I think mr. pullman (the writer of the books) is attacking the way the church used to be, like in the galilean age, when heresy was punishable by death, and what is now known as truth was shunted to retain the church’s power. note I don’t capitalize church here because the manipulative and power-mongering ways of old don’t deserve capitalization.
If you watch this movie from the point of view of a neutral with no idea that there’s religious connotation, then you realize its more of a story of the triumph of free will over submission; not sin over piousness, or the devil over God. And I can guarantee you have all seen movies where an atheist had some creative input.
True Christians would never attack free will, but a bloated, powerful church might use God to do such things as remove free will, like the magisterium wishes.
And Lord Azreal wants to kill the Authority (only passingly alluded to as God, more rather the generic “supreme being”) because it is the only solution he can think up. An extreme solution (probably symbolic) for an extreme problem.
I personally am a Christian and was not offended by this film because I have an open mind, and try to understand things before I ignore them.
And how come you guys that slandered this movie used cursing words? A little hypocritical?
And where’s the allusion to Christ? He’s usually subject of criticism of the Christian faith.
Other than that, pretty good movie, with a few good action scenes and a good message, though perhaps not suitable for children (my only criticism of mr. pullman). That message is not the theme of the story - it is the challenge to think freely, which too few of us do.
