The Golden Compass

I'm sure that you have just about heard enough on The Golden Compass controversy. The exchanges continue and several libraries still are removing the series from their shelves. Sad, sad, sad... and, you know that most have not even read the book. If they did, they would know that the Authority was not God, only posing as God. I did want to share this article from the Christian Science Monitor regarding the decision by adults, authority figures (no pun intended), or religious organizations making the blanket decision that the series is inappropriate:

What these topics and messages don't do is spark the kind of rigorous, open-minded questioning that defines truly mature thought. They're group-think in disguise. That is to say, they're still what adults – those arbiters of publishing for children – have, collectively, deemed "appropriate." And sadly, what's appropriate" often sidesteps that which can't just be conveyed as information – the deep intellectual, ethical, and spiritual issues that require children to be thoughtful participants in a dialogue, not just empty vessels waiting to be filled.
Meanwhile, Pullman compels his young readers to do the edgiest thing of all, which is to think for themselves.

Please read the entire article, it's excellent.

Another incredible resourse on the topic is Scott Westerfeld's blog, Westerblog. If you want to read some thoughtful and serious comments by kids, spend some time on his posts about The Golden Compass. Great stuff. Probably the most important point is this: that the trilogy is NOT about killing God.

But how do I know this rumor isn’t true? Well, unlike rumors about what happened at someone’s party or who kissed whom, everything in His Dark Material is written down, and you can read it to find out exactly what happens. So if you go to page 188 of the US mass market paperback of Amber Spyglass, you’ll discover that Pullman’s Authority is not the creator. He’s not god. Ogunwe says so in the following words, “It shocked some of us, too, to learn that the Authority was not the creator.”
Case closed. The Authority is a fraud. He’s a liar, just like the people who started the rumor that in His Dark Materials the characters “kill god.” In a funny way, those people are trying to pull off the same kind of trick as the Authority. Okay, they’re not exactly playing god, but they are lying to control what you read, which affects what you think, and what you believe. They are frauds. (Or VERY sloppy readers.)

Strong words? Perhaps. But, notice the exchange of comments from kids. Westerfeld is treating the kids as if their opinions are valid and as if they are intelligent enough to form their own opinions. What a concept!