Beware More Than 'The Golden Compass'

posted: November 07, 2007 | submit comments

It seems several Christian organizations have gotten themselves all riled up over a movie that is scheduled to be released in December called 'The Golden Compass'. Evidently the movie is about a little girl on a quest to kill God. (Now that's a concept that I just can't grasp.) Christian groups believe the movie is a ploy to promote atheism to kids (as if the public schools weren't already doing a good enough job).

The movie is produced by New Line Cinema, a multi-media production company. I don't know about the motives of the film's author but I can assure you that New Line Cinema is mainly out to make a buck and not much else, having produced movies such as 'Rush Hour' 1 & 2 (starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker), the Lord of the Rings trilogy, 'The Mask', 'Dumb & Dumber', the Austin Powers series, and many other movies coving a broad spectrum of topics. (As I have said many times before, contrary to what many Christian leaders would have you believe, Hollywood is not out to "get your kids", they are out to make money. If Christian movies made a profit, they would make them, just as they did back in the 50s and 60s, and occasionally do now.)

OK, so this is probably not a movie you would want to take your kids to see. So what is the problem? Don't take your kids to see the movie! And by all means don't buy them the book the movie is based on. Which is exactly what millions of Christian parents did with their children in regards to another anti-God fantasy series. You remember the star of the series, I'm sure. His name is Harry Potter.

Of all the groups that purchased the Harry Potter books, DVDs, and watched the movie, Christians were one of the largest. In spite of what people want to say, the Harry Potter series is demonic. There are witches and warlocks, magic spells, and all other kinds of witchcraft. It's not like you have to look for hidden meanings. You don't even need to have any discernment at all. It's as plain as black and white. And yet, many Christian parents allowed — even encouraged — their children to partake of this magic.

I received a note today about some books and Bible studies that seem to have taken Harry Potter way beyond the realm of any reason (and beyond what its author had intended also, I am sure). The first book is The Gospel According to Harry Potter. It's written by Connie Neal, and is sold by the Covenant Bookstore. The book's promo states:

In a book that is sure to delight Harry Potter fans and spiritual seekers alike, author and Potter enthusiast Connie Neal dives into the Harry Potter series looking for the Christian Gospel. Does she find it? Yes! In this, her exploration of J.K. Rowling's created world of magic and mystery, Neal enumerates more than fifty "Potteran" themes that can be seen as glimmers of the Gospel.... the lessons in Harry Potter not only echo many of the stories in the Bible but also reinforce the central messages of Christianity.

The Bible that Neal claims Harry Potter represents has much to say about witchcraft and sorcery (e.g., Deuteronomy 18.10,14; 2 Kings 21.6; 2 Chronicles 33.6; Galatians 5.20; Revelation 10.23). If ever you wanted to portray the extreme of the Bible, witchcraft and sorcery is it. Neal has also published a follow-up book: The Gospel According to Harry Potter Bible Study. This one recommends viewing scenes from the Harry Potter movies to help with Bible study.

And, finally, as if that weren't enough, we have Looking for God in Harry Potter, written by John Granger. According to the Web site's promo:

Everything you've heard about Harry Potter may be wrong.... Using his knowledge of classic literature, philosophy, theology, and Christian tradition, Granger has decoded what he believes is the secret message of the Potter novels.

What can I say? This is crazy! People have removed themselves so far from God and His word that they have deceived themselves into believing that books about the occult contain secret messages about God! Paul very clearly states in his letter to Timothy:

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Timothy 4.3-4

In other words, people will no longer long for the word of God. Instead, they will seek out things that excite them, teachings that cause them to tingle inside, just like the word of God used to do to them. However, the word of God has been made void and empty in the institutional church today. It has lost its power; not the word itself, but those who teach it have emptied it of any meaning. They have thrown it into the mud of humanism, and trampled it underfoot. They no longer teach people to look for the coming of the Messiah, to seek the Kingdom of God. Instead, it's all about self — how to make more money, how you can feel better, how you can look better. All the while people are starving spiritually. The Lord is moving in the earth, He is stirring each man's soul within himself. These are the end of days! As people seek for that which they do not know (because they have no one to point them to it), they become easily led astray by those seeking to make a name for themselves (Genesis 11.4), or others who are looking to make a profit from the word of God.

Arise and wake up! It is time to put ourselves behind us. Let us live to the Lord, not to ourselves or to some man on a pedestal. Seek the word of God. Open the Scriptures and seek the Lord's guidance and He will show you the way. The messenger from God told Daniel to look to the end of days:

"Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand." Daniel 12:10