Philip Pullman & C S Lewis - Pullman criticizes Lewis for writing with a purpose
Pullman told an audience at the Guardian's Hay Festival, made up largely of children, that when he first read Lewis's Narnia series, he
...realized that what he was up to was propaganda in the cause of the religion he believed in.
But of course, this is exactly what Pullman himself is doing. 'His Dark Materials' is the story of a campaign to destroy the rule of God and bring in the republic of heaven. You can see this (like a snake eating its own tail) as an allegory of what Pullman himself is setting out to do through the story.
The Whitbread Prize judges clearly recognized Pullman's agenda. TV Newscaster Jon Snow, one of the judges, said:
We are more taken, it has to be said, with the [agnostic] Pullman's view of God than Lewis's.
Mark Greene, writing in the Institute for Contemporary Christianity's 'e.g' magazine, said:
This year's Whitbread prize-winner Philip Pullman is, as you might expect, a fine writer and he's a fine writer with a cause. His cause, as he himself has made clear, is to destroy Christianity and to liberate the world from any faith in the Christian God.
So it is strange (and rather dishonest) that Pullman should criticize Lewis for having an agenda, when Pullman so clearly has one of his own.
How could either Lewis or Pullman do anything else? Anyone who writes seriously (that is, not just to entertain) has an agenda in their writing. There is always some persuasive purpose that they are seeking to achieve. Even someone who is only setting out to entertain, cannot help writing on the basis of what they believe about the world.
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People often disagree with what we say on these pages. This is OK. However, if you read these pages carefully, you'll see that we aren't recommending that the films should be censored, or that Pullman's books (or Pullman himself) should be burned, or that people should be otherwise prevented from watching the films and reading the books. We disagree with what he says; not with his right to say it. We uphold the right of free speech, even - especially - for views we disagree with. Will you do the same if you disagree with us?
Web Sites
The Golden Compass - the official web site of the movie.
His Dark Materials web site, containing many interviews and news stories.
The Bridge To the Stars - a 'His Dark Materials' fan site, with the latest news and info on the HDM books, movie and stage version, as well as an active discussion forum
The Truth in 'The Golden Compass' - a video from Tony Watkins, Culturewatch
'Dark Matter: a thinking fan's guide to Philip Pullman', by Tony Watkins - a collection of resources including Tony's book about Philip Pullman and a briefing paper for churches on The Golden Compass.
'Hollywood Jesus' Philip Pullman resource center
Pullman vs. The Magisterium, by Terry Mattingly
The
Golden Compass: Pointing in the Wrong Direction - Steve Cable, Research
Associate of Probe Ministries, gives his response to The Golden Compass.
The
Golden Compass - Christianity Today contributor Peter T. Chattaway's
review of the movie.
Thinking
Christian Blog Tom Gilson's blog review of the His
Dark Materials trilogy.
The
Golden Compass: A Briefing for Concerned Parents - Dr
R. Albert Mohler, Jr outlines the worldview and
the agenda that lies behind the His Dark Materials trilogy.
The
Golden Compass: A Primer on Atheism - Russ Wise explains The Golden
Compass as a primer of Atheism, and presents suggestions of how Christians,
especially parents, can respond.
Atheism
For Kids - Gene Edward Veith examines the attack on C.S. Lewis and
The Chronicles of Narnia as the behind the scenes passion of author Philip
Pullman.
'The most dangerous author in Britain'? Article from 'The Mail on Sunday', 27th January 2002. "Philip Pullman is being hailed as the new C. S. Lewis after being awarded the Whitbread Book of the Year prize for his latest novel aimed at children: The Amber Spyglass. The judges described it as visionary, but Peter Hitchens reveals that the author appears to have his own sinister agenda..."
See also: 'A labour of loathing.' Peter Hitchens on the worship of Philip Pullman, who has set out to destroy Narnia. From 'The Spectator', 18 January 2003