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The Real Golden Compass

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Think of it as the 'anti-Narnia' story if you will. At least I get that vibe from The Golden Compass author Philip Pullman when he states:

"I hate the Narnia books, and I hate them with a deep and bitter passion."

What do you think? Did you pick up any message from that subtle statement?

Which is incredibly ironic, since he borrows a significant amount of imagery and plot points from The Chronicles of Narnia for his books! Let's see, The Golden Compass introduces us to Lucy Lyra, who eventually hides in a wardrobe. There's an alternate world with witches and talking animals and final battles (oh my!). So in other words, he hates the Narnia series with a 'deep and bitter passion', but he was happy to borrow some of the critical elements that make it such a compelling series.

Well, isn't that special!

What isn't so special is the apparent dishonesty coming out of the film's promoters and the author himself. Here's a small sample from Pullman's web site:

"The meaning of a story emerges in the meeting between the words on the page and thoughts in the reader's mind. So when people ask me what I meant by this story, or what was the message I was trying to convey in that one, I have to explain that I'm not going to explain. Anyway, I'm not in the message business; I'm in the 'Once upon a time' business."

Fair enough, except the 'Once upon a time' actually has clear 'messages' from characters in the story like these:

"The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all."

"Every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling."

And the most telling statement of all from Pullman:

"My books are about killing God."

I don't know about you, but when I think "good children's stories," "killing God" ranks right up there with what I look for.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a boycott type person. In fact, I'm not even against this movie coming out. It's a free country with (mostly) free speech as a fundamental right. And I'm not blind enough to ignore that many forms of established religion are incredibly oppressive, and the name of 'God' has been used to justify unspeakable evil. My problem lies much more with the obvious dishonesty going on here - as I hope you're picking up on.

Speaking of dishonesty and truth, there's a key element to this movie that I'd like to borrow for a minute. The Golden Compass is not the kind of navigational instrument as you might think. It's actually more of a 'truth telling' device that guides Lyra to her destiny.

This is really the heart of everyone's destiny, wouldn't you agree? We all need to know what the truth is, so we can expose the lies around us and follow our true path in life. Keep in mind, I'm not talking individual preference kind of truth - like "Starbucks changed my life" or "people who don't like Hannah Montana should be thrown in prison." Those things may be true to some people, but those aren't truths that apply to everyone.

I'm talking about absolute truth - as in true for everyone everywhere for all time, and the great thing is that we can know absolute truth.

How?

Well, to find and know absolute truth, we need a Golden Compass of sorts. We need a "lie detector" that is based on absolutes that come from outside ourselves. See, if I start with myself and my knowledge/feelings as the basis of truth, as a flawed and sinful person I will usually be deceived. That's why I am so amazingly thankful and relieved that there is an outside source of absolute truth whose name is Jesus Christ. Here's what Jesus said about Himself:

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Jesus didn't claim to just know the truth and live it, He actually claims to be the truth. No other religious leader would dare make this claim, much less try to prove it - but Jesus came back from the dead to back up the fact that He is the source of all truth.

So what does that mean for us? Easy. If Jesus is the source of absolute truth, then His words are the Golden Compass we need to escape the lies of the world and fulfill our destiny. And not just His words in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Revelation - but every word of the Bible, because He 'wrote' that as well! That's why the Bible is our only source of absolute truth, because Jesus didn't write anything else.

Does this mean we take the truth of the Bible and twist it, manipulate it, and use it for our own prideful and petty purposes? Of course not - although there are plenty of folks who have in the past, which is probably what's at the heart of Pullman's 'issues' with Christianity. What it does mean is that we keep our focus on reading and studying God's word the way King David did:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105)

We have absolute truth at our fingertips. Without it, we are walking through life without a compass - lost in the lies of 'me first' and 'party like a rockstar.'

So perhaps instead of seeing The Golden Compass, try opening up the real 'truth teller.' It won't cost you a dime, but it will take you on an adventure that fantasy writers only dream about!

Head: What you need to know about this truth

God is the source of all truth, and since the Bible contains His words, they also contain His absolute truth.

Heart: What you need to feel about this truth

Having instant and constant access to the Bible is one of the most amazing privileges on planet earth - but sometimes we forget this. One thing that helps me remember this fact is the inspiring piece below:

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. [Found inside a Gideon's New Testament]

Hands: What you need to do about this truth

One of Satan's primary plans to get Christians off track is through lies and half-truths. Our only defense is to learn and study the truth of God from the Bible, so when movies like The Golden Compass come out, we know our stuff! This week, spend some time reading and studying God's word, so you can start using the real Golden Compass! For help with this, check out the Soul Fuel article The Missing Piece to Your Life.

Also, The Golden Compass gives us a great opportunity to bring God up and share our faith. Check out this great article for help with that: How to Share Your Faith Using The Golden Compass.