Church has also given us saints like Anthony, Francis, Margaret, Benedict, Thomas, and thousands more who represent the best we can be. Why not remind them how the Church has also championed the poor and helpless, started hospitals, and held up courage, virtue, and giving of oneself for others as ideals worth living and dying by. Would it be so bad to point out that some of the characters in Pullman’s books show those virtues and, thus, may represent the Church far better than Pullman’s caricature, far more than Pullman himself realizes? Why not tell our children that ours is a Church that tries to stay true to the message and mission of Jesus, as best as redeemed but still sinful and often hypocritical human beings can, and that, while the Holy Spirit leads and sustains us, each human being has the freedom to ignore the Spirit and thus make the Spirit’s job all the harder.

Catholic Digest is proud to have the word “Catholic” in our name. We think our faith is rich and deep enough to handle attacks and criticisms and to respond without fear or excessive rancor and charges of blasphemy.